REEL’s Top 15 Films of 2025
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) – Reel Review
The Rip (2026)
The Mastermind (2025) – Reel Review
The Phoenician Scheme (2025) – Reel Review
The Waiting Room and the loss of innocence – Interview with Karl Deehan
Woody, a young boy heading to an appointment for his father, wanders from the waiting room and embarks on a quiet but transformative journey through the hospital. We interviewed Deehan about his film, which is currently making it’s festival run and will be available on streaming shortly after. Continue readingThe Waiting Room and the loss of innocence – Interview with Karl Deehan
Final Destination Bloodlines (2025) – Reel Review
Directors: Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein | 1h 50mins | Horror Suffering from a recurring nightmare, Stefani heads home from college to track down a distant relative in the hopes she can help. When she learns the truth, her family must prepare for the impending doom that awaits them. The Final Destination films were a staple of 2000s horror, quenching audiences’ thirst for gratuitous violence … Continue readingFinal Destination Bloodlines (2025) – Reel Review
Thunderbolts* (2025) – Reel Review
Director: Jake Schreier | 2h 7mins | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi After being set up for death, a group of mercenaries join forces and embark on a mission that forces them to confront their dark pasts. It’s easy to compare the team in Thunderbolts to Marvel’s very own Suicide Squad. They’re a ragtag group of antiheroes—many of whom were once villains—unconventionally teaming up at a time … Continue readingThunderbolts* (2025) – Reel Review
Death of a Unicorn (2025) – Reel Review
Director: Adam Scharfman | 1h 47mins | Horror, Comedy While on their way to a weekend retreat, Elliot and his daughter Ridley hit a unicorn. When they discover its curative abilities, Elliot’s billionaire bosses attempt to exploit the creature for their own gain. With A24’s horror catalogue becoming a genre in itself over the past few years, Death of a Unicorn—the debut from director Alex … Continue readingDeath of a Unicorn (2025) – Reel Review
Sinners (2025) – Reel Review
Director: Ryan Coogler | 2h 18mins | Horror, Fantasy, Action Two brothers return to Mississippi to start a new life and open a juke joint with the help of their cousin. But on opening night, they must fight a new evil. Since his outstanding debut, Fruitvale Station, back in 2013, Ryan Coogler has mostly operated within the confines of blockbusters and franchises. He stands as … Continue readingSinners (2025) – Reel Review
The Electric State (2025) – Reel Review
Director: The Russo Brothers | 2h 5mins | Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action Michelle, an orphaned teen living in an alternate 90s, joins forces with a robot and a smuggler to find her brother. To do so, they must venture into the exclusion zone, a vast area where robots have been exiled since the end of a robot/human war. At $320 million, The Electric State is the … Continue readingThe Electric State (2025) – Reel Review
2025 Best Picture Nominees Ranked From Worst to Best
Whether or not you care for the Academy Awards you can’t deny the chokehold they have on the film world as award season reaches its climax. Many people theorise and debate who will take home the big award on the night but, with the voting being heavily swayed by FYC campaigns and industry relationships, as well as the subjective nature of film, people are often … Continue reading2025 Best Picture Nominees Ranked From Worst to Best
Editors Pick, Featured, Reviews
After Life (1998) – Editor’s Pick
A group of Councillors help the souls of the dead move on to eternity by helping them to select a single memory to take with them into the afterlife. Continue readingAfter Life (1998) – Editor’s Pick
The Brutalist (2024) – Reel Review
Director: Brady Corbet | 3h 35mins | Drama After surviving the horror’s of World War II, Jewish architect László Toth settles in Pennsylvania in the hopes he can rebuild his life. Eventually, a wealthy industrialist takes a liking to László and his talent for building. Brady Corbet’s newest epic is an uncompromising return to a by-gone era of storytelling. Most films nowadays with a bloated … Continue readingThe Brutalist (2024) – Reel Review
A Real Pain (2024) – Reel Review
Director: Jesse Eisenberg | 1h 30mins | Comedy, Drama David and his cousin Benji take a guided tour through Poland, to connect to their family history and visit their Grandma’s childhood home. Jesse Eisenberg’s reverent comedy is an inspired exercise in how to write humour and character without them feeling like two opposing parts. Even with the challenging backdrop of Jewish history, as David and … Continue readingA Real Pain (2024) – Reel Review
