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NewFest37 (October 9th, 2025 – Oct. 20th, 2025)


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      Assembly is an illuminating and fascinating documentary about a multimedia exhibition and performance called Assembly that celebrates Black and queer culture through dance, music, holograms, sculptures and even AI. Co-directors Johnny Symons and Rashaad Newsome, the creator of Assembly, do a decent job of introducing the audience to a bold, unconventional and unprecedented form of artistic expression that can be seen as a protest for artistic freedom. Newsome himself candidly explains in the interviews how he put Assembly together and what makes it so significant as well as its intrinsic value. The footage from the performances speaks louder than words. So don't be surprised if Assembly will compel you to watch the exhibition/performance at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City, unless you're against the use of AI in art, a timely and controversial issue which this documentary doesn't fully explore, but which probably would've sparked some interested debates if it were explored. At 1 hour and 38 minutes, Assembly is now playing at Cinema Village.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2





 

      Ethan Hawk portrays songwriter/lyricist Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon. On the opening night of the Rogers and Hammerstein's show Oklahoma which he collaborated on, he spends his time drunk and depressed while sitting at the bar at Sardi's. Bobby Cannavale plays a bartender, Andrew Scott plays Richard Rogers, and Margaret Qualley shows up as Eliizabeth, Lorenz's young muse. Director Richard Linklater and screenwriter Robert Kaplow have made a warm, witty and breezy, but slight and forgettable biopic. Audiences looking for a thorough biopic on Lorenz Hart will be disappointed, though, because this is merely a brief snapshot of Lorenz's experience at the bar of a restaurant during the opening night of Oklahoma. Margaret Qualley is miscast and gives a wooden performance, although she's undermined by a screenplay that doesn't give her much to do other than look and act charming. Bobby Cannavale is wasted in a supporting role that doesn't give him much to do either. However, Ethan Hawke's solid performance helps to elevate and invigorate the film. He breathes life into the role of Lorenz Hart which the screenplay fails to accomplish. Moreover, the filmmakers should be commended for keeping the running time under 2 hours because if the film were longer, it would've started to drag. At 1 hour and 40 minutes, Blue Moon opens on October 17th, 2025 at Angelika Film Center via Sony Pictures Classics.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2







      Christy opens with a prologue that provides the audience of a brief glimpse of Christy Martin fighting another female boxer during boxing match with the song "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears playing over the soundtrack before flashing back to 1989 when she's now living with her conservative mother, Joyce (Merritt Wever), and father, John (Ethan Embry). She has a girlfriend, Rosie (Jess Gabor), whom she's romantically involved with despite the disapproval of her parents. James (Ben Foster), a boxing coach, convinces her to let him train her and to enter her in boxing competitions. He convinces her to marry him, but, eventually, he physically abuses her, and she discovers that he's been financially abusing her as well.

      Writer/director David Michôd and his co-writer, Mirrah Foulkes, have made a captivating, gritty and heartfelt biopic. It's more than just the story of a boxer's rise-to-fame; it's about how she stood up for herself, followed her dreams, followed her heart, and conquered her adversities. As Pablo Neruda once wisely observed, "They can cut all of the flowers, but they can't stop the spring from coming." Christy goes through a lot emotionally, psychologically and physically, but she chooses not to give up. In one of the film's most heartbreaking scenes, Christy's mother invalidates her feelings and sides with her husband when she confides in her that he's abusing her. Christy is very strong for putting up with her narcissistic mother, although she should've cut off contact with her completely. She's lucky to have a girlfriend who cares about her, and even Lisa (Katy O'Brian), her boxing opponent, turns out to be kind, empathetic and compassionate toward her after all.

      Sydney Sweeney gives one of the best performances of her career as Christy. Her performance is imbued with raw energy and genuine poignancy as she sinks her teeth into the role with conviction. At 2 hours and 15 minutes, Christy is a total knockout. It opens on November 7th, 2025 in theaters nationwide via Black Bear Pictures. It would be a great double feature with Queen of the Ring, an empowering sports drama about Mildred Burke, a professional wrestler who's kindred spirits with Christy Martin.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1





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Avi Offer
The NYC Movie Guru
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