youtube movie reviewers reddit

Screen Rant

10 best youtube channels for film video essays, according to reddit.

After watching a movie, one of the best things a fan can do is sit by and watch a video analysis by reviewers like Lindsay Ellis and Possum Reviews.

With Wakanda Forever closing off Phase Four on November 11, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is preparing for an introduction to its fifth phase, and many fans are excited to see what the franchise has to offer. Yet, many are also questioning how all these new Phase 4 characters connect to each other, with the multiverse looming as the main arc. After all, most Marvel movies are now somewhat disconnected.

Thankfully, there is a vast host of YouTube reviewers and analysts who are dedicated to explaining the intricacies of movies and anything fans might have missed. Most of these YouTube video essays are made by some key YouTubers who do an excellent job getting fans caught up in the worlds of Hollywood.

YourMovieSucksDOTorg

Some reviewers do a great job of taking apart popular movies to show why they're excellent. The film YouTuber YourMovieSucksDOTorg is best at showcasing just why fans may dislike certain movies. While that might be inherently more negative, it can still be enjoyable.

"His Toy Story 3 review blew my mind. I knew I hated it but he kind of showed me why," says a now-deleted Reddit user. While he addresses both beloved and critically panned movies, the panned movies tend to be the videos that draw the most love from audiences. Sometimes fans just need to know why a plot feels weak or repetitive.

Possum Reviews

Another YouTuber who tends to focus on movies that received overwhelmingly poor receptions, Possum Reviews has grown a large fanbase by putting his attention on reviewing "garbage" movies, as his possum icon indicates. "I really love watching Possum Reviews even though his reviews of blatantly bad movies are really cynical," says Redditor Owijs .

Most of his reviews tend to be funny, which helps to keep the content engaging even when the actual film he reviews is appallingly bad. While he sometimes addresses beloved movies, it's the mediocre ones that draw the most eyes.

While most moviegoers don't think about soundtracks, the YouTuber Sideways goes into detail on just how the best soundtracks in movies interact with each film and create an environment. Tackling both musical and nonmusical movies, the channel does an extraordinary job of teaching fans about sound in films.

"Genuinely such interesting analysis of music in shows/movies from a very funny, intelligent guy who always sounds like he’s having the best time talking about whatever he’s talking about," states Reddit user ameboleyn . His excitement, even when addressing movies like Cats , is palpable and keeps viewers as engaged as he is.

Red Letter Media

A YouTube channel focused on friends reviewing movies that are both good and bad, RedLetterMedia has picked up many fans through the years, and for good reason. With the channel often known for its dry humor, Redditor TylerKnowy described it as "a mix of comedy and insight."

The channel has different shows with each addressing several topics. From Re:View 's more positive view of film to the often maligning Half in the Bag , the channel has something for everyone — as long as everyone likes their sense of humor. Of course, given that they often tackle movies that divide critics and audiences , they can be contentious.

With videos ranging from 10 minutes to over an hour long, the YouTube channel FilmJoy has things for everyone to enjoy. Of course, while the channel offers several shows, most of the channel's supporters tend to find themselves more engaged by the Movies with Mikey show.

"Intelligent, funny and extremely heartfelt. His whole approach is to discuss beloved films and why they're so special," says Reddit user johnspost . Instead of focusing on cynicism and encouraging fans to dislike certain movies, it brings about positivity, which is somewhat rare among YouTubers.

This Guy Edits

While many film critics focus on acting, character development, plot, or setting, the YouTuber This Guy Edits focuses on the editing in film and how it affects each movie. Instead of critiquing individual movies, the channel educates the public to help them consider editing in their own review of films.

"I find myself analyzing cuts and sound design way more after watching This Guy Edits," shared Reddit user InuitOverit . Considering how many movies are edited after their initial release , it's got a wide array of content to sift through, which means fans have a lot to learn from a true professional.

Lindsay Ellis

A film critic who used her YouTube channel to launch a book of her own, Lindsay Ellis recently left the YouTube scene, but her remaining backlog of content is still fascinating to look through. "Her videos are really funny while also being very interesting," commented Redditor bman9919 .

Often, Ellis considered topics that most fans failed to consider and showcased just why she took that perspective. She focused on a wide array of issues, including animation, the influence of the filmmakers on each film, and even why the greatest movie musicals are no longer particularly popular.

Like Stories Of Old

The YouTuber Like Stories of Old is a critic who likes to go into depth with each video, which is why it's so rare to see content for his channel under 20 minutes long. It's also why he only tends to release videos irregularly, often with a month or more between releases.

"His voice and delivery is so unique and soothing... it's pretty remarkable how well constructed each piece is," says Redditor stumpcity . The channel addresses wide-ranging issues in Hollywood, like the Hero's Journey, entire genres in film, and archetypes within the industry. He offers a fascinating in-depth look at whatever topics he chooses, and it's why he's a beloved critic.

Every Frame A Painting

While there are many visually stunning movies that can awe viewers, the YouTuber Every Frame A Painting takes apart movies to show fans exactly why they come to love the looks and aesthetic of movies. It also takes a look at how to improve those very aesthetic through editing.

"They were mainly about filmmaking techniques, editing, shot composition, blocking, etc., instead of plot/story/theme like the majority seem to be," says Reddit user scoutcjustice . While unfortunately Every Frame A Painting has stopped producing videos, fans still have a lot to learn from the content the channel already produced, as the majority continues to be relevant today.

Thomas Flight

Often addressing topics like director preferences and the impact of particular films, the YouTuber Thomas Flight could give a masterclass in film criticism, as most fans would agree. "Thomas Flight does a really good job at highlighting technical details and is also great at explaining the historical reference points for many directors," posits Reddit user redditaccount001 .

With essays about editing, genres, and sound quality in movies, fans may come for the analysis of their favorite film and leave with a new appreciation for dynamic styles in film. The channel's in-depth analysis explains why each upload comes somewhat inconsistently, but the content is quality enough that fans hardly mind.

Next: 10 Best "Let's Play" YouTubers For Fans To Watch

Favoree's guide to YouTube

14 Best Movie Review YouTube Channels

Mark Berger

Finding a new film to watch can be a daunting task, with countless genres, directors, and hidden gems waiting to be discovered. It is in these moments that the guidance and recommendations of trusted sources become invaluable!

Thankfully, YouTube is full of passionate movie reviewers who provide inspiration on what movies to watch.

In this article, we present 14 exceptional YouTube channels dedicated to movie reviews, offering insightful critiques, engaging discussions, and a roadmap to your next unforgettable film experience.

Wanna know how and where to review YouTube channels ? Check out this article !

Top Film Review YouTube Channels

1. redlettermedia – 1.5m subscribers.

RedLetterMedia is a veritable institution for movie reviews. The channel offers insightful critiques, hilarious satires, and in-depth analyses of both mainstream and lesser-known films.

2. Jenny Nicholson – 1M subscribers

Jenny Nicholson brings a refreshing and humorous take on movie reviews. With her witty observations and engaging storytelling, she dissects films with an unapologetic charm that keeps her subscribers coming back for more.

3. Alt Shift X – 1.7M subscribers

Alt Shift X explores the fantasy and science fiction genres, delivering intricate breakdowns and theories that satisfy the most ardent fans.

From Game of Thrones to Westworld, this channel offers compelling insights into complex narratives. Perfect if you are a fan of the series!

4. History Buffs – 1.5M subscribers

History Buffs stands out by exploring the historical accuracy of movies. With meticulous research and attention to detail, the channel examines how well films portray the past, separating fact from fiction with an expert touch.

5. Cinema Therapy – 1.4M subscribers

Cinema Therapy combines psychology and film analysis to explore the therapeutic value of movies. Through thought-provoking discussions, the channel explores how films can heal, inspire, and provide catharsis for viewers.

6. Dead Meat – 6M subscribers

For horror enthusiasts, Dead Meat is a must-watch channel. Hosted by James A. Janisse, this channel dissects the gory details of horror movies, counting kills, exploring tropes, and sharing behind-the-scenes trivia.

7. Just Write – 700K subscribers

Just Write delves into the art of storytelling in movies. Through analysis of plot structure, character development, and thematic elements, the channel offers valuable insights into what makes a great film.

8. The Closer Look – 1M subscribers

The Closer Look takes a meticulous approach to movie analysis, dissecting every frame to uncover hidden details, symbolism, and deeper meanings. Their videos are a treasure trove for fans seeking a deeper understanding of their favorite films.

