film review | The Last Movie Guy

A House of Dynamite (2025): Nuclear Tension in Modern Times

Perhaps we are all already on the verge of paranoia, and it only takes the slightest push to set it off. A House of Dynamite (2025), directed by Kathryn Bigelow, works with the anxiety of nuclear annihilation to construct a story that feels lifted from the Cold War era, yet unfolds unmistakably in our present. Noah Oppenheim’s script confronts us with the reality that the possibility of nuclear conflict is stronger today than ever, even as the public’s attention is scattered by economic crises, climate change, and the noise of social media.

The Perfect Neighbor (2025): America’s Fractured Mirror

Posted on October 24 by Hugo Pagan Soto

In 2005, the state of Florida passed the “Stand Your Ground” law — legislation now in effect in several U.S. states — which allows a person to use force (even lethal force) in self-defense without any obligation to retreat first if they believe their life or physical integrity is in danger. Unlike other self-defense laws, this one does not require the threatened individual to attempt to flee or avoid confrontation before using force.

The Smashing Machine (2025): The Rise and Fall of an MMA Legend

Posted on October 8 by Hugo Pagan Soto

There is a striking contrast between the Mark Kerr we see crushing opponents inside the ring and the smiling, distracted Mark Kerr riding a carousel like a child. That powerful juxtaposition reveals the complexity of the inner battle Kerr fights. The Smashing Machine (2025), directed by Benny Safdie, explores a fragment of the life of one of the pioneers of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) — his meteoric rise and brutal downfall. With an almost documentary tone, Safdie exposes the humanity of a figure who is both sweet and bitter, inspiring and tragic.