Roulette Films

Though I'm a bit late to the party, I finally had the chance to sit down and see Disclosure Day in theaters. And, honestly, I enjoyed it a lot more than I figured I would have. Spielberg never ceases to amaze, regardless of the type of project he chooses to put forth. In this review, I discuss why I think some people aren't as over the moon as usual with the latest Spielberg project, and h...

Here, I discuss the unusual number of similarities between Daredevil Born Again Season 2 and Devil Wears Prada 2. I analyze their antagonists and how they are ultimately defeated in order to better understand why one felt more satisfying to me than the other. I also discuss the kinds of antagonists each story uses, and how this works to their benefit. Let me know what you thought of this review in...

A few weeks back, I saw The Drama. And I thought it was really well done. Despite a relatively simple plot, it makes for a really compelling watch. And I think this is in large part due to how well it executes on the core idea of torturing its characters. I talk about why this works for the film as well as why it's important for films and their characters in general. Find this review as well a...

Last weekend, I saw Project Hail Mary. And, as a fan of the book, I was not surprised to wind up liking it very much. It did everything very well and hammered home its themes and core ideas with a sincerity that is not so common to come across in the modern media landscape. I talk about why its emotional beats hit as hard as they do, as well as the efficiency and effectiveness which with the film...

In this romantic, heart-warming review, I discuss Send Help, the new thriller film from Sam Raimi starring Dylan O'Brien and Rachel McAdams. I really enjoyed it, so I have a bit of fun on a tangent analyzing how McAdam's character, Linda Liddle, would be judged as a contestant on the TV Show Survivor that this film takes a very cursory inspiration from. A bit more unusual than my standard...

With Stranger Things coming to an end as a series, I do an analysis of the final season to discuss why I think it succeeds more than it fails. I mention some of the various issues that can make the final season feel rather rough around the edges at times, but how overall the series stays true to the characters it has made us grow to care about over the years. Agree? Disagree? At least willing to a...

Four years down, who knows how many to go? As is tradition, another year down means another tier list where I briefly review and rank all the films and series I've watched for the very first time in 2025. As is the case with prior versions of this tier list, the order I go through these and their relative rankings follow pretty closely to my own Letterboxd account, where I log these through th...

On opening weekend, I saw the sequel to Wicked, Wicked For Good. And, overall, I liked it. However, as many fans of the play know, the second act (or, in this case the second film) is notably weaker than the first act. Though the film was very much enjoyable and done well, it could not escape a fate that it seemed predestined for. I discuss some of the reasons why the second film feels perhaps les...

In this episode, I discuss what I think makes certain horror films stand above the rest. Namely, I compare reliance on jump-scares, short term shock, and knee-jerk sorts of film styles to the stat-padding which is often found in professional sports. Perhaps effective in the moment or from a bird's eye view, but ultimately a detriment to not only the individual culprit, but eventually the art f...

In this video, I decide to get the ball rolling on the Halloween season a bit early. I discuss Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of Dracula with its star-studded cast, as well as a somewhat-slept on Pixar film that I recently watched for the first time. After watching each, I was struck by how both movies chose to depict the "monsters" they each featured. There was emphasis to varyin...

This go around, I discuss Weapons, an all-around unsettling and eerie horror-thriller movie from the creator who brought us Barbarian. While I don't think I loved Weapons quite as much as I did Barbarian, there was still a lot to enjoy, mull over, and unpack after viewing. And of course this is on top of the great tension and scares that it created. I also discuss one of my least favorite topi...

Last week, I saw the latest adaptation of Marvel's First Family. And, to be honest, I was pretty meh on it. I could certainly appreciate it, and understood that most of it was well done, but I just didn't connect to it in the same way I did with Superman recently. I talk about why this is in my review. Specifically, I mention the lack of character journeys from my point of view, and how th...