9. Accented Cinema – 440K subscribers

Accented Cinema focuses on non-English language films, providing an exploration of cinema from different cultures. From international classics to hidden gems, this channel offers a fresh perspective on global cinema.

10. Cinema Wins – 2.2M subscribers

Cinema Wins celebrates the positive aspects of movies. Rather than nitpicking flaws, the channel highlights the best moments, character arcs, and storytelling choices that make films truly special.

11. MauLer – 450K subscribers

MauLer’s channel shines as a guiding light for movie enthusiasts who crave detailed and analytical reviews.

With a meticulous approach, MauLer dissects films, examining elements such as plot structure, character development, and thematic consistency. Their in-depth analysis helps viewers make informed decisions about which movies to add to their watchlist!

12. Screen Crush – 1.5M subscribers

Screen Crush offers a wide range of movie-related content, including trailer breakdowns, Easter egg compilations, and engaging discussions on various film topics. With their informative yet entertaining approach, they keep film lovers hooked.

13. Every Frame a Painting – 2M subscribers

Although Every Frame a Painting has not been active in recent years, it remains an iconic and influential channel for film enthusiasts.

Through their meticulously crafted video essays, the channel explored various aspects of filmmaking, including cinematography, editing, and storytelling techniques.

Their insightful analysis and captivating visuals provided a deeper understanding of the artistry behind cinema, making Every Frame a Painting a beloved resource for cinephiles.

14. Mr Sunday Movies – 1.4M subscribers

Mr Sunday Movies injects humor and fun into movie reviews. With his charismatic style, he explores the latest blockbusters, comic book adaptations, and cult favorites, delivering entertaining and informative content that keeps viewers entertained.

Thankfully, YouTube has become the go-to destination for movie reviews, providing a platform for talented creators to share their thoughts and analysis.

From the humorous and entertaining to the analytical and thought-provoking, each channel brings its own unique perspective to the table. Whether you’re seeking expert critiques, in-depth analysis, or simply a good laugh, these channels offer something for every movie lover.

And if you want to find more quality channels about cinema like these ones, here is a  list of 50 of the best channels about movies  on Favoree.

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The Best Movie Review YouTubers

Can't decide what to watch? Here are the best movie review YouTube channels. From new movies playing in theaters to classic films, these popular YouTube movie reviewers praise the best films and trash the worst movies of all time . What are the best movie review channels on YouTube? 

When ranking the best movie review YouTubers, AngryJoeShow, Jeremy Jahns, and Chris Stuckmann are definitely in the top ten. If you're looking for funny movie reviews , trailer reactions, and film recommendations, check out theres other good YouTube film critics, like CinemaSins , RedLetterMedia, YourMovieSucksDOTorg, kermodeandmayo, and Beyond The Trailer.  

Vote up the best movie reviewers on YouTube, and add your favorite film review YouTube channels missing from this list. 

RedLetterMedia

Chris Stuckmann

Jeremy Jahns

Dylan is in trouble.

YourMovieSucksDOTorg

ralphthemoviemaker

Mr Sunday Movies

GoodBadFlicks

FanboyFlicks

Double Toasted

kermodeandmayo

The Cinema Snob

theFLICKpick

Andre "Black Nerd"

Beyond The Trailer

Books2Movies

Oliver Harper

ScreenJunkies News

schmoesknow

What The Flick?!

Sactown movie buffs.

Homeless Movies

John Campea

The Unusual Suspect

Horrible Reviews

EpicVoiceGuy

AngryJoeShow

ColliderVideos

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Day or night, rain or shine, YouTube is always there for you. "Like" and Subscribe to these top YouTubers and channels to let them know you appreciate their loyal company.

27 Feb 18 Best Youtube Movie Channels – You Must See Number 1!

Its Oscar time and in celebration of the 88 th Academy Awards this weekend we have been all things movies this past week. I had a review of Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe (along with our first ever Youtube video ) and then an interview with movie producer Adi Shankar for you over the past week. Now I have compiled a list post of the 18 Best Youtube Movie Channels.

I am a big follower of Youtube channels and also the movie industry. It’s a creative art that requires a lot of different elements such as design, photography, business, music and of course, filmmaking. I’ve always been a fan of the movie industry as a whole and an admirer of the elements involved individually in the creation process.

As time has gone on I’ve found myself digesting movie news and reviews in a digital video format instead of print. I still love reading a long-form feature in a print format but when I’m looking for a review or the latest news in the industry then I now turn to Youtube.

I have compiled together a list of the best movie Youtubers that provide reviews, critics, news or information on the industry. No moviemakers are included in this list, just channels that can help you brush off on your movie knowledge in time for the Oscars.

Before we get started with this interview I highly recommended you grab a copy of our first ever print magazine. Volume 1 of 99 Percent Lifestyle has a limited print run and features a lot of movie related articles such as a behind the scenes look at the Martian, an interview with producer Adi Shankar (Dredd, Lone Survivor, The Grey) and a behind the scenes look at indie filmmaking. Read all about the first magazine here .

18 Best Youtube Movie Channels 

• Name: Chris Stuckmann

Watch For : Reviews

Subscribers : 580,000+

About : Chris Stuckmann is one of the best movie critics I have ever seen and also one of my all-time favorite Youtubers. He always provides an unbiased review in an entertaining video and covers not only new releases but also films from the past. He also covers anime and every Sunday alternates between his ‘Hilariocity’ and his ‘Retro Rewind’ series that provide a very entertaining watch. If Stuckmann likes a movie then so will I.

• Name : Every Frame Painting

Watch For : Theory and Technical

Subscribers : 520,000+

About : If you want to look more in depth at the art of filmmaking and analyses of elements that are used in the industry such as how props are used or why a specific shot is used then this is the channel for you. Truly a unique channel that is great for filmmakers looking to learn more of the history of the industry.

• Name : Your Movie Sucks

Watch For : Comedy

Subscribers : 335,000+

About : New releases are covered from time to time but the real value this channel gives is the in depth and hilarious analysis on some of the worst movies ever made, such as Cool Cat Saves the Kids.

• Name : Cinema Sins

Watch For : Everything Wrong With

Subscribers : 5.4 Million +

About : This channel is truly unique in the way it will go through an entire movie in around 12 or 15 minutes and an pick apart everything wrong with it. This isn’t done in a nit-picky way, but more with comedic value instead. I’ve often found that if I ever wanted to remind myself of what happened in in a particular movie without watching the entire film then Cinema Sins is also the perfect solution (for instance, I found myself wanting a reminder of what happened in Jurassic Park 3 a few hours before watching Jurassic World. I search Cinema Sins, problem solved).    

• Name : Jeremy Johns

Subscribers : 1 Milloin +

About : Probably one of the most popular Youtube movie reviewers. His high energy and stand-up like approach to reviewing movies makes for an entertaining watch. He covers near enough any movie that comes out, with a few trailer analysis videos here and there.

• Name : Screen Junkies

Watch For : Movie Fights

Subscribers : 5.2 Million +

About : Their weekly show ‘Movie Fights’ keeps me coming back each and every week. It’s the best movie show quiz on Youtube (I haven’t actually watched another quiz show on Youtube, but if I haven’t heard about it then I doubt it will be better than Movie Fights) and provides a long-form video full of entertainment with guests that range from other Youtubers to Hollywood screen-writers. They also have an Honest Trailer series where they recreate a movie trailer and, well, make it honest.

• Name : Collider

Watch For : Movie Talk

Subscribers : 200,000+

About : Gone are the days that I will go through about five different websites and around 20 different articles to get a news update of what’s going on in the film industry. Now I watch Colliders movie talk every day to find out what’s going on. Their shows are broadcast live and run from Monday- Friday and cover all the latest news, big trailer releases and even what happened at the box office over the weekend.

• Name : Red Letter Media

Watch For : Half in the Bag

Subscribers : 350,000 +

About : Imagine a high production talk show with skits and a set. There you have Half in the Bag, which provides a very insightful look at the topics they cover. Most of all, they nail the entertainment value.

• Name : CineFix

Watch For : List Videos

Subscribers : 1.4 Million +

About : There is a range of content CineFix producer from reviews to Top 10’s. I find the ‘Things You Didn’t Know’ and also their ‘Top 10’ videos provide a lot of entertainment and information about certain movies.

