movie review of untold

Is Untold a Real Horror Movie? Is it on Netflix?

If there are three things social media has excelled in over the last decade, they are distributing content to a viral extent, increasing exposure of the nichest categories, and boosting endless creativity. It thus comes as no surprise that this has hit the traditional entertainment industry of film and television as well, as made evident by content creators such as Hannah Pistoia as well as Mr. Movie. So now, if you’re actually looking to learn more about the latter claimed scariest movie ever to watch on Netflix right at this moment — ‘Untold’ — we’ve got all the necessary detail for you.

Untold: Fabricated Tale in the Realm of Digital Lore

It was on March 24, 2023, when Mr. Movie (TikTok user @tmi_7) went viral for uploading a video talking of a Netflix original named ‘Untold’ by alleging it is arguably the scariest movie ever made. He even teased us with a poster of the production, featuring a ghost-like character at the center and text clarifying it is not only based on a “horrifying true story” but also premiered on March 7. The poster even had a website link, yet it does not work in any way, shape, or form, making the entire project look all the more ominous since some believed it could be for the sake of marketing.

The fact Mr. Movie then asserted he had an algorithm report by the streamer specifying “96% of all accounts turned the movie off at exactly 9 minutes and 45 seconds” just raised further intrigue. He concluded, “Now, I watched the movie past 9 minutes and 45 seconds, but almost everybody I told about this movie had to shut it off right there” — so yes, a mere 4% were able to complete it. However, at no point before essentially declaring ‘Untold’ a must-see did he explain its synopsis, the reason it is a pure horror watch, or what makes it a great addition to the genre and to Netflix.

Hence, of course, thousands of film buffs rushed to the streaming service to experience ‘Untold’ in every bit of its supposed glory, only to be disappointed when they couldn’t find it anywhere. While one fan commented on Mr. Movie’s post that they “can’t find it. ugh, really wanted to see if I could make it through the whole thing,” another openly mulled, “Can never find any of the movies you talk about 🤔.”

Well, that’s because ‘Untold’ does not actually exist; it is a fictitious piece of work Mr. Movie carefully “promoted” while the theme of ‘Halloween’ played in the background simply to entice horror/mystery fans. In fact, the sole film to be added to Netflix’s roster on March 7, 2023, was the Brad Pitt starring 2013 horror-action ‘ World War Z ,’ a production worlds apart from whatever the former could ever be.

Coming to the official “algorithm report” Mr. Movie claimed to have in hand, if you really pay attention to it in the short video, you’ll notice it is nothing but a random document from a local cat clinic. So as always, with ‘Untold’ being fake too, it must be reiterated you can not believe everything you come across on the internet, especially as much of it is just for creative purposes rather than real or factual.

As for the several commentators to have declared they found and watched the film, they’re simply trying to get in with the quip upon having deemed the rollercoaster of emotions behind it quite fun. One person even went as far as to add a character/some suspense by penning, “I made it to 11 minutes, I don’t know how I’m going to be able to sleep tonight ! What they did to little Timmy 😳😳😳,” whereas another jested, “[Untold] is about a movie that doesn’t really exist and everyone who is looking for it becomes crazy and murderous.”

Read More: Is Raymond Ainsely’s Angel of Shanghai a Real Movie?

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Is ‘Untold’ really ‘the scariest movie ever made’? Is it on Netflix?

If you’re looking for the scariest movie to watch on Netflix right now, one TikToker claims it’s Untold — a creepy new horror movie that most viewers are so terrified by, they can’t even bring themselves to finish it.

In fact, TikTok user @tmi_7 (AKA “Mr. Movie”) claims that some people are even calling it “the scariest movie ever made.” The only problem? Many TikTokers are now questioning whether or not it even exists.

The debate about the film, which allegedly debuted on March 7, has been going viral ever since Mr. Movie declared it a must-see. The film review quickly took off, gaining 2.8 million views in less than 24 hours and leading thousands of people to pick up their remotes and see what all the fuss was about.

“According to this Netflix algorithm report, it says that 96% of all accounts turned the movie off at exactly 9 minutes and 45 seconds,” the content creator claimed while holding up a document. “Now, I watched the movie past 9 minutes and 45 seconds, but almost everyone I told about this movie had to shut it off right there.”

As a result, only 4% of accounts were allegedly able to finish the movie, the TikToker added.

While it remains unclear what exactly the movie is supposed to be about, it sure does look creepy. As Mr. Movie talks, a movie poster in the background shows the image of a person shrouded in a sheet surrounded by darkness. In the background, the theme music to Halloween plays quietly, and the movie’s tagline — which calls it a “horrifying true story” — makes it all seem oddly fascinating.

The fact that so many people allegedly can’t stick the whole film out was also clearly enticing to many horror fans.

No wonder then that many of them went flocking to their Netflix accounts to either watch the film or add it to their queue. But when they got there, most were either confused or disappointed (or both).

Right away, dozens of commenters said they couldn’t find it.

“I can’t find it. ugh,” one commenter wrote. “really wanted to see if I could make it through the whole thing.”

