Syntell

These are my top 4 most anticipated movies of the year. Where do they rank with you? We'll discuss this and more on our Saturday Live Stream at 10pm EST.
Don't forget to vote and let us know your top movies for 2026. Fill out the survery here: vevox.app/#/m/434972319

2 hours ago | [YT] | 20

Syntell

Who's the real greatest Rocky Character?
And don't forget to vote for the greatest cinematic sports character of all time. Click the link below to vote: form.typeform.com/to/U5Xq3RMH

Check out our results in our Live tonight at 10PM EST

1 week ago | [YT] | 60

Syntell

WE'RE GOING LIVE FOR NEW YEARS EVE!!!
Come join the fun on 12/31 11pm EST
Don't forget to bring your drinks

1 month ago | [YT] | 79

Syntell

The Final Stretch! Coming Full Circle

We started our Who journey with Ncutti, the Fifteenth Doctor and we were compelled enough to go back to the start of the modern era and experience how it got there.

We're approaching the end of our Modern Who experience and over the next few weeks, we will be recording our reactions to BBC's Centenary Doctor Who Special, the 60th Anniversary Special Trilogy and also when we can, The War Between the Land and the Sea!


Come join the Patreon and be part of the experience where you can watch us live!

2 months ago | [YT] | 119

Syntell

What should we watach next?

3 months ago | [YT] | 47

Syntell

Which of these non Marvel/DC superhero films had the most potential?

3 months ago | [YT] | 128

Syntell

Our recent South Park S28 Ep 1 "Twisted Christian" has been taken down due to Paramounts copyright restrictions. We do offer our reaction on our Patreon page: www.patreon.com/c/syntell

We have all of the previous episodes and thousands of other raw reactions from our channel there as well. We apologize for the inconvenience but also look forward to you joining our Patreon community.

Please keep in mind you will need your own copy of the episode to watch along with our reaction.

4 months ago | [YT] | 75

Syntell

The Smashing Machine Review: A Beautifully Flat Performance

This is a story that isn’t about the opponent standing in front of you, it’s about the parts of yourself you can’t control. It’s about the sport that owns your body, the love that confuses your heart, and the addiction that controls your soul. That’s the real fight, and Benny Safdie’s latest film is a struggle fought in silence, compromise, and withdrawal.

The Rock, aka Dwayne Johnson, takes a leap outside his comfort zone to portray Mark Kerr, a real-life MMA icon whose rise to glory was matched only by his inner collapse. This isn’t the typical larger than life action hero we’re used to seeing. Johnson strips away the macho bravado, giving us a version of Kerr that’s quiet, passive, and emotionally elusive. . . perhaps too elusive.

There are moments where Johnson hints at something deeper. Glimpses of a man saddled by addiction, love, and a fading sense of purpose. Unfortunately, the film rarely lets those moments breathe. Instead, we’re offered a version of Kerr who’s always misunderstood, soft-spoken, and nice. And I’m talking nice all the damn time. While his performance is a bold departure for The Rock and will no doubt surprise longtime fans, it never fully unleashes the emotional chaos bubbling beneath the surface. It’s a beautifully flat performance.

On the other side of the ring of thespian-ism is Emily Blunt as Dawn Staples, Kerr’s partner and the undeniable heartbeat of this film. Blunt strolls into every scene with clear purpose, throwing the weight of the emotional beats on her back with well intentioned intensity. She’s captivating, infuriating, and tragically human. Sometimes you’ll root for her, other times you’ll want to scream at the screen, but ultimately you feel for her, in ways the film never quite earns for its title character. If this were a match of acting chops, Blunt hands Johnson his ass in every scene they share.

The real struggle of The Smashing Machine isn’t Johnson’s portrayal of the role, it’s the film itself. Safdie builds a story full of high stakes moments: addiction, broken relationships, the introspection of a violent career. But somehow, none of it lands with lasting impact. It’s not that the story isn’t interesting, it’s just muted. The consequences never feel permanent. The pain never cuts deep. Even the fight scenes fail to get your heart racing. For all its grit, this story seems to take the safe route when it should be playing closer to the razor’s edge. It feels like a Kanye shrug till the very end.

