Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 30th, 2026
Going into 2026, Heated Rivalry (2026-) is probably the most talked-about series circulating on social media right now, with many fans already ascribing it as their favorite comfort show. It has proven to be a sensationalized hit among queers and wine moms alike. After all, it was renewed for a second season almost immediately following the finale. The HBO series is a gay hockey romance built on the enemies-to-lovers trope, loosely based on Rachel Reid’s novel Heated Rivalry (2019), and created, written, and directed by Jacob Tierney. At its center are the two dreamboats, Illya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams), who play on opposing teams and are naturally positioned as rivals, hence the namesake.
One of the more striking, and probably distasteful, aspects of Heated Rivalry (2026-) is its use of progression and time jumps. However, I'd argue that the story does good to not rush intimacy, nor does it romanticize permanence too early. It breaks away from Hallmark-esque heteronormativity entirely with the grudging evolution of acceptance. Instead, the season unfolds across years, tracking a relationship that begins almost entirely in lust and secrecy. Early episodes feel impulsive and experimental, driven by tension, exploration, and desire rather than love and security. As the season progresses, the time jumps allow the audience to witness how repetition slowly turns into attachment, and how attachment becomes something far more fragile and frightening than hedonism alone. Love is not presented as a revelation, but as something that sneaks up on both characters despite their best efforts to bury it.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 28th, 2026
“You may only see it once, but that will be enough.”
That was the marketing slogan for the first Friday The 13th film in 1980. Apparently they couldn’t have been more wrong, because most of us have seen the film countless times, and no, it was never enough. The franchise would thrive with over 10 sequels or affiliated films, taking us right up to the present remake/reboot of that very first outing at Camp Crystal Lake. No, my friends, once was never going to be enough. Add to that that this is actually the first Friday The 13th film to include Jason as the killing machine that would keep going and going and going. He became the Energizer Bunny of horror monsters. In the original film it wasn't Jason. He was pretty much considered dead since he was a boy. It was his mother, Mrs. Vorhees, played by Betsy Palmer, who did the slicin' and dicin' the first time around. She got so into killing teens that she rather lost her head. Jason was a small boy creature who gives that original film its big jump-scare finale. We're never quite sure if it was a dream. It must have been, because Jason wasn't a disfigured little boy now. He also doesn't have his iconic hockey mask yet, either. They settle for a burlap bag this first go around. Many fans believe that it was with this film that the mythology was truly created. Now Paramount has given it the upgrade to UHD Blu-ray in the glory of 4K and HDR. Blood and guts are getting real now.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 27th, 2026
"You never know who your friends are until the ice breaks"
Apparently that's an indigenous peoples' proverb. I wonder if it applies to Siberian huskies? Mine is here in Florida where there is no ice or snow to be found, so I will not have the occasion to test the theory. The closest she gets to snow is the crushed ice setting on my freezer door. Of course she does belong to a snow dogs sled pulling club with other huskies, but they cheat and have wheels on the sled. So sitting here in sunny Tampa, Florida, we're about to have the longest stretch of 30 degree nights than I've encountered in a long time. So I thought this was the perfect time to invite Aurora (the husky) into my theater and settle down to watch Icefall, a film directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky and out on Blu-ray by Decal Releasing. I had to bribe Aurora with a premium treat, and she slept through many of the best parts of the film. I remained awake and alert throughout, with the pretty much perfect 96 minute running time. So now I'm in a position to give you guys some idea of what you might be in for, and if you should bother being in for it at all. So let's get going, shall we? Hike!
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 24th, 2026
It has been a very long time since I have done a film or television review thanks to a wonderful thing known as life. Life often gets in the way of even the most basic hobbies but is often rewarding, or at least pretends to be. So, surely the first review I have had in such a long time will be a wondrous one full of majestic characters and a stirring plot worthy of rousing ambition to the sounds of chaotic beats. *Looks across at package* Hazbin Hotel Season One on Blu-ray. *Googles the synopsis* *Sighs deeply* I mean, if my editor wanted me to stay in quasi-retirement, he should have said so. At least the chaotic beats part seems to be accurate. Let's take a look.