“I can’t find it either,” another person said, “give us more Intel.”

“Why cant I ever find anything you ever talk about on Netflix?” someone else groaned.

The answer to that one is actually pretty simple: The movies Mr. Movie “reviews” don’t really exist.

According to the TikToker’s bio, the handle is a parody account just made for laughs; but the fact that it’s managed to trick so many people into believing that it’s real is rather impressive.

Based on other comments, it’s clear that a lot of people caught on quickly to the ruse.

“I heard it’s so scary that 100% of people can’t find it,” one person joked.

“My wife and I made it past 10 min but we didn’t finish it,” added someone else. “My son wanted to but we didn’t let him, and he’s 19.”

Honestly, it’s kinda too bad this one isn’t a real movie — because if it were, we’d definitely want to check it out. For now, we’ll stick to the shmunguss category on Netflix instead.

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The post Is ‘Untold’ really ‘the scariest movie ever made’? Is it on Netflix? appeared first on In The Know .

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Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, dracula untold.

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First, some good news: "Dracula Untold," a sort of " Batman Begins " prequel, isn't as tacky as it sounds. There are glimmers of a brooding and icky horror epic scattered throughout the film, particularly in its surprisingly romantic, matte-painting-esque backdrops and impressionistic vampire's-point-of-view shots. But that leads me to the bad news: if you step away from "Dracula Untold" long enough to describe it, you'll realize how soul-crushingly unimaginative it is. This is, after all, a " Maleficent "-style anti-fable that relies on your instant recognition of Dracula while trying to rehabilitate and recast Bram Stoker's bloodsucker as a Byronic hero. Still, the good news barely outweighs the bad in "Dracula Untold," a lightweight war-adventure that is ultimately stranger and more enticing when it remembers it's also a horror film.

In the beginning, a boring narrator natters on about how Vlad "Dracula" Tepes ( Luke Evans ) was a former Transylvanian child soldier who was abducted by Turks, trained to fight, blah blah blah...he's a killing machine. Then, we actually meet the guy: a soldier kneeling in prayer before a forest of pikes bearing his impaled foes. It's a creepy image, and one that should be held for at least twice as long as it is. Unfortunately, the makers of "Dracula Untold" typically hit the fast-forward button, and rush to the next chain of events. Vlad is given an ultimatum from Turkish Sultan Mehmed ( Dominic Cooper ) while feasting with angelic wife Mirena ( Sarah Gadon ), she of the blue eyes, and generous cleavage: give Mehmed 1000 Transylvanian child soldiers, or take on Mehmed's overwhelming forces.

Herein enters the homo-eroticism that the film sometimes cannot suppress: Vlad and Mehmed are childhood rivals, trained together in the army of Mehmed's father. But Mehmed's threat is a visceral reminder of events that are only alluded to in the aforementioned voiceover-reliant introduction. Vlad strikes a deal with a vampire ( Charles Dance ) that offers him an alternative deal: stay human and die, or temporarily become a vampire and destroy Mehmed's army. This would be a simple choice were it not for a ridiculous convolution: if Vlad drinks human blood, he will permanently become a vampire, and wind up sucking forever. Yes, that was a pun, and no, you don't get an apology.

Nor should you expect one in a review of "Dracula Untold," a bizarrely ambitious popcorn cash-in that's also half-baked in all the expected ways. The film's battle scenes are over-edited, Cooper's villain is a snooze, and there's simply not enough sex and death in an origin story about the archetypal sexual predator. Instead, there's a predictable attempted-rape scene, and a lot of paradoxically plodding hints that Mehmed and the Turks weren't that into women. There are also several scenes where Dracula turns into a cloud of bats, and even one scene where he scales a black cliff bare-handed while wearing a red cape, as if he were Wagner's Siegfried.

If you can selectively ignore this litany of inanity, you may find some substantial earthy pleasures in "Dracula Untold." Despite its PG-13 rating, the film does periodically erupt into surprisingly gruesome violence, like when a vampire is gored, then reduced into an emaciated corpse. And cinematographer John Schwartzman (" The Rock ," " Armageddon ") reminds you why Michael Bay used to love working with him in every day-for-night landscape shot. Evans is surprisingly good at smoldering, and special-effects-reliant shots of Vlad turning into a monster are usually pretty enticing. These small, moody charms add up, and give a film that sounds so very dumb some much-needed atmosphere. There's not much more to "Dracula Untold," but it does periodically throb with surface-deep tension.

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

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Film credits.

Dracula Untold (2014)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of warfare, vampire attacks, disturbing images, and some sensuality

Luke Evans as Dracula (Vlad Tepes)

Sarah Gadon as Mirena

Dominic Cooper as Mehmed

Art Parkinson as Ingeras

Charles Dance as Master Vampire

Diarmaid Murtagh as Dimitru

Paul Kaye as Brother Lucian

William Houston as Cazan

Noah Huntley as Captain Petru

Ronan Vibert as Simion

• Matt Sazama
• Burk Sharpless

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Untold: hall of shame, common sense media reviewers.

