Reel Reviews
Reel Review: Diablo
Diablo is pure action cinema — no fluff, just fights. Scott Adkins stars as Kris Chaney, an ex-con on a one-person rescue mission in Colombia. Marko Zaror co-stars as the psychotic El Corvo, bringing deadly intensity every time he enters a room. From the first kick to the last punch, the fights pack a visceral punch—especially…
Reel Review: Deep Cover
Deep Cover is stupid, fast, and surprisingly tight. Three improv dropouts get roped into a low-level undercover op, and what starts as a joke somehow holds together for 99 minutes of chaotic momentum. It doesn’t try to be clever—it just commits. Bryce Dallas Howard plays it straight as Kat, an improv teacher with bills to…
Reel Review: Survive
Survive wastes no time. The oceans vanish, the Earth flips, and what was once an open sea becomes a scorched desert. A family wakes up stranded on their yacht, now marooned on the cracked seabed with no food, no water, and no clear way out. Émilie Dequenne delivers a raw, grounded performance. She doesn’t play…
Reel Review: Henry Johnson
Henry Johnson is all talk—and that’s not a bad thing. It’s a tight, stripped-down chamber piece about power, manipulation, and how fast someone’s principles can fold under pressure. Evan Jonigkeit plays the title role of a quiet, idealistic lawyer who finds himself behind bars and out of his depth. Shia LaBeouf plays Gene—the inmate who…
Reel Review: Our Times
Netflix’s Our Times is a clever twist on the usual time‑travel romance—this Mexican import blasts its married physicist couple from 1966 directly into 2025. Lucero as Nora shines—finally seen for her genius—as does her chemistry with Benny Ibarra’s Héctor. The premise? Nora thrives in today’s more equitable world, while Héctor recoils at the shifting dynamics,…
Reel Review: The Unholy Trinity
The Unholy Trinity doesn’t rush, doesn’t shout, and doesn’t try to be more than what it is: a slow-burning Western about men tied together by blood, betrayal, and unfinished business. It’s not flashy, but it’s solid—and when it lands, it lands hard. Pierce Brosnan plays it with restraint. No big speeches, just the quiet weight…
Reel Review: Materialists
Materialists is a glossy, razor-edged look at modern love—where status trumps soul, and connection is just another form of currency. Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a high-end matchmaker who approaches romance like an investment portfolio: data-driven, curated, and controlled. But when her carefully structured world collides with two polar opposite men—Pedro Pascal’s polished wealthy client and…
Reel Review: The Ritual
The Ritual is a grim, low-budget exorcism drama that leans heavily on the theme of faith versus doubt. Al Pacino plays a battle-hardened priest; Dan Stevens is his fragile, skeptical partner. Their chemistry carries the film, even when the plot slips into cliché. Midell’s handheld style keeps the mood raw and tense, but familiarity undercuts impact. The…
Reel Review: How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
The live-action How to Train Your Dragon could’ve easily been a cash-in—but it isn’t. Directed by Dean DeBlois, the man behind the original animated trilogy, this version respects its source without simply copying it. What makes it work is that it remembers the heart of the story: a misfit boy, a wounded dragon, and the…
Reel Review: I Don’t Understand You
I Don’t Understand You starts like a babymoon romance and turns into a blood-soaked panic in the Italian countryside. Dom (Nick Kroll) and Cole (Andrew Rannells) are at peace—until they aren’t. Language barriers, cultural tension, and a surprise call that they can adopt soon set the stage. Then chaos: one accidental death becomes two, then three. Nick…