THE RUNNING MAN (2025)

Written by Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright



Directed by Edgar Wright




Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. November 17, 2025 4:15 PM



When "The Running Man", based on a story written by Steven King under the pseudonym "Richard Bachman", was first brought to the screen in 1987, it was a dystopian thriller that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as a convicted criminal who must try to outrun gladiator-styled assassins on a depraved game show. But this movie (directed by actor, Paul Michael Glaser, best known for playing Detective Starsky in the 1970s television cop series, "Starsky & Hutch") was far removed from the novel which featured a dark, societal commentary theme, instead offering a more campy humor, action-adventure to further accommodate the popular star's screen persona. "The Running Man" was met with an indifferent reception from audiences and critics with King less than thrilled with this adaptation.

As a teenager, Edgar Wright had read the book and after seeing the movie, he was aware of how much was changed in style and tone. Now as a filmmaker, Wright has gotten the opportunity to put his own stamp on "The Running Man" and even has King's blessing who is a producer of this remake. With this updated version, he has approached the story to align closer to the source material while still putting his own distinctive spin to the movie. Far more adventurous and inventive than the original film, this visually pumped-up, "Running Man" still doesn't do enough to offer a compelling reason to take on this story again and the newly imagined conclusion is muddled and relentlessly excessive.

In a future America under totalitarian rule, Ben Richards (Glen Powell) and his wife, Sheila (Jayme Lawson) are living in Co-Op City, struggling to survive. Their baby daughter has become ill and since he has recently been fired from his job and effectively blacklisted, they cannot afford medicine for her. With very few options available, Ben decides to audition for a part on one of the violent game shows, despite his wife's objections. Run by the Government Network, the most popular program is "The Running Man", where a contestant can win one billion dollars if they survive for thirty days while being tracked down by the show's hunters who are to make sure they don't succeed. Even members of the viewing audience can participate in taking down a contestant and winning a cash prize for their efforts.

Ben, along with Tim (Martin Herlihy) and Jenni (Katy O'Brian), are selected to race for the prize while trying to stay alive for a month. Using his street smarts, plenty of disguises and the helpfulness of strangers, Ben covertly travels across New England, laying low and avoiding the trackers as best as he can. But it shouldn't be a real surprise that the show's producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) is not exactly playing fair, taking steps to make sure he's in full control of the outcome of this game.

Reality television had not yet entered into our culture at the time of the first film, now an unavoidable genre that has not reached the point of gladiator-styled entertainment (for the moment). King's story was set in 2025 (which was written in 1982) so the future world Wright has created doesn't have to stray too far from our current times. But the director has not added anything particularly innovative to the film, relying on the tried and true elements of a Hollywood action-adventure flick. I don't think this was entirely up to Wright, as he mangaed to get a few oddball, comic situations in there but not enough to help this film stand out from the standard studio action fare.

Ben Richards is described by the people who encounter him as a very angry man, meaning, I guess, that he's dangerous and hostile. Managing to deliver the occasional scowl and raised voice, Powell just isn't able to convincingly maintain this hothead demeanor. The actor's good ole boy charm shines through, with him coming across more frustrated than angered. Powell does what he can but the tough guy persona really doesn't fit him well. There are fine turns by the supporting cast that include Coleman Domingo as the show's flashy host, Bobby T, Michael Cera as an isolated survivalist, Emilia Jones who becomes Ben's hostage and Lee Pace as the leader of the hunters.

Wright does manage to create some fun, thrilling moments that are expected involving heart-pounding chases, bone-crushing battles and massive explosions. But the outcome is much like his last film, "Last Night in Soho", a psychological thriller that begins promising with style and great momentum yet ultimately collapses under the weight of a convoluted ending. Unfortunately, this modern take on "The Running Man" is unable to get up to proper speed, only going so far before wheezing and running out of breath.

