Nothing But Reel Reviews & More

Rotten Tomatoes - 96% IMDb - 7.9/10OUR SCORES;Aaron - BMatt - BShane - BTHEME: Police/Detective MoviesChosen By: Matt McNealIn the Heat of the Night (1967) deserves its place in film history as a groundbreaking drama examining racial tension, and for having a masterful performance from Sidney Poitier. Unfortunately, the murder mystery at its core is uninspired and its conclusion is a rushed letdown.

Rotten Tomatoes - 92% IMDb - 7.2/10Our Scores;Matt - BShane - BSteve - BTheme: Police/Detective MoviesChosen By: Steve RushlauInsomnia (2002) smartly forgoes the typical murder mystery trappings and becomes a tense cat-and-mouse thriller. The mystery takes a backseat to the psychological showdown between Al Pacino and Robin Williams, and they put on an acting clinic!

Rotten Tomatoes - 93% IMDb - 6.8/10Our Scores;Aaron - BMatt - CNate - BShane - CTheme: Police/Detective MoviesChosen By: Aaron CronicanJude Law and Jurnee Smollett are fantastic as cops hunting a white supremacist leader (Nicholas Hoult). Unfortunately, director Justin Kurzel's detached style left us wanting more. A connection to the characters and a sense of urgency could have pushed this movie into the realm of greatness.

Our Score - 6.66/10 Rotten Tomatoes - 78% IMDb - 7.5/10Theme: Lovecraftian/Cosmic HorrorChosen By: Aaron CronicanDark City (1998) builds an awe-inspiring world and has an incredibly original noir mystery with some out of this world twists.

Our Score - 8.75 / 10 Rotten Tomatoes - 86% IMDb - 6.5 / 10Theme: Lovecraftian/Cosmic HorrorThe Whisperer in Darkness (2011) is a movie made by Lovecraft fans for Lovecraft fans. The care put into every aspect of the movie is evident throughout, making for a movie that even those not into Lovecraft will appreciate.

Our Score - 7/10 (B-) Rotten Tomatoes - 58% IMDb - 7.1/10Theme: Lovecraftian/Cosmic HorrorChosen By: Shane CronicanAs it is with the Lovecraftian genre as a whole, In the Mouth of Madness (1994) won't be for everyone. It is weird and it leaves you without any solid answers. That being said, when John Carpenter is steering the ship, it's always going to be a fun ride!

Our Score - 5.56 (C-) Rotten Tomatoes - 88% IMDb - 5.6Chosen By: Nate DudleyJ.K. Simmons voices a Lovecraftian deity speaking to a man through a glory hole in a rest stop bathroom stall. If nothing else, the premise is unique, but there's too little depth and this one runs out of steam pretty quickly.

Our Score - 6.5 / 10 (C+)Rotten Tomatoes - 73%IMDb - 6.2 / 10Chosen By: Shane CronicanDespite some narrative issues and a heavy lull in its second act, we enjoyed this thought-provoking, unique story. The unclear ending might make it frustrating to some viewers, but there is plenty to love before that.

2026 is here, so we look back and give you our Top 5 movies of 2025! Let us know your Top 5 in the comments!

Our Score - 5.13 / 10 (D+)Rotten Tomatoes - 91%IMDb - 6.1 / 10Chosen By: Aaron CronicanThe Dark and the Wicked (2020) is an unfortunate case of what could have been. An interesting premise, effectively creepy direction, and solid acting all become lost in a muddled, uneven narrative that fails to follow its own established rules.

Our Score - 2.88/10 (F)Rotten Tomatoes - 85%IMDb - 6.6/10Chosen By: Nate DudleySnowtown (2011) tries so hard to be indie that it ends up making the story of Australia's deadliest serial killer boring. If you're wondering why we don't like indies, watch this one.

Our Score - 8.83 / 10 (A-)Rotten Tomatoes - 97%IMDb - 7.6 / 10Chosen By: Matt McNealSinners is an absolute masterpiece from everyone involved. Don't listen to Aaron's ice cold takes on this one; It's the best movie of the 2025, and it's not even close.

Our Score - 4.17/10 (D-)Rotten Tomatoes - 47%IMDb - 5.8/10Chosen By: Aaron CronicanWe remember loving Lake Placid when we were kids. Rewatching it over 25 years later, it's just not the same feeling. This movie does a lot of things wrong. Its greatest sin; It's just not that fun.

Our Score - 7.5/10 (B)Rotten Tomatoes - 87%IMDb - 6.8/10Chosen By: Matt McNealShin Godzilla (2016) reinvented the titular creature and took the franchise in a fresh new direction, all resulting in an overwhelmingly positive reception. Did this new take work for all of us?

Our Score - 6.75 / 10 (C+)Rotten Tomatoes - 87%IMDb - 7.2 / 10Chosen By: Shane CronicanLook it up, and you'll find The Descent on loads of 'Best Of' horror lists. Do we agree? How does it hold up twenty years later? And what the hell happened to Neil Marshall's career. We answer all of these questions and more in this great episode!

Our Score - 1.08/10 (F)Rotten Tomatoes - 13%IMDb - 3.2/10Chosen By: Nate DudleyThe only thing harder than watching a movie with almost no redeeming qualities, like Don't Speak (2020), is talking about it for an hour. Trust us and skip this movie!

Our Score - 7.88/10 (B)Rotten Tomatoes - 93%IMDb - 7.8/10Chosen By: Nate DudleyHidden Figures (2016) tells an important story through an amazing cast. The PG rating might make the story feel a bit simplified to some, but it still is impactful and inspiring.

Our Score - 5.67/10 (C-)Rotten Tomatoes - 56%IMDb - 6.9/10Chosen By: Aaron CronicanDespite the efforts of the loaded cast, The Conspirator (2010) feels too much like a play, and it lacks the impact expected from a story like this.

Our Score - 4.33/10 (D-)Rotten Tomatoes - 76%IMDB - 7.6/10Chosen By: Shane CronicanIn Hotel Mumbai (2018), Dev Patel shines, as he always does, but his great performance can't save this movie from feeling like it is exploiting the true life horrors for entertainment. As Matt puts it, this one feels "icky".

Our Score - 6.67 / 10 (C+)Rotten Tomatoes - 83%IMDB - 7.2 / 10Chosen By: Matt McNealMatt kicks off our Based On a True Story theme by choosing 'The Report'. Though political thrillers are far from our favorite genre, Adam Driver puts this one on his shoulders and makes it an interesting viewing.