We Almost Missed These 10 Movies. Should You?

Key Takeaways

Hollywood icon Robert Redford's passing prompted a tribute to his career and Sundance Film Festival legacy.
The first 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' trailer generated discussion on its theatrical viability and reliance on CGI.
September is consistently a weak box office month, with horror and anime showing strong performance.
Recent original films like 'Him' and 'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey' underperformed at the box office.
'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' found success, contrasting with other struggling original productions.
Stephen King's 'The Long Walk' adaptation was praised for its performances despite a weak ending.
The 'Freaky Friday' sequel features Lindsay Lohan's return and is considered a fun, family-friendly film.
A documentary titled 'Megadoc' offered insights into the tumultuous production of Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis'.
The film adaptation of 'Thursday Murder Club' disappointed, failing to capture the book's charm and character chemistry.
The 'Predators' documentary examined the societal impact of the television show 'To Catch a Predator'.

A tribute was paid to American filmmaker and star Robert Redford, who passed away at 89 years old.
Redford significantly influenced Hollywood through his 1970s acting career, directorial work, and founding of the Sundance Film Festival.
His career was marked by a preference for adult-oriented films, and he received an Academy Award for Best Director.
An in-depth tribute, potentially featuring Bill Simmons' Rewatchables episodes, is scheduled for November.

September is noted as a historically weak box office month, often dubbed the 'new February,' where only horror films typically perform well.
Recent successes include 'The Conjuring: Last Rights,' grossing $150 million in three weeks, and 'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle,' which made $100 million to become the top-grossing animated film of 2025.
Films like 'Him,' 'The Long Walk,' 'Downtown Abbey,' and 'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey' underperformed in this challenging box office period.
'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle' dominated for two weeks, appealing strongly to a younger demographic, with one host's son seeing 'Dogman' twice, which grossed $96 million.

The movie 'Him' was the highest-grossing new release of the weekend, produced by Jordan Peele's Monkey Paw Productions and directed by Justin Tipping.
Starring Marlon Wayans and Tyreek Withers, the film is described as a sports horror, focusing on the exploitation of young athletes within the football industry.
Themes explored include black masculinity and the 'religion' of football, though the film's tracking dropped due to negative reviews.
One host found the film a disappointing miss, questioning its logic regarding age and occult themes, and felt it did a disservice to its cast.

'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey' is described as a heartbreaking and 'dead-on-arrival' film despite its cast and director Kogonada's previous work.
The plot involves a blind date at a wedding leading to a journey through the couple's past, drawing comparisons to 'treacly 90s movies.'
Critiques included a perceived lack of chemistry between the leads and the portrayal of Margot Robbie's character.
One host found few positive aspects, while another briefly enjoyed a high school musical set piece, suggesting the film might have worked better as a musical.

'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' found success, contrasting with the underperformance of original films during the same period.
The film explores the Crawley family's financial challenges, specifically their need to sell their London home to maintain the estate.
The plot includes Lady Mary divorcing Matthew Goode's character, Henry Talbot, due to his absence and the introduction of a new character, Alessandro Nivola.
Hosts debate the impact of CGI versus 'real houses' in filmmaking, noting the second film's box office may have been affected by its pandemic release.

'The Long Walk' is a Stephen King adaptation, directed by Francis Lawrence, originating from one of King's earliest novels published under his alias Richard Bachman.
The premise combines Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' with a marathon, featuring teens in a high-stakes walking contest where the last one standing wins a large cash prize.
Mark Hamill plays a major in charge of the contest, and the film stars Cooper Hoffman and David Johnson.
Shot sequentially, the movie is described as a 'gnarly' and diverting exploration of late capitalism, though its ending was criticized for rejecting the premise's excitement.

Details of the 'Freaky Friday' sequel include its cast, a plot centered on Anna's blended family facing new challenges, and the return of original characters.
One host expressed enjoyment, appreciating its Los Angeles filming location and glossy quality, while rooting for Lindsay Lohan's performance.
Lindsay Lohan's seamless return to acting in 'Freaky Friday' was praised, noting her consistent talent and screen presence.
The film is described as a fun, family-friendly movie, particularly enjoyable for a younger audience.

'Megadoc,' a documentary by Mike Figgis, details the production of Francis Ford Coppola's film 'Megalopolis.'
The hosts recall discussing 'Megadoc' previously, noting 'Megalopolis' was likely released around September of the prior year, following mixed reactions at Cannes.
The documentary offers a raw portrayal of production conflicts, Coppola's ambitious vision, and the access granted to Figgis.
Highlights include struggles with production design, Shia LaBeouf's controversial yet captivating performance, and serendipitous moments captured during filming.

The film adaptation of Richard Osman's 'Thursday Murder Club' cozy mystery novels, directed by Chris Columbus, stars Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie.
The hosts found the film disappointing, noting a loss of character chemistry and charm compared to the books.
Specific critique was directed at Pierce Brosnan's casting and the film's reliance on studio sets rather than authentic locations.
The books revolve around retirees solving murders, a charm that the film reportedly failed to capture.

'Predators' is a documentary about the television show 'To Catch a Predator,' clarified as unrelated to the 'Predator' film franchise.
The documentary is described as a serious and upsetting examination of the TV show's impact on society.
It explores the ramifications for those involved in the show's sting operations to catch child predators.
The film debuted at Sundance before opening in theaters, prompting discussions on its societal implications.