Mark Pacis, Author at Nerd Reactor

Love and Monsters – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

Young adult films typically follow a pretty familiar formula. A young person full of self-doubt finds themselves and, in the end, find their first, true love. While Love and Monsters follow the

Another Round Review – Cheers to a Sobering Experience

Norwegian psychiatrist Finn Skårderud came up with a theory that humanity was born with a 0.05% deficit in alcohol in their blood. Thus, to find a kind of physiological balance,

Wolfwalkers Review – The Leader of the Animated Pack

It’s no secret that the filmmakers behind The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea are adept at adapting Celtic folklore for modern audiences. Their latest film, Wolfwalkers, is no different. Wolfwalkers is a movie that’s

Ip Man: Kung Fu Master Review – A Straight Kick to the Face

For the past couple of years, a brand new movie about Sifu Ip Man has come out during the holiday season. At this point, two things are a given around

Total Recall (1990) – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall encompasses what a typical Carolco film was like back in the day. It’s a big-budget film that features plenty of bloody action, cutting-edge special effects, and stars one

All My Life Review – Love is a Manipulative Tearjerker

A lot of movie watchers will go into All My Life with the mindset that they’re walking into a manipulative tearjerker expertly planned to appeal to sentimental audiences. For the

Antebellum – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

When you promote your film in the same vein as Get Out or Us, it’s only normal to have certain expectations about the film. Unfortunately, Antebellum is an unbearably slow and cluttered film

Maybe Next Year Review – On the Road to Victory

Life as a Philadelphia Eagles fan has never been easy. We’ve come close to a Super Bowl title, but the Eagles would always end up disappointing us. For the city

Kick-Ass – 4K Ultra HD Steelbook Blu-ray Review

When I originally reviewed Kick-Ass in 2017, I gave it a favorable review by calling it “ahead of its time.” Upon watching it again, my thoughts on the film have stayed the

AFI FEST 2020: Under the Open Sky (Subarashiki Sekai) Review – What a Wonderful Life

A former gangster wants to leave the life of crime is a story we’ve seen time and time again. Yet writer/director Miwa Nishikawa upends these expectations to paint a much

AFI FEST 2020: Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds Review – A Herzogian Meteor Shower

With Into the Inferno, Werner Herzog is probably the only man who would look at a volcano and think of its impact on the origins of humankind. So it’s no surprise

AFI FEST 2020: Shadow in the Cloud Review – A Nightmare on the Senses

It’s easy to describe Shadow in the Cloud is an insane film. It’s also best described as a mixture between The Twilight Zone‘s “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” and Ridley Scott’s Alien. Unfortunately, as

AFI FEST 2020: The Father Review – The Tragic Truth About Dementia

Dementia is a delicate subject matter that affects a lot of families. It just so happens that it’s also the subject matter of one of the most well-acted films of

AFI FEST 2020: Sound of Metal Review – Silence is Golden

Imagine living out your dreams, only for it to derail in a blink of an eye. It’s a concept that’s not that difficult to imagine. It’s this idea that’s the

AFI FEST 2020: Belushi Review – Everybody Needs Somebody to Love

R.J. Cutler’s Belushi approaches his subject matter with such a love for him and his wild comedic talent. Although the film doesn’t have many surprise revelations in store for you, Cutler’s

Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

Back to the Future Back to the Future is one of those pop-culture films that is so beloved by so many people that it feels like a warm blanket whenever you

The Trial of the Chicago 7 Review – A Timely History Lesson

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” This quote from George Santayana is something Aaron Sorkin took to heart as he was creating his new film, The

AFI FEST 2020: The Boy Behind the Door Review – Leave No Boy Behind

The less known about The Boy Behind the Door going in, the better it is for you. The film is an anxiety-fueled, wild spin on the home invasion genre. The Boy Behind the

The Haunting – Blu-ray Review

Unbeknownst to anyone but Hollywood executives, the 90s were full of remakes. Some were great (1991’s Cape Fear), and some were not so great (1998’s Psycho). Jan de Bont’s Haunting of Hill House remake