Hi everyone and welcome to "Movie Files." Elliott here to Review New Movies & TV shows, Host Live Streams & much more! Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 and member of the St. Louis Film Critics Association and love watching and discussing the latest movies and great television shows on a daily basis. I'm here to provide you with my insightful thoughts and opinions but I also want to know what you think as well as I'm wanting to create a positive and fun community. Please follow and join me on this journey!
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'The Social Reckoning' Review | Good… But It Should’ve Been Great
Friday, October 9, 2026 • Duration 15:03
In this episode of the Movie Files Podcast, I’m reviewing The Social Reckoning (2026), the new biographical legal thriller written and directed by Aaron Sorkin and starring Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Bill Burr, Wunmi Mosaku, Betty Gilpin, and Billy Magnussen.
There’s a lot I like about this movie. The subject matter surrounding Facebook, Meta, algorithms, misinformation, online radicalization, whistleblowers, and the power these massive companies have over the information people see is incredibly relevant. Aaron Sorkin’s writing is still sharp, fast, clever, and full of that signature dialogue where everybody feels like the smartest person in the room.
Jeremy Allen White understands that rhythm perfectly and gives one of the strongest performances in the movie. Mikey Madison took a little longer to win me over, but by the end I thought she was really strong, and Bill Burr ended up being one of the biggest surprises.
But the biggest issue for me is the direction.
For a story dealing with material this dark, dangerous, and timely, The Social Reckoning often feels too safe. The filmmaking doesn’t always match the weight of what Sorkin is writing, and watching this movie honestly made me appreciate David Fincher’s work on The Social Network even more.
I also get into why Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg didn’t completely work for me, some of the scenes that really fell flat, and why this feels like a good political thriller that had all the ingredients to be something much better.
Let me know what you thought of The Social Reckoning. Did Jeremy Strong work for you as Zuckerberg? Did you feel David Fincher’s absence? And where does this rank among Aaron Sorkin’s movies?
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Movies, Film Reviews, The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin, Jeremy Allen White, Mikey Madison, Jeremy Strong, The Social Network, David Fincher, Facebook, Meta, Movie Files Podcast
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'BELOW' Netflix Review: Josh Hartnett’s Mystery Had Me Hooked… Until It Didn’t
Thursday, October 8, 2026 • Duration 23:00
Netflix’s BELOW had me hooked early on.
Josh Hartnett. A remote Newfoundland fishing community. Something massive hiding beneath the water. An ancient iceberg. Local folklore. Strange behavior spreading through the town. And a creature mystery that initially gave me some serious JAWS meets coastal folk-horror vibes.
But after watching all six episodes, I found myself in a very different place by the finale.
In this episode of the Movie Files Podcast, I’m reviewing and breaking down Netflix’s BELOW, starring Josh Hartnett, Mackenzie Davis and Charlie Heaton. We start spoiler-free with the performances, Newfoundland setting, creature-feature atmosphere, Penney family drama, mythology and whether the series is worth watching.
Then we get into FULL SPOILERS and discuss Species A, the iceberg, the contamination, Wade, the Old Hag mystery, Maggie, Little Pot Rock, Mudder, the Crocker conspiracy, the resettlement storyline and what ultimately happens in the finale.
The biggest question for me became simple:
What happens when the mystery is more interesting than the answers?
Because BELOW starts with an eerie, restrained approach that really worked for me, but the more the series explained its mythology, the less invested I became. We’ll talk about where that shift happens, why some of the family drama never fully landed for me, what I did like about the ending, and whether the six-episode series ultimately delivers on its potential.
BELOW is now streaming on Netflix.
What did you think of the series? Did the creature mythology and finale work for you, or were you more interested in the mystery before everything was explained?
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'CARRIE' (2026) Ending Explained | Full Season Breakdown & Big Questions Answered
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 • Duration 48:47
Mike Flanagan’s CARRIE (2026) is finally streaming on Prime Video, and we’re breaking down all eight episodes in this full spoiler discussion, series breakdown and ending explained.
We get into everything that happened at prom, Tommy’s fate, Chris and Billy, Emma “taking the wheel,” the meaning behind “I Exist,” Carrie and Margaret’s final confrontation, the truth about Emmaline West, Margaret’s powers, the TK gene, the mysterious interviewer, the gifted women, Sue’s memories and Carrie’s surprising final moments.
We also discuss what “My World?” means, whether Emma can actually be trusted, how this ending completely changes Carrie White’s traditional story, the biggest unanswered questions heading out of the season, and what Mike Flanagan could potentially explore next.
Plus, I take a step back and look at the season as a whole: why Flanagan wanted to reinvent Stephen King’s Carrie, what worked and didn’t work for me, why Episode 7 became the turning point, and whether this story ultimately justified being told across eight episodes.
