When director Timo Vuorensola made his feature debut with 2012’s Iron Sky, many likely presumed – this writer included – that a film centered on Moon Nazis likely wouldn’t make a splash, let alone create a cult following, when it… Read More ›
Reviews
“Fast Color” is the superpower movie you missed this year, but now you can catch it on home video.
At their start, children are nothing but raw potential. As they grow, they are either lean into their potential or they run from it. Sometimes it’s a reaction to their environment, sometimes it’s in their nature, but it informs who… Read More ›
“Luz” is a strong first-go for director Tilman Singer, keeping audiences anticipating every move.
When you think of horror films, what names come to mind? If you’re going old school, you’ll get John Carpenter, Wes Craven, George A. Romero, Mary Lambert, Sam Raimi, Tobe Hooper, Takashi, Miike, Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento, and David Cronenberg…. Read More ›
Now available on home video, director Neil Marshall’s “Hellboy” has freshman growing pains and potential for a great sophomore outing.
During ” The Forever Warriors: Story and Characters”, part one of the three-part documentary “Tales of the Wild Hunt: Hellboy Reborn,” lead actor David Harbour acknowledges that audiences are weary of anything seeming like a reboot or a remake. In… Read More ›
Teen drama “Saving Zoë” shines a reflective light on the teenage experience.
Note: Saving Zoë deals with some dark elements that might trigger some, specifically in regards to sexual violence and/or violence against women. The concept of the “teen movie” has evolved over the years. Initially used as a rebellion against the… Read More ›
Documentarian Pamela B. Green and her team unearth the legacy of Alice Guy-Blaché in “Be Natural: The Untold Story Of Alice Guy-Blaché”.
It’s not going to surprise anyone to read that the amount we don’t know frequently outweighs the vast amounts of information we think we do. Sometimes it’s hubris which makes us think this way, but more often than not, it’s… Read More ›
“The Spy Behind Home Plate” explores baseball player Moe Berg’s life as a spy during World War II.
The new documentary The Spy Behind Home Plate, written, directed, and produced by Aviva Kempner, depicts the incredible true story of Morris “Moe” Berg, a notably successful Major League Baseball athlete who played for five different teams over the course… Read More ›
“Amaurosis” excels in unsettling audiences through sensory stimulation, creating a uniquely disturbing experience.
It’s not uncommon for film to offer a catharsis in an environment far safer than any other. Emotionally, audiences go on a journey — can be comical or horrific or anywhere in between — and when the credits roll, everyone’s… Read More ›
Documentary “Origin Story” presents a raw and emotional journey for closure.
Imagine that you’re 14 years old, your parents are constantly fighting and you find yourself frequently in the middle of one of their arguments. You’re still in your formative years and this kind of persistent angst is routine in your… Read More ›
“Spider-Man: Far From Home” is an adventurous conclusion for the MCU’s Phase 3.
Audiences and MCU characters alike don’t know what to expect in the wake of Avengers: Endgame. Loss of any kind takes time to properly heal from and, while audiences didn’t get much (barely three months between the release of Endgame… Read More ›
Greg Kinnear makes his directorial debut with dramedy “Phil”.
Oscar-nominated actor Greg Kinnear makes his directorial debut with the new film Phil, and also stars in the lead role as the eponymous character. Phil McGuire is a fairly successful dentist who runs his own practice, yet struggles with deep… Read More ›
“Deadsight” delivers a taut, clever, and often humorous zombie thriller via simplicity.
The urge to create complications, to produce bigger and stronger obstacles within stories, is one of many balancing acts writers manage when crafting their stories. Introductions of characters and settings, moving the narrative forward, designing conflict – these are all… Read More ›
Sony Classics crime thriller “The Fall of the American Empire” is an emotionally captivating experience.
Oscar-winning director Denys Arcand offers The Fall of the American Empire, an eclectic genre mash-up combining crime drama, a thrilling heist adventure, and a social commentary. This French-Canadian film spoken almost entirely in the beautiful language of French (and subtitled… Read More ›
“The 16th Episode” features shades of other found footage films yet remains uninspired.
A movie that centers around three YouTubers wanting to make their own movie/documentary is something we saw about 20 years ago with The Blair Witch Project, which centered on three film students whose goal was to document the Blair Witch… Read More ›
Thriller “The Refuge” is a passion project that can’t rise above its complications.
Examining the credits of this film, Keith Sutliff’s impressive effort becomes apparent as he worked as the writer, director, producer, production designer, art director, and lead actor. Undertaking all of these responsibilities to bring together a vision for this project… Read More ›
Documentary “Nothing Changes: Art for Hank’s Sake” immortalizes the artist, not the art.
Why do we do what we do? What drives us? What inspires us to get out of bed each morning and tackle the day? This is the core question of director Matthew Kaplowitz’s documentary Nothing Changes: Art for Hank’s Sake,… Read More ›
Let’s talk about sex: dramedy “Making Babies” tackles the stigma of infertility.
More often than not, pregnancy is compared to a “miracle,” as though the act of conception isn’t part of the biological make-up instilled within the human machine. Defining pregnancy and childbirth as a “miracle” creates undue pressure on the women… Read More ›
IFC Film’s “Ophelia” reimagines Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and, in doing so, reinvigorates the centuries old play.
There exists a problem in classic literature and it resides in the presentation of women. They are rarely given any agency, any sense of control over their fates, and are, instead, merely fodder for whatever Hero’s Journey the male lead… Read More ›
Tim Burton’s live-action interpretation of the animated Disney classic “Dumbo” offers a new perspective that may alienate the existing fanbase.
2014’s Maleficent kicked off Disney’s live-action reimaginings of various beloved properties. Soon after followed 2015’s Cinderella, 2016’s The Jungle Book, and 2017’s Beauty and the Beast. For whatever reason, rather than sticking to one new release a year, 2019 will… Read More ›
Despite possessing great promise, drama “Into the Mirror” struggles as its pulled in multiple directions.
Looking at the title for something like Into the Mirror is interesting to begin with. With a title like that, one might seriously consider this to be a very interesting, and maybe a metaphorical, horror movie. From director Lois Stevenson,… Read More ›