Sing Sing (2024) – Reel Review
A group of prisoners at Sing Sing Correctional Facility prepare for their latest show while trying to rehabilitate through arts. There are some films that are so entwined with the reality of the story they are telling that they hit far better than most dramas, and Greg Kwedar’s powerful Sing Sing is as poignant and powerful as they come, passionately embracing real-life people who were … Continue readingSing Sing (2024) – Reel Review
Emilia Perez (2024) – Reel Review
An overworked lawyer is hired by one of Mexico’s most notorious criminals to help them transition into a woman. Just when you think you’ve seen everything mainstream cinema could possibly offer us we get something like Emilia Perez. In fact, there isn’t anything quite like it, a bold and bizarre film that tries to blend the rough and dusty exterior of a cartel crime thriller … Continue readingEmilia Perez (2024) – Reel Review
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) – Reel Review
Director: Todd Phillips | 2h 18mins | Crime, Drama, Musical Struggling to separate himself from his Joker persona, Arthur Fleck prepares for his trial in Arkham State Hospital. When Todd Phillips’ first Joker released in 2019 it immediately grasped a dedicated following. Its ’anti-comic book’ style, the Scorsese inspired backdrop and the award-winning performances were enough to convince people that this was truly a work … Continue readingJoker: Folie à Deux (2024) – Reel Review
The Whip (2024) – Reel Review
Director: Christopher Presswell | 1h 22mins | Drama In order to stop the government from passing welfare reforms, full-time carer Sadie hatches a plan to steal a little black book of secrets from the Houses of Parliament. You’ll be quick to judge Presswell’s politically charged heist film for its shoestring budget and somewhat amateurish performances, but at its core The Whip is trying to tell … Continue readingThe Whip (2024) – Reel Review
Blink Twice (2024) – Reel Review
Director: Zoe Kravitz | 1h 42mins | Thriller, Horror Cocktail waitress Frida and her friend Jess are invited to a private island by an elusive billionaire, but the promise of paradise begins to wane as Frida begins to question the reality of her stay. Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut was once titled “Pussy Island”, not wanting that plastered on billboards around the world or sold on … Continue readingBlink Twice (2024) – Reel Review
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) – Reel Review
Director: Tim Burton | 1h 45mins | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror Despite still being haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia returns to Winter River after a family tragedy. Her nightmares quickly become real when her estranged daughter, Astrid, opens a door to the afterlife. Unnecessary sequels are not rare in today’s landscape but a second Beetlejuice is up there as one of the more surprising, but there is … Continue readingBeetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) – Reel Review
The Devil’s Bath (2024) – Reel Review
Director: Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz | 2h 1mins | Drama, Horror | Languages: German In an 18th century Austrian village, newlywed Agnes struggles to fulfil the roles set by her strict community. The beginning of Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz’s bleak horror sees a woman carrying her baby atop a waterfall and throwing them off it. A striking and harrowing image that sets the … Continue readingThe Devil’s Bath (2024) – Reel Review
Twilight of the Warriors (2024) – Reel Review
Director: Soi Cheang | 2h 6mins | Action, Thriller | Languages: Cantonese, Mandarin An immigrant escapes the clutches of a drug lord and ends up in the infamous walled city of Kowloon. As he finds work and a life in the city, he becomes embroiled in Kowloon’s historic rivalries. Kowloon Walled City was at one point one of the most densely populated places on Earth, … Continue readingTwilight of the Warriors (2024) – Reel Review
Longlegs (2024) – Reel Review
Director: Osgood Perkins | 1h 41mins | Horror, Thriller While in the pursuit of a dangerous serial killer, young FBI Agent, Lee Harker, must piece together occult clues in order to stop him. Many people have made the comparison between Osgood Perkins’ new thriller and The Silence of the Lambs, maybe because of the FBI-centric stories or the fact both films have a knack for … Continue readingLonglegs (2024) – Reel Review
