For as big as the waves that SpectreVision is making in the indie horror scene with cult hits like The Greasy Strangler and Mandy, it’s a real wonder why a major distributor hasn’t taken a bigger chance putting their films… Read More ›
In Theaters
Despite a subversion of genre tropes and bevy of homages, Jennifer Reeder’s “Knives and Skin” isn’t as sharp as it aims to be.
The textbook definition of “teen movie” has taken a sharp left turn in the past decade. Gone are the days of lighthearted slapstick comedies à la American Pie and Superbad, or the mushy romance films like She’s All That and… Read More ›
“The Curse of the Monkey Bird” pairs the familiar with the modern for an undeniable fun Looney Tunes adventure.
A pig and a duck ride an elephant into the jungle. No, this isn’t the set-up for a joke, it’s the basis for The Curse of the Monkey Bird, the latest in a series of Looney Tunes cartoons set for… Read More ›
Technical mastery and a poetic approach to direction make director Sam Mendes’s “1917” an unforgettable experience.
Dunkirk. Hacksaw Ridge. Saving Private Ryan. The Thin Red Line. All Quiet on the Western Front. Each of these films found a provocative way to tell a war story. Whether it’s the tickticktick of Hans Zimmer’s Dunkirk score accompanying overlapping… Read More ›
Director Melina Matsoukas’s directorial feature debut “Queen & Slim” is a time bomb disguised as a powerhouse drama.
Director Melina Matouskas’s directorial debut, Queen & Slim, is a devastating drama about a couple thrust into the spotlight after a traffic stop gone wrong. At least, that’s one way to read it. Another way is that the screenplay from… Read More ›
Crime thriller “The Irishman” is Martin Scorsese at his most self-assured.
In his recent years, and more specifically in recent months, Martin Scorsese has really stepped away from the spotlight…oh my god, could you imagine if I was serious with that? The argument has been made that Scorsese made the controversial… Read More ›
“Knives Out” is more than a whodunit. It’s the most fun you’ll have at the cinema.
There’s been a lot of trash tossed around on writer/director Rian Johnson since his Star Wars film hit theaters in 2017. It’s wonderful that audiences feel such ownership for a film series, but there comes a point where the community… Read More ›
Peter Strickland’s Giallo-inspired “In Fabric” crafts an inspired modern tale out of vintage filmmaking. [Film Fest 919]
It’s no secret that Suspiria is one of my favorite films of all time, with the 2018 remake just ever so slightly edging out the 1977 original thanks to its expansion on the film’s themes and plot to make something… Read More ›
“The Aeronauts” doesn’t seek to exist as a quiet, introspective costume drama, but as an adventure of the grandest scale imaginable. [Film Fest 919]
Whatever happened to wonder in films? Whatever happened to the sweeping scores layered over long, grand shots of adventure and peril? Why does everything feel so commercialized and insincere nowadays? I feel like whenever big blockbusters make you feel something,… Read More ›
“Frozen II”: Bigger, Bolder, Colder.
In 2013, you couldn’t turn on a radio without hearing Idina Menzel belting “Let It Go” and, by 2014, Halloween looked like an army of Elsas and Annas coming to pillage your candy. As much of a pop culture phenomenon… Read More ›
“The Warrior Queen of Jhansi” is ineffective in capturing the strength and courage of a great historical martyr.
The documentation of the stain of British colonialism in India is not something that’s often covered in the western film industry, whether that be for an immense shame or a fear of looking back in the context of history. Many… Read More ›
If you want a Prestige Picture, look elsewhere. If you’re in the mood for some fun, then it’s hail to “The King.” [Film Fest 919]
The idea of another prestige period drama is almost physically exhausting to my body at this point. Hell, The King isn’t even the first prestige period drama for Netflix in the last year, with David Mackenzie’s admirable, but not heavy-hitting,… Read More ›
New documentary “To Kid Or Not To Kid” explores the diverse perspectives of having kids.
The question of whether or not to have children is faced by the majority of people at a certain point in their lives. Depending on factors such as each individual’s cultural background or socio-economic standing, there may be varying responses… Read More ›
“Honey Boy” is both brave and admirable, even if hard to reconcile. [Film Fest 919]
The world is a cruel place, and we are a cruel people within it. We love to put others down for the sake of making our own selves feel better, and we’ve all done it at some point or another…. Read More ›
By blending traditional art styles with modern animation, the Chinese folktale “Legend of the White Snake” takes on a new life in the GKIDS release “White Snake.”
If you’re unfamiliar with the “Legend of the White Snake,” it’s an ancient Chinese folktale dating back centuries. Rooted in oral history, the tale has been translated into song, print, television, and film many times over. In it, a human… Read More ›
“The Report” has all the makings of a bombshell political drama without the pizzazz or flare. [Film Fest 919]
There’s an argument today that everything is hyper-politicized, from our news to our movies to the signs lining the freeway during our daily commute. It’s a hard thing to escape and being exposed constantly to it can rightfully feel exhausting…. Read More ›
Fabulous performances and beautiful aesthetics aren’t enough for “Sorry We Missed You.” [Film Fest 919]
In a new world where mega-corporations run the world and are bigger than ever before, it’s becoming harder to levy legitimate criticism towards these parables of late-stage capitalism because…well…these corporations also own distribution companies. Amazon has its own Amazon Studios… Read More ›
What you see is what you get in quirky dramedy “Love Is Blind”.
There’s nothing more frustrating as a cinephile than a film with great ideas that don’t seem to coalesce in execution, where you can see all the pieces of a clever, engaging, thoughtful story, yet, for some reason, in completion, the… Read More ›
War drama “Danger Close” is an astounding testament the power of sacrifice, brotherhood, and dedicated cooperation.
War movies have been around since the days of silent cinema. There is something about this brutally intense human experience that, despite its horrific nature, always produces intriguing stories that can be massively impactful when told in an effective fashion…. Read More ›
Amid all the holiday rom-com trimmings, “Last Christmas” possesses unexpected layers.
The moment the clock hits midnight on the last day of October, the speed with which Halloween is tossed in the bin and Christmas pops up is enough to disorient. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the first major studio Christmas… Read More ›