The Invite: Dinner, Drinks and a Very Different Kind of Party
What happens when you take two couples, put them together for dinner, add some wine, and give them VERY different ideas about relationships?
That's basically where The Invite starts.
Joe and Angela, played by Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde, are in a comfortable relationship.
Maybe a little TOO comfortable.
Then there's Pina and Hawk, played by Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton.
They're newer, more adventurous, and definitely more willing to explore their relationship.
And Pina happens to be a sex therapist.
Yeah...
You can probably see where this is going.
Or can you?
I actually really enjoyed the chemistry between Rogen and Wilde. Their banter feels natural, and Olivia Wilde—who also directed the movie—knows when to let Seth be Seth and when to take control of a scene.
Then you have Cruz and Norton bringing an entirely different energy to the table.
Literally.
Because once these four people get together...
Dinner gets interesting.
I had a pretty good idea where the movie was going.
But there were enough twists, uncomfortable moments, and relationship questions to keep me watching.
And that's what I get into in my full review.
Is The Invite worth watching?
Is it funny?
Is it uncomfortable?
And what happens when one couple's idea of a healthy relationship is VERY different from another couple's?
I'm not giving all of that away here.
You'll have to watch the video.
🎬 Watch my full The Invite review:
NielFlamm.com/videos/moviereviews
And trust me...
This is one dinner party where “Just bring a bottle of wine” probably won’t cut it.
The Feeding (2020): A Family Secret That Needs to Be Fed
There’s something I love about a good short horror story. The buildup starts right away, every minute counts, and the ending lands exactly where it should. The Feeding doesn’t disappoint.
Set during a pandemic, this roughly 15-minute short introduces a disturbing problem: raw meat is becoming difficult to come by, and a woman has a family secret that needs to be fed. That premise alone is enough to pull you in. What is she hiding—and what happens when feeding it becomes impossible?
I don’t want to give too much away. Part of the pleasure of a short like this is letting the story unfold without knowing where it’s headed. But if you enjoy horror that builds quickly and delivers a satisfying ending, this is well worth your time.
One recommendation: if you can watch YouTube on a big screen with big sound, do it. Turn down the lights and give this little nightmare your full attention.
Resident Evil (2026): Bryan, Get a Clue!
I went into Resident Evil (2026) knowing almost nothing.
I had seen a few creepy trailers—including those arms coming out of the house and grabbing the door frame—and that was enough to get me into the theater.
Then my friend asked:
“Is this a remake of the movies based on the video game?”
My highly researched answer?
“I don't know.”
Afterward, I asked THE GOOGLE and learned this isn't simply a remake of the Milla Jovovich movies. There are familiar elements, including Raccoon City and the Umbrella Corporation, but this movie does its own thing.
And then there's BRYAN.
He's a medical courier. He's our hero. He's funny.
He also makes some decisions that had me wanting to yell:
“BRYAN! GET A CLUE!”
Throw in a snowstorm, a desolate city, a wandering woman, some seriously gross horror, and the consequences of people creating something they probably shouldn't have created...
And I had a pretty good time.
Did I need to know all the Resident Evil games and movies to enjoy it?
Nope.
I needed Bryan to make more thoughtful decisions.
🎬 Watch my full Resident Evil (2026) review:
Some Kind of Heaven: I Came for The Villages, I Got The Real World
The Villages comes up surprisingly often during our twice-weekly fraternity Zooms.
Golf carts. Senior spring break. The gates. Fictional local history. And, of course...
THE LOOFAHS.
So when the algorithm suggested the 2020 documentary Some Heaven, I figured I'd finally learn what the hell is actually going on inside this massive Florida retirement community.
I didn't.
Instead, I basically got MTV's The Real World with golf carts.
The documentary follows several people dealing with relationships, loneliness, addiction, money, loss, and finding meaning later in life. The Villages is there, but it's more of a backdrop than the main character.
That's not necessarily bad—it just wasn't the documentary I expected.
So, is Some Kind of Heaven worth 81 minutes of your time?
And more importantly...
WHAT ABOUT THE LOOFAHS?
🎬 Watch my full review at NielFlamm.com/videos/moviereviews
The Last House: Now I Understand Why It’s on Netflix
I was so tired Wednesday night that I couldn't sleep.
Apparently, the solution was The Last House.
A family near Seattle gets trapped inside during a storm because the rain contains some mysterious goo. At first, I was hooked. Rain, thunderstorms, and sci-fi weirdness—I actually thought it was a shame this wasn't playing on a giant theater screen with booming sound.
Then I reached the halfway point.
Oh. Now I understand why it's on Netflix.
Imagine The Martian, Waterworld, Pirates of the Caribbean, MacGyver, and Predator getting thrown into a blender. Once the movie starts explaining what's happening, things get... complicated.
Is The Last House worth streaming?
Maybe if it's raining and you're trapped inside too.
🎬 Watch my full movie review at NielFlamm.com/videos/moviereviews