Nate Adams
@theonlycritic.bsky.social
Professional online, print, television and Tomatometer approved film critic for The Clinton Local and TheOnlyCritic.com who you can sometimes catch on FOX 2 in Detroit.
Member of the Michigan Movie Critics Guild and The Hollywood Creative Alliance.
Member of the Michigan Movie Critics Guild and The Hollywood Creative Alliance.
Pinned
Nate Adams
@theonlycritic.bsky.social
· Nov 15
Vibes here are immaculate
WICKED: FOR GOOD Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande deliver spectacular work, nailing nearly every emotional beat, but the film around them is mostly fine, because, as anyone who knows the show can attest, Act II has always been the weak link, and the movie can’t quite overcome it.
'Wicked: For Good' review: Part two is heartfelt, and heavy, but also missing a little magic
Courtesy of Universal Recently, I saw an article noting that, only a year removed from “Wicked,” the first half of Jon M. Chu’s blockbuster adaptation of the beloved musical, Universal was scaling bac...
www.theonlycritic.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:50 PM
WICKED: FOR GOOD Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande deliver spectacular work, nailing nearly every emotional beat, but the film around them is mostly fine, because, as anyone who knows the show can attest, Act II has always been the weak link, and the movie can’t quite overcome it.
As someone who loves the book and Edgar Wright, THE RUNNING MAN was my most anticipated of the year, and it ends up being a soul-crushing disappointment.😔
'The Running Man' review: Edgar Wright loses his footing in clunky sci-fi remake
Courtesy of Paramount PicturesI’m not mad; I’m just disappointed.Those were my thoughts leaving Edgar Wright’s dizzying sci-fi actioner “The Running Man,” a remake of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger fi...
www.theonlycritic.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:58 PM
As someone who loves the book and Edgar Wright, THE RUNNING MAN was my most anticipated of the year, and it ends up being a soul-crushing disappointment.😔
NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T is an unabashedly ridiculous sequel in a franchise no one asked for, and yet, damn it, I can’t help but enjoy the sheer, brazen stupidity of it all.
In theaters Friday.
In theaters Friday.
Now You See Me: Now You Don't review: This franchise still has some new tricks
Courtesy of LionsgateWhen watching a movie like “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” the third entry in one of this century’s more eyebrow-raising franchises, I like to approach it with the same mindset I...
www.theonlycritic.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:44 PM
NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T is an unabashedly ridiculous sequel in a franchise no one asked for, and yet, damn it, I can’t help but enjoy the sheer, brazen stupidity of it all.
In theaters Friday.
In theaters Friday.
I appreciate what Sydney Sweeney is swinging for in her transformation as real-life boxer Christy Martin, but she can’t quite carry a film that doesn’t know how to fight for its own hero. A blundering misfire.
In theaters Friday.
In theaters Friday.
'Christy' review: Sydney Sweeney swings hard but can’t save this flat biopic
Courtesy of Black Bear Few actresses in Hollywood have been catapulted to stardom quite as fast as Sydney Sweeney. Between the surprise success of the rom com “Anyone But You,” the glossy nunsploitati...
www.theonlycritic.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:56 PM
I appreciate what Sydney Sweeney is swinging for in her transformation as real-life boxer Christy Martin, but she can’t quite carry a film that doesn’t know how to fight for its own hero. A blundering misfire.
In theaters Friday.
In theaters Friday.
BUGONIA continues Yorgos Lanthimos’ streak of bold, bizarre odysseys, anchored by commanding performances from Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. It’s fascinating, but not for the faint of heart.
'Bugonia' review: Yorgos Lanthimos’ deranged dissection of paranoia, power, and the human experiment
Courtesy of Focus Features Emma Stone could very well be an alien in Yorgos Lanthimos’ absurdist new dark comedy “Bugonia,” a remake of Jang Joon-hwan’s 2003 cult classic “Save the Green Planet!” Or a...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 31, 2025 at 12:44 PM
BUGONIA continues Yorgos Lanthimos’ streak of bold, bizarre odysseys, anchored by commanding performances from Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. It’s fascinating, but not for the faint of heart.
It’s shocking how lethargic SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE feels given its subject is one of America’s most vital and prolific musical storytellers. Deeply disappointing.
'Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere' review: The Boss deserves better
Courtesy of 20th Century Studios The subgenre of “legendary musician biopics” is alive and well with writer-director Scott Cooper’s “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” an unconventional if oddly a...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:10 PM
It’s shocking how lethargic SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE feels given its subject is one of America’s most vital and prolific musical storytellers. Deeply disappointing.
Kathryn Bigelow’s A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE is easily the most terrifying film you’ll see all year, a harrowing, pulse-pounding, and disturbingly plausible vision of how a nuclear war might actually unfold. It feels less like a movie and more like a waking nightmare.
On Netflix tomorrow.
On Netflix tomorrow.
'A House of Dynamite' review: Kathryn Bigelow lights the fuse on nuclear terror
Courtesy of Netflix Our nation’s worst fears erupt in propulsive, nerve-shredding fashion in Kathryn Bigelow’s relentless thriller “A House of Dynamite.” Cut from the same cloth as Sidney Lumet’s “Fai...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Kathryn Bigelow’s A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE is easily the most terrifying film you’ll see all year, a harrowing, pulse-pounding, and disturbingly plausible vision of how a nuclear war might actually unfold. It feels less like a movie and more like a waking nightmare.
On Netflix tomorrow.
On Netflix tomorrow.
BLUE MOON will be catnip for hardcore musical theater aficionados and Ethan Hawke disappears into the role of Lorenz Hart, but sometimes the film gets caught in its own chamber piece limitations.
'Blue Moon' review: Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater chase the ghost of Lorenz Hart
Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics Anyone with even a passing knowledge of musical theater will recognize the name Richard Rodgers — one half of the legendary duo Rodgers & Hammerstein — but fewer are...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:37 PM
BLUE MOON will be catnip for hardcore musical theater aficionados and Ethan Hawke disappears into the role of Lorenz Hart, but sometimes the film gets caught in its own chamber piece limitations.
You can go ahead and let this one keep ringing.
'The Black Phone 2' review: Don't answer the call
Courtesy of Universal/BlumhouseAll sequels are unnecessary if you really think about it. But a good one can deepen its characters, expand the universe, and—on rare occasions—surpass the original. Unfo...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 17, 2025 at 1:14 PM
You can go ahead and let this one keep ringing.
takes a special kind of skill to have an insane cast headlined by Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri and feel this airless. AFTER THE HUNT whiffs.
'After the Hunt' review: An all star cast gets lost in a movie that has missed the moment
Courtesy of Amazon/MGMDesperate to be topical and provocative, but landing squarely in the realm of the flat and flavorless, Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt” plays like a movie about seven years too...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
takes a special kind of skill to have an insane cast headlined by Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri and feel this airless. AFTER THE HUNT whiffs.
Enjoyed GOOD FORTUNE well enough if only because Keanu Reeves’ repeated use of the word “nuggies” almost sent me into cardiac arrest from laughing so hard.
In theaters Friday.
In theaters Friday.
'Good Fortune' review: Keanu Reeves steals the show in Aziz Ansari’s endearing comedy
Courtesy of LionsgatePreaching a good, if slightly toothless, message about how the world works against the working class and gig economy workers while also doubling as a satire of the ultra-rich, “Go...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 14, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Enjoyed GOOD FORTUNE well enough if only because Keanu Reeves’ repeated use of the word “nuggies” almost sent me into cardiac arrest from laughing so hard.
In theaters Friday.
In theaters Friday.
Disney doesn’t make cool movies anymore, but TRON: ARES comes close. Despite its surface-level take on the rise of AI, it’s a visually engrossing experience anchored by a sleek Nine Inch Nails score.
'Tron: Ares' review: Disney brings digital dazzle to hollow story
Courtesy of DisneyLet’s be honest: “Tron: Ares” exists less because audiences demanded it and more because Disney wanted to remind everyone they just opened a new roller coaster at its theme park. But...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 9, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Disney doesn’t make cool movies anymore, but TRON: ARES comes close. Despite its surface-level take on the rise of AI, it’s a visually engrossing experience anchored by a sleek Nine Inch Nails score.
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN is weighed down by a director who never quite finds the film’s identity, but my goodness, Jennifer Lopez absolutely brings the house down. It’s just a shame the world around her isn’t nearly as captivating.
'Kiss of the Spider Woman' review: Lopez spins gold in lavish but slight musical adaptation
Courtesy of Roadside Attractions There’s a sequence midway through director Bill Condon’s adaptation of John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Terrence McNally’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman” that’s one of the most ...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 8, 2025 at 10:27 PM
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN is weighed down by a director who never quite finds the film’s identity, but my goodness, Jennifer Lopez absolutely brings the house down. It’s just a shame the world around her isn’t nearly as captivating.
