2025 closed with the release of three widely anticipated movies: the third movie in the Knives Out series “Wake Up Dead Man,” the movie adaption of Freida McFadden’s well-known novel “The Housemaid” and the sports biography following table tennis champion Marty Mauser in “Marty Supreme.” Continue reading for a peek at the movies’ stars, styles and show-stopping reviews.
“Wake Up Dead Man” Hits The Screens as the Knives Out Series’ Most Thought-Provoking Installment
The third movie in the Knives Out series, “Wake Up Dead Man,” released in late November 2025, follows young Pastor Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), a new pastor at a quiet church, and the subsequent murder of their long-time head pastor, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). The previous films include “Knives Out” (2019) and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (2022), all of which revolve around Detective Benoit Blanc’s (Daniel Craig) arrival at the scene of an unsolved murder.
The series hasn’t shied away from paralleling other mysteries, and this new film is no different. “Knives Out” Director Rian Johnson is “an Agatha Christie for the Netflix Age,” with “Wake Up Dead Man” following the same “whodunnit” narrative but with new characters and a fresh plot, according to The New Yorker.
Rooted in memories of Johnson’s religious experience, the film explores deeper themes than previous ones. Johnson told America Magazine, “After making Glass Onion, which was a big, broad, kind of comedic film, I felt like doing something that was more grounded and dug a little deeper.”
This intention was recognized by many viewers and the film was largely well-received. “I thought that character development was really strong,” said English Faculty Lee Marcus. “It was even stronger than the first [Knives Out film]… I thought the well roundedness of the characters felt like real versions of people that could live in this community.”
“This movie was interesting because you have this general idea of Christianity and religion, and then you have these different perspectives,” said Dean Mcknight ’27. “You have [Father Jud] and then you have Monsignor Wicks, who has this twisted, sort of fantasy of it. I think [the film] has an interesting perspective on religion to show.”
In addition to the acting performances, the production process was integral to the film’s ambiance. “I liked the cinematography, the way it was filmed… it held some sort of emotional weight that made you really want to keep watching,” said Uzochi Onunaku ’27.
The Knives Out series has continued to grab the attention of viewers over the past seven years and “Wake Up Dead Man” proved to be no exception. “The Knives Out series has definitely added to the industry,” said Onunaku.
The Housemaid Jumps from Pages to Screens
“The Housemaid,” released in theatres on December 19, 2025, is a psychological thriller that follows a young woman who takes a live-in position with a wealthy family, only to find herself entangled in a tense and unsettling household dynamic.
“A struggling young woman is relieved by the chance for a fresh start as a maid for a wealthy couple. Soon, she discovers that the family’s secrets are far more dangerous than her own,” as IMDb put it.
Originally, writers of the book and adapted screenplay Freida McFadden and Rebecca Sonnenshine crafted the storyline to perceive Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) as the villain of the story, when in reality it was to cover up the evil cruelty and torturous gestures of her husband, Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar). “The Housemaid” examines how the Winchester family’s wealth conceals abuse, introducing Millie Calloway (Sydney Sweeney) as a housemaid who becomes entangled in a home shaped by psychological control and manipulation. “No one realizes the true colors from within the household,” said Caroline Paradise ’27.
Additionally, since the movie is adapted from a popular novel, many viewers entered the theater with preconceived expectations that the film did not meet. “While most of the largest moments in the book were represented in the movie, not everything was the same. In fact, one storyline was much smaller in the film than in the book,” according to Variety. This included Enzo Accardi’s (Michele Morrone) screen time and the significance of the dollhouse.
Enzo, the landscaper of the Winchester home, had a much smaller role in the movie than in the novel, which became a controversial discussion online due to the fact that his role serves as the important and silent protector of Nina. Enzo’s role as the protector meant to not let any new dangerous people near the house. In addition, the dollhouse was a new aspect introduced in the movie, which many viewers enjoyed as it added the clarified perspective of Nina’s daughter Cece Winchester (Indiana Elle), through her shy, childish eyes. “Nina’s daughter played with her Playhouse, and every single time that a new character was being victimized, she’d move them around [to a new significant room]. She knew it revolved around her father,” said Paradise.
Marketing the Dream: Marty Supreme
Thanks to lead actor Timothée Chalamet’s star power, a sizable marketing budget and viral spoof video in which Chalamet chants “Marty Supreme Christmas Day,” the indie film “Marty Supreme” has become A24’s (an American independent film company) highest grossing film in North America, according to IMDb. Due to the amount of hype the film worked to generate before its release, many people flocked to the theatres on December 25, 2025.
Josh Safdie’s feature film follows Marty Mauser, a shoe salesman with table-tennis champion aspirations. In pursuit of this dream, Mauser destroys property and relationships, stealing and hustling at every turn. The movie’s slogan satirically encourages the audience to “Dream Big” despite the film being a cautionary tale rather than a success story.
Taking to social media after watching the film, it seemed its reception by the nation’s audience was varied. Stevie Ziffer ’27 cited the extensive public relations (PR) as a reason for its criticisms upon viewing, saying “I think people went in thinking they’re about to see the best movie ever, and then are like, ‘it’s so bad.’ It’s really not a bad movie. The PR helped them because it got people in the door, but it also hurt them because people’s expectations were so high.”
“The marketing experience [was meant to be] representative of [Marty’s] character,” said Ziffer. To this point, Jax Hernandez-Berliner ’27 addressed the criticisms made towards actor Chalamet about how he acted during the press roll-out. Hernandez-Berliner believes that there was a clever intentionality behind his arrogance. This persona allowed the movies marketing campaign to be representative of the films’ greater message, Chalamet didn’t sell out, he went method. The extravagant campaign, along with having Chalamet present the film as a stepping stone on his path to ultimate greatness is cleverly meta. These marketing choices created a favored dynamic within the Internet mob—an ‘in’ and ‘out’ group. There were those who understood the movie and saw how the marketing methods played into that, and there were the shamefully non-cinephile individuals that viewed it as frivolous and overdone.
Overall, discussing film with peers can be rewarding. Hearing alternate takes on “Marty Supreme” allows one to grow a deeper appreciation for Chalamet, Safdie and A24; as they created a film that gained popularity through methods that remained true to the film and its message while generating discourse.