The Reel Report: Everything I Watched Last Week Ranked
As it turns out, working 40 hours per week allows for a lot of free time in the evening. So naturally, I decided to use my time watching movies. Here’s every movie I watched last week, 7/21-7/27, ranked.
8. Eddington (2025)
Rating: F
“Eddington” is director Ari Aster’s newest movie and it’s a lot. It’s set in the horrible world that was late May of 2020 and it does all the wrong things. Admittedly, it is funny at times, at least until I remembered that we‘re still dealing with so much fallout from that year and the years following. In what could’ve been an entertaining mayoral race plot in “Eddington,” Aster takes it down his typical path of going as nuts as possible, but he forgets the messaging he sets up during the first half of the movie. If you want my advice, feel free to skip this one.
7. Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
Rating: C-
The newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) had a lot of people ready to get back to theaters. Of course this did happen as the movie grossed $118 million domestically during its opening weekend, but it just wasn’t there for me. There was good VFX, a strong family dynamic between the main characters, but that was about it. The movie was a short 1 hour and 58 minutes, and you could tell. There was what felt like an extra 30 minutes missing from this movie and it clearly hurt. There wasn’t any character development, the plot was rushed, and it left me feeling like there was a lot more to unpack.
6. Copycat (1995)
Rating: C+
Have you ever watched “Silence of the Lambs” and thought, “Wow, I wished they toned it down and didn’t make it as good?” Because if you have, boy do I have the movie for you. “Copycat” really isn’t a bad movie. It’s got the typical cop movie cliches that never get old, like someone coming out of retirement, and some traumatic event happening to a core member of the police force. Overall it’s an entertaining movie to watch if you’re bored while scrolling through Netflix, but maybe go for something a little better, like the next movie on this list.
5. L.A. Confidential (1997)
Rating: B-
Alright, I know the rating isn’t a huge upgrade, but trust me, “L.A. Confidential” is a better movie. A cop movie set in 1950s Hollywood couldn’t get any better. It’s got twists and turns, unexpected character team ups, and a great cast including Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey. I will say, I watched this movie in two sittings, so maybe my rating is low, but I felt that I dragged a bit at times. It comes in at 2 hours and 18 minutes and sometimes I really felt it. Maybe I was just tired, but I think there were some scenes that did not need to be in there.
4. The Mule (2018)
Rating: B-
Clint Eastwood is without a doubt a giant in cinema. With a career spanning nearly 70 years, it’s undeniable to say that Eastwood has made his mark. “The Mule” is another one that will follow a pretty formulaic pattern when it comes to storytelling. Eastwood plays a grandpa trying to reconnect with his family while also being the cartel’s number one drug mule. Opposite him is Bradley Cooper playing a DEA agent trying to figure out who this special drug mule is. I’m assuming you can figure out how the story ends. The grandpa reconnects, but the agent secures his arrest. It’s a nicer story than a lot that is being told, but it just plays a very familiar tune.
3. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
Rating: B
A genre defying movie, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” is exactly what you think it is. Three unexpected people team up to find $200,000 worth of gold, which was a lot during the Civil War time period, and then they fight over it. Clint Eastwood’s most iconic character finished out his trilogy with no name, and I respect that. All he has to do is show up and the townspeople, the villains, and the viewer know who he is and what he represents. This movie is unfortunately 3 hours long and I think that there was too long of an intro. It took a while for the characters to find out there was gold to be found, but once they did it really kicked off. It had great music throughout and it is mostly very entertaining, so give it a watch in its last few days on Amazon Prime.
2. Superman (2025)
Rating: A-
James Gunn is back making superhero movies and this might be his best one. “Superman” captures the unique character and qualities of its titular hero and it’s a great time all around. Admittedly, this was my third time watching this movie, but it was still great. It came with solid performances from its cast, but Nicholas Holt outshone his costars with his role as Lex Luthor. In this movie, Superman fights for truth and justice and he won’t let anyone get in his way. It’s got all the corny things that should be in a superhero movie like saving innocents, and a romantic relationship where the chemistry for the characters is off the charts. If you haven’t seen this one yet, I’d highly recommend seeing it before it leaves theaters.
1. Django Unchained
Rating: A+
Quentin Tarantino might be an odd ball, but his movies are almost second to none. “Django Unchained” is just another example of that. Although it does follow a fairly simple plot, one of revenge and freedom, but it is lifted up by everything that makes Tarantino a great director. The camera work is excellent, the music is great, and Tarantino just has a way of getting phenomenal performances out of his actors. From Jamie Foxx to Samuel L. Jackson, everyone in this movie delivers. Honestly it’s hard to find flaws in this because of how well everything works together. It goes from one montage to a long scene of some characters chatting, right back to another montage and nothing feels out of place.
Overall, I’d say it was a pretty good week of movie watching, and I hope you’ll take some of my recommendations home with you. See you at the movies!
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