2025 AFI FEST VIEWING DIARY

The 2025 AFI Film Fest was another amazing event where I got an early opportunity to see some of new films from across the globe that we will be seeing in theaters later this season and into next year. Here are reviews of a few of the films I saw over the five days of the festival:

Over fifty years ago, the writer Linda Rosenkrantz came up with a project she was conducting involving interviews with several subjects to describe what happened to them on an ordinary day. Her close friend, the photographer, Peter Hujar, one of the queer artists thriving in New York at the time, was asked to narrate a day of his life into a tape recorder. The project was never completed but a transcript of Hujar's conversations was discovered buried in files thirty years later by Rosenkrantz which she donated, including some of his papers, prints and contact sheets, to the Morgan Library in New York. A book was later published from this document in 2021. And then the filmmaker, Ira Sachs got his hands on this, feeling this was an important part of queer history that needed to be told, and set about making a movie based on the work. "Peter Hujar's Day" brings this moment back to life, in a way that fascinates yet still underwhelms, with Ben Whishaw as Hujar and Rebecca Hall as Rosenkrantz.

On December 18, 1974, a time when New York City was dirty, crime-ridden and very close to financial ruin, Hujar arrives at Rosenkrantz's East 94th street apartment to tell her about his day. He reveals meeting with an Elle magazine editor about photos from a job; set off to photograph Allen Ginsberg for an assignment, develops negatives, takes a nap and receives calls from friends, Susan Sontag and Fran Lebowitz. And while this might sound fairly routine, Hujar goes into vividly, colorful details, while holding nothing back, about his slightly neurotic, daily routines; dietary particulars; unvarnished opinions on the people he encounters and struggles trying to make a living as a freelance photographer.

And while "Peter Hujar's Day" is only seventy-six minutes long, the film still feels overextended, struggling to maintain momentum and energy throughout the extensive discourse. In an attempt to keep us visually engaged during Hujar's discussions, we change rooms in the apartment and head up to the roof of the building a couple of times yet the film still remains static. This is largely because we are not experiencing an actual conversation: just Hujar going on about what he thinks, which is exactly what he's been asked to do. Rosenkrantz might ask a question or interject a thought or two but the spotlight is completely on Hujar. This leaves Hall, always a commanding screen presence, with very little to do beyond simply nodding and looking deeply engaged. And the charismatic Whishaw does what he can as Hujar, revealing him to be an adept conversationalist with a charming eccentricity, but only has limited success in fully drawing us into his in-depth chatter. "Peter Hujar's Day" is not nearly as accomplished as Sachs' previous works ("Keep the Lights On", "Passages") yet the film still captures an intriguing atmosphere that's intimate and languid.

The latest from Jim Jarmusch, "Father Mother Sister Brother" is a familial comedy-drama that tells three separate stories from locations across the globe. The film, which won the Golden Lion Award at this year's Venice Film Festival, captures many of the complicated situations and long simmering tensions we can have within our families in a way that's intimate, caustic and amusing. We first meet siblings, Jeff (Adam Driver) and Emily (Mayim Bialik) in the car on the way to see their father (Tom Waits) in New Jersey. They haven't seen him since the passing of their mother. Emily is curious on how he's managing financially although Jeff admits he's sent him some money when he needed car repairs. When they arrive, their father is happy to see his children yet there's a tension and awkwardness throughout their visit. Next, we're off to Dublin where a popular writer (Charlotte Rampling) awaits the arrival of her two daughters, Timothea (Cate Blanchett) and Lilith (Vicky Krieps) for their annual gathering for tea. And while all live in the same city, the family only visits each other in person this time every year. Finally in Paris, Billy (Luka Sabbat) and Skye (Indya Moore) are faced with clearing out their family home, after their parents recently died in a plane crash, while looking back on their unorthodox childhood.

