Author Archives
MA in Cinema Studies, University of Chicago '19 | Gardner-Webb University '18 | Interested in the Representation of Trauma on Screen and the Ethics of Viewership| A Sucker for Classics, Film Noir, and Dramas| Violinist, When I Get Around to Practicing | Cat Mom
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Jack and Jill Went Up the Hill and Won’t Give Up the Ghost: Modern gothic drama “Went Up the Hill” explores grief and codependency.
The gothic ghost story subgenre explores new avenues in Went Up the Hill, a meditative and moody drama from director Samuel Van Grinsven. Set in New Zealand’s South Island, Went Up the Hill takes after its gothic predecessors by setting… Read More ›
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Sci-fi psychological thriller “Descendent” explores masculine insecurities via an extra-terrestrial encounter.
The best alien movies are rarely just about aliens. While Ridley Scott’s genre-defining classic explores themes like corporate corruption, class, and gender, other alien movies like E.T. (1982) and Arrival (2016) utilize extra-terrestrial characters and elements to explore deep and… Read More ›
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Driven by intense performances, “Hot Milk” is a slow burn in which setting is everything.
Under the relentless sun in the coastal Spanish town of Almería, a chronically ill woman and her daughter/caretaker grapple with years of suppressed tension and resentment as the mother seeks treatment for a mysterious condition that has left her unable… Read More ›
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Wacky coming-of-age comedy “Summer of 69” marks a solid directorial debut for Jillian Bell.
Actress and writer Jillian Bell, known for her roles in Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) and the recent Kinda Pregnant (2025), flexes her directorial muscles for the first time in Summer of 69, a coming-of-age buddy comedy about friendship, self-confidence,… Read More ›
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New Blumhouse thriller “Drop” keeps you guessing until the end
First-date jitters take on a whole new meaning in Drop, a Blumhouse thriller from Happy Death Day director Christopher Landon. Drop stars Emmy-nominated Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus) as Violet, a single mom looking to re-enter the dating scene, alongside… Read More ›
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Not another A.I. movie: Find out what sci-fi thriller “Renner” has to offer.
Movies about rogue AI technologies aren’t new, but they are becoming increasingly relevant as AI takes on a bigger role in our everyday lives. With dozens of AI-related movies to borrow from, it’s easy to write a story about the… Read More ›
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Meet cutes in the age of the apps: “Step Back, Doors Closing” adapts the 24-hour romance concept for a Gen Z audience. [OFF]
In the era of dating apps, many singles still fantasize about finding their forever partner in a Hollywood-worthy meet cute that they can recount to their grandchildren someday. While it’s a lot easier to secure a date for the evening… Read More ›
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“Studio One Forever” is a “Celebration of Life” for historic West Hollywood club.
It’s an important rite of passage for each generation to mourn the loss of the cultural norms and trends that defined its youth. Unfortunately, this mourning usually manifests as some iteration of the tone-deaf and demeaning phrase, “Kids today will… Read More ›
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Edward Berger’s captivating and politically relevant thriller, “Conclave,” arrives on digital.
Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) and based on a 2016 novel of the same name, Conclave is a tense drama that pits progress, ethics, coexistence, and empathy against corruption and abuses of power, a battle… Read More ›
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Irish-language horror film “An Taibhse (The Ghost)” reaches toward a haunting quality that it can’t quite achieve. [NBFF]
Touted as the first Irish-language horror film, John Farrelly’s An Taibhse (The Ghost) is a well-intentioned mix of folk horror, disturbing imagery, and narrative references to the horror genre in general (mostly The Shining (1980)). With an all-too familiar setting… Read More ›
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Experience the slow and steady madness of Daniele Campea’s “Mother Nocturna.”
Written and directed by Daniele Campea, Mother Nocturna (Madre Notturna) is a psychological drama about isolation, female rage, and a handful of Freudian family issues. Bathed in moonlight and steeped in folkloric imagery, the film takes viewers to a dark… Read More ›
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Claude Schmitz’s “The Other Laurens (L’autre Laurens)” offers a stunning visual genre mashup, but sacrifices plot for tone and style.
The Other Laurens is a movie that’s all dressed up with everywhere to go. But after it gets one foot out the door, it can’t seem to go any further. With a nostalgic neo-noir/grunge visual style that’s sprinkled with touches… Read More ›
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Documentarian Chelsea McMullan uncovers a beautifully human story in “Swan Song.”
In the first half of 2022, the dancers and staff at the National Ballet of Canada were pouring themselves into rehearsals for a historic opening: a new production of the iconic Swan Lake directed by ballet legend Karen Kain. This… Read More ›
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“The Vourdalak” sets a new standard for the genre with Adrien Beau’s fresh take on vampire movies.
If you watched The Vourdalak with no background information, you might think you’d discovered a lost made-for-TV gem from 1980-something. With its grainy appearance, humble sets, and Jim-Henson-esque puppet villain, how could this dark yet charming vampire fantasy not be… Read More ›
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Macabre fantasy “Pandemonium” makes its streaming debut on Arrow Player, offering a mixed bag of dark delights and dreadful disappointments.
The cult cinema streaming service Arrow Player is no stranger to the grotesque, the bizarre, and the gloriously macabre, making it the perfect home for the French dark fantasy film, Pandemonium. This visceral and nightmarish flick, which made the rounds… Read More ›
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Let the “Mean Girls” movie musical be “A Cautionary Tale:” classics don’t need remakes.
The original Mean Girls starring Lindsay Lohan (Freaky Friday), Rachel McAdams (Game Night), Amanda Seyfried (Jennifer’s Body), and Lacey Chabert (Not Another Teen Movie), was released almost exactly 20 years ago on April 30, 2004. Inspired by Queen Bees and… Read More ›
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From director Yorgos Lanthimos, Oscar-winner “Poor Things” is a triumphant journey; available now on home video.
It may seem strange to describe any part of Poor Things as conventional. This bold and highly imaginative fantasy is the eighth feature film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, a 21st-century auteur who has made a name for himself with his… Read More ›
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Andrew Haigh’s nostalgic and tone-driven fantasy, “All of Us Strangers,” arrives on digital.
All of Us Strangers is about memories, grief, and love. It’s about reconciling the past with the present and navigating the space in between. If you missed the U.S. theatrical release in December, you can stream All of Us Strangers… Read More ›
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Dynamic ensemble shines as director Guiseppe Fiorello sets a romantic mood in LGBTQ+ drama “Fireworks.”
Italian actor, writer, and producer Giuseppe Fiorello (The Talented Mr. Ripley, Terraferma) makes his feature directorial debut with Fireworks (Stranizza d’amuri), an aspirational LGBTQ+ romance that successfully imitates its predecessors in mood and visual style. Set in Sicily in the… Read More ›
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After proving herself at the box office, Barbie is back for more! Bring home Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” on digital, DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K UHD.
Through no fault of its own, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie became much more than itself when it hit theaters this summer. Not only is it the highest-grossing movie of 2023 worldwide, but it also inspired one of the most fascinating cultural… Read More ›