Last weekend, I saw Superman. And I've been thinking about it, listening to its score, jamming to its soundtrack, and just really enjoying everything about it since then. I really enjoyed it for what it was: a movie that rejuvenated a character and brought some amazing energy to me as a viewer. In the review I discuss what in the movie worked so well for me, and why I hold this particular adap...

Last week I saw 28 Years Later. Frankly, didn't love it. And this is despite really enjoying the original, 28 Days Later. Maybe I missed something in 28 Weeks Later? I dunno. I talk about what I think went wrong from my perspective in the film, citing some examples of shortcomings or parts of the movie that hold it back from being something more (or, in my opinion, better). Particularly some s...

This time on Roulette Reviews, I discuss the finale to what might be one of my favorite series of all time. Mission: Impossible constantly delivers top-notch action, and in many ways it did exactly that in its swan song. But, it was not without flaw, and I discuss what I felt didn't make it quite as spectacular as some of its predecessors, ranging from its villain to its pace. Still though, it...

A few weeks back, I saw Thunderbolts. And, surprisingly, I really liked it. I can attribute a large part of my enjoyment to the film's sincerity in its ideas and its lack of fear when it comes to exploring those ideas. Though it isn't the first ensemble of misfits to come into a found family of sorts in the superhero genre, it does tread new ground. The emotional arcs it explores with its...

Much like many others, I really enjoyed Sinners. It was incredibly fun, approachable, but above all else just incredibly-well executed. I talk about it's blend of entertainment and depth, and how Ryan Coogler does this. Namely, I highlight a few narrative tools he takes advantage of. I also mentionhow some of the themes of the story inform the stylistic decisions that are made with camera, mus...

In this video, I discuss season 2 of Severance and what I think is its guiding philosophy of always trying to make the most dramatic scenario possible for the progression of its narrative and the situations it puts its characters in. I talk about some examples of why this works and how this helps us as viewers connect with the series and its characters even further. Do you agree? Let me know in th...

This past weekend I saw the new Captain America movie in theaters. And honestly, I was surprised by how...whelmed I was by it. It was not as bad as the collective of reviews would lead you to believe. But, it was by no means good either, even considering its obligations as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I discuss some core issues I think the film faces, which range from severe story struct...

In this review, I reflect on how Companion manages to some very, very interesting thematic ideas while still being immensely entertaining. I also highlight how it uses believable and well-acted characters to help viewers move past its relatively crude premise. But, beyond that, this review is a celebration of Valentine's Day. So, if you're celebrating in any way at all, enjoy the day! If you're do...

Recently, I saw Wolf Man. And, frankly, I didn't think it was that great. In this review, I discuss the main reasons why the film disappointed me, while touching on a few things that I think it did well, but ultimately were not enough for the movie to be "redeemed" in my eyes. Ultimately, if you do not deliver on the main premise of your story, it will be a very difficult, almost imp...

In my first review of 2025, I talk about the recent drama The Conclave, available on Peacock. I had biased expectations going in, but the movie quickly washed those away and the story went in a very pleasant, very intriguing direction that I thought was pretty unique, particularly for a movie about controversy in The Catholic Church. I discuss the main ideas and themes of The Conclave and how I th...

Three years in the books! So, as is tradition, with the third year comes the third tier list. In this one, I give a brief rundown on all the films and series I watched for the first time this year. A lot of my feelings on these, and the order in which I navigate this year's roster, should line up very closely with my logging on Letterboxd. Overall it was another good year, both in terms of what I...

Yesterday I was able to find some time to see Nosferatu, and really enjoyed it. In this review, I discuss some of the many things that worked so well in Robert Egger's adaptation of the classic vampire tale, while also touching on a few things in this adaptation that make it stand out. You can watch this review along with some great clips from the film on my YouTube channel here . And you can find...

In this review, I discuss the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked. I mention the many reasons that I thought this was a great adaptation based on my own experience with the play, and what I think the film is able to do that a stage play simply isn't capable of doing. I mention the various aspects of character and musical number that are able to be enhanced because of these inherent capa...