★★ One of the more anticipated entries at this year’s SXSW Film Festival was I Used to Be Funny, the newest Rachel Sennott vehicle that I assumed would be a dramedy/mystery mixture. I loved Rachel in Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, where her awkward humor blended perfectly into her ditzy, self-obsessed character’s personality. Hoping for more range … Continue reading SXSW 2023: I Used to Be Funny
SXSW 2023: Pure O
★★ (Written by Allison Brown) Dillon Tucker’s directorial feature debut Pure O is a miss, both in storytelling and visual execution. The bloated two-hour runtime will leave one checking the time far too often, hoping to be closer to the end. As someone who suffers from mild OCD, I was particularly eager to check out … Continue reading SXSW 2023: Pure O
Film Review: Moving On
★★★ (Written by Intern, Wyatt Frantz) After watching 80 for Brady or Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, one would not want to miss Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s Moving On as the unstoppable duo continue to steamroll through the box office. This time, they conspire in a comedic murder conspiracy in hopes of rectifying their characters’ … Continue reading Film Review: Moving On
Film Review: All the World is Sleeping
★★★★ Made expressly to shatter the unfair narrative about the correlation between addiction and selfishness, unique drama All the World is Sleeping delivers its potent message in stylish, effective flair. The captivating drama, written and directed by Ryan Lacen, is perhaps most notable for a stunning lead performance by Scream’s Melissa Barrera—the actress continues to … Continue reading Film Review: All the World is Sleeping
SXSW 2023: Peak Season
★★★★ (Written by Intern, Wyatt Frantz) Peak Season is a beautifully meditative sophomore film from Henry Loevner and Steven Kanter that displays how the Midwest and life's fleeting relationships can be a beautiful thing. Using cinematic minimalism and the Wyoming mountaintops to their advantage, a new light is shone on the “city folk meets country … Continue reading SXSW 2023: Peak Season
SXSW 2023: Pay or Die
(Written by Allison Brown) ★★★★ The cost of healthcare in the United States is at an all-time high. If one suddenly loses their job or falls off their parents’ insurance, out-of-pocket costs can reach the thousands, leading many to neglect their health. Even with insurance, high deductibles and co-pays make it hard for the average … Continue reading SXSW 2023: Pay or Die
SXSW 2023: Citizen Sleuth
(Written by Allison Brown) ★★★ Although some may have good intentions, true crime podcasts are an ethical grey zone. Director Chris Kasick chooses to follow Emily Nestor and the explosion of her show, Mile Marker 181, in Citizen Sleuth to expose the balance between entertainment and truth. With zero college education or audiovisual, journalism or … Continue reading SXSW 2023: Citizen Sleuth
FrightFest Glasgow 2023: Here for Blood
★★★★ Gory throwback horror that feels like a delicious, campy mix of Cabin in the Woods and Last House on the Left was certainly not what I expected when I sat down to watch Here for Blood. This splatterfest is the directorial debut of Daniel Turres and screenwriter James Roberts. The film plays like a … Continue reading FrightFest Glasgow 2023: Here for Blood
SXSW 2023: Appendage
★★★★ One woman’s inner turmoil becomes a shit-talking outer tumor that grows and grows in writer/director Anna Zlokovic’s cringey little blast of fun, Appendage. The short film of the same name, which played 2022’s Sundance and became part of Hulu’s Bite Size Halloween, was a lean, focused piece that perfectly executed its obvious depiction of … Continue reading SXSW 2023: Appendage
TV Review: You – Season 4, Part 2
Thank the stars above that Netflix decided to only have a one-month gap in between half-seasons. You Season 4 Part 2 is the show at peak greatness. Delivering twist after twist may be like second nature at this point, but the grandness of the shocking turn taken only two episodes into this welcome return-to-form left … Continue reading TV Review: You – Season 4, Part 2