Are we familiar with the story of the angel Lucifer and Lilith, the first woman? No? Well then, let's go over it. Lilith was the first woman with Adam, and she left that man because he was controlling (mmmm hmmm). She then shacked up with the angel Lucifer instead. Then they gave Eve, the second woman, free will through the famous apple. This created Hell, and then those two, Lucifer and Lilith, were sent there as punishment.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 22nd, 2026
"I'm not a bad guy. I just made bad choices. I have a plan."
Derek Cianfrance doesn't have a lot of movies in the director's chair, but his 2012 The Place Beyond The Pines was a pretty solid film. Since then he's been pretty quiet, and he's finally surfaced once again with the rather off-kilter "based on a true story" crime comic drama Roofman. He's brought Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, and Peter Dinklage along for the ride. It's been something of a sleeper, coming with little advanced buzz and flying under the radar. It was a pretty good hit at the box office, and now Paramount has released the film on UHD-Blu-ray in 4K.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 21st, 2026
“You should be so proud of her.”
Shelby Oaks is something special when you look at it objectively; it’s a film that was crowd funded by the YouTuber Chris Stuckmann, who wanted to take a shot at making a movie of his very own. The original goal was to raise $600,000, but by the time his Kickstarter was closed, he was able to raise over 1.4 million to make his film. Before he’d even begun filming, this is already an impressive achievement considering how many established filmmakers struggle to get funds together to make their own films. For Shelby Oaks, over 14,000 people contributed to funding the dream for this directorial debut, so again, in my book Chris Stuckmann already won for being able to pull this off. Now the film has a producing credit from Mike Flanagam attached as an executive producer and Neon in charge of the films distribution … so needless to say, there is a great deal of hype around this film. Two films immediately come to mind when I think about this kind of hype before a film even reaches audiences, The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity … both films that innovated the found-footage genre but also had some clever marketing once acquired for distribution. Does Shelby Oaks live up to the hype? Well, from my experience, this is a pretty divisive film.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on January 18th, 2026
Something I was really looking forward to going into the new year was watching 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026). The movie series, 28 Days Later (2002), 28 Weeks Later (2007), and 28 Years Later (2025), holds cultural significance in the post-apocalyptic horror genre. Its revival last year after 18 years was a big deal for those who have been following the franchise since the first release of 28 Days Later (2002), starring Cillian Murphy. It is somewhat unique in that it is less about the infected being “undead” and more about the “rage virus.” Part of what makes these movies so great, really, is how plausible this virus is in terms of epidemiology, as well as the downfall of civilization as a result. The original 28 Days Later (2002) details the nature of the virus, while 28 Weeks Later (2007) showcases how it seemingly cannot be contained, even with strict quarantine efforts. 28 Years Later (2025) is more about how what’s left of humanity has learned to cope with the virus as the new norm, and the second installment, The Bone Temple (2026), features a revelation about the virus that changes everything we are made to believe about it.
As noted, this second installment is a direct continuation of the events that transpired in 28 Years Later (2025), which featured a young boy, Spike (Alfie Williams), who is trying to help his mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), after she becomes sick. He hears of a doctor in the area over yonder, but instead discovers the Bone Temple. We learn that this structure serves as a memento mori, a reminder of death, meant to represent what we have lost and choose to remember. In fact, it is a Latin phrase that translates to “Remember that you must die,” which is meant to acknowledge our own mortality. While the doctor, Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), was unable to save Spike’s mother, he performed a ritual meant to honor her death and help process grief.
Posted in: Hardware Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 15th, 2026
"Imagine, a world without, murder. 6 years ago, the homicidal rates had reached epidemic proportions. It seemed that only a miracle could stop the bloodshed, but instead of 1 miracle, we were given 3, the precognitive. Within 3 months of the precrime program, the homicidal rates in the District of Columbia had reduced 90 percent. 6 Years in the precrime program, and there hasn't been a single murder. Now, the system can work for you. We want to make sure that this great system is what will keep us safe will also keep us free. On April 24, vote yes on the national Precrime initiative."