FULL SPOILERS for all eight episodes of CARRIE (2026).
Do you trust Emma? Do you think she’s Amanda’s daughter? What do you think the mysterious organization wants with Carrie? And did the ending make you want another season?
Let me know your thoughts and make sure you follow the Movie Files Podcast for more movie reviews, TV breakdowns, ending explained episodes and spoiler discussions.
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'LANTERNS' Episode 8 | Hal Jordan’s Killer Revealed & John Stewart Becomes Green Lantern
Monday, October 5, 2026 • Duration 38:31
The LANTERNS Season 1 finale finally answers the mystery that started everything: Who killed Hal Jordan?
In this full spoiler breakdown of LANTERNS Episode 8, “Dirt and Stars,” Elliott dives into the shocking truth behind Hal Jordan’s death, Noah’s Manhunter reveal, Sinestro’s role in the finale, the fear-forged lantern, and the moment John Stewart finally chooses to become Green Lantern on his own terms.
We break down:
• Kerry Kane being revealed as Hal Jordan’s killer• Why fear not hatred ultimately led to Hal’s death• The truth about Noah and his Manhunter programming• Why Noah freed Sinestro• Sinestro’s philosophy that fear can become power• The new lantern forged from a world consumed by fear• John Stewart and Noah’s conversation about programming vs. choice• Why John refuses to kill Noah• John’s decision to let Kerry walk away• Guy Gardner confronting John about the Guardians• John becoming an independent Green Lantern• Hal-O-Gram’s emotional final goodbye• “Don’t be afraid to be afraid” and what it means for the season• John Stewart creating his own Green Lantern oath• What the finale could be setting up for Season 2
The season began with one question:
“Are you afraid?”
And the finale gives John Stewart his answer.
He doesn’t deny fear like Hal once tried to. He doesn’t weaponize it like Sinestro. John accepts it and chooses what comes next anyway.
That choice finally completes John Stewart’s journey from someone raised to become Green Lantern…to someone who decides for himself that he wants the ring.
Plus, we look back at LANTERNS Season 1 as a whole, the relationship between John and Hal, the season’s themes of fear, parenting, programming and identity, and where characters like Noah, Sinestro, Guy Gardner, Kerry Kane and the Guardians could go next.
SPOILERS throughout.
What did you think of the finale? Was John right to spare Noah? Should Kerry have faced consequences for Hal’s death? And what should Season 2 do with Sinestro and the Guardians?
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'CARRIE' (2026) Review | A Frustrating Start… But a Strong Finish
Thursday, October 1, 2026 • Duration 25:12
Mike Flanagan has taken on Stephen King’s Carrie and turned it into an eight-episode Prime Video series but did this story really need that much time?
In this spoiler-free review, I’m breaking down all eight episodes of Carrie (2026), including Summer H. Howell’s performance as Carrie White, Samantha Sloyan’s Margaret White, the modern high-school setting, the YA tone, social-media commentary, expanded mythology, horror, and some of the biggest changes Flanagan makes to the story.
And if you’ve been following my coverage, you know this one was a journey. There were stretches where the series really wasn’t working for me, but the final episodes changed the way I looked at a lot of what came before.
So does Carrie justify eight episodes? Does the modern update work? And is this reinvention different enough to make another version of Stephen King’s classic worth watching?
This review is completely spoiler-free.
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Hal Jordan’s past changes everything in LANTERNS Season 1 Episode 7, “The Jordan Boys’ Legacy.” Elliott breaks down the emotional truth behind Hal’s fearlessness, John Stewart’s journey, the meaning of the baseball, the mystery surrounding Hal’s death, and the shocking return of Sinestro.
This week, John teams up with the Hal-O-Gram to follow a secret trail left behind by the older Hal Jordan one that takes them off-world and forces both men to confront the childhood experiences that shaped them.
We discuss:
• The real meaning of the Jordan Boys’ Legacy• Why Hal says he wasn’t fearless because he was brave but because he was broken• The baseball metaphor and why Hal could never truly let go• John Stewart confronting the fear he was taught to suppress• Why John finally calling him “Hal” matters• Kerry’s knowledge of Martin Jordan’s death• The possibility that Hal’s death may not have been murder• Noah’s still-unresolved mystery• Hal’s hidden vault and Einstein-Rosen bridge• What happened to Antaan’s homeworld• Why older Hal had secretly been traveling there• Sinestro’s return and what it could mean for the finale• The growing connection between fear, yellow, and Green Lantern mythology
The episode’s biggest question may no longer simply be “Who killed Hal Jordan?”
It may be:
What if nobody did?
