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Tom Santilli
Tomatometer-approved critic
Tom Santilli is a respected journalist and member of the Critics Choice Association, Detroit Film Critics Society and Online Film Critics Society since 2010. Tom is the Executive Producer and co-host of the syndicated TV show, "Movie Show Plus," which has been on the air for 15+ years in the Metro-Detroit market and Mid-West. Tom also appears weekly on the FOX affiliate in Detroit, on the TV show "CriticLEE Speaking" with host Lee Thomas, and appears on WXYZ (ABC affiliate) in Detroit as well. A blurb from his review of David Chase's film, "Not Fade Away," appears on the front cover of the DVD/Blu-Ray release. Tom graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in Broadcast & Cinematic Arts. His contributions to movie criticism led him to be chosen for a national campaign by National CineMedia, where he was featured in movie theaters across the country as one of America's "Top Upcoming Movie Critics." Twitter: @tomsantilli
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023) |
They may be heroes in a half-shell, but nothing about this movie feels like "half." In fact, everything about this film is operating at 100%...that's the same percentage of people that I'd imagine will love this wildly entertaining movie. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Aug 02, 2023
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Barbie (2023) |
If you don't know much about Barbie, there is still fun to be had, but not nearly as much as for those in the know. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jul 21, 2023
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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) |
"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" might get lambasted for not trying to reinvent the wheel, but when the wheels have spun as successfully as this franchise's has, it's sometimes better to just go along for the ride. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jun 29, 2023
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Elemental (2023) |
"Elemental" isn't among the very best of Pixar. But it is the sort of movie that we frankly need more of. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jun 12, 2023
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The Flash (2023) |
It's a barrage on the senses matched with a steady-flow of the only currency Hollywood seems to deal in these days: Fan-service. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jun 12, 2023
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Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) |
With zero stakes and even less plausibility, "Rise of the Beasts" just feels like filler. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jun 09, 2023
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) |
A lot of big words get thrown around in movie reviews, but I can confidently say this: I have never, ever seen a more visually ambitious movie - animated or otherwise - than "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse." - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jun 02, 2023
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The Little Mermaid (2023) |
...it doesn't present a good argument for its existence, creatively. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted May 31, 2023
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You Hurt My Feelings (2023) |
It's sharp and direct, but never inauthentic. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted May 31, 2023
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Being Mary Tyler Moore (2023) |
A definitive and loving reflection on one of the greatest TV Icons of the 20th Century. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted May 31, 2023
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Kandahar (2023) |
There's nothing wrong with these sort of movies, but there's nothing particular good or memorable about them either. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted May 31, 2023
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Fast X (2023) |
...the franchise itself is showing more than just signs of wear-and-tear. It's getting time to pull this one into the junkyard. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted May 18, 2023
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) |
...awesome on a number of different levels. It's also my favorite Marvel movie at least since "Avengers: End Game," and perhaps of all-time. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted May 05, 2023
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Polite Society (2023) |
...the most surprisingly enjoyable film of 2023. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Apr 28, 2023
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023) |
This is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable movies of 2023 so far and one of the easiest and purest recommendations I can make. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Apr 28, 2023
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Peter Pan & Wendy (2023) |
...other than feeling like a necessary update to rid itself of negative historical stereotypes, "Peter Pan & Wendy" feels flat. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Apr 28, 2023
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Air (2023) |
Everybody in the 1980s wanted to "Be Like Mike," and "Air" does a good job of tapping into that excitement, and leaves us all with a little hop in our step. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Apr 06, 2023
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The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) |
...doesn't have the "coolness" or cutting-edge appeal as, say, "The LEGO Movie" did, and it wasn't quite as fun as "Sonic The Hedgehog," but it's a mildly enjoyable, family-friendly adventure that does just enough to make it feel like a success. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Apr 05, 2023
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Paint (2023) |
A cast filled with talented actors like Stephen Root, Michaela Watkins, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Lucy Freyer and Ciara Renée aren't enough to help "Paint" find its stroke. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Apr 05, 2023
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Tetris (2023) |
It's an incredible story, but only a few ways to spin it (Tetris pun intended)...none of which end up being all that interesting enough to justify stretching it out into a feature-length film. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Mar 29, 2023
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A Thousand and One (2023) |
A stellar achievement both in storytelling and in acting, "A Thousand and One" lands as one of the year's best films, and one that will linger with you well beyond the ending credits. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Mar 29, 2023
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Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) |
If you like your characters bland, your dialogue snarky and your battles meaningless, then you'll love "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves," a movie that wants you to like it so bad, that it actually hurts. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Mar 29, 2023
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John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) |
