A Reel Pain

When Tris says “I’m Divergent,” Ella Pursell remembers exactly how it felt to hear that line as a kid. Her brother Matthew can barely get through it with a straight face. This week on A Reel Pain, Ella joins Matthew and their Millennial co-host John Choate for John’s first watch of a Gen Z favorite. By the end, it’s pretty clear which sibling earned the nickname “the Divergent dictionary.”Ella takes us back to the moment “Run Boy Run” kicks in and joining Dauntless suddenly looks like a great idea. John gets caught up in the zip line ride over Chicago, Matthew makes a case for the red flares during capture the flag, and Ella has one complaint about Tris and Four after all that chemistry. Then the final ratings reveal something that’s never happened on the show.Where did you land when Tris said “I’m Divergent”? Tell us in the comments, and subscribe for next week when John introduces Matthew to Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond in GoldenEye.

"GET TO THE CHOPPA!" This week on A Reel Pain, John brings one of the most iconic action movies of the 1980s to the table: Predator (1987), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. But there's a catch. Matthew is watching this Millennial favorite for the very first time, and he's already seen Prey. Can the original live up to the reputation, or is nostalgia doing some of the heavy lifting?John and Matthew break down everything from the legendary one-liners and over-the-top masculinity to the incredible practical effects, unforgettable creature design, and surprisingly clever shift from action movie to survival thriller. While John defends a movie that helped define his childhood, Matthew questions some of its dated humor, underdeveloped characters, and whether newer entries in the franchise have actually improved on the original formula.Plus, Tabi brings some wild behind-the-scenes facts, the guys debate whether Predator is basically Home Alone in the jungle, and Matthew's dad gets an unexpected phone call to settle the generational debate. With John giving it an 8.75 and Matthew landing at a 7, there's plenty to argue about. Is Predator still the king of the franchise, or has Gen Z found something better?Drop your rating in the comments, subscribe for more Millennial vs. Gen Z movie debates, and let us know which classic we should tackle next!

A haunted house, some surprisingly adult jokes, and one basement scene that divides the room. This Halloween, A Reel Pain revisits Monster House (2006), a Gen Z childhood favorite that Millennial host John Choate is watching for the first time. Matthew Pursell remembers finally getting to see the movie his mom thought was too scary—but how does it land with a dad watching alongside his own kid?John, Matthew, and Tabi dig into Chowder’s best lines, the creepy animation, and the surprisingly cinematic moments hiding inside this Halloween adventure. From a stacked voice cast to the debate over how dark a kids’ movie should get, there’s plenty to unpack—including whether Monster House deserves a live-action remake.Did Monster House scare you as a kid, or was it the perfect introduction to horror? Let us know in the comments, subscribe for more Millennial vs. Gen Z movie discussions, and join us next week as John introduces Matthew to Predator!

In space, no one can hear you argue about movies.This week on A Reel Pain, John brings Matthew aboard the Event Horizon (1997), the cult-classic sci-fi horror film starring Sam Neill and Laurence Fishburne. What starts as a rescue mission quickly turns into a nightmare, and the real question is whether this terrifying piece of '90s cinema still holds up nearly 30 years later.John revisits a movie that absolutely horrified him as a teenager, while Matthew experiences its disturbing imagery, incredible practical effects, and questionable '90s decisions through a Gen Z lens. The guys break down the incredible spaceship sets, unforgettable performances, terrifying imagery, unintentionally hilarious sound effects, and the legendary lost footage that might have made this movie even more disturbing. Plus, is the director's cut the greatest horror movie we'll never get to see?Does Event Horizon deserve its cult-classic status, or should this ship have stayed lost in space? Find out as John and Matthew reveal their final ratings!#EventHorizon #MovieReview #AReelPain #MillennialVsGenZ #SciFiHorror #HorrorMovies

Matthew’s pick sends A Reel Pain back to 1999 with Y2K (2024), where the computers turn deadly and Fred Durst might be humanity’s best hope. Matthew thinks this horror comedy is a future cult classic, but he might have accidentally picked the perfect movie for John. Between the dial-up nostalgia, ridiculous robot kills, and Kyle Mooney’s sense of humor, this Millennial has a lot to love.John and Matthew break down their favorite scenes, debate whether one awkward rap scene is cringe or comedy gold, and explain why this movie needed even more mayhem. Plus, Matthew’s Fred Durst obsession gets its moment, John revisits the real Y2K panic, and the final ratings reveal who loved the movie more. Is this a future cult classic hiding in plain sight?Subscribe for more movie reviews from a Millennial and Gen Z perspective, and tell us: does Y2K deserve a bigger following?#AReelPain #Y2KMovie #MovieReview #KyleMooney #FredDurst #MillennialVsGenZ

