RealMelValentin
Mel Valentin
Featured Critic
Mel Valentin has been writing about his first and possibly his last love, film, for more than a decade. Born somewhere on the East Coast in the last century, Mel moved to the San Francisco Bay Area two decades ago. Mel spends his days looking forward to when we can all return to movie theaters and film festivals in person.Articles by Mel Valentin:
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April 13, 2025
The Amateur Review: Rami Malek and Cast Elevate Routine Revenge TaleEasy come, easy go: Rami Malek gets his best role since Bohemian Rhapsody in The Amateur and elevates a rote, if slick, spy flick.
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April 12, 2025
Warfare Review: Futility in War, Professionalism in ActionIn Warfare, heroism, bravery, and the futility of the Iraq War are encapsulated in one film.
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March 30, 2025
Ash Review: Sci-Fi-Horror Sticks to Familiar TerrainFlying Lotus’s sci-fi horror film Ash treads in familiar territory and clichés that fans of the genres have come to expect.
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March 29, 2025
Death of a Unicorn Review: Eat the Rich Satire Has No Meat on Its BonesPaul Rudd, Jenny Ortega, and Richard E. Grant star in Death of a Unicorn a story of wealth, privilege, and one angry beast.
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March 1, 2025
My Dead Friend Zoe Review: Friends Can Be a Drag, Especially Imaginary OnesMy Dead Friend Zoe is a ghostly post-combat drama elevated by a talented, note-perfect cast.
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February 21, 2025
Grand Theft Hamlet Review: The Virtual Life Is Well Worth LivingGrand Theft Hamlet chronicles the idea of on William Shakespeare’s Elizabethan play, Hamlet, inside the virtual world of Grand Theft Auto.
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February 7, 2025
Love Hurts Review: Ke Huy Quan Gets the Lead Role He’s Always Deserved but It DisappointsLove Hurts underuses and disappoints Ke Huy Quan (and his goodwill-generating performance) in his first lead role.
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January 17, 2025
Wolf Man Review: The Reboot Starts Promisingly, Ends With a WhimperLeigh Whannell’s latest addition to the Universal Monsters universe, Wolf Man, starts strong, but ends with a whimper.
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December 26, 2024
Better Man Review: Simian Simulacrum Replaces Robbie Williams in Refreshingly Unconventional BiopicBetter Man replaces pop star Robbie Williams with a simian simulacrum in this refreshingly unconventional biopic.
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December 23, 2024
Babygirl Review: Nicole Kidman and a Committed Cast Rejuvenate the Erotic ThrillerNicole Kidman and Halina Reijn offer an invigorating and provocative drama about a CEO who risks all for an affair in Babygirl.
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December 14, 2024
Nickel Boys ReviewRaMell Ross’s adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel Nickel Boys stuns, impresses, and amazes in equal measure.
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November 28, 2024
Moana 2 Review: Disney’s Sequel Underwhelms and DisappointsMoana 2’s predictably stellar animation can’t save it from an underwhelming storyline or underdeveloped characters.
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October 27, 2024
Venom: The Last Dance Review: Once More, But With Less FeelingTom Hardy returns as one-man buddy duo in Venom: The Last Dance, the latest entry in the shockingly successful branch of the MCU.
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