SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — It’s that time again—Friday is here and Utah’s favorite movie review is back with takes on this week’s wildest releases. Rotten Tomatometer-approved critic Patrick Beatty teams up with UFCA critic and podcaster Rebecca Frost and Kent Dunn to break down the must-sees, the streaming surprises, and the skips. From the adrenaline of “One Battle After Another” and the raw Dwayne Johnson led biopic of “The Smashing Machine”, to the horror story of “Good Boy” and the Hulu comedy “Chad Powers”, plus chilling true crime in “Unknown Number” and the Netflix horror “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” and “Steve”, this week has something for every type of watch.

In Theaters

One Battle After Another (R)

Leo DiCaprio and Paul Thomas Anderson team up for the first time for what could be a Best Picture contender. Bob is a wash-up revolutionary who lives off the grid with his daughter, Willa. When Willa goes missing while old enemies resurface, Bob will have to find the courage to get his daughter back before it’s too late.

At times, the film can feel oddly paced, particularly in the beginning. But once the story is set into motion, there is no going back. This is a hilarious, timely, quirky, and at times shocking story that encompasses so much in its 2 and a half hour runtime, but does so masterfully.

DiCaprio again shines as a washed-up revolutionary, too burned out to remember the simplest of things, but is dedicated to his daughter and tries to keep her as safe as possible. The daughter, played by Chase Infiniti in a showstopping performance, completely steals the movie once she’s introduced. Between her, Sean Penn, and Benicio Del Toro, this is shaping up to become a clear frontrunner for best supporting performances as well as best ensemble.

The standout scenes that will now forever be etched into my brain are in the opening 30 minutes and the closing 30. Seeing the winding roads of chaos come and go with ferocity, paired with the brilliant editing of this iconic car chase, had my jaw on the floor the entire time. Seeing the flares shoot across the night sky as Bob sprints to freedom, to the beautiful wide shots of the sweeping desert landscape, this is one of the most beautifully shot films PTA has eveer made.

The novel the film is based on came out 20 years ago. This screenplay Paul Thomas Anderson has been chipping away at took over a decade to make. So when you see reviews and hear that “One Battle After Another” is timely in its themes of fighting the “Other”, about sinister oligarchs and misplaced patriotism, it’s both a testament to the writing and a sad reminder that progress has not progressed enough.

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The Smashing Machine (R)

Directed by Benny Safdie, this biographical sports drama stars Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr, a former UFC champion who, in this film, faces a slew of hardships. From substance abuse to the fear of mortality and losing to relationship problems with his love, Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), Kerr is faced with the chance of greatness or his personal life falling apart.

The film resists the urge to give a show-stopping boxing choreography and overindulgent cinematography in exchange for a raw, guerrilla-style camerawork that strips the smoothness we’ve come to accept as the norm for the genre to focus on the story. It dawned on me in the second act that we wouldn’t be seeing that “Final Battle” but instead a retrospective look into a man who realizes that winning isn’t everything.

There’s no doubt, this is Dwayne Johnson’s best work to date. He transforms into this fighter, and with or without the prosthetics, you know immediately Johnson is tapping into more than his Jungle fighting, “Black Adam” self. I applaud the screenplay and direction from Benny Safdie for giving the space for this actor to bring a performance that is certainly worthy of awards consideration.

Johnson and Emily Blunt’s chemistry still works (Jungle Cruise Reunion lol). Blunt continues to be a powerhouse actor who always brings something unique and central to the story. I wish we had more powerful moments with them, but you can immediately see the spark.

The biggest issue with “The Smashing Machine” is that while the title alludes to a big spectacle, it is really a quiet character exploration of someone who is both the nicest and the most sensitive fighter. How do you not self-harm because of a loss? How does that affect those around you? THAT is the message, and I hope people can see past the spectacle and look at the moments themselves.

Overall, “The Smashing Machine” delivers a powerful performance and is an introspective look into a fighter who wants to win more than to be loved. Worth checking out on a $5 Tuesday at the Megaplex.

See It or Skip It? See It (Streaming)

Good Boy (PG-13)

In this supernatural horror film directed by Ben Leonberg, the story unfolds from the perspective of a dog named Indy, whose owner, frankly, sucks. Both the man and his canine are going through substance withdrawals, and when the owner receives a potentially terminal diagnosis, he decides to take his loyal companion into a haunted house he hopes to inherit. But as his health declines, Indy begins seeing echoes of the past, turning this into both a fascinating experimental horror short and, honestly, a deeply flawed film.

The focus on Indy is the film’s strongest choice; it’s captivating from start to finish. I love Indy. I want Indy to land a dozen more roles because he carries this story with surprising depth and heart. If only the film had given him more to work with.

Now, the obvious issue: the lighting. When a filmmaker turns the brightness down so far that I can’t see what’s happening, I’m out. This movie drowns in darkness. I get it, “true black” color grading, digital cameras, cinematic mood, but come on, light your scenes properly.

Once this hits streaming, “Good Boy” might be worth a first watch for its concept alone. Whether it sticks with you depends on how much you connect with it. And if you’re sensitive to any imagery that could harm or distress animals, skip it. It’s not gratuitous, but it will make you fear for Indy, and that may be too much for some viewers.

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What’s Streaming?

Chad Powers (TV-14)

Based on an Omaha Productions skit, this Hulu series follows Russ Holliday, a disgraced college quarterback who disguises himself as Chad Powers to join a struggling football team. The first two episodes are out, and I laughed a lot during them! One part Waterboy, the other part Mrs. Doubtfire.

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Unknown Number: The High School Catfish (TV-MA)

Directed by Skye Borgman, this Netflix documentary investigates the true story of Lauryn Licari, a teenager who was harassed and cyberbullied by someone using an unknown number. This is an absolutely must-watch documentary, mainly for the shocking second half. Otherwise, they don’t really ratchet up the story to the heights I was looking for, but that doesn’t matter once the bombshell drops.

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Monster: The Ed Gein Story (TV-MA)

This Netflix series, part of the “Monster” anthology, portrays the life of Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam), a convicted murderer and body snatcher from Wisconsin. He is famous not only for this, but by Hollywood bringhins his horrendous stories to the cultural forefront with Alfred Hitchcock’s “Pshycho”, to “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, and even “Silence of the Lambs”.

Having even been a fan of the Dahmer series Ryan Murphy created, and believing that the last Monsters entry regarding the Menendez Brothers was the best to-date, I can’t sign off on this one. It feels both empty and gratuitous at the same time. Charlie Hunnam is a great actor and delivers a great perforamce, as well as the others involved, but ultimately the perspective the story chooses to take is far too close for comfort.

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Steve (R)

Directed by Tim Mielants, this drama stars Cillian Murphy as Steve, a headteacher at a reform school in 1990s England.

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Did you see any of the shows reviewed this weekend? Leave a comment if so, and make sure to follow us on all our social media platforms and listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.

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Note: See It or Skip It is proudly owned and produced by Patrick Beatty. ABC4 is a broadcast partner, but the show, its content, and opinions are independently created.