• Name : Channel Awesome

Watch For : Nostalgia Critic

Subscribers : 420,000+

About : The Nostalgia Critic’s videos are the ones I find myself watching. Why? A long-form entertaining, high production review of an old (normally bad) movie with skits is a good enough reason. Entertainment and most of all, comedy are present in every review I’ve watched from the Nostalgia Critic.

• Name : Mr Sunday Movies

Watch For : 7 Things Missed

Subscribers : 472,000

About : The analysis of trailers and movies of things we missed is truly entertaining and insightful. This movie Youtube channel isn’t just entertaining because of the presentation (which is great may I add) but because of what is being highlighted and the research and analysis that has obviously been carried out prior to filming a video.

• Name : Pretty Much It

Watch For : Commentaries

Subscribers : 76,000 +

About : Pretty Much It provides a range of different content on their channel. One series they run is their movie commentaries and although they only offer the chance to view short samples on Youtube you can buy the full-feature length commentary if you enjoy what you see.

• Name : Watch Mojo

Watch For : Top 10’s

Subscribers : 10 Million +

About : This channel is the king of Top 10’s and although their content looks at a whole range of topics, their main top 10’s revolve around films. Ever wondered what the worst movie deaths were, or perhaps the funniest movie insults? Well Watch Mojo has you covered.

• Name : Screen Rant

Watch For : List videos

Subscribers : 1.6 Million +

About : These videos are a little more in-depth and descriptive than what you will find on Watch Mojo, both of which serve a different purpose.

• Name : Schomoes Knows

Subscribers : 240,000 +

About : The duo of Mark Ellis and Christian Harloff pop up on channels all over Youtube. Their own personal channel covers reviews of all the latest film releases with an element of discussion with the pair on screen together.

• Name : The Flick Pick

Watch For : Reviews and Blu-Ray’s

Subscribers : 184,000+

About : If you want someone to give you a discussion-like video as well as reviews then John Flixster is the man for you. Blu-ray reviews, movie reviews, trailer reviews, Q and A’s and news, all presented in a very entertaining and enthusiastic way.

• Name : Black Nerd Comedy

Subscribers : 475,000+

About : Very active channel that not only covers movie reviews but also reviews of a lot of new trailers too.

• Name : Comic Book Girl 19

Subscribes : 398,000+

About : One of the best female movie critics on Youtube. Comic Book Girl 19 also covers news and discussion type videos.

There are plenty of other Youtube channels out there that focus on the movie industry. Is there any that aren’t on this list? If you had to pick your top three, what would they be? Let me know in the comments section below.

We also have an interview with movie producer and Youtuber Adi Shankar, if you would like to read it then click here.

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25 best movie review youtube channels.

Are you a fan of movies? Are you looking to find great movie reviews, the best shows to watch, or what the latest buzz is in cinema? Then you've come to the right place! We have compiled the top YouTube channels for everything from Tamil and Bollywood cinema, to Marvel and other entertainment reviews. So keep reading to find out which channels are the best for you.

WeWatchedAMovie

WeWatchedAMovie is a YouTube channel featuring movie reviews, horror movie news, and insights into some of the most popular Halloween movies. They discuss classic horror movies like Halloween and Halloween Kills as well as offer funny takes on Michael Myers, who is a popular horror movie icon. With WWAM, you get an entertaining and informative look at horror movies and related topics.

Selfie Review

Selfie Review is a YouTube channel showcasing public reviews of Indian and Tamil cinema movies. It provides entertaining and informative reviews of the latest movies, combined with fun and entertaining selfies. They cover all genres of movie reviews, giving viewers an insight into the world of Indian and Tamil Cinema. They also offer an opportunity for viewers to discuss their views and opinions of the movies that they have watched.

Jeremy Jahns

Jeremy Jahns is a popular YouTube channel that provides entertaining reviews for movies, television programs, and other forms of film entertainment. His videos feature humorous commentary and witty observations that appeal to viewers of all ages. His channel is the perfect destination for anyone looking to expand their knowledge of film and entertainment.

Tyrone Magnus

Tyrone Magnus is a popular YouTube channel that features a variety of videos, ranging from movie reviews, gaming, unboxing, and funny reactions to try not to laugh and other challenges. A professional gamer, Tyrone brings his passion for movies, games, and entertainment to his channel for an exciting, entertaining experience for his millions of subscribers.

Heavy Spoilers

Heavy Spoilers is a YouTube channel that offers movie reviews and breaks down movie endings, trailers, post credits scenes, and more. It covers many popular franchises like Star Wars and Spider-Man, and is always up-to-date on Marvel's Phase 4 and Phase 5 developments.

Filmi Indian

Filmi Indian is a YouTube channel that reviews Bollywood movies and web series in Hindi. It is a great source for movie buffs who want to get an inside look at the latest releases. With reviews from experienced film critics, Filmi Indian is sure to provide viewers with entertaining and informative insights into the world of Hindi film.

Suraj Kumar

Suraj Kumar and his brother Shubham Kumar's YouTube channel consists of movie reviews and reactions to Bollywood and South Movies. They provide their expert opinion on each movie and share their film reviews in a fun and entertaining format. Viewers can expect a thorough and entertaining analysis of any movie they watch. Additionally, they have a workshop series that teaches the craft of film reviewing.

JoBlo Horror Originals

JoBlo Horror Originals is a YouTube channel that reviews horror movies, movies, and cinema. The channel offers horror videos, scary movies, and horror originals, with reviews from Joblo Horror that cover the latest horror films. Fans of horror movies can watch horror reviews, horror videos, and horror originals from JoBlo Horror Originals to help them decide on what horror films to watch.

YOGI BOLTA HAI

Yogi Bholta Hai is a YouTube Channel hosted by Yogesh Rokde that reviews Indian films. It offers short reviews, film ratings, and movie reviews, all in Hindi. It provides comprehensive information about Indian films, offering an accurate rating and informative review for each movie.

Kamaal R Khan - KRK

Kamaal R Khan - KRK is a popular YouTube channel featuring a movie review show in which KRK reviews the latest Bollywood films. His reviews are an engaging mix of humor and analysis, offering viewers an interesting and lively take on the film. His channel has become a go-to source for viewers looking for the latest film review.

spookyastronauts

Spookyastronauts is a YouTube channel dedicated to horror movie reviews, offering fans a comprehensive look at the latest horror films and discussing classic favorites. They specialize in deep movie reviews, offering an in-depth analysis of horror films and discussing the latest news within the horror genre. Whether you're looking for the perfect Halloween movie or the scariest new thriller, Spookyastronauts has got you covered! Go to the channel to explore a fascinating world of horror movies and get an expert review of each one.

Fact Positive Zilla

Fact Positive Zilla is a YouTube channel that delivers honest movie reviews, movie reactions, box office collections, movie explanations, and web series reviews. It offers a range of content from new movie reviews to movie explanations in Hindi. Followers can effortlessly stay updated on the latest movie releases and industry news.

Gilbert Times

Gilbert Times ' YouTube channel is a comprehensive source of movie and TV series news, reviews, and breakdowns. Film fans can watch trailer breakdowns for Hollywood blockbusters like Marvel and DC movies, as well as Tamil movie trailers. Furthermore, the channel provides detailed reviews of popular movies and exclusive interviews with Hollywood stars. Finally, viewers can look out for exciting Easter egg videos to unlock the secrets contained in their favorite films.

Chennai Waalaa

Chennai Waalaa is a popular YouTube channel for movie lovers in South India. It offers a wide range of news, movie reviews, and public reactions to the latest Tamil, South Indian, and Thalapathy Vijay movies. Through this channel, viewers can stay up-to-date with the latest news and public opinions on their favorite movie releases. They can also watch Tamil news live and get an insightful understanding of public reviews and opinions in the form of individual reactions.

Cody Leach 's YouTube channel offers movie reviews, music reviews, video game reviews, horror movie reviews, trailer reactions, and ranking videos. His content is focused on delivering insightful depth, varied perspectives, and creative Top 10 lists. He is well-known for his honest critiques and thought-provoking takes on popular films.

Filmy Sanju

Filmy Sanju is a YouTube channel dedicated to entertainment. Hosted by film enthusiast Sanju Singhal, the channel features a variety of movie reviews, trailer reviews, and roasted movie reviews for Indian and international films. The channel offers a unique insight into the world of film and is great for fans of cinema.