From the mind of Philip K. Dick there was a rush of box office gold that lasted several years. His Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep came Bladerunner. From We Can Remember It For You Wholesale came Total Recall... twice. After the first Total Recall there was plans of using Dick's The Minority Report as a sequel. The stories are unrelated but there was a script prepared and somewhere along the way the film got tabled and sat unproduced for decades. It wasn't until both Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise took an interest in the project that the script was dusted off and taken for a spin. But there had been too much time since Total Recall and so screenwriters Scott Frank and Jon Cohen decided to return to the source material and create the stand-alone movie that would become Minority Report. It was the first time one of Dick's stories would make it to the screen with at least a version of the story's actual title. These guys just added the requisite The and the story was now ready for prime time.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 15th, 2026
"Imagine a world without murder. Six years ago, the homicidal rates had reached epidemic proportions. It seemed that only a miracle could stop the bloodshed, but instead of one miracle, we were given three, the precognitive. Within three months of the precrime program, the homicidal rates in the District of Columbia had reduced 90 percent. Six years in the precrime program, and there hasn't been a single murder. Now, the system can work for you. We want to make sure that this great system that will keep us safe will also keep us free. On April 24, vote yes on the national precrime initiative."
From the mind of Philip K. Dick, there was a rush of box office gold that lasted several years. From his Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep came Bladerunner. From We Can Remember It For You Wholesale came Total Recall ... twice. After the first Total Recall, there were plans of using Dick's The Minority Report as a sequel. The stories are unrelated, but there was a script prepared, but somewhere along the way the film got tabled and sat unproduced for decades. It wasn't until both Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise took an interest in the project that the script was dusted off and taken for a spin. But there had been too much time since Total Recall, so screenwriters Scott Frank and Jon Cohen decided to return to the source material and create the standalone movie that would become Minority Report. It was the first time one of Dick's stories would make it to the screen with at least a version of the story's actual title. These guys just added the requisite "The", and the story was now ready for prime time.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 10th, 2026
It's Planet Of The Apes meets Cujo, and it sure isn't pretty. Part of me actually loves this kind of thing, but it has more to do with when the film is than how good or bad the film happens to be. For a lot of critics, we have just spent the better part of our holiday season being inundated by awards bait in one form or another. Everyone wants your attention right now. I have to vote in two guilds, and honestly by the time it's over and I've managed to cram 60-70 films or more into my Holiday activities, I'm honestly more than a little burned out. So after that little break as January begins, I always welcome that first film that asks nothing more of me than to sit there and soak it in. There aren't going to be any Best Picture nominations here. No one is going to be buzzing about Primate when we start talking Best Actors and Cinematography. Johannes Roberts isn't expecting me to remember a dang thing about his work when next year's Best Director choices come up. The screenplay is (thank God) completely forgettable, and all I will remember, if I remember anything at all about Primate when the 2026 awards season rolls around, is that it was mindless and that's exactly what I needed in that first week of press screenings in January. I hope you guys had a blast making the film, because you gave me exactly what I was looking for ... absolutely nothing. And you got me in and out in UNDER 90 minutes. I love you guys, but I'll forget I said that in a few months. Is that OK? This is going to be a really short love affair. It's the perfect one-night stand of movies. But that doesn't mean that I really didn't love you guys for 89 minutes. Thus ends the sermon. Can I get an Amen?
Hears what I remember from a memory already getting a little fuzzy. Fuzzy? Oh, right. There's a chimpanzee named Ben. Perfect name. When I was a kid there was this rat named Ben, and I think he hung out with a young Michael Jackson. That was likely the beginning of the whole Neverland thing. So Ben is the pet chimp of the film's title. Give the folks some credit here. They used a little bit of puppetry and CGI mixed in with some practical makeup f/x, and Ben actually looks pretty lifelike. But the film is always rather dark. Now that could have been a lens issue at our screening. That has been known to happen, or it might have been Roberts using the shadows to get away with more than he might have in the cold light of day. But for the most part, I'll say that watching this chimp go through a rabies infection was more interesting than watching a dog in Cujo. A chimp was actually a pretty brave choice here and added a few points to the film's interest and entertainment value here.