This might be the new crowning achievement of stunt-work and action imagery, but it's also a cautionary tale as to the pitfalls of excess. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Mar 18, 2023
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Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) |
If an AI ChatBot were to write and direct a superhero movie, I'd imagine it would turn out exactly like "Shazam! Fury of the Gods." A movie so generic, that it was actually painful to watch. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Mar 16, 2023
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Boston Strangler (2023) |
This all seems ripe for a great thriller, so why does "Boston Strangler" end up feeling so bland? - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Mar 16, 2023
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Scream VI (2023) |
Scream movies used to be different...they're now cleverly package horror films that are becoming just as generic as the films they used to so cleverly butcher. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Mar 10, 2023
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Creed III (2023) |
"Creed III" seems to want to throw out what worked before, and go it alone. That's about the worst strategy a boxer can have. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Mar 03, 2023
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Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre (2023) |
...a movie that feels like it should be cool but isn't...a movie so high on its own supply that it becomes grating, not charismatic, the longer it slogs on. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Mar 03, 2023
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Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023) |
And suddenly, I'm interested again in where the MCU is headed. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Feb 16, 2023
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Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb (2022) |
...it's a masterclass of sorts as we get to peek into the minds of both a brilliant writer and the man who edits this brilliance to make it even more brilliant. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Feb 16, 2023
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Sharper (2023) |
Despite the movie leaving me with a feeling that it should have been more effective given the talented cast, "Sharper" still was an enjoyable if not infallible mystery. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Feb 16, 2023
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Knock at the Cabin (2023) |
...a shallow, shoddy and condescending thriller that I can already tell you will stand as one of the worst offerings of 2023. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Feb 01, 2023
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Pamela, a Love Story (2023) |
And the movie is also, by the way, not a memorial...as much as it looks back, it looks forward, and if we've learned anything at all from Pamela Anderson's journey, it's that she is full of surprises and capable of pretty much anything. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 31, 2023
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You People (2023) |
Much like the parents it is depicting, it has good intentions, even if what is outwardly visible seems completely misguided. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 25, 2023
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Alice, Darling (2022) |
...worth seeing for Kendrick alone. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 19, 2023
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Women Talking (2022) |
...a powerful and important movie about women, made by women, but one that should not be limited to female audiences. Yes, men need to see this film too. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 19, 2023
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The Son (2022) |
...gives its audience little to empathize with. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 19, 2023
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Plane (2023) |
Fans of Butler will find it passable, even if most movie-goers will find it forgettable. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 13, 2023
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My Father Muhammad Ali (2023) |
If you want to get to know Muhammad Ali, this is not the doc for you, and if you want to know what it was like to be his son, well, this film doesn't really do much to help us understand that either. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 13, 2023
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A Man Called Otto (2022) |
A passable, if forgettable movie, that stings like a disappointment only because I know how effective the original film is. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 09, 2023
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The Old Way (2023) |
This is another throw-away to add to Nic Cage's film canon, a Western that fails to really exude any beautiful landscapes, heart-pounding action, or memorable characters...it's also shoddily edited/scored. But hey, for some it's "You had me at Nic Cage!" - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 09, 2023
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EO (2022) |
...the film walks a fine line between sincerity and manipulation...But there is an undeniable charm and warmth to this donkey that sometimes can't be found even in human protagonists. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Jan 09, 2023
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The Pale Blue Eye (2022) |
"The Pale Blue Eye" is a fictional tale that plays like an episode of "Law & Order" that was set in the 1830s. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Dec 22, 2022
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Babylon (2022) |
It's a masterpiece...a messy, eye-opening, gross, massive masterpiece. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Dec 22, 2022
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Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) |
This is how you should treat a sequel to an existing property: When there is something new to say about the characters. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Dec 22, 2022
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Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) |
I was not only on the edge of my seat, but I'm not sure if I remembered to even draw a breath. Simply. Outstanding. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Dec 14, 2022
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Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022) |
...it's never uninteresting, and it's one of the most gorgeously shot films of 2022. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Nov 24, 2022
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Strange World (2022) |
...a colorful and impressively realized adventure, if not Disney's most innovative film. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Nov 24, 2022
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She Said (2022) |
No doubt an important film, this is undeniably a by-the-numbers newsroom movie. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Nov 24, 2022
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Spirited (2022) |
...the comedic chemistry between Reynolds and Ferrell kept me smiling throughout. - Movie Show Plus
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| Posted Nov 24, 2022
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