Author Archives: Sam S-P

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About Sam S-P

Writer and film fanatic fond of black comedies, sci-fi, animation and films about dysfunctional families.

Review in Brief: The Brutalist (2024)

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Sam S-P

There are many films out there about obsessive artists and the ups and downs of their personal and professional careers, but few as compelling and ambitious as THE BRUTALIST. Holocaust survivor and brilliant architect László Tóth (Adrian Brody) emigrates to … Continue reading →

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Review in Brief: Megalopolis (2024)

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Sam S-P

MEGALOPOLIS was always going to be flawed, but after three decades of waiting it’s frankly exasperating just how basic and ill-conceived Francis Ford Coppola’s passion project has turned out to be. In a stale and surface-level satirical conceit, Coppola asks, … Continue reading →

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Review in Brief: Transformers One (2024)

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Sam S-P

Now that’s a Transformers movie. This is so much better than you’d expect it to be, a real treat for fans of the franchise and a pleasant surprise for many who are not. In an admittedly overused prequel conceit, mortal … Continue reading →

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Amazon to Take Full Creative Control of the James Bond Franchise

Posted on February 20, 2025 by Sam S-P

https://secondcutpod.substack.com/p/amazon-to-take-full-creative-control SSP

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Captain America: Brave New World (Review) 2025

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Sam S-P

https://secondcutpod.substack.com/p/captain-america-brave-new-world-review SSP

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Review in Brief: Conclave (2024)

Posted on February 16, 2025 by Sam S-P

A load of old men locked in a room together to decide which one of them will get to be the boss, it’s the stuff thrillers are made of right? Based on the Robert Harris bestseller, the sudden death of the … Continue reading →

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2024 Superhero Movies Ranked

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Sam S-P

https://secondcutpod.substack.com/p/2024-superhero-movies-ranked SSP

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Review in Brief: Wolf Man (2025)

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Sam S-P

While not as effective as his modern take on THE INVISIBLE MAN, Leigh Whannell’s WOLF MAN still works as a no-nonsense representation of a painful and tragic transformation. In a slightly laboured setup, Christopher Abbott’s Blake must return to his … Continue reading →

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Review in Brief: Rebel Ridge (2024)

Posted on February 3, 2025 by Sam S-P

It’s depressingly rare today to come upon a suspense film that genuinely keeps you guessing the direction it is heading in. Jeremy Saulnier’s REBEL RIDGE, a politically pointed, punchy modern Western certainly does that. Terry (Aaron Pierre) rides into a … Continue reading →

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Looking Back and Looking Forward: 2024

Posted on February 1, 2025 by Sam S-P

The year in which Hollywood tried its darnedest to recover from a year of disruption and underperformance, and the resulting 12 months ended up being a mixed success. Some studios like Disney saw some of their biggest box office hits … Continue reading →

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