What To Watch This Weekend: ‘The Smashing Machine,’ ‘Taylor Swift’s Showgirl,’ ‘Anemone,’ And More Must-See

HOLLYWOOD, CA — From MMA redemption to brewing dynasty drama, this week’s new releases explore identity, ambition and the stories we live by — all streaming or in theaters.

Taylor Swift’s “Showgirl,” a feature-length companion to her new album “The Life of a Showgirl,” blends music, memoir and visual storytelling. The 89-minute film, now screening in major theaters, features behind-the-scenes footage, lyric videos and Swift’s reflections on fame, femininity and the art of performance.

Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine” stars Dwayne Johnson in a raw, unflinching portrayal of MMA legend Mark Kerr. Emily Blunt co-stars as Kerr’s partner, Dawn Staples, in a film that trades spectacle for emotional depth.

“Anemone,” directed by Ronan Day-Lewis, is a minimalist chamber drama set in a remote cabin. Daniel Day-Lewis and Sean Bean play estranged brothers who reunite after two decades of silence to confront buried trauma.

On Hulu, “Chad Powers” turns Eli Manning’s viral sketch into a six-episode comedy. Glen Powell stars as a disgraced quarterback who goes undercover as a mulleted walk-on. The show blends sports satire with absurdist charm.

HBO’s “House of Guinness,” created by Steven Knight, traces the rise of the Guinness brewing empire in 19th-century Dublin and New York. Anthony Boyle leads a cast of ambitious siblings navigating legacy, power and political unrest.

Ready to dive in? Scroll down for the full lineup — and step into the shimmering world of storytelling, where every frame is an escape.

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What To Watch This Weekend

“The Life of a Showgirl” by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” arrives with theatrical flair — a 12-track album that blends glittering spectacle with raw introspection. Swift invites listeners backstage into the emotional undercurrents of fame, femininity and vulnerability, all wrapped in a sonic palette that’s bold yet intimate.

From the opening notes of “The Fate of Ophelia,” Swift sets the tone with Shakespearean melancholy and cinematic grandeur. The song’s orchestral arrangement and introspective lyrics evoke a woman caught between performance and authenticity — a theme that threads through the entire album.

Standout tracks include “Elizabeth Taylor,” a sultry meditation on celebrity mythology, and “Actually Romantic,” a playful yet pointed take on modern love. “Father Figure,” a synth-heavy homage to George Michael, adds emotional weight, while the title track — a duet with Sabrina Carpenter — delivers glittery pop spectacle with a vulnerable core.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to Swift’s evolving artistry, “The Life of a Showgirl” offers a rich, immersive experience that invites audiences to listen closely, reflect deeply and celebrate the journey toward personal truth.

Check out Patch’s in-depth review of a “Showgirl” listening party.

“The Smashing Machine”

Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt; directed by Benny Safdie

Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine” is a bruising, intimate portrait of MMA legend Mark Kerr, played with aching vulnerability by Dwayne Johnson. Far from his usual action-hero bravado, Johnson delivers a career-defining performance as a man unraveling in the throes of addiction, fame and fractured identity. The film opens in silence and despair, setting the tone for a story of ruin, rendered with visceral poignancy.

Kerr’s explosive rise in the cage — captured with grainy immediacy and suffocating close-ups — is juxtaposed with his descent outside it. Emily Blunt, as Dawn Staples, brings quiet devastation to their codependent relationship, her performance a stark contrast to her earlier, more glamorous roles. Together, they form the film’s emotional core: an intimate bond frayed by pain and survival.

Safdie’s solo direction retains the jittery pacing and immersive framing of “Uncut Gems,” but channels it inward. Maceo Bishop’s cinematography bruises in color — cold blues, sickly yellows, sudden reds — mirroring Kerr’s psyche and the couple’s turmoil.

Though the film occasionally falters in its repetition and bleakness, and the supporting cast remains underutilized, its emotional truth resonates. Real-life fighters add authenticity, grounding the narrative in the brutal world of combat sports.

“The Smashing Machine” isn’t about glory — it’s about the punishing cost of chasing it. It’s a raw, unflinching sports drama anchored by Johnson’s most emotionally layered role and Blunt’s haunting resilience. In Safdie’s hands, smashing is easy. Surviving the wreckage is the real fight.