Steroid mastermind shows little remorse in fascinating tale.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Don't cheat. Steroids are bad for sports and athle

Tim Montgomery is regretful and frank about his ex

Many athletes featured are Black, like Tim Montgom

Some brief images of boxing. Implied violence of a

A bunch of quick close-ups of zippers being unzipp

Language includes infrequent use of the middle fin

References to Victor Conte's line of supplements l

The documentary is entirely about steroids, which

Parents need to know that Untold: Hall of Shame is a sports documentary about Victor Conte's role in the steroid explosion of the late '90s and early 2000s and his involvement with athletes like Tim Montgomery, Marion Jones, Barry Bonds, and others. Using interviews with Conte, Montgomery, and the IRS…

Positive Messages

Don't cheat. Steroids are bad for sports and athletes.

Positive Role Models

Tim Montgomery is regretful and frank about his experience with Victor Conte and steroid use. He encourages athletes everywhere not to go down the same path. Investigator Jeff Novitsky shows diligence and perseverance working on the case that would eventually take down Conte and others.

Diverse Representations

Many athletes featured are Black, like Tim Montgomery, Barry Bonds, and Marion Jones. Victor Conte and Jeff Novitsky are White men.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A bunch of quick close-ups of zippers being unzipped. Lots of men are shown shirtless.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language includes infrequent use of the middle finger, "s--t," and "damn."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

The documentary is entirely about steroids, which are drugs. Some scenes show adults smoking cigars.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Untold: Hall of Shame is a sports documentary about Victor Conte's role in the steroid explosion of the late '90s and early 2000s and his involvement with athletes like Tim Montgomery, Marion Jones, Barry Bonds, and others. Using interviews with Conte, Montgomery, and the IRS investigator who broke the case, Jeff Novitsky, this film documents the rise and fall of Conte, his client athletes, and the steroid scandals that followed them. There are explanations of how steroids work, how they were designed to get around testing, how to schedule different steroids to maximize an athlete's growth and performance, and how other kinds of supplements work on athletes' bodies. This is mainly Conte's story, though, and he narrates his past openly and frankly, as does Tim Montgomery. Strong language includes a few instances of "s--t," the middle finger, and "damn." Some quick shots show zippers being unzipped to reference athletes needing to take urine tests, and there are many scenes that show men with their shirts off, flexing their muscles and working out. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

In UNTOLD: HALL OF SHAME, Victor Conte and Tim Montgomery talk about their experiences in the steroid scandals of the early 2000s. Conte was the mastermind behind many athletes' sudden and rapid growth, like Montgomery, Marion Jones, and Barry Bonds. How did they do it? Was it worth it? Conte and Montgomery openly share how they feel about the whole story.

Is It Any Good?

Talk to your kids about ....

Families can talk about cheating in sports by taking anabolic corticosteroids. In Untold: Hall of Shame, what surprised you most about athletes and their steroid use?

How does Jeff Novitsky show perseverance and determination while investigating Victor Conte and his BALCO company?

Did you find Victor Conte remorseful about his role and influence in the steroid scandals of the early 2000s? Do you think his crimes were justly punished? Why, or why not?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : August 15, 2023
• Cast : Victor Conte , Tim Montgomery , Jeff Novitsky , Michael Schmidt
• Director : Bryan Storkel
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Documentary
• Topics : Sports and Martial Arts
• Character Strengths : Perseverance
• Run time : 75 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : August 16, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Film Review: ‘Dracula Untold’

This dull origin story about history's most famous vampire suggests some tales are indeed best left untold.

By Scott Foundas

Scott Foundas

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There’s nothing new under the moon in “Dracula Untold,” a decorous but dull origin story that attempts to turn history’s most famous vampire into a kind of male Maleficent — a misunderstood husband/father/ruler who turned to the dark side out of the noblest intentions. What next? “Freddy Krueger Meets Dr. Freud?” Lavishly mounted by first-time feature director Gary Shore, minus the cheeky good humor that propelled his 2006 creature-feature short “The Draft,” this Legendary-Universal co-production (which opens today overseas, 10 days ahead of its domestic bow) looks to scare up only modest Halloween-season biz amid competition from Warners’ “Annabelle” (out Oct. 3) and U’s own “Ouija” (out Oct. 24).

Like Bram Stoker before them, screenwriters Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless (the forthcoming “Gods of Egypt”) take their inspiration from the real historical figure of Vlad Dracula (aka Vlad the Impaler), a 15th-century Transylvanian prince, taken hostage as a teenager by warring Ottoman Turks and trained in their military ways (events recounted here in a visually striking prologue comprised of three-dimensional static images). We then pick things up a couple of decades later, where an adult Vlad ( Luke Evans , suitably glowering and downcast) has returned to his people, who maintain an uneasy peace with the ever-looming Turks. When the new Sultan, Vlad’s childhood frienemy Mehmed II ( Dominic Cooper ), demands 1,000 Transylvanian youths as conscripts for his army — among them, Vlad’s own son, Ingeras (Art Parkinson, cementing a very conspicuous “Game of Thrones” vibe) — the war-weary prince sees no option but to defy the Sultan’s demands. And so the outnumbered, out-sworded Transylvanians prepare for battle.

