Tag: 2025

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Movie Review

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (2025) Movie Review

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t – Movie Review

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is a fun heist movie featuring retired illusionists teaming up against a ruthless diamond smuggler.

First Reaction – Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is a fun, entertaining heist movie.

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Writer: Seth Grahame-Smith, Michael Lesslie, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick (Screenplay)

Writer: Eric Warren Singer (Story)

Cast

Plot: A diamond heist reunites retired Horsemen illusionists with new performers as they target dangerous criminals.

Runtime: 1 Hour 52 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Now You See Me: Now You Don’t starts when three upstart illusionists Bosco (Sessa), Charlie (Smith) and June (Greenblatt) perform a daring heist. However, it involves the original Horsemen, Daniel Atlas (Eisenberg), Merritt (Harrelson), Jack (Franco) and Henley (Fisher).

It brings them out of retirement to take on a ruthless diamond smuggler Veronika Vanderberg (Pike). They must use their talents to overcome her ruthless nature to bring down someone else, causing problems in the world.

Verdict on Now You See Me: Now You Don’t

Recap

The movie follows a new group of magicians joining the Horsemen to take down a new criminal threat worldwide. They must put aside their differences to come together to defeat them and solve another problem in the world.

Best Parts

The chemistry between the magicians is fantastic, as the series has always delivered. Elsewhere, the heist elements are fun to watch and keep the franchise’s flashy style alive. Meanwhile, the banter between generations keeps us entertained throughout the movie.

Worst Parts

The movie creates a mystery and that becomes the main focus of the movie. Most of the heist feels irrelevant as we wait to learn the bigger reveal. It lingers, holding back the story, which never feels like there is ever any threat to the Horsemen.

Final Thoughts –Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is an entertaining heist movie.

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Movie Review

Heart Eyes (2025) Movie Review

Heart Eyes – Movie Review

Heart Eyes is a fun slasher with a great killer design.

First Reaction – Heart Eyes is a fun slasher with a great killer design.

Director: Josh Ruben

Writer: Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon, Michael Kennedy (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Mason Gooding (Scream)
  • Olivia Holt (Cloak & Dagger)
  • Gigi Zumbado
  • Michaela Watkins (Thanks for Sharing)
  • Alex Walker

Plot: When two coworkers have to survive the Heart Eyes Killer on Valentine’s Day, the two have to find out who it is.

Runtime: 1 Hour 37 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Heart Eyes starts as Valentine begins and a notorious serial killed the Heart Eyes Killer targets couples. Meanwhile, Ally (Holt) has been struggling to get over her ex and work has become demanding. However, she meets handsome stranger Jay (Gooding) who happens to be working with her.

As the two have a work date confusion, they become the latest targets for the serial killer. However, the killer has plans to make them pay for trying to escape their rampage.

Verdict on Heart Eyes

Recap

The movie follows a new couple who have become the latest tartget for serial killer who targets victims on Valentine’s Day. They must escape their rampage as the police look to understand who the killer truly is.

Best Parts

The movie blends slasher with action thriller, with the serial killer targeting the potential new couple. It has a great designed killer, who is prepared for bloodshed and has a unique look. We get good performances from the leading pair, who have fun chemistry. The mystery about the motivation and who is behind the attacks is interesting too.

Worst Parts

Some of the attacks are meant to feel random, they seem to be set up a bit too much for the bigger shock value, which can leave things feeling less targeted. Elsewhere, the professional environment seems too dramatic and the over-the-top need to prepare for a date shop can feel out of place.

Final Thoughts – Heart Eyes is a fun slasher and great late-night- horror.

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Movie Review

In Your Dreams (2025) Movie Review

In Your Dreams – Movie Review

In Your Dreams explores sibling bonds as they navigate a dream world, seeking the Sandman's help to restore their family.

First Reaction – In Your Dreams has a big message about life, family and understanding.

Director: Erik Benson, Alexander Woo

Writer: Erik Benson, Alexander Woo (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Stevie and her little brother Elliot journey into the wildly absurd landscape of their own dreams to ask the Sandman to grant them the perfect family.

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: In Your Dreams starts Stevie believing her family is beginning to fall apart. She is trying her best to keep her parents together and reluctantly must work with her little brother, Elliot. They travel into their dreams in search of the Sandman, hoping to be granted a wish.

As the siblings travel through the dream world, they discover something about each other. However, it tests their relationship as they question their future.

Verdict on In Your Dreams

Recap

The movie follows siblings who enter the dream world in hopes of meeting the Sandman. They want to receive one wish to keep their family together. However, they discover not everything is what it should be in their dreams.

Best Parts

The movie has a big message about understanding what family means. It highlights the troubled mindset a kid can get themselves into when they worry about their parents’ future. The message becomes clear and shows how important life can be despite differences in everyday life. We get some fun laughs, despite the laughs being targeted more at a younger audience. Deep down, this balances the laughs and serious side of the story.