Dwayne Johnson deserves credit for stepping outside his comfort zone, but THE SMASHING MACHINE isn’t the serious acting showcase he clearly hoped it would be.
'The Smashing Machine' review: Dwayne Johnson swings for prestige, but the movie taps out
Courtesy of A24Within the first fifteen minutes of Benny Safdie’s sports drama “The Smashing Machine,” I was ready to declare Dwayne Johnson’s turn as UFC fighter Mark Kerr the best performance of his...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 3, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Dwayne Johnson deserves credit for stepping outside his comfort zone, but THE SMASHING MACHINE isn’t the serious acting showcase he clearly hoped it would be.
NO the dog doesn’t die in GOOD BOY, but this endearing horror movie told entirely from the perspective of an adorable canine still packs a pretty massive emotional punch.
In theaters this weekend.
In theaters this weekend.
'Good Boy' review: Canine led horror movie is more devastating than you'd think
Courtesy of Shudder/IFCSpoiler alert: the dog DOES NOT die at the end of “Good Boy,” a lean and eerie 73-minute horror flick told entirely from the perspective of an adorable pooch. It’s a clever gimm...
www.theonlycritic.com
October 2, 2025 at 6:46 PM
NO the dog doesn’t die in GOOD BOY, but this endearing horror movie told entirely from the perspective of an adorable canine still packs a pretty massive emotional punch.
In theaters this weekend.
In theaters this weekend.
If you thought THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 was rough, wait until you suffer through CHAPTER 2, a lifeless, meandering sequel that limps along without tension, purpose, or even the faintest pulse of excitement for the so-called CHAPTER 3 finale.
'The Strangers: Chapter Two' review: Lousy slasher sequel goes absolutely nowhere
Courtesy of Lionsgate2008’s “The Strangers” and its sequel “Prey by Night” thrived on a simple, chilling concept: anyone could choose to attack you, for no reason, at random. The killers’ only explana...
www.theonlycritic.com
September 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM
If you thought THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 was rough, wait until you suffer through CHAPTER 2, a lifeless, meandering sequel that limps along without tension, purpose, or even the faintest pulse of excitement for the so-called CHAPTER 3 finale.
As a big fan of the book, I struggled with some of the film’s bolder departures, but THE LONG WALK still emerges as a searing, timely allegory for our fractured times and its impact sharpened by raw, riveting performances from an outstanding young cast.
'The Long Walk' review: Stephen King's bleak allegory marches into today's divided world
Courtesy of Lionsgate Stuck in development hell since Stephen King first published the book in 1979 (with Frank Darabont once attached to adapt it), “The Long Walk” has finally made it to the big scre...
www.theonlycritic.com
September 17, 2025 at 2:58 PM
As a big fan of the book, I struggled with some of the film’s bolder departures, but THE LONG WALK still emerges as a searing, timely allegory for our fractured times and its impact sharpened by raw, riveting performances from an outstanding young cast.
SWIPED gives dating apps the elusive origin story to middling results.
Streams on Hulu this Friday.
Streams on Hulu this Friday.
'Swiped' review: Bumble and Tinder's origin story loses its bite on screen
Courtesy of 20th Century Studios/HuluDesperately trying to be “The Social Network” but for the rise of Tinder and Bumble, “Swiped” offers a surface-level story that shows little interest in actually e...
www.theonlycritic.com
September 16, 2025 at 2:39 PM
SWIPED gives dating apps the elusive origin story to middling results.
Streams on Hulu this Friday.
Streams on Hulu this Friday.
2013’s THE CONJURING was, at the time, the antithesis to the cliche riddled possession and exorcism movies from the decade prior. Now, with THE LAST RITES, the franchise has come full circle and become the thing it once set out to combat.
'The Conjuring: Last Rites' review: A bloated curtain call for horror's biggest franchise
Courtesy of Warner Bros. 2013’s “The Conjuring” was a terrifying and refreshing detour from the previous decade’s reliance on “Amityville” and endless “Exorcism” retreads. An old-fashioned haunted hou...
www.theonlycritic.com
September 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
2013’s THE CONJURING was, at the time, the antithesis to the cliche riddled possession and exorcism movies from the decade prior. Now, with THE LAST RITES, the franchise has come full circle and become the thing it once set out to combat.