And with Sinestro now standing at the center of the mystery, the Season 1 finale suddenly has a lot more to answer.
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'HEART OF THE BEAST' Review: Brad Pitt Is Great, But the Dog Steals the Movie
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 13:23
Brad Pitt leads David Ayer’s Heart of the Beast, but the biggest surprise might be his four-legged co-star. In this spoiler-free review, I break down Pitt’s subtle performance, why this feels like a return to form for David Ayer, the film’s emotional survival story, and why Uber as Odin delivers one of the best dog performances I’ve seen in a movie.
As a dog owner myself, the bond between James and Odin hit me harder than I expected, and there were several moments that genuinely got me emotional. Is Heart of the Beast one of 2026’s most heartfelt surprises?
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What’s the greatest dog performance you’ve ever seen in a movie?
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'LANTERNS' Episode 6: Hal Jordan’s Death, Guy Gardner & the Missing Ring
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 • Duration 39:48
Hal Jordan is dead and John Stewart may have been one of the last people to see him alive. In LANTERNS Episode 6, “Bad Optics,” Elliott breaks down Hal’s murder, the ten-year fallout from Rushville, John’s return to the Green Lantern ring, Guy Gardner, Carol Ferris, Sinestro’s escape, and the suspects now surrounding the case.
After years apart, John and Hal finally reunite in Rushville only for Hal to turn up dead just hours later with a point-blank gunshot wound and a freshly broken nose caused by John himself.
This week, we dive into why Hal returned to Rushville, his relationship with Kerry, the meaning behind his nearly empty funeral, and how John’s life as an architect shows that he may have left Green Lantern behind without ever truly escaping what happened in 2016.
We also break down Guy Gardner’s arrival, why he never inherited Hal’s original ring, the major Sinestro reveal, Maggie’s connection to the destruction of Rushville, Noah’s unresolved mystery, Carol Ferris’ introduction, Hal’s locked vault, and why the return of the Hal-O-Gram could finally crack the murder case open.
And then there’s the biggest question:
Why didn’t Hal Jordan fight back?
Was the killer someone Hal trusted? Someone he loved? Someone he felt he owed? Or is the truth even stranger than it appears?
Topics include:
Hal Jordan’s murder • John Stewart in 2026 • Guy Gardner • Hal’s Green Lantern ring • Sinestro’s escape • Carol Ferris • Kerry Kane • Billy Macon • Maggie • Noah • Hal’s vault • the Hal-O-Gram • DCU connections • Batman reference • Metropolis • the missing ten years • Episode 7 theories
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‘RESIDENT EVIL’ Review Is So Close to Being Great
Thursday, September 17, 2026 • Duration 16:27
In this episode of the Movie Files Podcast, Elliott reviews RESIDENT EVIL (2026), the new survival-horror adaptation from Barbarian and Weapons director Zach Cregger, starring Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser.
For the first 30–40 minutes, Resident Evil had Elliott convinced he might be watching one of his favorite horror movies of the year. The tension is incredible, the atmosphere is suffocating, the scares actually land, and Austin Abrams delivers a fantastic performance as Bryan a character who essentially feels like the PLAYER dropped directly into a Resident Evil game.
I break down why Zach Cregger is so effective at building suspense, how the film captures the feeling of actually playing survival horror, the impressive creature designs, body horror, gore, and why Abrams continues to be one of the most exciting young actors to watch.
But as Resident Evil gets bigger, crazier, campier, and more comedic, does it lose some of the fear and anxiety that made that opening stretch so effective? Elliott discusses the difficult balance between horror and comedy, why some of the humor worked while other moments took him out of the experience, and why the ending ultimately left him wanting more.
So is this the best Resident Evil movie adaptation yet? Does Zach Cregger finally capture what makes the games so terrifying? And why did a movie I really enjoyed still leave him wishing he had loved it?
Find out in this spoiler-free review.
Topics: Resident Evil review, Resident Evil 2026, Zach Cregger, Austin Abrams, Resident Evil movie, survival horror, horror movies 2026, video game adaptations, Resident Evil games, body horror, creature design, horror comedy, Movie Files Podcast.
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'LANTERNS' Episode 5 Breakdown | Why John Stewart Walked Away From the Ring
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 • Duration 39:56
John Stewart finally gets the Green Lantern ring in LANTERNS Episode 5, “Lights Out” and then chooses to walk away from the destiny he’s spent his entire life chasing.
Elliott breaks down Zoe’s final plan, the truth about Abin Sur, Rushville’s destruction, Hal and John’s brutal fallout, and why John rejecting the ring may actually prove he’s finally worthy of it.
Plus, what did Zoe really teach Noah, where does Hal’s ring go next, and what happened during the missing ten years before Hal Jordan’s death in 2026?
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