Bloodbath and Beyond

Bloodbath and Beyond is a YouTube channel that provides insightful movie reviews for horror movies, covering indie and new horror movies. With footage from the movies and interesting opinions, Bloodbath and Beyond is the perfect channel for horror movie fans. Enjoy Bloodbath TV's own experiences with different horror movies and get your movie recommendations from Bloodbath and Beyond .

Pure Pixels

Pure Pixels is a popular YouTube channel offering up-to-date movie reviews, entertainment news and film discussion. With insightful commentary and a unique sense of humor, this channel is a great resource for staying informed about the latest in film.

Open Pannaa

Open Pannaa is a YouTube channel devoted to film journalism, movie review, and appreciation of Tamil cinema. As part of its mission, it provides the latest cinema news, celebrity interviews, and reviews of films from all across the country. It also features exclusive Big Boss interviews and the latest updates in the Tamil film industry. In short, Open Pannaa is the ultimate source for all your film-related needs.

Sean Chandler Talks About

Sean Chandler Talks About is a popular YouTube channel featuring reviews and discussions of movies, TV shows, and film franchises such as Star Wars, Marvel, DCEU, and MCU. He provides an in-depth analysis of the latest shows, rankings of the best and worst, and insightful takes on movie and TV culture.

First Junction

First Junction is a YouTube channel dedicated to movie reviews and discussing how movie reflects our society and its values. Hosted by two movie aficionados, the duo review movies both classic and modern, providing viewers with insightful and thought-provoking observations on current society. Each video is thoroughly researched, providing viewers with a comprehensive and in-depth discussion on movies and their importance in today's world.

Monsoon Media

Monsoon Media is a YouTube channel devoted to Malayalam movie reviews, interviews, web series, film news, reviews, movies, songs, and movie trailers. It is the go-to destination for everything related to the Malayalam film industry. It offers its viewers an extensive collection of videos highlighting the best the industry has to offer. Whether you are looking for an insightful review or just want to catch up on the latest film news, Monsoon Media has you covered.

MensXP is a YouTube channel that offers honest, in-depth reviews and humorous takes on movies both in English and Hindi. From classic Bollywood films to blockbuster titles, MensXP reviews it all with entertaining and informative videos. From movie reviews to funny videos, MensXP offers something for everyone. So tune in for the latest movie reviews in Hindi and English, and don't forget to laugh along the way.

Trendswood Tv

Trendswood TV is a popular YouTube channel that provides movie reviews and the latest Tamil cinema news. They have regular updates on new releases, celebrities, and gossip concerning Tamil cinema. They also provide sneak peeks and behind the scene looks at upcoming films. Additionally, Trendswood Tv shares interviews, trailers, and more making it the premier source for Tamil cinema news and entertainment.

south cine talkies

South Cine Talkies is an active YouTube channel focused on movie reviews, Tamil cinema news, and discussion for the South Indian movie industry. SCT features movie reviews, insights from iamrajesh_sct, sottai, and mottai, video highlights from recent releases, and dedicated fan fests for superstar Ajith Kumar.

Exploring the Themes of the Movie Reviewed

When it comes to movie reviews, one of the key elements to understanding and evaluating a film is exploring the underlying themes. Themes are the emotions, messages, ideas, and symbols that can be found within the story. By looking through the overall narrative, characters, and setting, the themes can be derived, and the movie can be interpreted in a much deeper way.

• With exploring the themes of a movie, one can connect to it on a different level to understand how this story can cause deeper reflection and personal meaning. It’s not just about understanding the plot but also understanding how it fits into the context of life. From this point of view, it’s not just about the twist and turns of a plot, but also how it makes one think or feel.
• Exploring the themes also helps us to analyse the emotions, messages and ideas expressed through the film. We can gain a better understanding of the film and its context by understanding the various themes. By looking for and analysing the various themes expressed in the movie, the viewers can gain a greater appreciation for the film and its underlying ideas. This helps the reader to get more out of the movie than just the surface plot line.
• Exploring the themes of a movie can be a powerful tool to learn from. People can gain more from a movie than just the entertainment by understanding the core elements that are included within it. Through understanding the various underlying ideas and messages, the movie can be appreciated beyond the plot line and for its depth of themes. Therefore, exploring the themes of a movie can be one of the best ways to gain a deeper insight and appreciation for a film.

Understanding the Technical Aspects of the Movie

Technology plays a critical role in the production of films today. However, understanding the technical aspects of a movie can often be challenging. A better understanding of the technology and processes used to create films can help filmmakers make more informed decisions when creating their own works. We will explore some of the key technical aspects of filmmaking.

• First, filmmakers must consider the different tools and techniques available to create convincing visuals. This includes how they create backgrounds, set pieces, and even how they capture movement. The use of green screens, lighting manipulation, and different camera lenses can help create highly accurate and convincing scenes. 
• Additionally, the use of CGI and intricate visual effects allows filmmakers to create virtually anything they can imagine.
• Finally, sound design is key for any good film. Music and sound effects are used to draw audiences into the story and bring characters to life. Advanced editing and mixing techniques can help filmmakers create intricate soundscapes for their films. It’s also important for sound technicians to understand the acoustics of the environment in which the film is being shot, as this influences the overall sound of the film.

Overall, understanding the technical aspects of movies is essential for any filmmaker. In order to create high-quality films, filmmakers must be familiar with the different tools, techniques, and processes used to create them. By becoming familiar with these concepts, filmmakers can further enhance their own creative works.

An Overview of the Movie's Performance

The movie industry has seen a significant increase in box office returns over the past few years and many movies have become a hit among the audiences. This can be attributed to the emergence of new technologies, higher budgets, and better story-telling. A movie’s performance can be determined by several factors such as the reception of the audience, critics’ reviews, and its box office returns.

• An overview of the movie’s performance can be analyzed based on these aspects. The audience’s reaction towards the movie can be determined through online surveys, reviews, and word of mouth. On the other hand, critics’ opinion of the movie is an important factor that influences its overall performance. Moreover, the box office returns also determine the success of a movie and can reveal the overall reception of the movie.
• These factors can be used to determine the success of a movie, and assess its performance at the box office. Movies that are highly rated by both the audiences and the critics tend to enjoy long term success. Similarly, movies that have a huge budget but fail to garner positive reviews from the audience or the critics, tend to see a decline in their box office returns. Therefore, a movie’s performance at the box office is affected by varying factors and its success or failure can be determined by analyzing these factors.

Veronika M. Andrews

My name is Veronika and I am a passionate learner of all things entertainment, hobby, music, and lifestyle related. I have a wide range of interests, from playing the piano to scuba diving, and I'm always excited to learn something new. I'm an avid reader and music enthusiast, with a never-ending list of movies, albums, and books to explore.

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The 100 Best Free Movies on YouTube (March 2024)

Did you know there’s an official channel for free movies on YouTube ? Take one hop over and you’re immediately inside a gallery featuring hundreds ad-supported free movies! But which to watch? Using Rotten Tomatoes and our classic Tomatometer as a guide, we present the 100 best free movies on YouTube!

To create the YouTub-ular list (radical, even), we’ve taken their latest updated selection of Certified Fresh movies (movies with high critical praise), Fresh movies, and Rotten movies with over 60% Audience Scores. Check out the official YouTube page , and with our guide to the best free movies on YouTube, have a classic movie night without reaching for the credit card or answering account recovery questions like the the color of the street you got your fistfight in or your third dog’s maiden name.