Check out Patch’s full review of “The Smashing Machine.”

“Anemone”

Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean; directed by Ronan Day-Lewis

Ronan Day-Lewis’ “Anemone” is an autopsy of a long-buried emotional chasm — ripe for catharsis yet too paralyzing to face. What begins as a quiet reunion between estranged brothers slowly morphs into a psychological excavation, where memory is both weapon and wound.

Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Jem (Sean Bean), the brothers at the heart of “Anemone,” are survivors of a childhood marked by abuse — a history the film never fully names but quietly haunts every frame. Ray, the elder, has retreated into isolation, living alone in a weathered cabin surrounded by flooded quarries and overgrown woods. Jem, meanwhile, arrives after years of estrangement, hoping to finally confront the trauma they’ve both spent decades avoiding.

Ray recounts the painful incident in a pair of devastating monologues, circling themes of complicity, guilt and the excruciating burden of having survived something too tragic to articulate. The film offers no flashbacks, no exposition — only blurry fragments, half-spoken memories and the aching silence between them.

The pacing in “Anemone” is undeniably slow — at times excruciatingly so — with long stretches of silence and extended period of stillness. Dialogue is sparse and often elliptical. Ray’s monologues, though searing in emotional intensity, are cryptic by design, symbolic of the film’s refusal to offer any resolution. It’s a film that resists momentum, choosing instead to linger in discomfort and ambiguity.

“Anemone” is not for everyone. It’s a film that sits with pain, not one that solves it. But for those willing to listen — really listen — it offers something rare: a portrait of emotional paralysis rendered with devastating grace. In its restraint lies its redemption.

“Chad Powers”

Glen Powell, Perry Mattfeld; created by Eli Manning

“Chad Powers,” Hulu’s new football comedy created by Eli Manning, turns a viral sketch into a six-episode series with surprising charm. Glen Powell stars as Russ Holliday, a disgraced former college quarterback who disguises himself as Chad Powers to walk onto a struggling team and reclaim his lost glory.

The premise is absurd, but the show leans into it with confidence. Powell delivers a performance full of swagger and vulnerability, balancing slapstick disguise with genuine emotional stakes. The series satirizes college football culture while exploring themes of identity, failure and second chances.

The writing is fast-paced and self-aware, with locker-room banter and offbeat humor that rarely overplays its hand. Supporting cast members, including Perry Mattfeld and Steve Zahn, add depth to the story, grounding the chaos in real relationships. Manning’s involvement as co-creator and executive producer lends authenticity, but the show doesn’t rely on football knowledge to entertain.

“Chad Powers” isn’t trying to be prestige television. It’s a caper built on deception, redemption and the absurdity of second chances. At six episodes, it’s a quick watch that doesn’t overstay its welcome. For viewers looking for a sports comedy with heart and a bit of chaos, it’s worth the play.

“House of Guinness”

Anthony Boyle, Louis Partridge; created by Steven Knight

“House of Guinness,” HBO’s latest period drama from “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight, traces the rise of the Guinness brewing dynasty in 19th-century Dublin and New York. The series follows Edward Guinness, played by Anthony Boyle, as he navigates family ambition, industrial expansion and political unrest in a rapidly changing world.

Boyle delivers a fiery performance as the heir apparent, while Louis Partridge, Emily Fairn and Fionn O’Shea round out the cast as his siblings, each with their own motives and secrets. Mark Gatiss portrays patriarch Sir Benjamin Guinness, whose legacy casts a long shadow over the family’s future.

The production design is rich and immersive, with candlelit boardrooms, muddy streets and opulent interiors that evoke the era’s tension between tradition and progress. Knight’s writing favors slow-burn drama over spectacle, allowing emotional fractures and power struggles to simmer.

While it lacks the swagger of “Peaky Blinders,” “House of Guinness” offers a more introspective take on legacy and loyalty. It’s a deliberate, atmospheric series that rewards patience with depth and dramatic payoff. For viewers drawn to historical dramas with moral complexity and family intrigue, it’s worth the pour.