There’s no denying that writer/director Jack Eve’s got ambition. Watching a single frame of genre mash-up Bees Make Honey makes that abundantly clear. With bold strokes, Jack sets about combining aspects of straight period pieces and film noir mysteries, with… Read More ›
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Documentary “Pressing On” leaves its imprint on audiences in an infectious, rock n’ roll ride.
Of the things we take for granted, the written word is possibly the highest on the list. Before Johannes Gutenberg devised the printing press in 1440, there was little focus on or desire for the common person to read, which… Read More ›
In need of a date night? Don’t wait, “Set It Up”.
Netflix’s latest original feature isn’t going to blow the doors off your house, but that’s not what it’s geared for. Instead, Set It Up is a silly, light-hearted, rom-com that’ll take you on an amusing ride all the way to… Read More ›
Family affair ‘The Year of Spectacular Men’ is a strong prologue of potential.
Coming-of-age tales are typically restricted to the teen crowd. Stories of a lost innocence or new-found acceptance that empowers the central character in a way which emboldens them to tackle the world around them. Though it’s not atypical for stories… Read More ›
Only melancholic memories remain when “All Summers End”.
There’s a strange sense of freedom that comes over us in our youth every summer. Maybe it’s the longer stretches of daylight, the rising heat, or lack of parental supervision as they toil away at their jobs. Whatever it is,… Read More ›
Graphic novel adaptation ‘I Kill Giants’ is beautifully constructed, but misses its emotionally landing.
When the term “graphic novel” is tossed around, most immediately turn toward stories that capture grand adventures of heroes, like Superman, Batman, the Avengers, who display their superhuman strength or intellect while defeating similarly striking villains bent on world, or… Read More ›
Curiouser and Curiouser, Vaughn Stein’s feature debut ‘Terminal’ is a candy-coated neon nightmare into the bowels of Wonderland.
Appearances can be deceiving. Always be the smartest person in the room. There’s no such thing as coincidence. These may be rote clichés, yet the failure to adhere to them will get you killed in Vaughn Stein’s feature debut, Terminal…. Read More ›
Netflix’s Martin Freeman-led zombie apocalypse feature ‘Cargo’ meanders narratively, reducing tension and emotion along the way.
For years now, zombie-related stories have been the rage on screens big and small. Whether telling the on-going story of a group of survivors (AMC’s The Walking Dead) or a one-shot of a father protecting his daughter (Train to Busan),… Read More ›
Despite appearances, ‘Ghost Stories’ is no by-the-numbers affair.
Writing partners Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson are likely not names you’d know though you’re likely familiar with their work. Nyman’s an actor who’s worked on The League of Gentlemen, The Brothers Bloom, and Despicable Me 3, whereas Dyson’s spent… Read More ›
‘Kodachrome’ exalts the tangible in an era of digital dust.
There’s a common misconception that if a movie premieres on Netflix it’s somehow not worthy of a theater run; as though only films shown in a cinema house are somehow the only ones worthy of an audience. If films like… Read More ›
Duncan Jones latest film ‘Mute’ is a perfect fit for Netflix’s Instant offerings.
Writer/director Duncan Jones broke onto the scene with the 2009 underground hit Moon, which tracked lunar engineer Sam Bell’s (Sam Rockwell) last days of his three-year mission as his solitary life finally begins to take its toll. Unfortunately, Jones’s follow-ups… Read More ›
Sociopaths are all the rage in ‘Tragedy Girls’.
Last October audiences were inundated by interesting films that drew them in a multitude of directions. Blade Runner 2049, The Florida Project, The Foreigner, and The Square all hit cinemas small and large, so it’d be hard to blame anyone… Read More ›
“Saturday Church” is a quasi-musical journey of self-acceptance.
Audiences will quickly compare Saturday Church to Moonlight, the 2017 Best Picture Oscar winner which also tells a personal, character-driven story about a boy’s search for self at the intersection of sexual identity and race. While both excel at telling… Read More ›
Netflix’s ‘The Polka King’ is full of potential, but misses the beat.
Based-on-a-true-story biopics tend to fall into one of two categories: gritty or glossy. Weirdly, Netflix’s latest original feature The Polka King can’t decide which one it wants to be. Drawing from the documentary film The Man Who Would Be Polka… Read More ›
Listen: Poprika Podcast’s 2017 Year End Show
The end of the years means everyone is going to put out their Best of 2017 lists in music, television, film, books, games, etc. While EoM will be posting their non-traditional End of list soon, for now, here’s something a little special…. Read More ›
Recommendation: Peter Bohush’s feature-length debut ‘Altered Spirits’ is more Midnight Movie than Sci-Fi Adventure.
Director Peter Bohush’s debut feature Altered Spirits traveled the convention circuit before finally coming available on DVD and most digital streaming services and features six actors most notably known for their vocal talents in the massive online battle arena game… Read More ›
Recommendation: When we control our monsters, we become ‘Colossal’.
With so many large releases coming to theaters every month, it’s hard for smaller films to break through and get your attention. One of these smaller films is out now for home release – the dark comedy Colossal, featuring the… Read More ›
Courage is facing our fear head-on every day: ‘To The Bone’ review.
There is no story that won’t have its drawbacks or its flaws; no story that can withstand any scrutiny when perceived through fear. Such is the case with the latest Netflix film To The Bone, written and directed by Marti… Read More ›
“Okja” explores the best and worst of humanity in Bong Joon Ho’s Netflix Original feature.
Don’t let its fairytale premise of a girl and her mythical companion confuse you into thinking this is some carefree adventure. Channeling more Grimm than Disney, “Okja” explores the morals of man in a deeply compelling, utterly heart-wrenching way, all while managing to still uplift.
Truly a remarkable experience.
A Dark Promise: The Lotus Gun – Short Film Review
To herald the start of the fourth season of their Film School Shorts on PBS, northern California-based KQED has made the acclaimed short film, The Lotus Gun, available for instant streaming. Written and directed by Amanda Milius, daughter of John… Read More ›