The Essential Guide to The Coen Brothers – Part 1
Every filmmaker has their own vision when creating a piece of cinema, trying to convey their personal message with each film they make. With the film industry worth reaching well into the billions every year it would be impossible to see everything that comes out, but sometimes you’ll come out enjoying it so much, keen to see what the filmmakers do next. In this series … Continue readingThe Essential Guide to The Coen Brothers – Part 1
Editors Pick, Featured, Reviews
Editor’s Pick – Yi Yi (2000)
Director: Edward Yang | 2h 53mins | Drama | Language: Mandarin Multiple generations of a Taipei family reflect on past mistakes and the present relationships of their daily lives. Edward Yang’s modern masterpiece is over 20 years old. Many films have come and gone in that time but what separates Yi Yi and keeps it continuously relevant in the cinematic landscape, is the purity and … Continue readingEditor’s Pick – Yi Yi (2000)
Self Reliance (2023) – Reel Review
Director: Jake Johnson | 1h 25mins | Comedy, Thriller In a bid to get out of his lonely and routined life, Tommy agrees to join a game in which he’s hunted for 30 days. In a list that includes Bo Burnham and Greta Gerwig, New Girl’s Jake Johnson joins a long line of comedy actors hoping to make their mark as a director. While Self … Continue readingSelf Reliance (2023) – Reel Review
Madame Web (2024) – Reel Review
Director: S.J. Clarkson | 1h 56mins | Action, Adventure, Fantasy Cassandra Webb, a New York paramedic, starts having visions of the future. While trying to save three teenage girls from a deadly threat, she must confront her past at the same time. Since the MCU brought Spider-Man into their multiverse Sony have struggled to keep a grasp on their rights to the character. Gone are … Continue readingMadame Web (2024) – Reel Review
The Iron Claw (2023) – Reel Review
Director: Sean Durkin | 2h 12mins | Drama, Biography, Sport The true story of the Von Erich family who had a meteoric rise in the world of professional wrestling during the 1980’s. There have been very few films based on pro wrestling and even fewer true stories. Fighting With My Family is the most notable one to date in which we were given a lighter … Continue readingThe Iron Claw (2023) – Reel Review
REEL’s Top 15 Films of 2023
This year in film has offered us the highest level of filmmaking from legendary directors and newcomers alike. Scorsese, Hayao Miyazaki and Christopher Nolan all gave us something new and fresh to add to their iconic filmographies, but what makes 2023 such a turning point for cinema is the mainstream attention for big budget auteurs. Audiences turned their backs on the formula-heavy comic book movies … Continue readingREEL’s Top 15 Films of 2023
Flora and Son (2023) – Reel Review
Director: John Carney | 1h 37mins | Drama, Comedy, Music A young Irish Mother tries to connect with her son by taking up the guitar. John Carney’s crowd-pleasing latest film is just as you’d expect from a director so passionately obsessed with the connection between people and music, hitting the right notes of sentiment and exploring how music can shape identity as well as become … Continue readingFlora and Son (2023) – Reel Review
Brooklyn 45 (2023) – Reel Review
Director: Ted Geoghegan | Runtime: 1h 32mins | Horror, Drama Just after the end of World War II, a group of decorated veterans meet to support their grieving friend who wants to perform a seance in order to communicate with his late wife. Ted Geoghegan’s multi-layered, multi-genre, chamber piece is a bold mesh of suspenseful Horror and Post-War Drama. Like all the great Horror films … Continue readingBrooklyn 45 (2023) – Reel Review
Past Lives (2023) – Reel Review
Nora and Hae Sung, two childhood friends separated by Nora’s family emigrating from South Korea, find themselves reconnecting over the course of their lives. Continue readingPast Lives (2023) – Reel Review
The Essential Guide To Christopher Nolan
Every filmmaker has their own vision when creating a piece of cinema, trying to convey their personal message with each film they make. With the film industry’s worth reaching well into the billions every year it would be impossible to see everything that comes out, but sometimes you’ll come out enjoying it so much, keen to see what the filmmakers do next. In this series … Continue readingThe Essential Guide To Christopher Nolan
How to Blow Up a Pipe Line (2023) – Reel Review
A group of eco-activists decide that not enough is being done to battle climate change, and that more violent acts are required to enact meaningful change. Continue readingHow to Blow Up a Pipe Line (2023) – Reel Review