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But lo, all hope is not lost for ye who enter here — here being a mountain cave stumbled upon by Vlad and two adjutants, wherein lurks an ancient ur-vampire (a lip-smacking Charles Dance ) who, after making mincemeat out of the prince’s traveling companions, offers him a special trial membership (who knew?) in the cult of the undead. Drink his blood, says the vampire, and for three days Vlad will possess the strength of 10 men, along with a voracious craving for human blood. If he succumbs to that temptation, then vampire he shall remain for eternity. If he can resist, then at dawn on the third day the curse will be lifted.

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This being an origin story whose outcome is pretty well known, “Dracula Untold” doesn’t really have anywhere to go from there, save for a couple of frenetic, large-scale battle scenes designed around Vlad’s newfound ability to shape-shift from human form into a colony of bats — a special effect that wears out its novelty while Shore is still playing with it like a shiny new Christmas toy. (Most of the time, it looks like a flurry of dirt particles in front of the lens.) The only real suspense here isn’t so much whether as when Vlad is finally going to sink his pearly whites into the jugular of his devoted wife, Mirena ( Sarah Gadon , so pale, trusting and beautiful that one knows it can’t possibly end well for her). Well, that and how a creature with a marked aversion to wood can continue to spout Sazama and Sharpless’ dialogue.

Whereas Francis Coppola’s 1992 “Dracula” (a veritable golden oldie in today’s short-term cultural memory) was a baroque, high-fashion free-for-all, “Dracula Untold” opts for the stately, staid approach, and even at a mere 85 minutes (sans credits) it’s something of a bore — neither scary nor romantic nor exciting in any of the ways it seems to intend. The Irish-born Shore, who’s also logged a lot of hours as a commercials director, certainly knows how to frame an attractive shot, and cinematographer John Schwartzman has accommodated him lushly by shooting in 35mm anamorphic widescreen. But the movie never finds its own style, or feels like more than a mashup of outtakes from “Thrones” and the entire Peter Jackson catalog (with a nifty but fleeting infrared vision effect borrowed from the urban werewolf classic “Wolfen”).

“Dracula Untold” is too high-minded to let go into the kind of energetic, B-movie escapism a director like John Carpenter or Paul W.S. Anderson might have brought to the same material, while the material itself is too thin to support the heavy-handed Wagnerian approach. The result is finally something neither here nor there — a vampire movie with nothing at stake.

Reviewed at Universal screening room, New York, Sept. 30, 2014. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 92 MIN.

• Production: A Universal release presented with Legendary Pictures of a Michael De Luca production. Produced by Michael De Luca. Executive producers, Alissa Phillips, Joe Caracciolo Jr., Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni.
• Crew: Directed by Gary Shore. Screenplay, Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless. Camera (color, Panavision widescreen, 35mm), John Schwartzman; editor, Richard Pearson; music, Ramin Djawadi; production designer, Francois Audouy; supervising art director, Paul Inglis; art directors, David Doran, Heather Greenlees, Michael Turner; set decorator, Paki Smith; costume designer, Ngila Dickson; sound (Datasat/Dolby Digital), Mervyn Moore; supervising sound editors, Per Hallberg, Karen Baker Landers; re-recording mixers, Frank A. Montano, Jon Taylor; visual effects supervisor, Christian Manz; visual effects producer, Fiona Campbell Westgate; visual effects, Framestore, Level 256, Windmill Lane VFX; stunt coordinator, Buster Reeves; assistant director, John Wildermuth; second unit director, George Marshall Ruge; second unit camera, Patrick Loungway; casting, John Hubbard, Ros Hubbard.
• With: Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon, Dominic Cooper, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance. (English, Turkish dialogue)

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Movie review: untold herstory, shot with meticulous detail to history, this dramatic tale is a powerful and moving ode to the often-overlooked female white terror prisoners on green island.

• By Han Cheung / Staff reporter

Having read the book featuring the true stories Untold Herstory (流麻溝十五號) draws from, it was interesting to see how director Zero Chou (周美玲) took bits and pieces of these experiences and weaved them into a dramatic narrative.

While there’s been much effort in recent decades to highlight the long-suppressed history of the thousands of political prisoners once confined on Green Island (then-known as Bonfire Island, 火燒島), an often-forgotten part is the nearly 100 female prisoners who toiled there. Mostly imprisoned in gated barracks, they were only let out to attend “re-education” classes and perform hard labor.

Many of them were still students, suddenly nabbed and dragged away during the height of White Terror for innocuous offenses such as reading banned books, saying something that may be interpreted as pro-communist or simply knowing the wrong people. Some were reported by people they had offended as a form of revenge. Records show that 26 women were executed for their “crimes,” but the actual number is likely higher.

From right, Herb Hsu, Yu Pei-jen and Cindy Lien are the main protagonists in Untold Herstory .