Certified Fresh movies recently added: Psycho, Ghostbusters, Memento, Saving Private Ryan, Lawrence of Arabia, No Country for Old Men, To Catch a Thief, Fighting With My Family, Stan & Ollie, Raging Bull, The Fighter, The Quiet Man, Love & Mercy, Tremors, Rain Man, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, 12 Monkeys, Donnie Darko, Star Trek Beyond, Collateral, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World, Goosebumps, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Negotiator, Cape Fear

Psycho (1960) 97%

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) 97%

The Right Stuff (1983) 96%

The Iron Giant (1999) 96%

Ghostbusters (1984) 95%

Memento (2000) 94%

Saving Private Ryan (1998) 94%

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) 94%

No Country for Old Men (2007) 93%

Fighting With My Family (2019) 93%

To Catch a Thief (1955) 92%

Stan & Ollie (2018) 92%

Raging Bull (1980) 92%

The Fighter (2010) 91%

The Quiet Man (1952) 91%

Downfall (2004) 90%

Reds (1981) 90%

Love & Mercy (2014) 89%

Tremors (1990) 88%

Rain Man (1988) 88%

Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) 88%

12 Monkeys (1995) 88%

Donnie Darko (2001) 87%

Star Trek Beyond (2016) 86%

Collateral (2004) 86%

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) 86%

Paprika (2006) 86%

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) 85%

Beyond the Lights (2014) 84%

The Neverending Story (1984) 83%

Matchstick Men (2003) 83%

Goosebumps (2015) 78%

Addams Family Values (1993) 75%

Cape Fear (1991) 75%

The Negotiator (1998) 74%

The Way Back (2010) 74%

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) 72%

Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) 100%

Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959) 100%

Ip Man 2 (2010) 97%

Zulu (1964) 96%

Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) 92%

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) 91%

Places in the Heart (1984) 89%

Cooley High (1975) 89%

Following (1998) 84%

Mr. Majestyk (1974) 83%

Tremors 3: Back to Perfection (2001) 80%

Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (1995) 80%

Crossroads (1986) 76%

Oh, God! (1977) 75%

Child's Play (1988) 74%

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) 73%

The Wedding Singer (1998) 72%

Cry Baby (1990) 72%

The Last Exorcism (2010) 72%

Clue (1985) 71%

The Infiltrator (2016) 71%

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) 69%

Free Willy (1993) 71%

Point Break (1991) 70%

Murder by Death (1976) 68%

The Railway Man (2013) 68%

The Running Man (1987) 67%

2010 (1984) 67%

The Heroes of Telemark (1965) 67%

Uptown Saturday Night (1974) 70%

The X-Files (1998) 66%

Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009) 64%

Jack Reacher (2012) 64%

Battle of the Bulge (1965) 63%

The Wood (1999) 61%

Allied (2016) 60%

Tremors II: Aftershocks (1996) 60%

Let's Do It Again (1975) 60%

It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010) 58%

17 Again (2009) 57%

Stargate (1994) 54%

What Dreams May Come (1998) 52%

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012) 49%

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) 46%

Overboard (1987) 46%

The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) 42%

The Majestic (2001) 42%

Legend (1985) 42%

Pure Country (1992) 41%

The Mechanic (1972) 40%

The Girl Who Believes in Miracles (2021) 40%

The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964) 40%

The Legend of Billie Jean (1985) 39%

Corrina, Corrina (1994) 37%

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) 36%

The Longest Yard (2005) 31%

8 Seconds (1994) 31%

The Three Musketeers (1993) 30%

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) 28%

A Walk to Remember (2002) 29%

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) 25%

Patch Adams (1998) 21%

Drop Dead Fred (1991) 11%

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What to Know About '3 Body Problem' on Netflix

You can stream the sci-fi drama now.

Netflix's new sci-fi series,  3 Body Problem , debuted on Thursday and, yes, dedicated binge-watchers, the entire season is available now.

The eight-episode series -- based on a trilogy by Chinese novelist Liu Cixin -- is in part a mystery, its ominous  official trailer  stating that "someone or something" is targeting top scientists. The show, from Game of Thrones co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and True Blood producer Alexander Woo, promises not just to span multiple genres but to transport viewers to various periods and locations, from China during the  Cultural Revolution  to the present-day UK and into a strange virtual reality game.  

We won't give too much away, but the mind-bending Netflix show in part sets the story in 1960s China, where a young woman's fateful decision "reverberates across space and time into the present day." Netflix's plot synopsis teases danger to mankind: "When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel before their eyes, a close-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest threat in humanity's history." 

With big stakes, recognizable cast members from Thrones and plenty of intrigue, here are some more details on the thought-provoking sci-fi show that may soon hold your attention.

When will the series come out? 

You can stream the full first season of 3 Body Problem now. All eight episodes dropped at midnight PT on Thursday.

Carries 3 Body Problem

Netflix's plans currently range from $7 to $23 a month. If you opt for the $7 a month plan, note that it'll include ads and some titles on the platform will be locked due to licensing restrictions. No Hard Feelings, starring Jennifer Lawrence, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse are examples of movies you can't currently access with ad-based Netflix. Read more about the streaming service in  our review .

Meanwhile, another Three-Body Problem adaptation -- the Tencent-produced, 30-episode offering Three-Body -- is available on Peacock .

What's the series about?

Netflix's adaptation will explore how humanity responds to an existential threat. Though you don't have to be up to date with Liu Cixin's book trilogy, season 1 of the show adapts the first novel -- The Three-Body Problem -- bringing in elements from the second and third books in The Remembrance of Earth's Past series. Slight spoiler (seriously, skip this next line if you don't want to know more about what threat humanity is in for): In the books, an alien civilization wants to invade Earth, and some humans decide to fight and others decide to welcome the extraterrestrial beings. 

3 Body Problem shares cast members with Thrones, including John Bradley, Liam Cunningham and Jonathan Pryce. In an interview with ABC News , Bradley, who plays a member of a tight-knit circle known as the "Oxford Five" in 3 Body Problem, said with the show's virtual reality device, "You can plant your characters in any point in history or the future and any place in the world." So expect to be kept on your (hopefully cozy and blanket-covered) toes. 

Fans of the book will note various differences between the show and the source material. While the original novels are written in Chinese and contain mostly Chinese characters, this TV version has been broadened to appeal to a wider international audience. Additionally, viewers should know the creative team received Cixin's approval to move forward with -- and alter -- the new Netflix story.

In an interview with SXSW , Benioff said, "The first scene of the show is very similar to the first scene of the novel and the last scene is very similar to the last scene. In between, there's all sorts of deviations … we brought in some stuff from book two, we brought in stuff from book three, there's some stuff we invented." Benioff said they aimed to be true to what the books made them feel: "Wow, the universe is a lot bigger than we thought about before, we're almost certainly not alone in the universe and that might not be a good thing," Benioff said.

Who's in the cast

Here's the rest of the large cast: Jovan Adepo, Rosalind Chao, Eiza González, Jess Hong, Marlo Kelly, Alex Sharp, Sea Shimooka, Zine Tseng, Saamer Usmani and Marvel actor Benedict Wong.

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

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'The American Society of Magical Negroes': You don't wanna join this club

Aisha Harris

Aren (Justice Smith) and Roger (David Alan Grier) in The American Society of Magical Negroes. Focus Features hide caption

Aren (Justice Smith) and Roger (David Alan Grier) in The American Society of Magical Negroes.

Lately, I've been musing on the concept of time and its relationship to Black art and identity. I keep bumping into this question: What time do we all think we're living in right now?

In the year of someone's lord 2024, a recent episode of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans conjured up James Baldwin – the same James Baldwin who once wrote, "I don't like people who like me because I'm a Negro; neither do I like people who find in the same accident grounds for contempt" – as a Magical Negro to Truman Capote.

50 Years Of NPR

The best of james baldwin: favorite pieces from the npr archive.

A straight-faced excavation of this old Hollywood trope, which has been on the wane for some time, is startling enough. But now there's also Kobi Libii's feature debut, The American Society of Magical Negroes, which attempts to skewer it. The comedy writer and performer imagines an underground network of Black mystics who dedicate their lives to placating white people for the safety of Black people everywhere. "White discomfort," as one character opines, is the "nemesis" of Black existence.

If this all sounds like the premise for a classic Key & Peele sketch, you wouldn't be too far off . The trouble is, as far as I can tell, no one involved with writing Key & Peele had anything to do with the Society of Magical Negroes .

Code Switch

'key & peele' is ending. here are a few of its code switch-iest moments.

The movie has at least two crucial factors working against it. For one, the Magical Negro trope isn't anywhere near as pervasive in Hollywood as it was when Spike Lee coined the term more than two decades ago. So despite being set in the present day, Libii's social commentary brings with it no new enlightenment on the dominant stereotypes Black people face now, despite a nearly two-hour runtime.

Second, it has no Black characters. To be clear, there are real Black performers playing these roles on screen. But one would think fully human, complexly written roles ought to exist in a movie where the goal is combatting multiple centuries' worth of one-dimensional representation. Here, they decidedly do not.

The Illuminati, but make it respectable

In Society of Magical Negroes , Justice Smith plays Aren, a dull and depressing L.A. artist whose specialty is dull and depressing abstract yarn installations. His latest work is on display at an art show, but no one "gets" it. When a white collector mistakes him for the waitstaff, Aren obliges and gets the man a drink instead of trying to convince him to buy his art.