Where films in this genre like The Iron Claw, Creed, or Warrior, leave you emotionally battered and exhausted from the struggles inside and outside the ring, The Smashing Machine ends more like a solid ESPN 30 for 30. It’s compelling, respectful, but ultimately keeps you at a safe distance from the kind of cinematic emotional exhaustion we actually pay for. Instead, it simply leaves you… informed.

That said, there’s still value here. Johnson’s physical and emotional transformation is worthy of praise for what it says about his growth as an actor. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but his respect for the craft is undeniable. If you’re a longtime fan of his career, or someone with a deep appreciation for the roots of MMA, you’ll find some worthwhile moments. There’s a sincerity to this film that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

In the end, The Smashing Machine feels like a well-intentioned jab that never quite lands clean. It’s not a knockout, but it also isn’t a flop. It’s a film that probably had a plan in its first draft… but realized it wasn’t ready once it got hit in the mouth.

I truly applaud the effort. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wished for something with more impact. Something with a little more fight.

4 months ago | [YT] | 138

Syntell

One Battle After Another: A Family Drama Wrapped in a Molotov Cocktail - Review

From the brilliant and twisted mind of Paul Thomas Anderson comes One Battle After Another. Part social drama, part political satire, maybe a conversation on parenting, and a wild road trip through the American apocalypse. It’s a film of this generation. It’s a lot. But somehow, it all works.

At its core, this movie is about protection. Protection of your family, your ideology, your identity, your sanity. It’s about love and rebellion, regret and reckoning. And above all else, it’s about how far you’re willing to go when the world you helped burn down comes knocking at your door.

The story opens with a group of freedom fighters in the middle of a tactical demonstration. Bob, a stoner only rivaled by The Dude, is helmed by Leonardo DiCaprio. And Perfidia, played with unflinching chaos by Teyana Taylor, is a lover only rivaled by the Joker and Harley Quinn. They believe in the cause, but they also believe in each other. Even if it’s clearly going to kill them both. That intensity takes a hard turn after the birth of their daughter, Willa. And their lives are changed forever.

Bob and Willa find themselves living a different life, free from his past. But the life Bob tried to outrun finds him again sixteen years later, when Colonel Steven Lockjaw, yes you heard that right, rolls into town with a literal army. Sean Penn plays the Colonel like a man who’s had a proverbial stick up his ass preserved in pickle juice. He is both terrifying and ridiculous. Which, honestly, is kind of the point.

Despite its hefty 2 hour and 41 minute runtime, this film moves fast. The pacing is non-stop. From the opening scene, you’re dropped into chaos and left to claw your way toward some kind of understanding. Don’t expect long exposition or backstory monologues. You’re running, ducking, hiding, and holding your breath. The tension never lets up.

One particularly difficult scene involves a group of immigrants desperately fleeing to safety. It’s harrowing, brilliantly shot, and scored to perfection. The intensity is so real you can feel it in your chest. The movie doesn’t just show you danger, it immerses you in the dread and exhaustion of constantly being hunted. It’s a masterful look at the trauma of survival, especially when you’re just trying to exist.

The film pulls no punches when it comes to politics either. The far left gets skewered. The far right gets dragged. There’s even a moment where you peek behind the curtain into a secret society of old white guys running the nation like a country club built for Grand Dragons and Goosesteppers. It’s outrageous. It’s uncomfortable. And yes, it’s funny but only in the way absurdity can be tragic if you think about it too long.

The cast? Incredible. Everyone’s dialed in. DiCaprio brings something new to Bob. He’s disheveled, over it, high out of his mind, and somehow still a man you root for. Every one of his frustrations feels like a comedic exhale. Teyana Taylor as Perfidia is pure mayhem. She’s beautifully broken and wildly unpredictable. It could be a career defining performance that deserves serious award buzz. Benicio Del Toro steps in as Sensai Sergio, Bob’s slightly mystical and mildly unhinged mentor, and every scene they share is pure magic. Calm meets chaos. It’s like Yoda meets The Dude, and I loved every minute.

Listen, we have to talk about Chase Infiniti, who plays Willa. She is a revelation. Wide eyed, fierce, confused, naïve, and maybe a little dangerous. You can feel every ounce of her youth and trauma as she navigates a world no one could be prepared for. You’ll want to leap into the screen and protect her. This young actress is going places.