Worst Parts

The story has been told before and with better laughs and a closer connection. Inside the dream world, it never feels big enough and we often find ourselves skipping over more interesting chapters.

Final Thoughts –In Your Dreams delivers a strong message about the importance of family.

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Movie Review

Tee Yai Rerk Dao Jone (2025) Movie Review

Tee Yai Rerk Dao Jone – Movie Review

Tee Yai Rerk Dao Jone is an engaging action film about two outlaws escaping a ruthless detective and gang with magical elements.

First Reaction – Tee Yai Rerk Dao Jone keeps us wondering where the bigger story will go.

Director: Nonzee Nimibutr

Writer: Chanchana Homsap (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Wisarut Himmarat
  • Supassra Thanachat
  • Apo Nattawin Wattanagitiphat

Plot: Two outlaws whose relationship is put to the test by a detective set on tracking down a infamous gang of robbers in 1980s Bangkok.

Runtime: 1 Hour 57 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Tee Yai Rerk Dao Jone starts when two outlaws, Tee (Wattanagitiphat) and Rerk (Himmarat) go on the run. They are chased by a ruthless detective and a gang they worked for before.

However, their latest job is designed to save their loved one and save their loved ones. Can they get it done before it is too late, and their ability to use magic keeps things a mystery for everyone involved?

Verdict on Tee Yai Rerk Dao Jone

Recap

The movie follows two outlaws with the ability to trick their captors as they try to escape. However, their plan becomes more difficult when the people they have crossed come back to haunt them.

Best Parts

There is some good action throughout the movie, and the twists and turns help keep us guessing. The performances are great and elevate the bigger action and character motivations.

Worst Parts

While the story is interesting, it does feel like another story about gangs and people wanting to escape before they become victims. It plays into a lot of stereotypes without bringing its own ideas to the table.

Final Thoughts –Tee Yai Rerk Dao Jone is an interesting action movie, with plenty of twists.

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Movie Review

The Running Man (2025) Movie Review

The Running Man – Movie Review

The Running Man entertains, but never pushes the bigger story.

First Reaction – The Running Man entertains, but never pushes the bigger story.

Director: Edgar Wright

Writer: Michael Bacall, Edgar Wright (Screenplay)

Writer: Stephen King (Novel)

Cast

Plot: A man joins a game show in which contestants, allowed to go anywhere in the world, are pursued by “hunters” hired to kill them.

Runtime: 2 Hours 13 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Running Man starts when blacklisted worker Ben Richards (Powell) becomes desperate to make money for his family. He decides to try out for the network run gameshows. However, his tryout gives him one offer from Dan Killian (Brolin).

Ben reluctantly agrees to take part in the Running Man gameshow, where he must survive 30 days with hunters tracking him down. As he begins the game, he must learn to survive and who to trust, but deep down, others are waiting for him and he learns the truth about the game.

Verdict on The Running Man

Recap

The movie follows a desperate father who signs up for the deadly reality game show. He must survive 30 days to change his family’s life forever. However, there is a catch, and the hunters will track him down at any cost.

Best Parts

The movie flows nicely and uses the typical message of not believing everything you see. It works well reflecting modern society, who see something and decides it is real, without learn more about the material it is sourced from. Even if this story has been told before, it uses the rich and poor divide to the extreme to show society has created a split. Elsewhere, Glen Powell does shine in the leading role of the movie.

Worst Parts

It is always going to be hard not to compare this to the original. It does take the story in a different direction, but the core idea is still the same. However, the hunters lack anything to make them feel original or stand out in any way. The other two contestants don’t get any introduction about what they are about. Finally, the ending feels extremely anticlimactic. In the end, it feels like a safe action movie, which entertains but holds back too much on the bigger message.

Final Thoughts –The Running Man is an entertaining action movie, but it lacks something to make it stand out.

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Movie Review

Being Eddie (2025) Movie Review

Being Eddie – Movie Review

"Being Eddie" is a compelling documentary exploring Eddie Murphy's life, career, and challenges, highlighting his impact on entertainment and personal struggles.

First Reaction – Being Eddie is a great journey through Eddie Murphy’s life.

Director: Angus Wall

Plot: Follows a comprehensive look at Eddie Murphy’s life and career.

Runtime: 1 Hour 43 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict on Being Eddie

Recap

The documentary explores the life of Eddie Murphy and his entertainment career. It dives into his childhood ability to make people laugh and overcoming early racial expectations to become the icon he became.

Best Parts

This is an interesting look at one of the most influential and popular entertainers of his generation. The personal approach of his life has been a lot cleaner public persona. It highlights the importance of his decisions had on making other talent too. This doesn’t only show the positives, but also shows things which held him back at times. Elsewhere, it shows that stardom came at a price and certain things he struggled with growing up.

