★★★★ Fall is in the air, so what better time to immerse yourself in the warm blanket of a raunchy R-rated comedy? Genre director Andy Palmer tries his hand at comedy instead, and the results are quite hilarious. The ensemble cast first caught my attention—namely, Britt Robertson (The First Time, I Still Believe), Ty Simpkins … Continue reading Film Review: The Re-Education of Molly Singer
TV Review: Gen V Season 1
Welcome freshman class to year one at Godolkin University, where the best and brightest superheroes have trained since 1965! In this spin-off of Prime Video’s chaotic gem The Boys, the catty, often sociopathic world of teenagers mixes its dose of potency with the same dark humor and ultra-gory mayhem we have come to love from … Continue reading TV Review: Gen V Season 1
Film Review: Nightmare
★★ Just when it seems every imaginable iteration of Rosemary’s Baby has been birthed into our collective subconscious, along comes Norwegian import Nightmare to suggest yet another take. This time around, not only does Nightmare emulate that overrated timeless classic—it also has echoes of much-maligned sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic, and short story “The Yellow … Continue reading Film Review: Nightmare
Fantastic Fest 2023: Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
★★★ Sometimes, dead is better. At least, that is what Jud Crandall would say. The iconic character—originated in Stephen King’s seminary Pet Sematary novel before being depicted onscreen by Fred Gwynne and John Lithgow—finally has his origin story explored at great depth in co-writer/director Lindsey Anderson Beer’s directorial debut, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. I used to … Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2023: Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
Fantastic Fest 2023: Your Lucky Day
★★★★ “What would you do if you had one million dollars?” This age-old question recurs even today, often driving people to some dangerous extremes in order to make money. Promising to be “based on the American dream,” Your Lucky Day is a twisted modern thriller wrapped in a morality fable. Dedicated to the late Angus … Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2023: Your Lucky Day
Fantastic Fest 2023: The Fall of the House of Usher
Mike Flanagan, creator of two of the all-time greatest Netflix miniseries in The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, dips back into the murky waters of gothic horror in an eerie, atmospheric masterpiece dedicated to Edgar Allen Poe. The aptly-named The Fall of the House of Usher weaves Poe’s prose, themes, and melancholy into … Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2023: The Fall of the House of Usher
Film Review: No One Will Save You
★★★★ Why is it so hard to make a good alien flick? The few genuinely successful ones can probably be counted on one hand, so the uphill battle that future titles in this subgenre face is steep indeed. Almost entirely dialogue-free, sci-fi horror No One Will Save You brings a seriously twisted interpretation of alien … Continue reading Film Review: No One Will Save You
Fantastic Fest 2023: The Animal Kingdom
★★★★★ A grounded, frequently disturbing sci-fi/fantasy drama, The Animal Kingdom tears into chilling body horror elements and complex commentary about embracing the animal inside. Set in the near future, a “disease” characterized by physical, animalistic transformations has spread across the world. Those infected face intense outward discrimination, not to mention asylum experimentation. Embracing the obvious … Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2023: The Animal Kingdom
Interview: Actress Amrit Kaur
Putting the Toronto International Film Festival in our rearview, Allison sat down to chat over Zoom with The Queen of My Dreams actress Amrit Kaur about her cultural and cinematic influences, the complicated nature of arranged marriage, and using film to inspire conversation. In this unique film, when Azra’s mother, Mariam (Nimra Buch, Polite Society), discovers … Continue reading Interview: Actress Amrit Kaur
TV Review: Sex Education – Season 4
School’s out… forever? The final season of Sex Education, Netflix’s underrated sex-positive British comedy series, is coming in hot and heavy for one last hurrah. In the aftermath of season three (which debuted at the streamer two full years ago!), Moordale Secondary has been completely dismantled, and the sex school is no more. Jean (Gillian … Continue reading TV Review: Sex Education – Season 4