A member of the actual waitstaff has been observing him all night and introduces himself. It turns out he's Roger (David Alan Grier), a jolly older man who's arrived to recruit Aren into the American Society of Magical Negroes, a "firm" that views itself as a group of world-class superheroes. He leads him to their secret headquarters, tucked away behind a Black barbershop, with hallowed rooms and halls that resemble Hogwarts or the Clue mansion. The visual world-building in this regard is the film's sole inspired choice.

Egotistical tech bro Jason (Drew Tarver) is Aren's first "client." Focus Features hide caption

Egotistical tech bro Jason (Drew Tarver) is Aren's first "client."

Each Society member is assigned a white "client" who's experiencing some sort of crisis and is dangerously close to taking out their anxieties on innocent Black people. (A "white tears meter" assists in monitoring the threat level at any given moment.) The Magical Negro's job is to befriend and counsel their client through all their issues until they get whatever it is they want. Aren's first guinea pig is Jason (Drew Tarver), a disgruntled, egotistical tech bro at a software company called MeetBox, who's angling for a promotion he almost certainly doesn't deserve. Aren is hired at MeetBox and immediately gets to work practicing his skill of being a personality-less doormat, which has a great effect on clueless Jason.

Did I mention this is also a workplace rom-com? Sure, why not? Aren discovers one of his other new colleagues is Lizzie (An-Li Bogan), a woman with whom he had the gawkiest and most unsexy of meet-cutes at a coffee shop earlier in the day. Lizzie happens to be Jason's "work-wife," but he's also into her, so that complicates Aren's adherence to his Magical Negro responsibilities and tests his commitment to The Cause.

Author Interviews

'magical negro' carries the weight of history, maybe we're all just magical negroes.

So many disparate ideas and tones are being mashed up here, and none of them gel. Libii spends a ton of time obsessing over the details and internal rules of these proud, respectability politicians. Yet he also has a slippery grasp on the trope he seeks to interrogate. In this world, the Magical Negro is broadened out from its very specific real-world definition – Spike Lee was referring to movies with "magical, mystical" Black characters in films like The Legend of Bagger Vance and The Green Mile – to an all-encompassing label that includes any Black person who's ever merely decided "Not today, Satan" and resisted the bait when dealing with racial microaggressions at work and Crispus Attucks.

Movie Interviews

Spike lee: black people have 'been fighting for this country from day one'.

Those muddled conflations would be less jarring if Aren were written as anything other than a convenient vessel for showcasing a convoluted premise. We know nothing about him besides that he's a failed, self-loathing Rhode Island School of Design alum who's so spineless he'll awkwardly hold the door for a parade of oblivious exiting passersby before finally entering a coffee shop for himself. Before becoming a Magical Negro (I can't believe this is an actual sentence I'm writing), he has no community to speak of – no friends, no real job, and no family, except a white mom he offhandedly mentions. (This is somehow both very illuminating and not at all illuminating at the same time.) Where did he grow up? How can Aren afford to be a struggling artist with a decent apartment in Los Angeles in this economy? Has Aren ever spent any time with Black people? (Magical Negroes don't count.)

Lizzie (An-Li Bogan) and Aren (Justice Smith) have a tedious meet-cute at a coffee shop. Tobin Yelland/Focus Features hide caption

Lizzie (An-Li Bogan) and Aren (Justice Smith) have a tedious meet-cute at a coffee shop.

His character arc, if you wish to call it that, concludes with him superficially liberated. In the film's climax, he gives a grandstanding speech that's What It's Like to Be Black 101, a far more grating version of Barbie 's climactic Feminism 101 monologue. The moment is wholly unearned, and the epiphany lands with a thud because Aren didn't really start from any place real to begin with. There's nothing radical or daring about his journey to self-discovery, which hinges almost entirely on his romantic pining for Lizzie. In fact, Libii's script doesn't even try to engage with Black radicalism because if it did, The Society would have to come under far more rigorous scrutiny than the film is interested in pursuing. The Magical Negroes, so proud to have single-handedly "raised the Black life expectancy," at least according to society head Dede (Nicole Byer), exist in a world where the likes of Harriet Tubman, Marcus Garvey, the Black Panthers, and Bree Newsome never existed. The movie's finale seems content with that omission.

What time are we living in now?

Nicole Byer is Dede, head of the American Society of Magical Negroes. Focus Features hide caption

Nicole Byer is Dede, head of the American Society of Magical Negroes.

So: What time are we living in now? It depends on who you ask and where you look. Not unlike American Fiction , Society of Magical Negroes is convinced Black people on screen and in real life are, by and large, contending with the same stereotypes and barriers that we were 20 years ago. But that's its own kind of retrograde nostalgia trap to fall into, the kind that can only be constructed by ignoring key parts of history and the present reality.

There are pressing issues like pay inequities and Black-created TV shows being canceled far too soon. But there's also been so much exciting work being made by filmmakers on every level over the last decade – emerging voices like Nikyatu Jusu , Raven Jackson and Juel Taylor ; newly-minted titans like Issa Rae and Jordan Peele; established vets like Gina Prince-Bythewood. They've told stories spanning a breadth of genres, sensibilities and character studies, the stuff their predecessors dreamed of. Amid this landscape, it's hard not to view the Magical Negro as – thankfully – a relic.

Writing more than 25 years ago, bell hooks lamented how a dominant white supremacist environment forced too many Black artists to be hyperfocused on producing "resisting images," thus overwhelming their creative and upsetting artistic integrity. At the time, she observed that Black filmmaking was still a "fertile frontier" because of the lack of radical images, but that she foresaw a "far distant future" where Blackness will be "overworked, overdone" just as whiteness has been. We're a little bit closer to that future than we've ever been. But evidently, we've still got some ways to go.

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Climate: The Movie (The Cold Truth)

"Climate: The Movie" highlights a different perspective on the climate change debate and is supported by scientists who have signed the Clintel's World Climate Declaration. This group of res... Read all "Climate: The Movie" highlights a different perspective on the climate change debate and is supported by scientists who have signed the Clintel's World Climate Declaration. This group of researchers seeks to present an alternative narrative in the face of the dominant discourse. "Climate: The Movie" highlights a different perspective on the climate change debate and is supported by scientists who have signed the Clintel's World Climate Declaration. This group of researchers seeks to present an alternative narrative in the face of the dominant discourse.

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Did you know

• Trivia This video was written, directed and narrated by Martin Durkin, the same guy who made the discredited 'Great Global Warming Swindle' video 17 years ago. That video was panned for doctoring a temperature record, misrepresenting one of the interviewees (Dr. Carl Wunsch, who complained), making a false claim that volcanoes produce more CO2 than humans, and numerous other errors. Many are repeated in this updated version by the same people. Fun fact: Since the Great Global warming Swindle was released, temperatures have continued rising to record new highs, just as scientists had predicted.
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Sydney Sweeney Is More Than Meets the Eye

It’s always been reductive to diminish Sweeney to the most salacious elements of her TV roles, but the actress is making interesting career choices as she ventures more into film, including her latest horror project, ‘Immaculate’

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When Sydney Sweeney hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time earlier this month, it was a fairly lackluster affair. With the exception of an amusing sketch in which cast member Bowen Yang was “revealed” to be straight and in turn seduced Sweeney , the episode will go down as barely a footnote in the annals of SNL . Conversely, there was plenty of attention paid to Sweeney’s appearance on the show. Conservative commentators latched on to a harebrained narrative that Sweeney’s cleavage was meant to own the libs ; in fact, one of the biggest national newspapers in Canada ran an op-ed with the lede “Are Sydney Sweeney’s breasts double-D harbingers of the death of woke?” (We live in cursed times.)

Another meaningless debate about wokeness is one thing; it’s even weirder when the conversation is centered on someone’s body. It’s a phenomenon that Sweeney is familiar with. As she joked in her SNL monologue , she’s known as “the girl on TV who screams, cries, and has sex—sometimes all three at the same time.” Seeing as most of the episode poked fun at the hyperfixation on Sweeney’s attractiveness, the ensuing news cycle felt like a self-fulfilling prophecy. “People feel connected and free to be able to speak about me in whatever way they want, because they believe that I’ve signed my life away,” Sweeney recently explained in an interview with Variety . “It’s this weird relationship that people have with me that I have no control or say over.”

