Tag: The Rock

The Smashing Machine (2025)

Post author By Mark A. Lester
Post date October 6, 2025
No Comments on The Smashing Machine (2025)

Recently, there was news that a company named Particle6 had created the world’s first AI actress, and that certain agencies were looking into hiring her.

The idea of this actress (named Tilly Norwood) has understandably upset most of Hollywood. I read one actress said one of the main reasons this won’’t work is because Tilly lacks one of the most crucial tools an actor needs: past experiences to draw from. This is one of the main ingredients that makes Dwayne Johnson’s performance in The Smashing Machine so remarkable.

Tags Benny Safdie, Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, R, Rated R, The Rock, The Smashing Machine

"Top Tens", and others Movies

Top Ten Films of 2022

Like my 2021 list, I rounded out the number of films I saw in 2022 at about 70 films. Unlike 2021 (or the last few years, for that matter), this year is not a top 20.

I’ve always been vocal in saying there are no bad movie years, but 2022 was a tad dull when compared to the likes of 2021 (and certainly to the juggernaut that was the 2019 movie year).

This also could factor into something that hasn’t happened to me in sometime: I did not get to rewatch any movies on my list (save one). That is more on me than the movies themselves (I did watch some more TV this past year than previously, and while not a movie, I can’t stop praising the amazing Andor.)

As always, I had my share of blindspots, so movies you won’t see on here include:

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Babylon
Barbarian
The Black Phone
Close
Devotion
EO
Living
A Man Called Otto
No Bears
Pearl
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
X

Finally, the honorable mentions

Aftersun
Ambulance (a movie I finally caught up with and may be Michael Bay’s best film since The Rock).
Armageddon Time
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Bad Guys
The Batman
The Fabe l mans
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
The Menu
Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (one of the years most surprising charmers)
She Said
Triangle of Sadness
The Woman King

Now for the top ten, which begins on the frontlines.

2 1/2 Stars

Black Adam (2022)

There was this one moment in The Office when Dwight mentions the online game called “Second Life.” In it, he does everything he would do in his everyday life, except now he can fly.

As the titular character of Black Adam, one could say something along the same lines for Dwayne Johnson (and before you say “Wait, he doesn’t have electrical powers!”, keep in mind I grew up knowing him as the most “electrifying man in sports entertainment”.)