Sam Kench
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Big Hops is Big Fun
“Big Hops” is a 3D platformer that was crowdfunded via Kickstarter in May of 2025 where it surpassed its initial goal by a decent amount but without hitting all of its stretch goals. The game subsequently released in January of 2026, in a stable state no less that was largely free from glitches and jank… Read more
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The 2017 Brickwall Film Awards
The Oscars get it wrong pretty often. In fact, they rarely get it right. To set the record straight (and really just for a bit of fun), I’m looking back at past years and re-picking the nominees and winners for the major Oscars categories and a couple of new categories of my own. This time… Read more
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Slay the Spire II early access Impressions
“Slay the Spire II” in early access is far from being the biggest or flashiest title of 2026, but it was one of my most eagerly anticipated games of the year. I wouldn’t necessarily call the original “Slay the Spire” one of favorite games, but it is almost certainly the game that I have put… Read more
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The Films of 2025, Ranked
It’s that time of year: It’s time to look back at and rank every 2025 film that I saw. Instead of doing a top 10 or bottom 10 or anything like that, I’m ranking absolutely everything. And this year, I saw a whole bunch. I’ll say up front that I don’t bother with movies that… Read more
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No Other Choice Finds Park Chan-wook at the Top of his Game
“No Other Choice” is South Korea’s submission to the best international feature film category at the 2026 Academy Awards, and I’ll tell you right now, it’s a lock for one of the five nomination spots. If you want my predictions, I’ll call it now that the real International Oscar category is a race between “The… Read more
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Ball x Pit brings the juice – review
“Ball x Pit” is a 2025 release published by Devolver Digital and developed by Kenny Sun, who spent the prior decade making mobile games. That background in the mobile space can be seen and felt in “Ball x Pit,” but it luckily comes without the shallow gameplay and sleazy monetization practices that are so often… Read more
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2025’s best fight scene could be hiding in this romcom – Splitsville review
2025’s “Splitsville” is a romantic comedy that takes aim at infidelity, polyamory, divorce and the intersection of the three in modern romantic relationships. The tangled-up quadruple at the broken-heart of the film is played by Kyle Marvin, Michael Angelo Covino, Dakota Johnson, and Adria Arjona. All four served as producers on the film, and you… Read more
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The Secret Agent is a triumph for brazil in more ways than one
If you had told me that “City of God” or “Elite Squad: The Enemy Within” took home Oscars for Brazil, I would have believed you. However, it wasn’t until last year’s “I’m Still Here” that Brazil won its first Academy award. But now, the country has a shot at taking down the best international feature… Read more
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Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010) Stylish Horror from Panos Cosmatos – Review
My old review of the debut feature film of “Mandy” director Panos Cosmatos: “Beyond the Black Rainbow.” This is a stylish sci-fi, horror film with a retro-futuristic setting. 6.5/10 Read more
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Late Shift (2025) Review
“Late Shift,” written and directed by Petra Biondina Volpe, is a Swiss and German production that centers around an ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals. The film has a singular message and dramatizes it exceptionally well with a story that tracks a single shift in an understaffed hospital from beginning to end. The nurse that we… Read more
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