Featured, International, Latest, Reviews
Broker (2022) – Reel Review
After a new mother leaves her unwanted child in a baby box (church-based schemes to stop complete abandonment), two hapless traffickers figure out a way to sell the child to sterile parents. Continue readingBroker (2022) – Reel Review
Ted Lasso Season 3 – Reel Review
Creators: Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence | Comedy, Sport After being promoted back to the Premier League, Ted Lasso looks to reaffirm AFC Richmond’s place as a top club in England while also dealing with the distance between him and his son. Season 1 of Ted Lasso, in a way, was a historic piece of television. Blending the American comedy format with the dry … Continue readingTed Lasso Season 3 – Reel Review
Renfield (2023) – Reel Review
Longing for life away from his toxic master, Renfield forms a bond with a local police officer to take down a crime family – much to the dismay of his boss, Dracula. As one of horror culture’s most iconic figures Dracula has been interpreted, parodied and rehashed many times over. Chris McKay’s distinctly comedic approach is nothing new, but what Renfield does attempt is to … Continue readingRenfield (2023) – Reel Review
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) – Reel Review
Still trying to work out the kinks of being a team, Billy Batson and his family must protect the city once again against Atlas’ three daughters. Continue readingShazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) – Reel Review
Creed III (2023) – Reel Review
Director: Michael B. Jordan | Runtime: 1h 56mins | Drama, Sport Shortly after retiring Creed’s old friend Damian is released from jail, still hoping to fulfil his dreams of becoming a boxing champion. As he tries to help his friend Creed also tries to deal with the guilt of their troubled past together. As a follow on from the Rocky films Creed allowed old characters … Continue readingCreed III (2023) – Reel Review
2023 Best Picture Nominees Ranked From Worst to Best
Now that the 95th Academy Awards are over everyone finds themselves in a state of quiet, eagerly anticipating 2023’s releases or, like us, reflecting on the winners of the big night. Whether or not you agree with the awards it’s safe to say that this year’s nominees for Best Picture were an eclectic group of films all bringing something different to the table. From franchise … Continue reading2023 Best Picture Nominees Ranked From Worst to Best
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) – Reel Review
Director: Chad Stahelski | Runtime: 2h 49mins | Action, Crime, Thriller As John Wick continues to fight for his life against The Table, he discovers a way to finally get out. But, in order to achieve his freedom he must fight off numerous foes and new threats. After gracing us with three gloriously violent films that have comfortably cemented Keanu Reeves’ deadpan action-hero into pop-culture, … Continue readingJohn Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) – Reel Review
Legions (2019) – Reel Review
Director: Dariusz Gajewski | 2h 20mins | War, Drama, Romance | Language: Polish With the explosion of WWI and allied powers at war, a Polish military force is formed to fight against the countries that occupy Poland. While at war, many soldiers fight hardship and heartbreak all in the name of freedom. The War genre is arguably one of the most overplayed genres to date, … Continue readingLegions (2019) – Reel Review
Rye Lane (2023) – Reel Review
Director: Raine Allen-Miller | 1h 22mins | Comedy, Romance A chance meeting at a mutual friend’s art exhibit leads Dom and Yas on an eventful night through South London, reflecting on their respective break-ups. Raine Allen-Miller’s vibrant romantic comedy is a celebration of its surroundings. Done in the style of Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise, in which two people fall in love over a single night, … Continue readingRye Lane (2023) – Reel Review
Boston Strangler (2023) – Reel Review
Director: Matt Ruskin | 1h 52mins | Drama, Crime, Biography In 1960’s Boston, Journalist Loretta McLaughlin is the first to spot a connection between a string of murders leading to the investigation of the infamous ‘Boston Strangler’. The niche subgenre of journalistic investigation is spearheaded by Alan Pakula’s All the President’s Men and, more recently, Tom McCarthey’s spectacular Spotlight. Both films are a testament to … Continue readingBoston Strangler (2023) – Reel Review
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