The Odyssey: Is the Hype Actually Deserved?
Christopher Nolan took on one of the greatest stories ever told. A legendary cast, breathtaking visuals, incredible sound, and an epic three-hour journey later... did The Odyssey live up to the buzz?
I also made the two-hour drive to experience it on the world's tallest IMAX screen, and let's say the theater deserves a review of its own.
Did Nolan deliver another masterpiece? Was the IMAX experience worth the road trip? And did I really have to plan a bathroom break around a 32-ounce Coke Zero strategically?
You'll have to watch to find out.
🎬 Head over to NielFlamm.com/videos/moviereviews to watch my full review of The Odyssey, along with reviews of other movies, theaters, and plenty of the internet garbage you've come to expect.
If you watch the review, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment and let me know whether you agree... or think I've completely lost it.
Can a Horror Movie Still Scare Me?
Today during dialysis, I was talking with one of the nurses, and somehow the conversation turned to horror movies. I'm not exactly sure how we got there, but that's dialysis for you. You show up to get your blood cleaned, and somehow you're discussing demonic possessions, haunted houses, and things that go bump in the night.
I mentioned that I love horror movies and suggested checking out my movie reviews. Come to think of it, most of them are horror. Apparently I spend my free time voluntarily trying to scare myself.
During our conversation, I came across the trailer for this upcoming movie:
🎬 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEpTgowZ1dI
Take a look and let me know what you think.
This actually looks like a movie that might shock me. My biggest concern? That Hollywood pulled a Hollywood and stuffed every scary scene into the trailer. If that's the case, congratulations...I've already seen the best three minutes.
I've been watching horror movies for as long as I can remember. One of the first that really stuck with me was Poltergeist (1982) with Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams. Between the creepy clown, the TV static, and all the stories about the so-called "Poltergeist curse," it left quite an impression on a younger me.
The nurse and I talked about how years of horror movies may have desensitized me. These days, it takes a lot to make me jump. Most horror movies follow a familiar formula: creepy kid, dark hallway, loud violin screech...cue the popcorn.
But now and then, one comes along that reminds you why you love the genre. I'm hoping this is one of those movies.
Here's hoping I leave the theater thinking, "Wow, that was terrifying," instead of, "The trailer was the best part."
And to whoever at the studio is reading this...I need a pre-screen! Hook a brother up! I promise I'll bring honest feedback, avoid yelling at the screen (probably), and write a review. That's a fair trade, right?
If you've watched the trailer, let me know what you think. Does this look like a future classic, or is it another victim of the "we showed you the entire movie before opening weekend" marketing strategy?
And if you're a fellow horror fan, be sure to check out my movie reviews. Misery loves company...especially when it comes to watching scary movies together.
Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.
From Bubba to The Lawyer: How Did I Miss That?
Sometimes a movie sends you down a rabbit hole you never expected.
The other day I watched Is God Is, and you can catch my full review over at NielFlamm.com/videos. I went into it not knowing much about the film, and it turned out to be one of those movies that sticks with you.
But here’s what really caught me off guard.
The actor playing The Lawyer looked familiar, but I couldn’t immediately place him. Then it hit me…
That’s Bubba from Forrest Gump!
How did I not recognize him?
Then my brain started connecting the dots.
Wait…
He was Baby-O in Con Air.
Then it hit me again.
He was Sergeant Drucker in Heat.
Now, I’ve probably watched Heat more times than I care to admit. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. And if you’ve never done it before, crank the volume during the legendary bank robbery scene. The sound design alone is worth it.
Yet somehow, after all those viewings, I never realized Mykelti Williamson was in the cast.
It’s funny how an actor can disappear so completely into different roles that you never make the connection. One day, he’s the unforgettable Bubba talking about shrimp. Another day, he’s a federal agent in Con Air. Then he’s part of Michael Mann’s masterpiece Heat. Years later, he pops up in Is God Is, and suddenly all those performances come rushing back.
He’s had a long and impressive career with plenty of other television and film roles, but for me those four performances—Forrest Gump, Con Air, Heat, and now Is God Is—are the ones I’ll remember most.
If you’ve seen Is God Is or just want to hear my thoughts on the movie, head over to https://NielFlamm.com/videos to watch the full review. While you’re there, check out the rest of my movie reviews and other internet garbage I’ve somehow convinced myself people want to watch.
Have you ever had one of those “Wait… THAT’S the same actor?” moments? I’d love to hear your favorites.
📬 What You May Have Missed This Week on NielFlamm.com (June 6-13)
Hello Friends!
