All posts by Tarek Fayoumi…The Paterson of his Craft!

I am someone who strives to become a professional critic. I watch and review many movies. I view the eyes of movies as something as an art form. I have followed many critics over the years, but once I was thirteen I knew writing film reviews was going to be my passion. I learned from watching multiple episodes of Ebert And Roeper in my teen years, and then in middle school I began writing film reviews for a newspaper club. I am also an avid fan of the arts of Chicago including Theatre, Comedy, and music. Films, however, are my primary focus.
Film reviews

The Smashing Machine Review

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When I look at Dwayne Johnson, I always think back to his days as The Rock in pro wrestling. Seeing him play an athlete going through struggles with addiction on his way to heightened fame represents a whole different level of achievement. Written and directed by Benny Safdie, this is The Smashing Machine, a true story that includes many knockouts and rounds of difficult trials and errors. Johnson delivers a stunning performance playing Mark Kerr. Emily Blunt is also outstanding. Her emotions are hard to dismiss in her role as Dawn Staples. The Smashing Machine is story about athleticism and the pursuit of a goal which involves components of physicality and drug abuse which lead to a hard fall.

The film is about Kerr’s life and his road to success and fame. His physique plays a key role as does the way he incorporates many types of injections to make sure his body stays in tune. Inthe martial arts competitions he competes in, he finds himself frustrated with new rules. He relies so much on drugs to thrive. Dawn recognizes that he is an addict. Despite his athletic success, she calls him out repeatedly. The realism related to shame, addiction, and guilt is no joke in The Smashing Machine. The title even speaks for itself because the film feels like a “smashing machine.”

The film’s vibrant display of hurdles faced along the way is compelling. Kerr feels there is no easy way out. His body takes a toll and the story guides viewers through the harrowing approach to redemption. To clarify, the harsh steps to get sober are presented in a vivid and spellbinding way. Safdie’s directing incorporates stressful displays of lighting and accompanying characterizations that make audiences’ hearts pound. This movie is almost as stressful as Uncut Gems, which he co-wrote and directed with his brother Josh Safdie. However, The Smashing Machine is Benny’s project. The writing leads to rapid heart rates which come from Benny’s ability to create unforgettable vibes in The Smashing Machine. Throwing in athleticism, dishonesty, and disconnection which all combine to bring self-aggravation and personal destruction, makes this film hard to dismiss. The Smashing Machine paints an honest portrait that proves that even in the darkest places there is still light.

The highlight of this film lies within the performances of Johnson and Blunt. They are an unmissable power couple that truly take the cake. This biopic of actual events hits many detrimental bumps along the way to get the message right. The Smashing Machine delivers the important message to never give up. I believe it is one of the best films of 2025. Also, it may be one of the best Johnson has delivered. He has come a long way since his wrestling days.

Getting out of patterns is not easy. Finding trust is what the story explores. The Smashing Machine shows how important it is to have a foundation for success. It is one-of-a-kind movie and atrue story that is meant to be seen. Four out four stars.

 

Film reviews

Him Review

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It is the start of the football season, and Justin Tipping (Kicks, Get Black Monday) decides to step-up his directing game with a sports thriller. Him is a  psychological thriller with a wild and crazy imagination. On one hand, the film is about  fame, and on  the other, survival. The two lines run parallel  in  Him. Being a pro football player is presented as a dream, and \ Tipping creates one’s dream to be an irreparable nightmare. The presentation continues to fall into a psychological  pattern. As egos topple over suspenseful situations  that become an athletic training film  like no other.

Him focuses on Cameron Cade and he is played by Tyriq Withers (Atlanta, Tell Me Lies). Cade, a rookie quarterback  is  given the opportunity to train with champion and veteran quarterback Isaiah White, played by  Marlon Wayans (On the Rocks, Air). With Cameron focused on becoming a  pro player, he feels this is his dream is close to coming true. However, once he steps foot into Isaiah’s home, there are haunting aspects that may be more disturbing than Cameron has anticipated. His head may be in the game to learn from his mentor, but he does not realize how dangerous the football camp is.

For Tipping, he oversteps the boundaries of sports and mayhem. It is exhilarating in some moments, but in others Him devolves into an  overwhelming slog of strobe-like effects. While I did expect technology of that nature in Him, its use prevents the film from ever feeling like anything more than mesmerizing.  Tipping provides the enemies a form of ambience of purpose. Competition with violence and desperation for success do not tango well with Him. It is presented in the setting of a cult that is disturbing. There are many trial and error moments, leaving Tipping’s film feeling like a blur. Him relies a lot more on star power than it does  suspense to engage its audiences. This is a thriller where there is more  enjoyment found in the  twisted fun of watching events unfold than in Him than any actual emotional responses like shock or mortification..

Him keeps up its craziness with football legend vibes going boldly. That is because the star powered dynamics are all around wild throughout the whole film. But the writing is a mess. The direction to become an all-star with life or death scenarios has a strange direction. Ultimately, so much of it relies on the presence of Marlon Wayans as the emperor, and Tyriq Withers as his apprentice. A duo that needs improvement in characterizations. Two out of four stars.

Capsule Reviews, Fantastic Fest 2025, Film reviews

Fantastic Fest 2025-Crushed

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This is one of those titles where there are moving parts which build tension and rise rapidly. Crushed takes place in a diverseinternational setting. The title made me feel like I was “crushed” because of the stress surrounding a family and a chain of events that sets off much worrisome news. For Fantastic Fest, this is afilm that speaks to all types of audiences. It has plenty of suspense and dives into uncharted territory from many different creative angles.

The film is written and directed by Simon Rumley and focuses on a family living in Bangkok. The head of the family is FatherDaniel (Steve Oram). He is a pastor, and his wife is May (May Nattaporn Rawddon). The film begins with an emphasis on religion and empathy. Morals are put to the test throughout the story, but when the daughter of Daniel and May is kidnapped, the heads roll in Crushed.

The strange moving parts in this film begin when their daughter gets freaked out by a video. This causes her cat to go missing, and then the daughter spirals. This film showcases a wonderful juxtaposition which effectively paints the portrait of a messed-up scenario. Some elements may seem confusing, but the truth may lie within the realm of the darkness in Crushed.

The story is about seeking justice while also finding a means to safety.  The suspense in Crushed is continuously in tune which results in a breathless work-of-art that feels like a real-life situation. It is surreal and a lot for the eyes to take. This film is one of the most authentic yet daring rides in this year’s Fantastic Fest. Three out of four stars.