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Mel Valentin

Tomatometer-approved critic
Biography:

Born and raised on the East Coast, Mel attended NYU before moving West, settling in San Francisco, mostly for the weather and proximity to the ocean and state parks. Mel has written film and festival reviews dating back more than a decade, mostly for defunct or out-of-print publications. He currently writes for Cinapse, Screen Anarchy, and That Shelf.

Reviews

Movies 온라인카지노추천 Shows
The Surfer (2024) 86% “Cage [reins] in the actorly usual excesses that have often led to criticism. Cage gives [the title character] just enough layering and nuance to make his self-created predicament a sympathetic one. It's one of Cage's best performances in years.” – Cinapse May 2, 2025 Full Review Grand Theft Hamlet (2024) 93% “Grand Theft Hamlet's structure keeps its themes from being examined with any real depth, but it more than compensates through its unique virtual-only approach and its frequent moments of authentic, genuine human connection through co-op gameplay.” – That Shelf Apr 26, 2025 Full Review Death of a Unicorn (2025) 54% “Death of a Unicorn depends on the caricatured, heightened performances by the cast, especially Leoni’s self-absorbed, pseudo-philanthropist and Poulter’s perpetual screw-up, to get the film past its frequent rough spots.” – That Shelf Apr 26, 2025 Full Review Ash (2025) 72% “Flying Lotus's second feature-length film, Ash, is a one-part imagination and two-parts a derivative addition to the genre hybrid that Alien built.” – That Shelf Apr 26, 2025 Full Review Warfare (2025) 93% “Unlikely to linger in said public consciousness, Warfare unquestionably stands out as a must-see film, not just because of its supremely crafted immersive qualities but for the overwhelming sense of futility inherent in the mission. ” – That Shelf Apr 26, 2025 Full Review The Amateur (2025) 60% “The Amateur follows a standard, rote revenge plot, [but] Director James Hawes and, of course, a professional cast led by Malek, Fishburne, and Brosnahan all help to elevate [it] beyond generic streaming-level fodder.” – That Shelf Apr 26, 2025 Full Review The Ugly Stepsister (2025) 95% “The Ugly Stepsister ... the work of a bold, fearless filmmaker willing to explore the darkest, grimmest, and goriest aspects of physical beauty, what it means, how it’s for, and how it’s weaponized against women.” – ScreenAnarchy Mar 20, 2025 Full Review Opus (2025) 41% “Generously mixing splatter-filled horror and black comedy, Green fashions a timely, if ultimately overbroad, superficial satire of said cults of personalities and cults of celebrities, uncritical media consumption, and toxic parasocial relationships. ” – ScreenAnarchy Mar 4, 2025 Full Review My Dead Friend Zoe (2024) 95% “Hausmann-Stokes's [film] ...remind audiences, many of whom have already put both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars in their individual and collective rear-view mirrors, of the real human cost involved ... and the care they’re due when they return home.” – That Shelf Mar 4, 2025 Full Review Together (2025) 100% “A short-form director making his feature-film debut, Shanks ably proves himself a master of tone, mood, and atmosphere.” – ScreenAnarchy Feb 27, 2025 Full Review The Monkey (2025) 78% “Elevated by Convery and James in dual roles as Hal and Bill at different ages, plus a uniformly strong supporting cast delivering note-performances (each one, in turn, understood the assignment), The Monkey marks a significant departure for Perkins.” – Cinapse Feb 27, 2025 Full Review The Legend of Ochi (2025) 78% “Saxon brings a keen visual eye to The Legend of Ochi. Even when Saxon’s film stumbles narratively or leaves character motivation occasionally wanting, the visuals are ready to elevate The Legend of Ochi into wonder and awe territory. ” – ScreenAnarchy Feb 27, 2025 Full Review Love Hurts (2025) 19% “Ultimately, it’s a shame Ke Huy Quan’s first post-Oscar lead role in over three decades proves [to be] equal parts underwhelming and disappointing. [Love Hurts] is a misfire by any other name. ” – That Shelf Feb 17, 2025 Full Review Paddington in Peru (2024) 93% “To suggest Paddington in Peru was worth the lengthy wait might be an overstatement, especially in comparison to the artistic heights of its predecessors, but that’s less than a knock against the sequel than a reflection of reality.” – Cinapse Feb 17, 2025 Full Review Captain America: Brave New World (2025) 48% “Superhero fatigue is here and it’s real. Look no further than Disney’s much-delayed addition to the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Captain America: Brave New World, as first and final proof of that proposition. ” – Cinapse Feb 17, 2025 Full Review Wolf Man (2025) 49% “Wolf Man offers the not unexpected mix of shocks, scares, and gross-out moments, [but] ultimately underwhelms. Likewise, the surprise-free third act leans too heavily on familiar genre tropes.” – That Shelf Jan 21, 2025 Full Review Better Man (2024) 88% “Co-writer/director Michael Gracey delivers an energetic, sometimes frenetic but never dull, masterclass in pop entertainment [with Better Man]. ” – That Shelf Jan 21, 2025 Full Review Moana 2 (2024) 61% “Originally developed as a limited series for Disney+, Moana 2 segued into a proper sequel well into production. Unfortunately, the frustratingly middling results show every indication of [a series] rejigged into a sub-two-hour running time.” – That Shelf Dec 31, 2024 Full Review Nickel Boys (2024) 91% “[Nickel Boys] adds a layer of mystery that serves a purpose, going beyond narrative and expressing hard, incontrovertible truths about American history.” – That Shelf Dec 27, 2024 Full Review Babygirl (2024) 76% “Anchored by another standout performance from Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman (The Hours)... Babygirl emerges as the best kind of erotic thriller. ” – That Shelf Dec 27, 2024 Full Review Venom: The Last Dance (2024) 40% “Ultimately, the set pieces in [Venom: The Last Dance] matter far less than the central, possibly only, reason to watch any entry in the Venom series: Tom Hardy as the put-upon, losing-at-life ex-journalist and his permanent houseguest. ” – That Shelf Nov 1, 2024 Full Review Hold Your Breath (2024) 40% “As fully committed as she is, even Paulson struggles to elevate [Hold Your Breath's] thin and underdeveloped material, which would probably be better suited to an episode of a horror anthology series.” – That Shelf Oct 20, 2024 Full Review Never Let Go (2024) 57% “While Never Let Go eventually stumbles story-wise, it still proves engaging thanks to top-flight performances from [Halle] Berry, [Anthony B.] Jenkins, and [Percy] Daggs [IV]. ” – That Shelf Sep 22, 2024 Full Review It Ends With Us (2024) 54% “After more than two hours, It Ends With Us gets to [Lily's] self-actualization, but it’s difficult to shake the feeling that it could have gotten there much faster and more meaningfully.” – That Shelf Sep 2, 2024 Full Review National Anthem (2023) 91% “Even states that are openly hostile to LGBTQ+ rights can be home to thriving queer communities, like in National Anthem. To [director] Gilford’s considerable credit, [he] deliberately avoids the all-too-familiar tropes of queer coming-of-age stories.” – That Shelf Jul 20, 2024 Full Review
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