RealMelValentin
Mel Valentin
Senior 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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October 6, 2025
The Baltimorons Review: Jay Duplass Delivers a Middling Dramedy About Another Lost Man-ChildMumblecore pioneer Jay Duplass returns with The Baltimorons, a middling comedy-drama about another lost man-child.
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September 20, 2025
Him Review: Not Even A Super-Charged Marlon Wayans Can Save This Sports-Horror DudThe Jordan Peele-produced sports-horror mashup, Him, flails, flounders, and ultimately fumbles its way into disappointment.
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June 29, 2025
Stick Review: Sports Comedy Coasts on Owen Wilson’s CharmsOwen Wilson’s charm aids Stick, a familiar series about a down and out golfer looking for a comeback with a young protégé.
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May 20, 2025
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Review: Tom Cruise Saves Cinema and the World (Again)Tom Cruise’s super-spy, Ethan Hunt, risks life and limb to save the world from multiple rogue threats for a final time.
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May 17, 2025
Final Destination: Bloodlines Review: The Sixth Time Definitely Isn’t the CharmBloodlines feels less like the first in a new, revived series than the last gasp of a once relevant franchise that should have ended more than a decade ago.
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April 25, 2025
The Accountant 2 Review: Second Entry Drops the Financial Thrills, Ups the ActionBen Affleck returns in an action-packed sequel full of reality-bending escapism.
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April 22, 2025
Andor Season 2 Review: Disney’s Best Star Wars Series Only Gets BetterThe second (and final) season of the Star Wars series improves on an already excellent first outing through strong storytelling and exceptional performances.
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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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