Nick Rogers
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Nick Rogers
@nickrogers.bsky.social
190 followers 250 following 280 posts
He/him/his. Editor/writer, Midwest Film Journal. Quoted by Geena Davis in her memoir. What happens next may astonish you. Or perhaps you’re too easily astonished.
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nickrogers.bsky.social
All month at Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social), we're celebrating Ed Harris's upcoming 75th birthday w/ a retrospective series on his work called "Higher Ed."

Here's my entry on the 1995 thriller JUST CAUSE.

Read, comment, share, enjoy!

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/12/h...
Higher Ed: Just Cause (1995)
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal’s monthlong celebration of Ed Harris’s 75h birthday — continues with Nick Rogers’ reflection on his scene-stealing turn in 1995’s otherwise forgettable “Just Cause.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
While the presentation of porridge is all over the place and never just right, TRAP HOUSE gets points for an absurdly audacious premise.

My Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) review of the film, opening in limited theatrical release Friday.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/10/t...
Trap House
The presentation of porridge is all over the place and certainly never just right, but “Trap House” gets points for an absurdly audacious premise.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:57 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Last (and least) of this week's reviews: NUREMBERG, a stunningly boring and poorly acted (outside of Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring) slice of docudrama.

My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social):

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/06/n...
November 6, 2025 at 6:18 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
And although it's sure to suffer a quick commercial demise, DIE MY LOVE is proof of life for fans of big-swinging, esoteric-but-empathetic character studies as dramatically revealing as they are raucously funny.

My Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) review in the reply.
November 6, 2025 at 3:49 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Movie review time. Sydney Sweeney delivers a solid but unsurprising turn as boxer Christy Salters in CHRISTY, the sort of by-the-numbers biopic you've gone 12 rounds with before.

In the reply, my Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) review of the film, in theatres Friday.
November 6, 2025 at 3:47 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
My friend & colleague Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) was kind enough to give the closing slot of Midwest Film Journal's (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) 2025 No Sleep October to a piece that may take you the better part of an hour:

My comprehensive ranking of all 15 PUPPET MASTER films!

🧵1/2
October 31, 2025 at 4:09 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Now streaming on Netflix, BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER aspires to be something like "Uncut Gems" but instead plays like "Uncut Cubic Zirconia." My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) is below. Read, comment, share, enjoy!

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/10/28/b...
Ballad of a Small Player
Wants to be “Uncut Gems,” is “Uncut Cubic Zirconia.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:52 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
This month's "Class of ... " essay for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) looks back at STRANGE DAYS, a sprawling sci-fi epic from 1995 that has James Cameron's fingerprints all over it (sometimes for worse but mostly better.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/10/28/c...
Class of 1995: Strange Days
“Class of … ” — Nick Rogers’ monthly look back at films celebrating 20th, 30th or 40th anniversaries — continues with a reflection on 1995’s “Strange Days.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
October 28, 2025 at 2:44 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
If you're a fan of grimy late-'70s / early-'80s New York exploitation like me and you've NOT seen NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER, it's a must-watch and Kino Lorber has done a great 4K restoration.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/10/23/k...
Kino Lorber: Night of the Juggler 4K
The underheralded New York classic “Night of the Juggler” gets a wonderful 4K restoration from Kino Lorber.
midwestfilmjournal.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:53 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
My friend & colleague Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) had a great conversation w/ ANOTHER friend & colleague, Richard Propes (richardpropes.bsky.social), and director / producer Andie Redwine, on THE TENDERNESS TOUR, a documentary w/ a world premiere Saturday at the 34th Heartland Film Festival.
October 8, 2025 at 2:14 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Kathryn Bigelow brings her inimitably intense visual urgency to A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE. But screenwriter Noah Oppenheim's trick play w/ the nuclear football & atypically stiff performances drain all the tension.

Find my review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) in the reply.
October 7, 2025 at 2:23 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Streaming on Apple TV+ tomorrow, THE LOST BUS is a solid-enough tale of real-life rescue — elevated more by its elite visual effects than eh-so-so interpersonal dramas with Matthew McConaughey or America Ferrera.

Find my review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) in the reply.
October 2, 2025 at 8:05 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Modelo really needs to lean into "a few small beers."
September 29, 2025 at 4:38 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
In theatres Friday, GOOD BOY is a satisfying under-the-collar scratch of dog-based horror that dives into deeper, sometimes darker dynamics of human-dog bonds.

