Author Archives
UNC Charlotte '18 graduate | Film Intern at CLTure | North Carolina Film Critics Association member | Lover of bad teen horror movies and 90s pop music
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“The Cow” fails to deliver on an intriguing concept. [SXSW Film Festival]
There was a viral tweet going around a few days ago from E! News with some truly stunning pictures of Anne Hathaway and a caption that read “Did Anne Hathaway make a deal with the devil? She is literally aging… Read More ›
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Drama “To Leslie” offers another powerful leading role for Andrea Riseborough. [SXSW Film Festival]
Every gay has their actress, or at least the one that we consider “our own” in a way the mainstream doesn’t fully. Sure, we all generally love Gaga and Meryl and Glenn, and so many other classic gay icons, but… Read More ›
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The horror of “Soft & Quiet” is in the truth of it, for better or worse. [SXSW Film Festival]
It’s often said that money is the root of all evil, and while over the course of all human history that might be true, in the modern era, it’s becoming more clear that white supremacy is the root of all… Read More ›
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Pete Ohs’s “Jethica” offers an approach to forgiveness and grief we’d all be better to consider. [SXSW Film Festival]
Jethica is a film that wastes no time in laying its narrative out on the table with a refreshing efficiency. No padding, no filler, no three hour runtime, just a film that has a statement to make, makes it, and… Read More ›
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Aisha Dee slays in Australian horror comedy “Sissy.” [SXSW Film Festival]
We’ve all had our experiences with bullies. Some more than others, certainly, but looking back on the pitfalls of adolescence in the light of adulthood, there’s always that nagging voice in the back of your head telling you “If you… Read More ›
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Regina Hall and Zoë Renee bring the damn house down with their performances in “Master.” [SXSW Film Festival]
One of the larger debates during my senior year of high school was the rift between my Black friends debating the merits of attending a Historically Black College & University (HBCU) or that of a Primarily White Institute (PWI), and… Read More ›
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The message of Augusto Sandino’s “A Vanishing Fog (Entre la niebla)” stays with you long after the credits roll. [SXSW Film Festival]
In recent years, Colombia has really begun to reveal itself as a very interesting home for strange, introspective indie cinema in a way I don’t think anyone expected. With global voices taking the mainstream stage and with storytellers unafraid to… Read More ›
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Every element of Damien Power’s “No Exit” works together to create an engaging adult thriller.
Remember adult thrillers? Remember when major studios actually made them? James Mangold’s Identity at Columbia, Tarsem Singh’s The Cell at New Line Cinema, or even Nimrod Antal’s criminally underrated Vacancy at Screen Gems. It doesn’t really matter if films like… Read More ›
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Even by franchise standards, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is unceremoniously DOA.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has been pretty brutal as a whole, and I’m not talking about the films’ violent content. Ever since the 1974 original from Tobe Hooper, there has been a major struggle with creating sequels, remakes, and… Read More ›
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Tour the home release of “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” through the lens of a franchise fan.
Listen, I was there in the era between Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. We were truly out here in the trenches as fans. You think you can hurt me? I bought Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D on… Read More ›
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The haunting quality of “Ghosts of the Ozarks” is undercut by its silly approach.
I love me a good period horror film, and I particularly love those set on the American frontier, and while Ghosts of the Ozarks isn’t *technically* frontier territory, there was a down-home charm the trailer gave off that made me… Read More ›
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Pedro Almodóvar’s always tender humanity enables “Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas)” to examine complex matter.
There’s something to be said about “movie magic” or whatever word or phrase you use to describe those “Nicole Kidman sitting in the world’s cleanest, emptiest AMC” moments where you really just appreciate every aspect that not only went into… Read More ›
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Danish horror “Speak No Evil (Gæsterne)” is pure nightmare fuel, powered by interpersonal tension and full-fledged dread. [Sundance Film Festival]
“I don’t want to be in a situation for even an hour where I’m not enjoying myself” – Kim Cattrall I like to believe I’m a pretty friendly person. My mother raised me that way. I’m inclined to view the… Read More ›
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Altered Innocence’s 4K restoration of Spanish horror “Arrebato (Rapture)” highlights how its DNA is strewn across all genres, all nations, to a multitude of filmmakers.
Inspiration is found everywhere. Even the best filmmakers have inspirations that they imbue into their own work, using the work that made them into the filmmakers they are today in smart, reverential ways. Sure, occasionally things can get heavy-handed and… Read More ›
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Even if you let the pre-release hype get to you, the thrilling essence of “Scream” breaks through in full force.
NOTICE: I will obviously not be discussing spoilers or fun reveals for this film, however, I will be divulging the very basic plot setup, as well as spoilers for previous Scream films. You’ve had decades, don’t get mad at me… Read More ›
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Despite the stylishly atmospheric setting and solid performances, “Antlers” can’t rise above weak screenplay elements.
Scott Cooper’s Antlers was one of my most anticipated films of 2020, back when it was still going to be released under the Fox Searchlight Pictures banner. Its trailer spoke to me in a haunting, beautiful voice that let me… Read More ›
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Paul Verhoeven’s “Benedetta” weaves luridity in with heavy, impenetrable narratives to create something with a surprising amount of emotional heft.
This is absolutely a safe space to admit that Paul Verhoeven is one of the most well-rounded, self-aware filmmakers to ever live. We’re all thinking it, so someone might as well say it. His filmography can sometimes read like a… Read More ›
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Come for Italian drama, stay for Swamy Rotolo’s scene-stealing performance in “A Chiara.” [Film Fest 919]
Quickly think of a gangster movie…what’s the first thing that comes to your head? The Godfather? Goodfellas? Scarface? Maybe even Boyz n the Hood? It’s a widely diverse genre, but the missions are generally all pretty similar, focusing on the… Read More ›
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“Don’t Breathe 2” is a horrible follow-up to an outstanding horror film, but a surprisingly great home release.
One of the most underrated horror/thrillers of the past decade was easily Fede Álvarez’s Don’t Breathe. The tense, heart-pounding suspense and brutal, but surprisingly pared back (at least compared to the absolute bloodbath that was Álvarez’s first feature 2013’s Evil… Read More ›
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Using the natural world as a fantasy playground, “Petite Maman” is able to explore loss and grief with tenderness. [Film Fest 919]
Two years ago, even during the height of Parasite-mania, there was one film that stole the entirety of Film Fest 919 for me: that being Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire by a country mile. Presenting truly one… Read More ›