TWINLESS is strange and a little messy, but Dylan O’Brien delivers a fearless dual performance in James Sweeney’s offbeat dramedy about grief, loneliness, and the messy ways we reach for connection.
'Twinless' review: Dylan O'Brien doubles down in a messy but mesmerizing two-hander
Courtesy of Roadside Attractions Shedding his “Maze Runner” heartthrob persona for something far thornier, Dylan O’Brien sinks his teeth into James Sweeney’s offbeat dramedy “Twinless” with a performa...
www.theonlycritic.com
September 4, 2025 at 3:44 PM
TWINLESS is strange and a little messy, but Dylan O’Brien delivers a fearless dual performance in James Sweeney’s offbeat dramedy about grief, loneliness, and the messy ways we reach for connection.
Pretty wild that the director of REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and BLACK SWAN has now made a late-’90s style, mainstream NYC crime caper. Rough around the edges, sure, but CAUGHT STEALING swings hard.
'Caught Stealing' review: Austin Butler takes a beating in Aronofsky's scrappy crime caper
Courtesy of Sony In Darren Aronofsky’s "Caught Stealing”, perhaps the “Black Swan” and “mother!” filmmaker’s most commercial outing, Austin Butler spends nearly two hours getting the absolute hell bea...
www.theonlycritic.com
August 29, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Pretty wild that the director of REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and BLACK SWAN has now made a late-’90s style, mainstream NYC crime caper. Rough around the edges, sure, but CAUGHT STEALING swings hard.
Wanted to like the 2025 reboot of TOXIC AVENGER more than I did, but its corny B-movie carnage clashes with limp jokes and clunky attempts at emotional depth. The practical effects and the cast are good tho.
Now playing in theaters.
Now playing in theaters.
'The Toxic Avenger' review: A cult classic gets a star-studded but sloppy reboot
Courtesy of Cineverse Hailing from the ultra-low-budget Troma studio—the same outfit that gave “Superman” director James Gunn his start—the 2025 update of the schlocky splatterfest “The Toxic Avenger”...
www.theonlycritic.com
August 28, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Wanted to like the 2025 reboot of TOXIC AVENGER more than I did, but its corny B-movie carnage clashes with limp jokes and clunky attempts at emotional depth. The practical effects and the cast are good tho.
Now playing in theaters.
Now playing in theaters.
THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB? More like The Thursday Snooze club 😴
On Netflix tomorrow:
On Netflix tomorrow:
'The Thursday Murder Club' review: British whodunit delivers one boring mystery
Courtesy of Netflix As I sat and watched “The Thursday Murder Club,” directed by family-film stalwart Chris Columbus and starring such heavyweights as Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and C...
www.theonlycritic.com
August 27, 2025 at 2:08 PM
THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB? More like The Thursday Snooze club 😴
On Netflix tomorrow:
On Netflix tomorrow:
FIXED takes a fun premise, dog realizes he’s going to be neutered the next day and decides to have one last night of freedom, and runs it into the ground.
On Netflix tomorrow.
On Netflix tomorrow.
'Fixed' review: R-rated animated canine comedy chases its own tail
Courtesy of Netflix A one-note joke gets played ad nauseam in Genndy Tartakovsky’s R-rated animated comedy “Fixed.” Tartakovsky, best known for shepherding the “Hotel Transylvania” franchise, presents...
www.theonlycritic.com
August 12, 2025 at 8:24 PM
FIXED takes a fun premise, dog realizes he’s going to be neutered the next day and decides to have one last night of freedom, and runs it into the ground.
On Netflix tomorrow.
On Netflix tomorrow.
FREAKIER FRIDAY kinda rocks. It has a little more nuance and endearment compared to the usual legacy slop that comes from Disney. Lohan and Curtis are having a wonderful time. And I did too. Shocked!
'Freakier Friday' review: Lohan and Curtis reunite for a legacy sequel that has plenty of charm
Courtesy of Disney In what might be the biggest surprise of the summer, “Freakier Friday” is actually really great. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The 2003 original, arriving at the peak of Linds...
www.theonlycritic.com
August 8, 2025 at 10:43 PM
FREAKIER FRIDAY kinda rocks. It has a little more nuance and endearment compared to the usual legacy slop that comes from Disney. Lohan and Curtis are having a wonderful time. And I did too. Shocked!