Photo courtesy of Activator Marketing Co

It was taboo to discuss the issue for decades, especially as those released still faced social stigma and government surveillance. Many refused to talk about it even after the lifting of martial law. Fortunately, five of them opened up to Tsao Chin-jung (曹欽榮) for the book, providing an invaluable glimpse of the horrors and hardships they witnessed and endured. Tsao, who has been researching the White Terror for decades and led the planning for the Green Island White Terror Memorial Park and other projects, served as consultant to the film.

Shot delicately in muted, cool tones, the attention to detail in the film is impressive, from the painstakingly reconstructed camps and barracks, to the costuming, to the varying, heavy accents of the prisoners and guards. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) guards came here from all across China, while the Taiwanese were just beginning to learn Mandarin — this, in addition to the terminology they use, is handled very well.

Three fictional protagonists were created for the story: the young and innocent Kyoko (Yu Pei-jen, 余佩真) who sketches everything she sees, the wistful dancer Chen Ping (Cindy Lien, 連俞涵), who catches the eye of the top commander and Yen Shui-hsia (Herb Hsu, 徐麗雯), a strong-willed Christian mother and nurse who refuses to bow down to authorities. Chen is one of hundreds of students from China’s Shandong Province accused of sedition in the 713 Penghu Incident, and it’s important to highlight that those from China (“mainlanders”) were also subject to White Terror abuse.

Untold Herstory tells the tale of female political prisoners on Green Island during the 1950s.

One can roughly tell which women from the book they’re based on, but they’re distinct enough and draw from a multitude of accounts. There were never more than 100 women incarcerated on Green Island at a time, but the prisoners’ assigned numbers in the film were all in the 100s. Chou says in an interview that this is done purposely to avoid revealing the names of the political prisoners.

The central event of the film is the “Save the Nation with Good Conscience Movement” (一人一事良心救國運動), which included pledges “volunteering” to tattoo anti-communist slogans on their body. The mass refusal to participate eventually culminated in the “re-rebellion” case (再叛亂), where 14 people were executed.

As a mainstream feature film, the overall story and events are a bit melodramatic, but that’s what pleases movie-goers and helps bring more attention to this forgotten history. The historical elements are presented well and are smoothly incorporated into the narrative, and it helps that they come from detailed oral accounts that include the emotions the subjects felt during certain events. The general political atmosphere of the times is also reflected through the newspaper clippings the prisoners secretly save as well as conversations between those who run the prison.

Despite the state’s attempts to dehumanize and brainwash the prisoners, the film emphasizes their interactions, camaraderie and humanity as they each try to retain their sanity and dignity in different ways.

Overall, it’s a powerful statement and ode to these women and their will to endure the most difficult situations. Two of the women in the book spent more than 12 years locked up on bogus charges, but there was nothing they could do but carry on with life after getting out. If you can read Chinese, definitely pick up the book after watching the film.

Publication Notes

Film notes:, most popular, chinese boat seized after colliding with coast guard, tropical storm to move closest from wednesday, three charged over sales of fake watches, vp lai warns of chinese attempts to ‘annex’ taiwan, us oversaw pac-3 missile drill: source.

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘UNTOLD: Swamp Kings’ on Netflix, a Look at the Urban Meyer-era Florida Gators Football Team

Where to stream:.

• UNTOLD: Swamp Kings
• college football

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For a period in the late aughts, there was no tougher place to play in college football than “the Swamp,” the home field of the University of Florida Gators. Under head coach Urban Meyer, they won two national titles with a roster filled with future NFL stars. In Swamp Kings , a new four-episode miniseries under Netflix’s UNTOLD banner, we get a look at the rise and fall of one of the 21st century’s biggest teams.

UNTOLD: SWAMP KINGS : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: The Gators football team are fired up in the locker room at halftime of a game; this is a team that expects to win, and they’re ready to deliver on that feeling.

The Gist: Swamp Kings looks inside the Urban Meyer era at Florida with a number of voices–Meyer himself, but also former players, fellow coaches, and sports media personalities like Paul Finebaum. Like many sports documentaries, it’s primarily built around these interviews, along with a mixture of behind-the-scenes and game footage.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Oddly, this is a bit of a break from Netflix’s use of the UNTOLD branding so far. To date, the series has consisted of standalone documentaries, often on lesser-covered sports stories. Swamp Kings , however, is a four-episode arc, and it’s on one of the most covered teams of the past two decades. It’s a bit more like the kind of programming you’d see in the offseason on the SEC Network.

Our Take: Almost two decades on, the success of the Florida Gators under head coach Urban Meyer feels to have been preordained. Between his time at Florida and later at Ohio State, Meyer won three national titles and established himself as a future College Football Hall of Fame coach. So, it’s easy to forget that he had a lot to prove when he arrived in Gainesville after winning stints at Utah and Bowling Green, two schools with far lower bars for success at the time.

Over four episodes, Swamp Kings tells the story of how Meyer’s Gators teams went on to dominate in the SEC, winning national titles in 2006 and 2008 with rosters absolutely loaded with talent. We see Meyer’s recruitment of Tim Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and longtime sports-media darling, along with a host of other boldface names that would turn Ben Hill Griffin Stadium into a nightmare venue for visiting teams.