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Of course, it’s always been reductive to diminish Sweeney to the most salacious elements of her TV roles. Though her portrayal of Cassie Howard in HBO’s Euphoria , which premiered in 2019, is widely credited for putting Sweeney on the map, it was a trio of performances from the previous year that first demonstrated her acting chops. Between supporting roles in Netflix’s short-lived dramedy Everything Sucks! , Hulu’s Emmy-winning drama The Handmaid’s Tale , and the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects , Sweeney conveyed the kind of intensity and vulnerability that’s since become her calling card. Throw in her performance as Olivia Mossbacher in the first season of The White Lotus —a character whose mix of ruthlessness and insecurity puts Regina George to shame—and it’s clear that there are few actors from Sweeney’s generation who are better at capturing teen angst. (FYI, Cassie has never, ever been happier .)

But since Sweeney’s previous roles have had a shorter shelf life— Everything Sucks! was canceled after one season, her character is tragically killed in The Handmaid’s Tale , and Sharp Objects and The White Lotus were one-offs— Euphoria has inevitably loomed large over the rest of her young career. And despite the plaudits that Sweeney has received for Euphoria , including an Emmy nomination in 2022, there’s always a sense that the work is somewhat overshadowed by all the attention paid to Cassie’s nude scenes. “This is something that has bothered me for a while,” Sweeney told The Independent in 2022. “I’m very proud of my work in Euphoria . I thought it was a great performance. But no one talks about it because I got naked.”

But as Sweeney has parlayed her success on television into starring roles in film, an interesting through line has emerged: Rather than shy away from how she’s being sexualized, she’s embraced it in clever ways. In the Amazon Studios original movie The Voyeurs , Sweeney plays Pippa, an early-career optometrist who moves in with her boyfriend, Thomas (Justice Smith), before they begin spying on their attractive, exhibitionist neighbors across the street. (Basically, imagine if Rear Window were extremely horny.) Erotic thrillers have practically gone extinct in the 21st century, so the existence of The Voyeurs was titillating in and of itself. But aside from its pulpy pleasures, The Voyeurs can also be read as Sweeney’s attempt to take agency over her sexuality. In the opening scene of the film, the camera spies on Pippa through a department store window as she’s trying on lingerie in a dressing room. Suddenly, she makes direct eye contact and closes the curtain: a cheeky meta-commentary on the bizarre fascination that some people have with Sweeney’s body.

Sweeney is subject to a different kind of gaze in HBO Films’ Reality , a drama centered on the FBI interrogation of whistleblower Reality Winner, who leaked a classified NSA report on Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. All of Reality ’s dialogue is taken straight from the FBI transcript—even the little moments when characters stammer over their words or have a coughing fit—and the result is an incredibly unnerving tale of entrapment. Sweeney has also never been better: Whether attempting to deflect from the FBI’s search of her home with small talk about her pets or dealing with the invasion of her personal space by a physically imposing agent, she channels Reality’s creeping dread with little more than her mannerisms. It’s a performance that asks a lot of her even if it seems like she’s doing very little—practically the antithesis of what she’s known for on Euphoria . Make no mistake: Even if it was a streaming release, Reality was the surest sign yet of Sweeney’s movie star bona fides.

Naturally, the tried-and-true star-making roles soon followed. The romantic comedy has also fallen out of favor lately, but Sweeney did her part to revive the genre with Anyone but You , a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing . In the film, Sweeney plays Bea, a law student at Boston College who hits it off with Ben (Glen Powell), a charming finance bro—if such a thing even exists. A misunderstanding after their first night together leads Bea and Ben to sour on each other; as fate would have it, they’re both later whisked away as guests of a destination wedding in Australia. If not entirely novel, Anyone but You knew how to play the hits: The chemistry between Sweeney and Powell was strong enough to spark rumors of an affair , the raunchy humor was (mostly) effective, and the cast endearingly sings Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” over the end credits. (Hot take: All movies should end with a cast sing-along.) Best of all, Anyone but You emerged as a sleeper hit at the box office : a potent reminder that Hollywood shouldn’t put all its eggs in the blockbuster basket.

Of course, the path to modern stardom often makes a pitstop in the world of superheroes, and Sweeney was no exception, having been cast as Julia Cornwall (a.k.a. Spider-Woman) in Sony’s Madame Web . Well, uh, about that: The bottom has finally dropped out of the superhero-industrial complex, and all the ridicule aimed at Madame Web feels like an extinction-level event for the dominance of these types of movies. The only consolation for Sweeney is that she came out of Madame Web relatively unscathed: Of all the issues plaguing this film, her muted performance isn’t anywhere near the top of the list. (I’m still stuck on the fact that Dakota Johnson used an entire press tour to trash her own movie , and that virtually all of the villain’s dialogue was dubbed over .)

Besides, the best way to wash away the stench of a bad movie is by having another project waiting in the wings. Which brings us to Immaculate , Sweeney’s first real stab at a horror film, which premieres on Friday. Immaculate begins when an American nun, Cecilia (Sweeney), transfers to a convent in rural Italy after her parish closes down. Shortly after arriving, Cecilia becomes pregnant: a discovery that could be a divine miracle, or something more nefarious. (It’s a horror flick, so you can guess where this is headed.)

A reunion between Sweeney and The Voyeurs director Michael Mohan, Immaculate is another project that weaponizes the audience’s perception of Sweeney—this time to make a larger point about bodily autonomy. As soon as Cecilia’s pregnancy is confirmed, she’s treated less like a person than a vessel. At one point, after a jealous nun attempts to drown her, all of the convent’s leaders gather around and celebrate that the fetus came away from the attack unscathed. “But I’m not OK,” Cecilia says, a plea that those around her dismiss. The sense that the community cares about Cecilia’s body more than they care about Cecilia herself is also reflected in how Mohan frames Sweeney: The camera is often leering as a bunch of religious leaders—predominantly men—try to assume ownership over her choices. With how the movie ends—a brutal, bloody climax that cements Sweeney’s aspirations as a next-gen scream queen— Immaculate may well be the first film about a nun that feels explicitly pro-choice.

If nothing else, Immaculate couldn’t have arrived at a better time: Just as a bunch of conservatives weirdly obsess over Sweeney’s body , a movie is doing the same by design. More importantly, Immaculate is further proof that Sweeney is making some of the most interesting career choices of any up-and-comer in Hollywood. Rather than being pigeonholed, she has done a bit of everything in recent years: an erotic thriller, a rom-com, a claustrophobic chamber piece that pulls from an actual FBI transcript, a superhero blockbuster, and now, a horror movie. It’s almost enough to make Euphoria seem like an afterthought. In any case, whether she’s in a prestige drama or a project for the big screen, Sweeney has established herself as a star on the rise—one who’s more than meets the eye.

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Why Does the “Road House” Remake Pull Its Punches?

By Justin Chang

Imagine that you’re a bouncer in a scuzzy small-town bar where some of the world’s nastiest drunks go at one another with fists, knives, and broken beer bottles—and that’s on a good night. Forced to risk life and limb intervening in non-stop flareups of physical violence, what do you do? A better question: What would Patrick Swayze do? The movie is “Road House,” a critically mauled, cult-reclaimed smash-’em-up from 1989, and Swayze, as Dalton, the bar’s newly hired cooler, offers a handy crash course in the art of de-escalation. “One, never underestimate your opponent. Expect the unexpected,” he says. “Two, take it outside. Never start anything inside the bar unless it’s absolutely necessary. And, three, be nice.”

Sound advice, and, until the time comes for him to rip out an assailant’s throat, Dalton heeds it scrupulously. He minds his manners, underestimates (almost) no one, and takes to the outdoors like a Zen monk, his oil-slicked torso catching the sunlight just so during Tai Chi practice. But not every Swayze character is oily in such a desirable way. In the eerie Reaganite suburbia of “Donnie Darko” (2001), an even darker vision of the nineteen-eighties, we find Swayze as Jim Cunningham, a smooth motivational speaker with a bad case of soul rot. In lieu of self-defense tips, he offers useless self-help platitudes: “Son, violence is a product of fear. Learn to truly love yourself.” No wonder it’s so satisfying when the troubled young Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) steps up to the mike and lets this charlatan have it: “I think you’re the fucking Antichrist.”