My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). Read, comment, share, enjoy!

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/09/29/g...
Good Boy (2025)
Without resorting to empty shocks or cheap tactics, “Good Boy” gets under the collar for a deep, satisfying dog-based horror scratch.
midwestfilmjournal.com
September 29, 2025 at 3:37 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Here's my latest piece in my "Class of ..." series for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social), highlighting films celebrating 20th, 30th or 40th anniversaries.

Up this month is arguably the greatest Chuck Norris film ever made: INVASION U.S.A.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/09/26/c...
Class of 1985: Invasion U.S.A.
“Class of … ” — Nick Rogers’ monthly feature in which he looks back at a film celebrating a 20th, 30th or 40th anniversary — continues with a reflection on 1985’s “Invasion U.S.A.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
September 26, 2025 at 4:34 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
And here's my review of CODE 3 for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social).

Read, comment, share, enjoy!

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/09/10/c...
Code 3
A lacerating satire about American healthcare that deeply invests you in the intimate, insistent and indispensable pathology of the parts at which it pokes.
midwestfilmjournal.com
September 10, 2025 at 2:49 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Excited to share coverage of a film opening nationwide with roots in my old stomping grounds of Springfield, Illinois.

CODE 3 is a paramedic dramedy w/ Rainn Wilson & Lil Rel Howery in theatres tomorrow. It's co-written by Patrick Pianezza (patrickpianezza.bsky.social), who drew from years of

🧵1/4
September 10, 2025 at 2:46 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Favorite first-time watches of August:

CHIME
CONVOY
HIGHEST 2 LOWEST
JUNIOR BONNER
THE NAKED GUN (2025)
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY
SAMSON & SALLY
THROW DOWN
A TOUCH OF ZEN
WEAPONS
September 1, 2025 at 4:20 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Good morning! Rarely capitalizing on the considerable gifts of its can't-miss cast, THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB is both a middling mystery & prototypically half-watchable Netflix fare.

My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) is in the reply. Read, comment, share, enjoy!
August 28, 2025 at 2:06 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
In this month's "Class of ... " essay at Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social), focusing on films celebrating 20th, 30th or 40th anniversaries — I wind it back to 1995's DESPERADO, Robert Rodriguez's exceedingly goofy, eminently enjoyable action film.

Find my essay in the reply!
August 26, 2025 at 2:23 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
Excellent writing as usual from my colleague Joshua Polanski on what has become 2025's biggest film worldwide. Also glad to see a community journalism outlet expanding its coverage to the arts!
joshuapolanski.bsky.social Joshua Polanski @joshuapolanski.bsky.social · Aug 22
I wrote about the biggest movie of the year for @therapidian.bsky.social.

Ne Zha 2 is the closest thing to The Lord of the Rings since Return of the King in its sprawling magnitude and immensity.

Don't miss it.

therapidian.org/ne-zha-2-the...
"Ne Zha 2:" The film event of the year
The highest-grossing movie of the year is returning to theaters for additional screenings.
therapidian.org
August 23, 2025 at 3:02 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
While FIXED is fitfully funny & demonstrates respect for classic animation styles, it rarely reaches beyond obvious punchlines in its tale of a dog about to be neutered.

My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) of the film, on Netflix tomorrow, is in the reply.
August 12, 2025 at 3:03 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
When Andy Carr asks to manipulate an image of me for an Odd Trilogies graphic, my answer is always yes. (It's tasteful, after all.)

My answer when Andy and Logan Sowash (@SowashYourself) ask me to join them for an episode is ALSO yes! 🧵 1/2
August 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
It's also the 40th anniversary of one of my absolute favorite films — REAL GENIUS, which I wrote about 10 years ago for my "Class of ... " series at Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social).

In honor of that occasion, here's that piece. Enjoy!

midwestfilmjournal.com/2015/08/31/c...
Class of 1985: My Science Project / Real Genius
The “Class of …” series continues with a look at “My Science Project” and “Real Genius.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
August 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM
nickrogers.bsky.social
CLOUD is a solid thriller about internet resellers that sometimes feels like Kiyoshi Kurosawa knocking off his own typically patient dread. Still, it's a deal you shouldn't pass up.

My review of the film, opening Friday at the Kan-Kan Cinema & Bar (kankanindy.bsky.social), is in the reply.
August 7, 2025 at 2:38 PM