Scene These Reviews

2025 brought many highs; I became a member of the Portland Critics Association, we launched Scene This, our weekly movie podcast that has survived its first year, I attended my first film festival (TIFF), and lastly, the year 2025 gifted me the most new releases films from any given year that I've ever seen. Of the 370 films I watched this year, 130 of them were released in 2025. For the top 25 of 2025, there is a mix of big studio films, independent films and a variety of un

What does a prophecy look like? Would the heavens open up and deliver a divine sign, or would it manifest in something far more ordinary? When a prophecy unfolds in real time, is it centered on an extraordinary being, or could it involve someone refreshingly human? The Man Who Saves the World? dares to ask these questions as it follows Patrick McCollum , a man who believes he’s been chosen to unite the Indigenous tribes of the Amazon, and ultimately, the entire Americas… or

After the Hunt is a rich, philosophical exploration of generational divides, brought vividly to life by a stellar cast. It’s a dialogue-driven film, a “people talking” movie, that engages the audience through sharp, witty writing that leaves breadcrumb trails along the way. These trails occasionally mislead, intentionally so, mirroring the confusion, guilt, and defensiveness that can surface when each generation is confronted with devastating accusations before all the fact