Since this is Jarmusch behind the camera, these stories are more loosely structured as character studies with no real plot. Skateboarders, tea, water and Rolex watches are some of the things that offer a subtle connection to each quirky vignette. And his impressive all-star cast is certainly able to deliver emotional clarity and understated depth of feeling to their characters. But I have to say, I'm surprised that "Father Mother Sister Brother" was selected as the big winner at Venice. It just doesn't feel like a feature by Jarmusch that displays the filmmaker at the peak of his powers, in fact if his name was not attached, I don't think this film would have received nearly as much attention. Settling on entertaining yet routine narratives, Jarmusch doesn't really push himself enough to instill more inventiveness in these fairly common family conflicts.

And the last film I saw at the fest was "The Testament of Ann Lee", the recent feature directed by Mona Fastvold, nominated for an Oscar last year for co-writing the period drama, "The Brutalist" with her partner, director Brady Corbet. The couple have teamed-up again on the screenplay of this riveting story of Lee, the founding leader of the Shakers, a religious sect that began during the 18th century. Fastvold has used their form of worship, which involves extreme bodily movements, to tell this story much like a musical, heightened with surreal imagery, to take this innovative bio-drama into unexpected and fascinating directions.

Born in Manchester, England, Lee (Amanda Seyfried) had a life of formidable hardships since her childhood, then through her marriage to Abraham (Christopher Abbott) where she gave birth and lost four children before each would reach the age of one year. She found solace when she joined a church run by the Wardleys (Scott Handy, Stacy Martin) which was notable for the parishioners to chant and dance as a way to rid their bodies of sin. It was believed that Lee's arrival was a sign of the second coming of God, becoming known as "Mother", and would begin a new religious movement that was referred to as the Shakers. Having traumatic experiences regarding sexuality in her life, Lee was convinced that in their faith sexual relations should be forbidden, even in marriage, as the only way to find true salvation. After several arrests and spending many days in jail for blasphemy, Lee decides to leave England and take her small group of committed followers to America for religious freedom and a fresh opportunity to share their faith. Yet their arrival to the New World is far from welcoming as Lee and her flock are met at various times with combative skepticism and horrific violence.

The film reveals how easily religions can take shape, through one individual's whims and personal worldview, to offer an adaptationist view of Christian theology. But you must have a compelling and charismatic individual at the center in order to convince followers that this is the true path to follow. Since women have rarely evangelized, many were certainly dubious of Lee's claims. Yet she was still able to influence a growing number of apostles through her passionate devout faith despite the impracticalities of her stern insistence of celibacy. Seyfried delivers a mesmerizing performance as a woman, docile yet tough, who uses her unwavering faith to create a sense of personal control and authority over her life and body. Let's be honest, this is still not readily offered to women in today's world yet was even less possible in Lee's time. With a beguiling, offbeat style, "The Testament of Ann Lee" examines a seemingly inconsequential woman, a name largely forgotten through male dominated history, and bringing forward the amazing story of what she was able to accomplish with limited leverage and steely self-possession.

PARK CHAN-WOOK: AN AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE RETROSPECTIVE

Park Chan-wook, the South Korean filmmaker widely regarded as a leading figure in current world cinema, is having a retrospective at the American Cinematheque that will feature some highlights from his storied career. Many of Park's films, largely rooted in the crime-thriller genre, have become celebrated for their stylized camerawork, black humor, and brutal violence. 

Beginning November 16th, there will be an advance screening of his latest feature, the dark comedy-thriller, "No Other Choice", which will be followed by an in-person Q&A with Park and star, Lee Byung Hun at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica. The other screenings, which will be held at the Los Feliz 3 and Egyptian Theatres through December, will include his unofficial Vengeance Trilogy: "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance", "Lady Vengeance" and "Oldboy", which is considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made and helped introduce Park to a wide global audience. 

Originally intending to be become an art critic, Park decided to move into filmmaking after viewing the Alfred Hitchcock classic, "Vertigo". His feature film debut, "The Moon Is... the Sun's Dream" in 1992 and his follow-up five years later, "Trio" were not well received, and he has since tried to distance himself from these works. His breakthrough came (and what he considers his "first" film) with "Joint Security Area" in 2000, a riveting thriller involving deceit, misunderstanding and the senselessness of war (screening on December 6th at the Egyptian with Park in-person) which became one of the highest-grossing films in South Korean history. This was followed by other acclaimed works that include "Thrist", "I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK", the English-language film, "Snowpiercer", "Decision to Leave" (winning Park the 2022 Best Director prize at Cannes) and the celebrated erotic-thriller, "The Handmaiden" which be screened during this festival on December 5th. 

