Reel Friends

Gavin and Nikki tackle former-comedian Zach Cregger's follow-up to BARBARIAN, and this one's a doozy. When almost an entire class of kids vanishes on the same night at exactly the same time, a small town spirals into chaos trying to figure out what happened. Cregger takes a chilling premise and goes absolutely bonkers with it, but did we think it lived up to the hype?

Gavin and Nikki dive into one of Nikki's all-time favorites, the action masterpiece and puppy revenge flick JOHN WICK (2014). Keanu Reeves makes his triumphant return to Reel Friends as the legendary assassin who just wants to grieve in peace (he doesn't).

Gavin and Nikki dive into two wild slasher flicks that prove sequels don't always stick to the formula. The original brings straightforward(?) drill-wielding terror, while the sequel goes completely bonkers with a leather-clad rockabilly killer. These movies are peak '80s cheese, but do they actually work as horror or just pure camp?

Gavin and Nikki tackle Alfred Hitchcock's feathered nightmare that'll make you side-eye every grackle on the street. Tippi Hedren gets absolutely terrorized by our winged friends (read: foes) in a particularly unhinged Hitchcock feature. But did we think it was absurdly brilliant or just plain ridiculous?

Gavin, Nikki, and special guest Alex Castillon (Reel Friends social media star) dive into two steamy noir classics that prove murder and seduction never go out of style. Billy Wilder's insurance scam gone wrong meets Lawrence Kasdan's sweaty neo-noir in our twisted double feature. Barbara Stanwyck and Kathleen Turner bring the heat as femme fatales whose schemes get messier by the minute....

Gavin and Nikki cruise through Richard Linklater's hangout opus DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993), where the last day of school in '76 sprawls into pure chaos. We're talking hazing rituals, keg parties, and a young Matthew McConaughey being unfairly charming. Plus, we debate which characters would be the chillest.

Gavin and Nikki dive into Kathryn Bigelow's adrenaline-soaked masterpiece POINT BREAK, in which Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze are definitely just bros, and it's not any deeper than that. In this ep, we're talking bank-robbing surfers, undercover FBI agents, and one more violent lawnmower scene because we just can’t seem to get enough of those! All that said, we can’t wait to discuss...

This week, Gavin and Nikki discuss two possession-horror flicks: William Friedkin's THE EXORCIST and Scott Derickson's SINISTER. From head-spinning to America's Scariest Home Videos, the Reel Friends chat about what makes these movies so unsettling.

Gavin and Nikki tackle two earth-shattering disaster flicks where only one team (usually one guy) can save the world. While Nikki has a soft spot for ARMAGEDDON's cheesy heroics, Gavin's not buying what either film is selling. And don't even get the Reel Friends started on MOONFALL, which might just be the absolute dumbest movie we've ever covered. From asteroid drilling to moon me...

Gavin and Nikki dive into the Wachowskis' groundbreaking sci-fi masterpiece, The Matrix. Spoiler: We think it's good. It's Gavin's first time experiencing Neo's journey, and he's blown away by the iconic Hong Kong action choreography. Meanwhile, Nikki gushes about how effortlessly cool Morpheus is (and honestly, who can blame her?).

Gavin and Nikki venture into the claustrophobic terror of Ridley Scott's ALIEN (1979), one of Gavin's all-time favorites that somehow gets scarier with every rewatch. While Gavin makes his case for why this is actually a sci-fi slasher, Nikki admits space as a concept gives her the creeps (and this movie probably doesn't help). From xenomorph nightmares to that iconic chestburster scen...

...and Final Destination (2000), and a bit of Final Destination 2 (2003). Gavin and Nikki try to discuss Final Destination 3 and Final Destination 6 (or, Bloodlines), but spiral into a full-franchise retrospective. How does Bloodlines stack up against its death-defying predecessors? How does it compare to other contemporary franchise "requels"? And, most importantly, just how unhinged ar...

Gavin and Nikki sink their fangs into Ryan Coogler's SINNERS, a genre-bender that drops vampires smack-dab in the American South. From the atmospheric dread looming over plantations to a literal barn burner, we're diving deep into what makes this one bite.

In this episode of Reel Friends , Gavin and Nikki dive into the high-stakes chaos of Twisters (2024), starring Glenn Powell and Daisy Edgar Jones. From wild weather to wilder weather powers, we break down the thrills, the characters, and whether this sequel lives up to the original's stormy legacy and sparkling chemistry. Tune in for laughs, hot takes, and maybe a few flying cows.

This week on Reel Friends , Gavin and Nikki sink their teeth into two tales of wrath and retribution: Love Lies Bleeding and Carrie . Do these bloody revenge stories say anything about their respective eras? How far have we come when it comes to cinematic payback? Is revenge best served with flexing or fire? Tune in as we chat bodybuilding, prom queens, and the messy business of revenge.

Do you love trauma? Smile 2 sure does! Gavin and Nikki go on a wild ride of drug deals gone wrong, a fiery pop star, and of course bombed out Pizza Huts. Is Smile 2 a compelling take on mental health or just trauma porn? Find out what the Reel Friends think on this week's episode!

The Reel Friends discuss one of Nikki’s favorite horror movies, the vampire classic, The Lost Boys. Join Gavin and Nikki as they talk about the horrors of growing up, complicated love triangles, and obviously cute boys.

It’s Robert Pattinson week with the ReelFriends! Join Gavin and Nikki as they discuss Robert Pattinson’s breakout role as Edward Cullen in Twilight and how far he has come from the “classic” in his most recent blockbuster, Mickey 17. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and hopefully you’ll walk away thinking Robert Pattinson is as magical as the Reel Friends think he is.

Vampires, rats, Willem Dafoe, oh my! This week the Reel Friends discuss the highs and lows of an ancient vampire coming to destroy your local town and Lily Rose Depp. If you think anything is safe, you’re wrong, especially about mustaches. Join Gavin and Nikki on a fun ride. This episode carries content warnings to discussions of violence and gore.

This week, Gavin and Nikki are Trapped in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller to unpack all the suspense, surprises, and shaky moments. Does Trap stick the landing, or does it fumble its big reveal? Either way, it's a pretty funny time. Plus, there's Josh Hartnett. This episode carries a content warning for discussions of violence and gore.

This episode carries content warnings for discussions of violence. It's rom-com week for the Reel Friends, as Gavin and Nikki discuss one of Nikki's favorite films: Moonstruck, directed by Norman Jewison. We compare this film to a recent romantic-comedy-crime-caper: Hit Man, directed by Richard Linklater. We chat about chemistry, the look and feel of love, and, importantly, 1987 Nicolas Ca...

This episode carries content warnings for discussions of gore and domestic violence. This week, Reel Friends Gavin Quinn and Nikki Yates discuss Bob Clark's family unfriendly holiday classic, Black Christmas. We dive deep on this early slasher, discussing how it creates tension while maintaining a cozy ambience.