Off-the-field problems–a hallmark of Meyer’s teams–would come to haunt the program, though, and Meyer eventually crumpled under the strain of coaching a championship-level team, departing the program in 2010 due to stress-related health problems. (He would resurface after a year hiatus with OSU, and later have one of the shortest and worst NFL head-coaching careers in league history.)

Swamp Kings is a well-produced and comprehensive look at the era; most all of the key figures in this era of Gators football show up, along with a number of other figures in and around the sport. It’s packaged well, but it’s a bit unclear why this was Netflix’s next entry in the UNTOLD series. There’s no real hook here for someone who isn’t a diehard college football fan, and–speaking myself as a diehard college football fan–not much even for one who isn’t also a fan of the Florida Gators and/or Meyer. Being well-acquainted with Meyer’s work, between his long coaching career, occasional stints as a broadcaster, and forays into ghostwritten motivational business books, there’s not really anything I need to hear from the man, and there’s no new angle presented here. The same goes for Tim Tebow; he’s an interesting figure, and he had as good a run in college football as almost anyone, but there’s no aspect of Tebow’s life and career that hasn’t been covered to death in the past, and no attempt to uncover a previously-undiscovered one here.

If you’re a Florida Gators diehard, perhaps Swamp Kings will give you a chance to relive the glory days, considering that the team hasn’t won an SEC championship since Meyer’s time in Gainesville. Even then, though, you might just be sick of hearing from him.

Sex and Skin: There’s language and frank discussion of illegal actions, but there’s nothing ‘sexy’ here.

Parting Shot: The 2006 Gators–suddenly clicking with Tebow offering an additional weapon to starting quarterback Chris Leak–notch the first signature win of the Meyer era, knocking off Tennessee in Knoxville. They leave the field with the feeling that a national championship might be in the cards for them.

Sleeper Star: Urban Meyer’s the biggest name here, but former Gators and NFL linebacker Brandon Siler is the most interesting figure in the pilot episode, both for his story playing under Meyer and for his frank, entertaining way of recounting it.

Most Pilot-y Line: “It was so loud–110,000 people, national TV, and I just grab him and say, ‘it’s time’,” Meyer recalls of handing the ball to freshman Tim Tebow to get a crucial short-yardage first down late against Tennessee.

Our Call: SKIP IT. Netflix’s UNTOLD documentaries have been largely great to date, but unlike many of their previous entries, Swamp Kings doesn’t offer anything that would appeal to viewers who aren’t already invested in the subject.

Scott Hines, publisher of the widely-beloved Action Cookbook Newsletter ,  is an architect, blogger and proficient internet user based in Louisville, Kentucky.

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Unsinkable: Titanic Untold Review | The Conspiratorial Aftermath of the 1912 Disaster

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• Unsinkable: Titanic Untold focuses on the aftermath of the disaster, providing a unique perspective from the usual dramatizations.
• The film balances courtroom drama with disaster scenes well, creating a compelling narrative despite some weak performances and unnecessary characters.
• Strong attention to detail and period accuracy, plus a pertinent study of class difference, make Unsinkable a worthy watch.

Widely recognized as two of the most heart-wrenching movies revolving around a historical disaster, Roy Ward Baker’s A Night To Remember and James Cameron’s Titanic frame the unfortunate sinking of that massive ocean liner in ways that are simply unmatched. From the emotional display of English actor Kenneth More as Second Officer Charles Lightoller in the 1958 rendition to the plagued romance between Leonorda DiCaprio’s Jack and Kate Winslet’s Rose in the updated take almost 40 years later, the performances shown in these films held onto people’s emotional cores and never let go.

With that being said, there are many other features out there that put their own thematic spin on the 1912 unmitigated accident that happened in the North Atlantic Ocean. But almot none are like Cody and Brian Hartman’s Unsinkable: Titanic Untold .

While the film does spend time on the pivotal moments where those on the notorious ship didn’t know if they were going to live or die, the Hartman duo have decided to shift the spotlight and focus on the suspenseful, almost conspiratorial aftermath of that disastrous expedition instead. The brisk historical drama follows William Alden Smith (played by Cotter Smith of Mindhunter and The Americans ), the U.S. Senator who headed the Senate subcommittee meetings that looked into the catastrophe. Unsinkable: Titanic Untold easily transports audiences back into a very tumultuous time — not only in regard to the victims and their families, but also with international relations concerning the United States and Britain.

Balancing Courtroom Drama and Disaster Scenes

Unsinkable: Titanic Untold

• Unsinkable makes great use of its small budget to create a brisk period drama.
• Focusing on the aftermath of the Titanic and the investigation helps the film stand out.
• Unsinkable works well as a historical court drama.
• Some of the performances and characters are weak or unnecessary.
• The lighting is poorly done on occasion.

