Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 5th, 2026
"Camp is tough: there's the lack of sleep, endless games, mystery meat, twelve thousand questions middle schoolers somehow ask before breakfast, and camp songs that get stuck in your head forever."
One thing I can say about Bad Counselors is that there were a lot of recognizable faces in it. Chris Klein returned to his comedy roots in this film that could potentially be a distant, more wholesome cousin to America Pie. Richard T. Jones of The Rookie fame, along with Stargirl’s Brec Bassinger and Missi Pyle, all star in this faith-based comedy that was surprisingly more entertaining that I initially expected it to be. I’d anticipated a vapid B-movie that would be more cliché than substance, but as it turned out, the film actually had more than one moment of substance. Despite the premise of the frat-boy antics, the story focused more on character identity and growth. The film avoids being overly "cheesy" by leaning into intentional, self-aware comedy, mostly against cringy evangelical tropes. And while the Christian elements are primarily used for narrative quips rather than deep theological teaching, the underlying themes of repentance, second chances, and authentic human connection are very much showcased.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on October 5th, 2026
Aussie horror I feel is a bit underappreciated. There’s typically a charm with a bit of grime when it comes to their villains. Wolf Creek and its lead antagonist Mick is a perfect example. He’s an evil character, but he still manages to be likeable. Another example of this is in last year’s serial-killer-shark film, Dangerous Animals, the villain was once again despicable but still was fun to watch. Another thing I’ve noticed when it comes to Aussie horror: it tends to have a dirty look to it that reminds me of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, where you can almost feel the heat and the dust coming through the screen, and the films also tend to have their characters very isolated from civilization. Penny Lane Is Dead checks off many of the boxes that I like in Aussie horror, and what I find frustrating with it is how close it comes to being great. It’s time to stroll down the dark and desolate road in the outback and do a post mortem on Penny Lane is Dead.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 1st, 2026
"Now look, the DA's office just put out a press release saying that boosting from department stores and high-end fashion outlets will be receiving more aggressive attention from their office."
This almost sounds like a soundbite from an evening news broadcast. There has been a national debate about how the law should treat these kinds of thefts. Some cities have taken the approach that they aren't really going to prosecute these kinds of crimes, and that's led to retail outlets fleeing places like that. But that's not really what Boots Riley's latest film is about. It's somewhat based on a song from the writer/director's rock band, but I'm not familiar with the track. The problem is that's about all I really know about the film ... even after I've finished watching it, and that's a problem for me. Some of you will approach this more like an art film, and others will pretend to understand it because they think it makes them look stupid if they don't. And that's exactly what Boots Riley is hoping will happen.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on September 27th, 2026
“It was supposed to be a field.”
The level of defeat in Brad Pitts’s voice was palpable. In Heart of the Beast, 58 miles of rough terrain separates his character and salvation. Luckily, he is not alone. He is joined by his four-legged companion, a battle seasoned warrior named Odin. Actually, Odin was played by four German shepherds by the name of Uber and Uber’s three sons, Seeka, Ryker, and Honda. Uber served as the main dog, a retired search-and-rescue dog from New Zealand who handled standard scenes. Meanwhile, his sons, were used as stunt doubles and specialized doubles for specific tasks like swimming, running, or working at heights on wires. It takes a lot to steal the stage away for a top tier talent like Brad Pitt, but I feel comfortable saying that Uber and his sons were the undisputed heart of the film.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on September 26th, 2026
"Long ago there was a forgotten island filled with filled with magical creatures beyond your wildest imagination."
Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado deliver a colorfully animated story that leans heavy on Filipino mythology and culture in their new film, Forgotten Island. I didn't come to the film with a lot of knowledge of Filipino culture or mythology but really felt like I left with a taste of something new and exciting. As a film critic for over 30 years, there really aren't a lot of new things that come my way these days. In a way the job leaves you a little bit jaded and more than a little bit cynical. So imagine my enjoyment to see something that really wasn't like anything else I've ever seen. Forgotten Island is a magical journey that you don't have to really understand in order to enjoy. And yet I left with a little more understanding and a healthy appetite for more. The last thing I'd seen from the co-writers and directors was Puss In Boots: The Last Wish. That film was much more conventional, and while entertaining, it wasn't half as charming as Forgotten Island.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on September 25th, 2026
“And you ... and you! Y'all went and did Scary Movie 3 & 4 without us!”
