The Reelist

Tag: movie

  • “Marty Supreme” review

    “Marty Supreme” review

    As far as sports dramas go, Marty Supreme is one of the most unique and entertaining ones out there. Directed by Josh Safdie, the film blends multiple different genres together to subvert expectations on what a sports drama can be. Couple all of that with another award-worthy performance from Timothee Chalamet, and the result is one of the best films of 2025. 

    Marty Supreme is loosely based on the life and career of American table tennis player Marty Reisman. Set in the 1950s, the film follows Marty Mouser (yes, there’s a name change) as he goes from working as a shoe salesman to becoming a prolific table tennis player with dreams of winning multiple tournaments to bring American attention to the sport. This does not end up going smoothly, as many issues both personally and professionally threaten Marty’s dreams of becoming the top dog. 

    Timothee Chalamet as Marty Mouser

    First, let’s get the obvious out of the way: Timothee Chalamet is brilliant as Marty Mouser. This might be a career-best performance from him in a young career already featuring multiple outstanding performances. He is no doubt going to once again be in the thick of the Oscar race. The rest of the cast holds up their end of the bargain, but this is Chalamet’s movie through and through. Where he goes, this movie goes, and he soars very high here. 

    At its core though, this is a film with much more to offer than just an excellent star performance. One of its many strengths is how it blends multiple genres to create something that feels fresh and entertaining. The film works as a sports drama, but it almost feels like a heist movie as well, similar to Safdie’s Uncut Gems. Without going into too much detail to avoid spoilers, Marty is very often on the move due to circumstances involving money, which creates feelings of tension and on-edge. The pacing also helps with this, as the movie is fast paced, but never too fast. This allows enough time to flesh out the characters while also keeping the plot going at a relentless, intense pace. There’s also some sprinkles of comedy here and there to keep things light enough. Safdie’s script, which he co-wrote with frequent collaborator Ronald Bronstein, is sharp, quick-witted, and consistently engaging. 

    There isn’t much at fault with the film. With a runtime of 150 minutes, perhaps it could have been a little shorter. With how well it’s paced though, it’s not too much of an issue. Again, it’s a testament to how well written it is. I fully expect this film to get nominated for and win multiple awards come award season time. Chalamet will be up for best actor of course, and I can see it at the very least getting nominations for screenplay, production design, cinematography, best picture, and probably a few others. There’s no question that Marty Supreme is an impressive piece of work in many aspects. 

    Rating: 4.5/5

  • “Eternity” review 

    “Eternity” review 

    In the age of endless sequels and franchise installments, Eternity, directed and co-written by David Freyne, feels like a breath of fresh air. Not only is it a breath of fresh air, but it’s a good breath of fresh air. Mixing in a nice balance of romance and comedy, solid performances, stellar cinematography, and a thoughtful script, the result is one of the best rom-coms of the year that is sure to tug at your heartstrings. 

    Eternity opens with an elderly couple, Larry and Joan, on their way to a gender reveal party. While there, Larry chokes on pretzels and dies. After his death, Larry finds himself on a train to an unknown location. When he arrives, he meets his afterlife coordinator, Anna, who informs him that he is dead and is now at a hub, and that he must decide within ten days where he wants to spend his eternity. The caveat is that while each eternity is unique, it is final and escaping it would result in being thrown into a void. Larry decides to wait for Joan, as she has terminal cancer and it is only a matter of time before she passes. Joan eventually passes and reunites with Larry at the hub, while also spotting her first love, Luke, who died in the Korean War many years ago. Joan now faces a decision between Luke and Larry on who she wants to spend her eternity with.  

    From left to right: Elizabeth Olsen as Joan, Miles Teller as Larry, and Callum Turner as Luke

    The film’s concept is creative, and it finds just the right balance of drama, romance, and comedy. The jokes land for the most part, and the drama, especially towards the end, makes you feel something. I ended up becoming attached to these characters and caring about what was going to happen next. Of course, this is helped greatly by a solid cast, highlighted by the trio of Elizabeth Olsen as Joan, Miles Teller as Larry, and Callum Turner as Luke. Teller does an especially good job by essentially playing an elderly man in a younger man’s body, and he keeps it believable.

    One aspect of the film that I enjoyed is how thoughtful the screenplay is in regard to how Joan tackles her decision and the decision she ultimately makes by the end. It gives the experience more emotional weight compared to many of the other entries in the rom-com genre.  

    Another aspect of the film that is unexpectedly noteworthy is the cinematography by Ruairi O’Brien. This is a very good-looking film in many ways, and the use of color in particular is impressive. The opening scene with the elderly Larry and Joan uses a duller color palette, aligning with the reality of a couple close to the end of their lives. When Larry arrives at the hub, the colors are more vibrant but not overly so. The most colorfully vibrant scenes are the ones in eternity, as it’s supposed to represent eternal bliss. It’s small details like this that add to the overall experience of the film. 

    All in all, Eternity is a solid experience filled with laughs and emotion, backed by a stellar cast and superb visuals. Despite a predictable ending, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it by the end. If this is what eternity actually looks like, then count me in. 

    Rating: 4/5

  • “Primate” review

    “Primate” review

    I managed to attend a screening of director Johannes Roberts’ new horror film, Primate, at the Philadelphia Film Festival on Saturday, October 25th. The synopsis sounded interesting and I thought there could potentially be something here, not to mention it’s a good time of the year to watch a horror flick. Unfortunately, Primate squanders its potential with a tonally inconsistent script, despite solid visual effects and a suspenseful atmosphere. 

    Primate centers around a girl named Lucy who is traveling back home for vacation with a few friends, just as her father is leaving for a business trip. It is revealed early on that the family has a pet chimpanzee named Ben, who, unbeknownst to them, becomes infected with rabies around the time Lucy arrives back home. The infection turns Ben into a crazy, murderous beast as he hunts down the group one by one. 

    Johnny Sequoyah as Lucy

    There are some things that this film does well. The opening scene is effective and chilling enough to set the tone for the events that follow. The film also has a condensed atmosphere that adds to the tension. The smaller scale helps keep the audience on edge because the threat of Ben is lurking at every corner. The visual effects and CGI are well-done, especially when it comes to the gore that is quite plentiful throughout. 

    My main issue with the film is that it is tonally inconsistent. It tries to blend some comedic elements into the horror, so what ends up happening is that the film is neither truly scary nor funny. The filmmaker’s main focus seems to be horror, but the horror is never fully achieved due to this weird mix. Sure, there are some moments, but the moments don’t add up to a complete experience. This movie, like many others in the horror genre, also suffers from some really dumb writing, as in the characters making several dumb decisions. It would be easy to overlook it if there were one or maybe two instances, but there are several throughout. Many other horror films have this problem, but that doesn’t excuse this one. 

    This is a frustrating film in some ways. It’s not that it’s not interesting or entertaining. At a brisk 89 minutes, it’s paced pretty well and never feels dull or uninteresting. It’s mainly that it’s not quite sure what it wants to be and never fully leans in one direction. It turns out that Primate doesn’t have much bite after all. 

    Rating: 2.5/5