Right off the bat, Senator Smith’s official inquiries are in themselves dramatically entertaining. Accompanied by an underlying musical score that only becomes quite noticeable when it absolutely needed to, the dialogue between the Senator and the numerous deck hands who were involved that night (whether they were on the sinking Titanic or other ships within range) quickly gives Unsinkable great momentum from within the first 30 minutes.

This holds especially true with the very first person that Smith talks to — Sam Turich’s character, Joseph Bruce Ismay. The actor’s rhythmic mannerisms when responding are just a sight to behold. Turich thankfully injects some dignity and pride into playing a person who many scholars feel was wronged by history (and the way the character is contemptuously treated by Smith is historically accurate). Even with strong dialogue and some foreboding gongs guiding the tension between the two parties, flashbacks are also used sporadically to visually detail what these same people were actually doing that night. Related: Titanic 25 Years Later: A Masterpiece or a Disasterpiece?

These sequences undoubtedly enrich Unsinkable, bringing a much more drastic and frantic tone compared to the slow and boiling suspense that came before it. For a movie that has a limited budget, the scenes that depict passengers trying to desperately survive out in the middle of the sea are done extremely well. Camera angles focus on the characters without giving too much of the background away, and the lighting is just enough to replicate the natural dim rays of the moon and the sinking beams of the ship.

Just like a large swath of ocean, the water is constantly rippling and presenting a danger to those who are hanging on for dear life to floating refuse. At times, the focus on showing what only needs to be seen becomes a weakness though, as the manipulated light affects the audience’s visibility to see as well.

Characters and Charisma in Unsinkable

As much as there is for viewers to take in from the informal inquiries as well as through all the life-altering decisions from those that were on the Titanic, the film also provides other storytelling avenues through Smith’s assistant, Maggie Malloy (played by actress Jayne Wisener), and determined newspaper reporter, Alaine Ricard (brought to life by Fiona Dourif). While both actresses play their parts extremely well, Wisener’s character doesn’t have a significant arc, nor does she add any remarkable weight to the movie. She mostly functions as an ear to William Smith when he is not trying to find answers to the sinking or talking to his wife (played by Karen Allen).

On the other hand, Dourif's newspaper reporter goes from someone who has to work under a fake name and getting beat up for writing the truth to eventually finding an inner strength that is inspirational to journalists who are actually interested in the dogged pursuit of facts. This character is also the key to finding some truths that even our main character would never have come to himself. Unfortunately, she appears to be a fictional amalgam of various other reporters at the time, which does impact the historical accuracy of the film, but she's a great character nonetheless and Dourif is great as always. Related: How Many People Died on the Titanic?

Cotter Smith's take on a US senator who is hellbent on finding answers as to why the Titanic fell into this dire situation is very reserved. The stunted emotional showing could very well be attributed to the professionalism that the real life Smith showed during the initial proceedings, but there was no reason to hide any sort of fervor when your character is the one who voluntarily leads these investigations. It's a generally muted performance that resists emotional investment.

That’s not to say the actor cannot provide a charged enthusiasm when need be. His strong monologue at the conclusion of Unsinkable: Titanic Untold shows that he was hiding this side until the very end — possibly as a last plea (from the character) towards the public press who have criticized his way of conducting the subcommittee. Either way, more visible cues from Smith would have greatly added to his presence at times, especially since he's mainly the audience surrogate here.

How the Outside World Is Affected by the Aftermath

Even though character development and casting unfortunately come into question at some points in Unsinkable , the film definitely shines in other areas. The movie not only conveys to the audience how the aftermath affects both politicians and maritime officials but goes one layer deeper, showing the repercussions at a more common, socioeconomic level.

Headlines from everyday papers show a divided opinion on how Smith operates his inquiries. In between the informal meetings of the Senate members and those who were previously out at sea, the upper class make their voices heard, evidently displeased with the displaced passengers making temporary encampments on the streets. Those same individuals are then actually shown sometime later as Smith visits and consoles them. This adds depth to the film; after all, class consciousness and disparity has often been a big theme of Titanic-related media .

It goes without saying that the Hartmans have created a worthy watch with their interesting and very driven drama. Unsinkable is a period-accurate study of what many people believe to be the most interesting and damning aspect of the Titanic disaster — the aftermath. Unlike the suspicious ending of the ocean liner, there is plenty that this film has to offer in order to keep it afloat (and very entertaining).

From PMI Films, Hawk Hill Pictures, and Movies Plus, Unsinkable: Titanic Untold will have a limited theatrical run starting on April 12th, 2024. You can find showtimes and more information through the link below.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Netflix hidden gem with 94% Rotten Tomatoes rating is disappearing soon

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Each week our man Steve Charnock breaks into the vast vaults of the UK’s many streaming services, emerging with a swag bag of deserted diamonds, hidden gems and genre gold. Forget the latest in disposable ‘content’, it’s time to work on your watchlist…

Streaming services are always telling us all about their endless new films and TV shows. Some of it’s worth watching, while a lot of it is a bigger waste of time than asking Tom Hardy to just try doing a normal voice for a part.

Netflix , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV+ , Disney Plus , NOW TV , BBC iPlayer… They’re all jammed solid with high-quality old stuff, though. Or ‘content’ as they rather off-puttingly refer to it.