I never thought we were going to get this movie. After the Wayans walked away from the franchise (rightfully so), I never fathomed the idea that we might one day see Shawn and Marlon return to the franchise. Yet here we are, and I only wish that we would have gotten it sooner. Maybe then I could have resonated with it better. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved it, but there was more than one joke that missed it mark with me. The film reminded of a time capsule. When it is unearthed, nostalgia transports you back to the time when you first buried it. However, you are not quite the person that you were back then, and your sense of humor may not be the same as it was. That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Shawn and Marlon are unquestionably masters of their trade, and they slip back into their roles effortlessly, as does Regina Hall. Anna Faris, not so much.
Posted in: The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on September 25th, 2026
When talking about horror, one of the things that makes the genre so accessible to everyone is that the genre is so broad that even non-horror fans can find a film they can enjoy. Horror doesn’t have to be about crazed people killing off teenagers or about the supernatural. Sometimes it can simply delve into the fear of heights like Fall, or being buried alive like Buried. Lately a trend I’ve been seeing is about the fear of pregnancy or being a mother. Nightborn immediately comes to mind, and now we have the film Goody Goody that’s now playing on Shudder. The sub-genre is nothing new; after all, Rosemary’s Baby is a classic, and that came out in 1968. I understand why there will always be an audience for this kind of horror, and I can see how it can be effective when targeting the female demographic. I think all audiences really hope for out of a movie despite the genre is to be entertained, I don’t feel that’s much to ask for. I don’t need A-list actors or huge FX. All I want is a good story, and if the filmmakers can execute that, then great … Alas, Goody Goody breaks one of the cardinal sins of cinema. This film is a chore to sit through, and even at 80 minutes this film tested my patience.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on September 23rd, 2026
"My cousin and I have very different ideas about what it means to be a hero. He sees the good in everyone, and I see the truth."
Since Endgame, I’ve been waiting on DC to seize the momentum away from Marvel. The MCU has essentially been waffling since that epic conclusion, so I figured that DC would engage in some carpe diem and saturate the market in order to pull the focus away from their rival. And yet, that doesn’t seem to be the case. We are lucky if we get one movie a year, and if I’m honest, the one we get isn’t spectacular; they are just average. I wasn’t blown away by last year's Superman, and I wasn’t blown away by this year’s Supergirl. Milly Alcock was a great choice, and I won’t dispute that, and Jason Momoa is carbon-copy casting for Lobo, but the quality of story makes these top-tier casting choices wasted effort. In a time when DC should be giving us a layered story that draws us in, they give us a straightforward fish-out-of-water story about a girl and her dog with a dash of space pirates.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 22nd, 2026
“The oil and gas industry makes $3 billion a day in pure profit, generates over $4.3 trillion a year in revenue. It’s the fourth largest industry in the world, ranked ahead of food production, automobile production, and at $1.4 trillion the pharmaceutical industry doesn’t even crash the top 10. The industries ranked ahead of oil production are all completely dependent on oil and gas. The more they grow, the more we grow. That’s the scale. That’s the size of this thing, and it’s only getting bigger …”
If Taylor Sheridan does not own a big chunk of stock at Paramount+, then he should be a major shareholder, because he’s bringing in more bucks than everything else combined except for Star Trek. I’ve enjoyed every one of his shows to date, some more than others. I think that Landman has to be the best of them yet. Yellowstone has been the great amber-captured jewel of the kingdom for over five years, but his split with Costner brings all of that to an early end, with the exception of spin-offs. I think I’ve found the new champ, and it’s Landman. Landman is absolutely as good as television gets or has ever gotten.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on September 19th, 2026
"Hey, you got time for another run?"
That's exactly what it felt like getting the invite to screen the new Resident Evil. Lately the franchise has been on a rather steep decline. The 2021 film Resident Evil: Welcome To Racoon City didn't even register as a blip on the box office radar. There was the television series Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness that didn't light up too many streaming hits. But I was intrigued that the new film was directed by Zach Cregger, who had a pretty good sleeper hit with Weapons, and he was reteaming with that film's Austin Abrams. A little confession before I go on any longer. I love video games, but somehow I managed to never play a single Resident Evil video game. Not sure how that happened. It wasn't intentional. I just never got to it. I did see all of the films from director W.S. Andersson and his wife Milla Jovovich, and, for the most part, I have enjoyed the film franchise. Hard to believe it all started with the first game title 30 years ago, and there's already been so much of the franchise that's come and gone. What possible new and clever idea could Cregger bring to the table? Yeah, I'm a pretty big cynic. What I saw actually took a little time to digest. It's not a great film, and it's certainly no Weapons. What it is happens to be a somewhat fresh angle for both the franchise and the general video game to movie genre. It entertains. There's quite a few well-timed laughs, and yeah, it's got some intense horror genes in there, but the funny thing is that I hardly noticed any of those points while I was watching the film.
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