Please click below for details and to purchase tickets:

Park Chan-wook: An American Cinematheque Retrospective

CHANTAL AKERMAN: AN AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE RETROSPECTIVE

The American Cinematheque will present a thorough retrospective of the renowned Belgian filmmaker, Chantal Akerman. The film that this bold and visionary artist is best known for is "Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles" from 1975 which found its way to be ranked "the greatest film of all time" in Sight & Sound magazine's 2022 critics poll. This film will be screened to start the festival on November 2nd and will feature several of Akerman's early short films, her first feature film and first documentary on various dates through December.

A pioneer of cinematic modernism, Akerman's filming style focused on capturing ordinary life which tends to move at an unhurried pace. And while she didn't regard herself as a "feminist", Akerman always tried to transcend female aesthetics of the cinema in her work.

Born in Brussels, Belgium, Akerman enrolled in INSAS, a Belgian film school, but dropped out during her first semester to make a short film, "Saute ma ville" in 1968. Akerman moved to New York City in 1971, staying for about a year, where she was exposed to the vibrant art scene that was happening during this period. She also met and began her long collaboration with French cinematographer, Babette Mangolte, who was living in the US at the time, making the documentary, "Hotel Monterey" and some short films.

Once back in Belgium, Akerman began working on her first feature film, "Je, Tu, Il, Elle" that focused on a young woman's unconventional sexuality which was a daring statement at the time. She would go on to make twelve feature films and sixteen documentaries and short films.

Sadly, Akerman ended her own life on October 5, 2015 in Paris, at the age of 65. Her last film prior to her passing was "No Home Movie", a documentary that featured a series of conversations she made with her beloved mother shortly before she died.

Please click below for the complete list of films and to purchase tickets:

Chantal Akerman: An American Cinematheque Retrospective

2025 OUTFESTNEXT

After being sidelined for the last couple of years, Outfest, the non-profit organization that celebrates LGBTQ+ storytelling through film, education, and community, is beginning it's return with OutfestNEXT presented by HBO MAX. This film festival will be held for four days, November 6th through 9th, that will feature independent queer feature films, shorts and engaging conversations. The venues for the screening events will be held at the LGBT Center Renberg Theatre in Hollywood and the Look Dine-In Cinemas in Glendale.

Some highlights include "All That We Love", from director, Yen Tan, a heartfelt and poignant depiction of grief and what it means to start anew. Margaret Cho stars as a woman whose life begins to unravel after the death of her beloved dog. More complications begin with her estranged ex-husband (Kenneth Choi) coming back into her life, their free-spirited daughter (Alice Lee) plans on moving to another country and her best friend (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) who has recently lost his husband. From filmmaker, Lucio Castro is "Drunken Noodles", which tells the story of a young art student who has a series of unexpected intimate encounters. "Dust Bunny", the feature directorial debut from Bryan Fuller, a horror-thriller that involves an eight-year-old girl (Sophie Sloan) who hires her hitman neighbor (Mads Mikkelsen) to kill the vicious monster under her bed. Sigourney Weaver also stars. And Sydney Sweeney stars in "Christy", a sports drama about the life of former professional boxer Christy Martin from director, David Michôd.







The Legacy Spotlight is Greg Berlanti’s beloved classic "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy" with a 25th anniversary screening. The film tells the story of a close-knit group of gay friends who support each other as they search for love, deal with loss, and discover themselves. Dean Cain, Zach Braff, Timothy Olyphant, Justin Theroux and Billy Porter star.



Please click below for the complete list of films, events and to purchase tickets:

2025 OutfestNEXT