When it’s not being pushed at you, it’s all rather easy to overlook. So why waste time watching potentially ropey new films and TV series, when you can enjoy excellent old ones?

Just like these…

Gone Baby Gone (2007) – Netflix

When you think of Ben Affleck, what do you think of? An extremely successful A-list Hollywood actor? The third-best Batman of the last 12 years? Or maybe you picture him as the bloke who has a quick sad-smoke when taking out J-Lo’s bins.

It’s easy to forget that Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt’s also a highly capable, award-winning director who’s made some genuinely standout films in his short career behind the camera.

There’s The Town, Argo, Air, Live by Night (alright, maybe not Live by Night…). But arguably the best of the bunch came in 2007 with his debut in the director’s chair, the impeccable crime thriller Gone Baby Gone.

In it, big bro Ben directs lil’ bro Casey, who gives a typically committed showing as a private detective hunting down a missing girl with his colleague and girlfriend, played by True Detective’s Michelle Monaghan.

It’s based on Dennis Lehane’s 1998 neo-noir novel and set in Boston (Massachusetts, not Lincolnshire), the city of The Affleck Brothers’ youth. So expect some ‘wicked’ BAAASTUN accents, plenty of seedy dive bars and a lot of dubious vest/chain/tracksuit combos.

Watch out too for top supporting performances from Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris and – in particular – Amy Ryan, who bagged an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work here.

Holding a deserved Rotten Tomatoes rating of 94%, Gone Baby Gone is gritty, tense, and packs a weighty punch with a genuinely surprising – and clever – twist ending. Not only that, but it presents its audience with a genuine moral quandary at the end that you’ll be left contemplating for days.  

This perfectly-paced thriller leaves UK Netflix on June 14. So if you’re keen to catch it, hurry up before it’s gone, baby, gone.

If you like it, try streaming: Mystic River, Prisoners, The Pledge

Blow Out (1981) – Amazon Prime Video

In terms of his career, John Travolta came in seriously hot. The now-iconic horror smash Carrie was just his second movie, filmed as a fresh-faced 21 year-old. A year after Carrie’s release he was starring in Saturday Night Fever, a bona fide cultural phenomenon. His next role? Only Danny Zuko in Grease.

Not a bad start, eh?

Three features later and he was Jack Terry in Blow Out, a movie sound effects technician who unintentionally captures audio evidence proving that a supposed car crash that killed a presidential candidate was actually murder. Putting him in the middle of a political conspiracy. As was so often the case for the poor folk starring in films of the late 1970s and early ‘80s.

Critics of director Brian De Palma (Scarface, The Untouchables, Casualties of War) tend to dismiss him as something of a cuckoo helmsman, lifting themes, styles and ideas from his peers and predecessors. While his fans would point out that Hollywood is all about homage (a fancy way to say ‘nicking stuff’). Quentin Tarantino’s made a career of it, after all.

Blow Out is actually one of QT’s favourite flicks, and with good reason. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but films of this era tend to be. Travolta swaggers about, all impossibly young and handsome, while Nancy Allen is great as a sex worker caught up in all the intrigue. Then there’s an early- ish outing from a young- ish (and brilliantly over-the-top) John Lithgow as the bad guy hitman type.

If political conspiracies aren’t your thing, there’s still plenty to enjoy here. Especially for film buffs… From the tongue-in-cheek schlocky horror-film-within-a-film Terry works on, to the hat tips to Michelangelo Antonioni’s ’60s classic Blow-Up. That not float your interest boat? Just stream it for Travolta’s beautifully-coiffed hair.

If you like it, try streaming: The Conversation, Rear Window, Berberian Sound Studio

The English (2022) – Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer

Unlike so many of the trigger-happy gunslingers, buffoonish sheriffs, poor innocent ranchers, black hat bad guys and arrow-firing Native Americans in them, The Great American Western never seems to die.

There’s something comforting about the format, style and tropes of the dusty, chewing tobacco-stained genre. Even when more modern takes on the western subvert things a tad.

This six-part ‘revisionist’ western series ‘revises’ the traditional cowboy flick by making its lead not only entirely ignorant about cows, but a girl. And an English one, at that. In the unlikely leading role is the always flawless Emily Blunt.

Western fans needn’t worry, though. The crux of the story is as familiar and consoling as your favourite old gnarly ten gallon hat, that sarsaparilla-flecked Stetson passed down to you by your pappy… Only The English is all about revenge .

Blunt’s Lady Cornelia Locke heads out West looking to heap some vengeance on the man responsible for the death of her son. It soon becomes apparent that meting out justice isn’t all that easy when you’re a well-to-do woman in the wild, wild west.

This is rough, tough watching, no doubt about it. With villains oozing untold deviance and menace. Gruelling plotlines and heartbreaking developments are soothed somewhat by the gorgeous scenery and cinematography, though.

Barbaric violence has never looked so lovely or felt so classy. And all without John Wayne’s pot belly in sight. If you like it, try streaming: Godless, Deadwood, 1883

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