Visually, the film is stunning. I caught it in IMAX, and it was absolutely worth it. The trailers didn’t scream “watch this on the biggest screen possible,” but Anderson uses every inch of the frame to amplify emotion. Wide, sweeping shots of tension filled landscapes give way to quiet moments that pierce your heart. It’s cinematic in all the right ways, big when it needs to be, and beautifully restrained when it counts most.

By the end, you’ll feel like you’ve been through something. The dust will settle. The noise will fade. And what lingers is a story that examines both the heart and the head. You’ll want to talk about it. You’ll want to see it again.

One Battle After Another is dark, absurd, hilarious, and explosive. And it might just be Paul Thomas Anderson’s most important work in years.

4 months ago | [YT] | 145

Syntell

Review: HIM (2025)

First off, let’s be clear, the NFL will NOT be putting its logo on this one.

Justin Tipping’s HIM is a dark and unsettling exploration of faith, fame, and the kind of sacrifices that don’t just cost you your body, but maybe your soul. While Jordan Peele had no hand in the project, his influence is undeniable. This is a film under the same umbrella as Get Out and Us, one where the horror creeps in not with loud bangs, but with cultural rot slowly seeping through the cracks.

At the center of this film is Cameron Cade, played by Tyriq Withers, a freakishly talented young quarterback on the cusp of greatness. He’s invited to a secluded training camp where he’s mentored by Isaiah White, a fading football icon portrayed with eerie intensity by Marlon Wayans. And yes, you read that right, Marlon Wayans. But this isn’t the goofball from Scary Movie. This is a full-force dramatic performance, where he commands every scene with an unsettling mix of authority, charisma, and dread. He’s part coach, part prophet, part warning from the future.

As Cam trains under Isaiah, it becomes clear that football in this world isn’t just a sport, it’s a religion. The name of the team is The Saviors for crying out loud. The quarterback isn’t just a player he’s a vessel. And this isn’t just training, it’s indoctrination. As the story unfolds, we see just how deep the roots of this cult-like culture go. There’s an understanding that true greatness demands sacrifice, not just of time and talent, but of something far more precious and spiritual.

Throughout the film, we’re pulled deeper into the darker rituals and warped expectations that accompany superstardom in this world. Isaiah constantly keeps Cam off balance, pushing him past his limits and into dangerous territory. The deeper Cam goes, the more he begins to see the cracks in the game and life. The unsettling philosophies of teammates and trainers, the obsessive behavior of fans, the eerie reverence that surrounds those who achieve GOAT status. It’s not long before it becomes clear that something truly diabolical is lurking beneath the turf. You’ll need holy water thrown on you like a post game gatorade celebration.

And that’s where the horror lives. Not in jump scares or gore (though there’s a bit of both), but in the disturbing idea that our heroes might be chosen by forces we don’t fully understand. The film leans hard into demonic imagery, religious symbolism, and the idea that the playbook may not be written by coaches, but by something much older and much darker. It’s heavy handed at times, this movie doesn’t whisper its themes; it screams them from the locker room. But the images are effective, and the weight of the atmosphere is real.

That said, HIM may not have stuck the landing. The horror elements are sometimes overshadowed by the film’s eagerness to be profound. There are moments where the pacing slows, the symbolism stacks too high, and the narrative loses clarity. The final act, in particular, feels ambiguous, leaving you wondering what the film really wanted to say. But maybe that’s part of the point. Maybe it’s meant to be debated, rewatched, and reexamined.

What does land, without question, is Marlon Wayans. His performance is unforgettable. If you’ve ever doubted his dramatic range, this will change your mind. Watching him play a fallen legend mentoring the next generation, while hiding “demons” of his own is worth the ticket price alone.

HIM is not a traditional horror film. It’s more of a parable, a cautionary tale, and a cultural critique all wrapped into one. It asks what we’re really cheering for when we worship athletes, what we’re willing to overlook in the pursuit of greatness, and what we risk when we give people, and ourselves, godlike status.

You may leave the theater confused, disturbed, or even slightly amused by how far it’s willing to go. But one thing’s for sure: you’ll never look at football the same way again. And the next time someone calls a quarterback the chosen one, you just might check for horns.

4 months ago | [YT] | 136