Final Thoughts –Being Eddie is a brilliant dive into an icon’s career.

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Movie Review

Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV (2025) Movie Review

Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV – Movie Review

Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV is a disturbing true crime documentary.

First Reaction – Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV is a disturbing true crime documentary.

Director: Cris Ghattas

Plot: A tragic hostage case from 2008 Brazil unfolds through unseen diary entries, family interviews, and media coverage, as a 15-year-old girl is held captive by her ex-boyfriend for 100 hours while TV networks broadcast it live.

Runtime: 1 Hour 24 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict on Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV

Recap

The documentary follows the events of an unstable boyfriend holding his 15-year-old girlfriend hostage. This follows the media coverage of the story and how the country reacted to the events. Elsewhere, it shows the troubled lives of everyone involved and how nobody wants to see him as a criminal.

Best Parts

This shows the different reactions to the incident, reflecting on the real-time events. It shows the chaos created and how new ideas must be created because the media only created more problems. This highlights how unprepared everyone was for the situation. Elsewhere, it creates the conversation about wanting the truth and nobody truly knows what happened.

Worst Parts

The big thing this fails to address is how a 15-year-old was in a three-year-long relationship with someone in their 20s. It has a much bigger discussion point to be having about how so many people let this happen in the first place.

Final Thoughts –Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV is an interesting dive into a tragic case.

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Movie Review

The Accountant 2 (2025) Movie Review

The Accountant 2 – Movie Review

The Accountant 2 features Christian Wolff solving a murder alongside an FBI agent and his brother, blending action with moral dilemmas.

First Reaction – The Accountant 2 is a good action thriller.

Director: Gavin O’Connor

Writer: Bill Dubuque (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Christian Wolff applies his brilliant mind and illegal methods to reconstruct the unsolved puzzle of a Treasury chief’s murder.

Runtime: 2 Hours 12 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Accountant 2 starts when Ray King (Simmons) is killed on his latest mission. Agent Marybeth Medina (Addai-Robinson) leads the investigation into his death. Marybeth tracks down Christian Wolff (Affleck) to aid in her investigation. However, his style goes against everything she expects from an agent.

Christian turns to his criminal brother Braxton (Bernthal) and they must put their differences aside to solve the case. however, their methods cause problems for Marybeth, who must ignore their violent style.

Verdict on The Accountant 2

Recap

The movie follows specialist Christian Wolff investigating the murder of his mentor. He must work with an FBI agent and his estranged brother. However, the truth is difficult to obtain, and his methods are not as legal as the agent would like.

Best Parts

This is a welcome return for Christian, whose methods have solved plenty of cases. We are presented with an interesting case, and we get some great action sequences. Along with the moral dilemmas that different characters face. The performances are strong throughout, too.

Worst Parts

The pace of the movie feels a lot slower than many other action movies and it leaves it dragging along in place. It could have easily trimmed a bit of time off to keep things feeling a lot tighter in runtime.

Final Thoughts – The Accountant 2 is a nice sequel with a big mystery surrounding the story.

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Movie Review

Mirror Life (2025) Movie Review

Mirror Life – Movie Review

Mirror Life presents a unique zombie outbreak story through dual perspectives, focusing on a woman's search for her missing cousin.

First Reaction – Mirror Life tries a fresh spin on the zombie outbreak.

Where to Watch

On digital 10 November from Reel2Reel Films.

Director: Kazy Tauginas

Writer: Kazy Tauginas (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Amidst a pandemic, a woman documents the search for her cousin who disappeared after entering a clinical trial for an experimental miracle drug called Dumitor.

Runtime: 1 Hour 29 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Mirror Life starts when Tracy (Cavanagh) begins to investigate the disappearance of her cousin Jordan (Tauginas). Meanwhile, Jordan had taken part in an experimental project which has turned bad. We follow Tracy and her documentary team as they search for answers, making disturbing discoveries.

Elsewhere, we see how Jordan navigates the facility and witnesses the horrors unfolding firsthand. It turns into a battle to survive as the experiment has dire consequences.

Verdict on Mirror Life

Recap

The movie follows two points of view, one is from inside the facility and things spiralled out of control. Elsewhere, we follow their cousin investigating from the outside, wanting answers about their relative.

Best Parts

The two sides seem to tell very different stories, and one shines more than the other. That being the facility side and the early outbreak of the threat. This highlights the way an experiment can spiral out of control and lead to consequences.

Worst Parts

On the other side, the documentary filmmaking side of the story tends to fall short and slows down the bigger story. It offers very little to the bigger picture and ends up leaving us with the typical, what happened and worse still, a world where nothing seems wrong or out of place.

Final Thoughts –Mirror Life is an interesting spin on a zombie outbreak.