The confrontation is over almost before it begins, but watching it again recently I couldn’t help imagining what would have happened if the two had come to blows. In a bout between Donnie Darko and Dirty Dancer, who would win? Swayze had already moved on from the action-movie glories of “Road House” and “Point Break” (1991), but could he have prevailed based on his golden-god physicality alone? Or would the young Gyllenhaal have revealed, beneath the baby fat and the gawky smile, some of the vengeful fighting spirit he would later display in the frenzied boxing drama “Southpaw” (2015)?

The energetic but dim remake of “Road House,” directed by Doug Liman, is hardly the picture to settle the question, much less inspire any new ones. The movie passes from memory as quickly as it passes on the screen. But there’s a poignancy to the sight of Gyllenhaal, now forty-three and shredded to the max, paying tribute to his late former screen partner. Gyllenhaal’s Dalton isn’t a bouncer by trade. He had been an Ultimate Fighting Championship star until he snapped and pummelled an opponent to a pulp—a career-ending trauma that still haunts his dreams. Now he lives out of his car and is trying to earn money by signing up for freelance fights. But even the toughest opponents (including one played by Austin Post, a.k.a. the rapper Post Malone) tend to forfeit in fear.

It’s at one of these aborted fights that Dalton catches the attention of Frankie (Jessica Williams), who offers him a job cooling the riffraff at her roadhouse down in the Florida Keys. After briefly weighing his options, including suicide, Dalton accepts. But why? Does he want to visit Ernest Hemingway’s house or check out the bridge that got blown up in “True Lies” (1994)? Maybe he realizes that he still has some fight in him; then again, maybe he thinks his death wish might yet be granted. In any case, Gyllenhaal is a skilled enough actor to keep you guessing. His earnest Eagle Scout grin has always possessed an animating touch of madness; you’ll even find traces of it in his good-guy roles, in “Zodiac” (2007) and “Prisoners” (2013), where his characters’ dogged pursuit of justice tilts a bit too easily into obsession. A little of this ferocity goes a long way: witness his most flamboyantly creepy turn, in the unhinged media satire “Nightcrawler” (2014). Here, his undercurrent of menace works nicely; it’s just the thing to throw an otherwise formulaic affair pleasurably off balance. In that respect, “Road House” is very much in his wheelhouse.

The first “Road House” was directed by Rowdy Herrington, presumably because Stompy McFisticuffs was unavailable. Released theatrically in May, 1989, the movie got a bit lost during a summer that brought us “Batman,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “Lethal Weapon 2,” “Ghostbusters II,” “The Abyss,” and “Licence to Kill.” Fire “Road House” up again thirty-five years later, though, and an exploding jukebox of trashy delights awaits, along with a jolting reminder of what Hollywood action movies used to look like. The flesh comes in two forms, seductively photographed and viciously pulverized. The idiot plot is delivered with an impressively straight face: night after night, brawl after brawl, the bar becomes ground zero in a battle for a small town’s soul. On one side are a scheming tycoon and his team of regulation plug-uglies. On the other side are Dalton, his bouncers, a sexy doctor, a few salt-of-the-earth grunts, and a drawling Sam Elliott, who proves Dalton’s equal—and maybe even his superior—in pinup-worthy pulchritude.

The remake’s writers, Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry, stick to the first film’s narrative blueprint, as if to signal a return to B-movie basics. The hope is that you’ll chuckle more in recognition than in derision when a doctor (Daniela Melchior) provides Dalton with more than strictly medical attention, or when the movie’s highly swattable rich-boy villain (Billy Magnussen) swans around on a yacht. A far more formidable figure is the hit man Knox, an aptly named fortress of a fellow who, as played by the professional fighter Conor McGregor, crashes through the proceedings like an Irish-accented wrecking ball. McGregor’s flamboyant line readings may be as painful to endure as his punches, but he has wild-eyed energy to burn, and he gets a hell of an entrance, striding through an open marketplace with nary a stitch of clothing or a hint of shame. It’s a good sight gag, even as it reveals a certain timidity in the movie: it’s telling that the one instance of nudity is played not for titillation but for laughs.

Everyone else stays mostly covered, frequent shots of Gyllenhaal’s slashed and battered torso notwithstanding. “Road House” itself often feels hemmed in, awkwardly suspended between modern-day genre outing and unironic eighties-movie homage. The writers have understandably discarded some of the original’s less palatable lines (“I used to fuck guys like you in prison!”), and they’ve added a little snap to the material, mainly courtesy of a hungry crocodile. Less successfully, they’ve coated dialogue in a hip sheen of self-awareness: hence the friendly bookstore worker (Hannah Lanier) who likens Dalton, rather wishfully, to a character in a Western. Which Western, exactly? “The Man Who Plowed His 4x4 Into Liberty Valance”?

In an unsurprising concession to our era of instant gratification, Gyllenhaal’s Dalton begins hurting people a lot sooner than his predecessor did. He does still endeavor to be nice, though, and it’s amusing when he brings a group of troublemakers outside, teaches them all a well-earned lesson, and then drives them to the hospital. They’re lucky, at least for now. Yet to come are wounds that no doctor can treat, some of them inflicted by boats and others by bombs. (Both “Road House” movies bear the stamp of the veteran producer Joel Silver, for whom fiery explosions are a gratifying must.) You can see why the violence, toggling between intimate, close-quarters stabbery and Looney Tunes-level absurdism, must have appealed to Liman, who’s proved a smart, versatile action director, in films as different as “The Bourne Identity” (2002) and “Edge of Tomorrow” (2014). He wisely shoots the bar brawls in mostly long, uninterrupted takes, moving the camera in synch with the actors and cutting more for clarity than sensation. But such continuity of movement has a way of spoiling its own illusion, exposing digital seams and artificial thwacks that have clearly been applied in post-production.

It may be that the uncanny-valley flaws are more glaringly apparent on the big screen. If so, most viewers will never see them, owing to some behind-the-scenes butting of heads that’s nearly as outlandish as the melees onscreen. It’s a measure of the new Hollywood economy that, despite having premièred earlier this month to a raucous and appreciative audience at the SXSW film festival, “Road House” is bypassing theatres entirely and beaming directly into your Amazon Prime Video queue. Liman has protested the decision, and it’s hard not to empathize. “Road House” is far from a great movie, but what pleasures it generates, novel or nostalgic, muscular or meagre, are surely best experienced—and possibly even magnified—in the company of a crowd. ♦

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‘French Girl’ Review: Cuckold au Vin

In this romantic comedy featuring Zach Braff and Vanessa Hudgens, a New York man heads to Quebec City with his French Canadian girlfriend. Shenanigans ensue.

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By Amy Nicholson

“French Girl” is a love triangle farce that’s mostly set in Quebec City but takes place on Planet Rom-com where bipedal characters act out in ways that rarely resemble human behavior.

In New York, a middle school teacher named Gordon (Zach Braff) yearns to measure up to his girlfriend, Sophie (Evelyne Brochu), a French Canadian chef and the kind of aspirational Francophile ingénue who, within the film’s first minutes, roams a farmers market in a print dress, blonde curls tumbling down to her straw basket of fresh produce. (What, no baguette?)

Enter Sophie’s ex, Ruby (Vanessa Hudgens), a name-dropping celebrity restaurateur who engineers a ploy that brings all three past and present lovers up to Canada for a stomach-churning visit with Sophie’s noisy, knife-wielding, octagon-brawling family. Gordon is immediately attacked by a swan; worse, Ruby renders him to blubber as skillfully as if he were a roasted poulet.

The filmmakers James A. Woods and Nicolas Wright push their script dangerously close to parody. But there are at least a dozen good zingers in here, particularly a three-part punchline from Ed Weeks as a snobbish food critic that kicks off with, “Have you ever seen an emaciated dolphin?” The trouble is, none of the performances are on the same wavelength: Hudgens is an outrageously hilarious monster; Brochu, an earnest heroine; and the increasingly unhinged Braff tries too hard to be empathetic. The more he wants us to sympathize with his hapless character, the more unforgivable Gordon’s actions feel. By the climax, Gordon should be in relationship and criminal jail. And no je suis désolé will make the ending taste sweeter than a poisoned mint at the end of a strange meal.

French Girl Rated R for language and steamy sexual references. Running time: 1 hour 46 minutes. In theaters.

An earlier version of this review misidentified the actor who plays a snobbish food critic. He is Ed Weeks, not Alex Woods.

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