Reflection In A Dead Diamond represents a new plateau for this team, as they have made the best film of 2025 and one of the most important films ever made. 2025 was a banner year for cinema, where the quality of the independent scene reached critical mass in a way not seen since 1999. So many perfect films in a perfect year, yet this movie blows them all away. I am almost glad I was neck deep in Christmas movies when it premiered late December, as all the year’s cinema achievements would have been overshadowed by the majesty of this picture. Cattet and Forzani have not only stolen the spotlight, but they were also able to successfully smuggle it out of the country.
Celine Camara in Hélène Cattet’s and Bruno Forzani’s REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND. Courtesy of Shudder. A Shudder release.
“…essentially a temple to cinema done Italian style.”
My jaw first dropped during the opening credits when I realized I was about to get to review a movie starring Testi, who worked with the most violent director of the 20th century, Lucio Fulci. Testi still has it, rocking it in his twilight years as hard as Franco Nero does. The biggest piece of stunt casting involves Maria de Medeiros in a key role, as audiences worldwide will immediately recognize her from Pulp Fiction. This kind of star power is the perfect twin turbos to have strapped to a rocket that travels this far. Technically, the movie is done in the Italian spy sub-genre of the 60s, better known as “cheap Bond rip-offs.” However, Reflection In A Dead Diamond resembles a spy movie about as much as Eraserhead resembles a Lifetime family problem movie.
Every frame will blow your baby dome to smithereens, as I can guarantee you have seen nothing like this. It was genius for Shudder to grab this because it is the horror crowd that is the best equipped to handle the level of psychedelic intensity of the imagery. With every minute, sights and sensations you have never experienced will flood your senses in ways you cannot fathom. It is not just an exercise in style over content, as Cattet and Forzani elevate the spy trappings into a surreal memory spiral that resembles Last Year At Marienbad through a five-foot Graffix bong. If you partake in herbal recreation, you need to see this movie high. You will feel your sense of wonder being stretched to a span unfelt by many by your stoned a*s reactions to the images. Many will agree that Reflection In A Dead Diamond is the best movie of 2025. Many more will find it is the best movie they have ever seen. Press play and feed your head like never before.
"…the best movie of 2025."