John heads back to 1994 for his Millennial pick with Street Fighter, the video game adaptation starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile and Raul Julia as M. Bison. John remembers this one being a childhood banger, but revisiting it decades later raises a much tougher question: was Street Fighter ever actually good, or was nostalgia doing most of the work?Matthew gets his first-ever Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, while John slowly realizes he may have chosen one of the worst possible introductions. The crew breaks down the movie’s bizarre tone, overloaded cast of characters, underwhelming fight scenes, questionable performances, Blanka getting absolutely done dirty, and the one thing they can all agree on: Raul Julia understood exactly what kind of movie he was in and gave M. Bison everything he had.Can the ridiculous one-liners, Bison Dollars, nostalgia, and sheer fun of talking about this movie save Street Fighter from a knockout? John, Matthew, and Tabi put the 1994 cult oddity through the A Reel Pain test and find out whether this Millennial favorite still deserves a place on the character select screen.

Matthew thinks Fantastic Mr. Fox is nearly flawless. John likes it—but getting this Millennial to call it a masterpiece might take more than great animation and a bottle of hard cider. This week on A Reel Pain, Matthew brings one of his favorite movies to the table as John watches Wes Anderson’s stop-motion adventure for the first time.From George Clooney’s effortlessly charming voice work to the dry humor, autumn colors, and surprisingly emotional father-son moments, we break down what makes this movie special. Along the way, John finds himself sympathizing with the farmers, Matthew makes the case that animation is for everyone, and Tabi brings behind-the-scenes facts that could move the scores. But does appreciating every detail mean you have to love a movie just as much?Is Fantastic Mr. Fox a near-perfect fall favorite, or can you understand the hype without sharing it? Let us know your rating in the comments, and subscribe for more Millennial vs. Gen Z movie debates!

John takes Matthew back to 1994 with Little Giants, the Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neill football comedy packed with underdogs, ridiculous trash talk, go-karts, fart jokes, and of course, John Madden.John’s nostalgia is working overtime as he argues that Little Giants still holds up as one of the best kids movies of his generation, while Matthew has to decide whether the movie’s charm, comedy, and surprisingly heartfelt story are enough to overcome some unfinished character arcs and very ’90s moments.Can a Gen Z first-time viewer understand why this movie means so much to millennials, or is John letting the nostalgia—and his dad hat—do most of the reviewing? It’s Millennial vs Gen Z on this week’s A Reel Pain.#LittleGiants #MovieReview #90sMovies #MillennialVsGenZ #AReelPain #RickMoranis #EdONeill

Matthew remembers childhood heartbreak. John had no idea what he was walking into. This week on A Reel Pain, we revisit Bridge to Terabithia (2007) as a Millennial watches this Gen Z childhood staple for the first time. Does it hold up beyond the emotional damage?From imaginary battles and surprisingly relatable childhood memories to a teacher subplot that raises some serious questions, John and Matthew unpack the movie’s biggest strengths and strangest choices. Along the way, they debate its approach to grief, a complicated father-son relationship, and whether a great movie has to be one you’d ever want to watch again.Expect spoilers, questionable jokes, and an emotional roller coaster as we reveal our final ratings. Did Bridge to Terabithia wreck you as a kid—and does it hit harder as an adult? Tell us in the comments, and subscribe for more Millennial vs Gen Z movie debates!

John remembered 2002’s Resident Evil as a ridiculously cool mix of zombies, action, hard rock, and one unforgettable roundhouse kick to a zombie dog. Matthew came in with almost no attachment to the franchise. Somehow, they ended up in almost exactly the same place: wondering what the hell happened.This week on A Reel Pain, the guys revisit Milla Jovovich’s first trip into the Hive and try to figure out whether there’s actually a good movie buried underneath the questionable CGI, underdeveloped characters, confusing story decisions, and peak early-2000s action-movie energy. There are a few things worth celebrating — the laser hallway, some great practical effects, and that glorious zombie-dog kick — but the longer they talk about the movie, the worse their scores get. Can nostalgia save John’s Millennial pick, or should Resident Evil have stayed buried underneath Raccoon City?