Cinema Snapshots: November 2025
What I watched last month...
Welcome to this month’s Cinema Snapshots! At the beginning of each month, I reflect on what I watched the prior month and provide a quick “snapshot” of my thoughts on those films. So without further ado, here are my Cinema Snapshots for November 2025.
Nuremberg
In postwar Germany, an American psychiatrist must determine whether Nazi prisoners are fit to go on trial for war crimes, and finds himself in a complex battle of intellect and ethics with Hermann Göring, Hitler’s right-hand man.
Nuremberg is a flawed, but powerful film following an American psychiatrist’s (Rami Malek) examinations of Nazi prisoners in the lead-up to the Nuremberg trials. The dialogue is often clunky and overly expository, but the screenplay as a whole is structured incredibly well. The film features one of Russell Crowe’s best performances ever (as Hermann Göring, Hitler’s right-hand man), but other supporting performances struggle under the weight of the material.
For every strength, the film has a weakness, but when it shines it shines, serving as an interesting (if lesser) companion piece to the 1961 masterpiece, Judgment at Nuremberg.
★★★★☆
Roofman
A former Army Ranger and struggling father turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname ‘Roofman’. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.
There’s not much going on beneath the surface of Roofman, a pretty straightforward dramedy that doesn’t work hard to give characters depth or purpose.
But in spite of the script’s simplicity, the film is a blast. Channing Tatum is clearly having a fun time with the material, and Kirsten Dunst brings a level of emotion to her supporting role that elevates her character and the film as a whole. And as a native North Carolinian, I loved spotting all the filming locations in Gastonia and Charlotte!
★★★☆☆
Blue Moon
On the evening of March 31, 1943, legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart confronts his shattered self-confidence in Sardi’s bar as his former collaborator Richard Rodgers celebrates the opening night of his ground-breaking hit musical “Oklahoma!”.
Set on a single evening in 1943, Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon centers on lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) as he grapples with love, loss, and legacy in his life. Though the film is an original screenplay by Robert Kaplow, it functions very similarly to a stageplay, from its single location setting to its dramatic dialogue and extended monologues.
Hawke excels in this dialogue-heavy style, much like his past collaborations with Linklater. Andrew Scott’s performance as Richard Rodgers is a welcome contrast to Hawke in the second act, and Linklater does just enough behind the camera to keep the film visually interesting and smoothly edited.
★★★☆☆ | Watch now on Netflix
Frankenstein
Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
Frankenstein is a difficult film to review. It has plenty of flaws, but it also captivated me throughout, showcasing some of Guillermo del Toro’s best strengths as a director.
Del Toro’s collaborations with cinematographer Dan Laustsen have been visually stunning. They bring out the best in each other, as does composer Alexandre Desplat. However, their efforts in Frankenstein aren’t always perfect. Desplat’s music borders on campy, particularly in the first half, and I’m not a fan of the deep focus cinematography employed here by Laustsen. That said, Desplat treats the Creature with incredible musical tenderness, and some shots in the film are among the year’s best (including some subtle long takes). This is all accompanied by the lavish production design, intricate costumes, and exquisite hair and makeup. It’s easy to get drawn into the worlds del Toro builds, and all the craftsmanship on display makes Frankenstein no different.
I’m not quite sure if I love the Creature’s design in this film (though it’s certainly unique compared to other takes on the character), but Jacob Elordi gives a remarkable performance. He brings nuance and sympathy to a role that could very easily come across as silly.
Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz deliver their typical strong efforts, but I was underwhelmed by Oscar Isaac’s take on Victor Frankenstein. The script doesn’t do him any favors, but Isaac’s performance removes any hint of relatability or empathy for the audience. Of course, Mary Shelley’s novel always sought to demonstrate that the blame lies with Victor, not his “monster.” But one can still make Victor’s performance human and understandable, while still showing he’s at fault in the story. Del Toro and Isaac both seem to prefer making Victor an all-out, mustache-twirling villain, rather than a tragic character too caught up in his own flaws, subsequently painting the Creature as practically flawless. All that to say, this really could have used even 10% more nuance (strangely, I think Branagh’s version does a better job of this).
Guillermo Del Toro has been building to this film thematically and visually for his entire life. Some of his other films tackle these same themes better than Frankenstein, but despite its flaws, there’s no denying the overall strength of his adaptation.
★★★★☆ | Watch now on Netflix
No Other Choice
After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.
Park Chan-wook is one of the best working directors today, and he delivers yet another spellbinding film in No Other Choice. The film’s success hinges on an impressive tonal blend of humor and darkness (a staple of his work), complemented by a strong lead performance from Lee Byung-hun and a compelling musical score.
Few filmmakers are as willing to thoughtfully film modern technology as Park Chan-wook. It’s a seemingly small thing, but watching a film like this where he finds unique and meaningful ways to shoot phones and iPads is a delight. Be sure to check this one out.
★★★★☆
Ballad of a Small Player
Amid the glittering casinos of Macau, a gambler running from his past — and his debts — becomes fascinated by an enigmatic woman at the baccarat table.
I somewhat understand the lukewarm reaction to Ballad of a Small Player, but it’s right up my alley. Sure, it’s a recycled plot about a gambler in over his head, but the film is clearly meant to be more broadly metaphorical of someone stuck in a cycle of addiction and sin. Everyone calls Lord Doyle (Colin Farrell) a “lost soul” and irredeemable, and Doyle himself says “it would take a miracle to save me.” I’m always looking for spiritual themes in film, but Ballad of a Small Player puts those themes at its very heart and asks viewers to reflect on what exactly it takes to be saved.
Farrell is outstanding at playing this broken, desperate protagonist, Bertelmann’s score is appropriately frantic, and the cinematography is among the year’s best. This might be the weakest of Berger’s recent films, but only by a slim margin.
★★★★☆ | Watch now on Netflix