Another week has come and gone, which means I somehow managed to produce another collection of blogs, movie reviews, videos, LinkedIn posts, opinions, and assorted Internet Garbage.
If life got busy, here's your weekly recap of everything that happened on NielFlamm.com between June 6 and June 13.
🎬 Movie Reviews
It was another busy week at the theater.
I reviewed Pressure, the fascinating true story about the meteorologists whose weather forecast helped make D-Day possible. It was less about the battle itself and more about the pressure of making decisions that would affect thousands of lives.
I also reviewed Scary Movie 6, where Marlon and Shawn Wayans return with exactly the type of over-the-top parody humor that made the franchise famous. If you're easily offended, it probably isn't for you. If you enjoy ridiculous comedy, you'll probably laugh the entire time.
Finally, I shared my thoughts on Eternity, a movie that explores relationships, death, and the afterlife while asking some interesting questions about love and forever.
If you're trying to decide what to watch, hopefully my reviews save you a little time and money.
🌎 NielFlamm.com Continues to Grow
One of the biggest surprises this week came from looking at my website analytics.
During the past month, more than 800 unique visitors generated over 1,000 page views, with readers coming from all over the world. The largest audiences are currently in China, Vietnam, the United States, and Germany.
When I started this hobby, I honestly thought only friends and family would stop by.
Seeing people I've never met visiting the site is both humbling and motivating, and I appreciate every single visit.
🎥 Videos, Blogs & Other Internet Garbage
There was plenty of content outside of movie reviews this week.
I shared my thoughts on celebrity sports fans and carpetbaggers, those people who somehow become lifelong fans the minute a team starts winning championships while the real fans have been suffering through decades of heartbreak.
I also posted another handicap parking adventure, featuring a driver who apparently believes parking lines are merely suggestions despite having an entire parking lot available.
I shared my appreciation for the growing international audience that continues to find NielFlamm.com, thanking readers around the world for spending time with my content and encouraging them to reach out with suggestions on how I can continue improving.
The website continues to fill up with blogs, videos, podcasts, health updates, technology discussions, humor, random observations, and whatever else happens to cross my mind during the week.
💼 Leadership, AI & Nextdoor Commentary
My ongoing commentary surrounding Nextdoor leadership and corporate communication continued throughout the week.
I discussed Nirav Tolia's comments surrounding artificial intelligence, pointing out that AI has existed in many forms for decades through predictive dialers, automation tools, instructional design software, Grammarly, and other technologies many of us have worked with throughout our careers.
I also examined Nextdoor's moderation model, asking what protections exist to prevent moderator retaliation and whether enough transparency exists when volunteer moderators are making decisions that affect neighbors and local conversations.
Another article compared Nextdoor's constantly shifting messaging to companies like Waffle House and In-N-Out Burger, organizations that have built loyal customer bases through consistency, simplicity, and delivering on a straightforward promise.
I also shared my thoughts on Nirav Tolia's appearance on the New Economies podcast, questioning whether the company is truly listening to user feedback while discussing AI, neighborhood data, and community engagement.
As both a shareholder and former user, I continue to believe transparency, consistency, and accountability are critical ingredients for long-term success.
❤️ Recovery & Life
This week I reflected on celebrating 17 years without a drink and the gratitude I have for everyone who reached out with comments, texts, messages, and encouragement.
The AA chip I picked up wasn't just for me—it serves as a reminder to newcomers that long-term recovery is possible, one day at a time.
Humor, gratitude, and community continue to be some of the greatest gifts of sobriety.
👉 Catch Up!
If you missed anything this week, stop by NielFlamm.com and catch up on the latest blogs, videos, podcasts, movie reviews, opinion pieces, and all the other Internet Garbage I've been creating.
And if you enjoy what you read or watch, please forward this email to a friend and encourage them to subscribe.
Don't gatekeep the Internet Garbage.
Thanks for reading, supporting the site, and following along on this crazy journey.
See you next week!
— Niel
NielFlamm.com Goes More Global 🌎
There’s a new update live now on NielFlamm.com.
Visitors can now actively translate the site into:
中文 (Chinese)
Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
日本語 (Japanese)
These were added to help support and welcome viewers from countries that continue to show strong interest in the content outside of the United States — currently among the highest international viewership on the site.
To use the feature:
➡️ Click the language dropdown on the right side of the website
➡️ Choose one of the three available languages
More language support and updates are coming soon.
Thank you to everyone around the world who visits, watches, reads, listens, and supports the content on NielFlamm.com. The international traffic, comments, shares, and engagement genuinely mean a lot.