★★★★ Brittany Snow’s feature directorial debut arrives at the Woodstock Film Festival, in the form of captivating drama, Parachute. For anyone who has ever suffered from body image issues or the horrors of eating disorders, Parachute may be particularly triggering. Its lead character frustrates almost as frequently as she garners empathy. Parachute is so much … Continue reading Woodstock 2023: Parachute
Fantastic Fest 2023: Totally Killer
★★★★★ For my final film of 2023’s Fantastic Fest, retro slasher horror/comedy Totally Killer closes out the festival with a bloody bang! In the vein of camp-tastic slashers The Final Girls, Freaky, and Happy Death Day, this Blumhouse/Amazon Studios production appears destined for yearly Halloween-season viewing. New blood in the genre sometimes reaps the best … Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2023: Totally Killer
Woodstock 2023: Irena’s Vow
(Written by Allison Brown) ★★★★ National Geographic’s incredible show, A Small Light, set the standard for quality Holocaust material early in the year at SXSW, but as a late arrival at TIFF and now Woodstock, Irena’s Vow puts up a fair fight in comparison. I was not previously familiar with Irene Gut Opdyke’s story, but … Continue reading Woodstock 2023: Irena’s Vow
Woodstock 2023: Slide
★★★★ Legendary animator Bill Plympton brings to life his first film since 2016’s Revengeance: the vibrant, outrageous, and endlessly entertaining musical/comedy/western, Slide. Named after its completely mute lead character and his “slide guitar,” this surreal movie overflows with ideas and mesmerizing imagery. Plympton individually animates every frame of his films himself, via his own Plymptoons … Continue reading Woodstock 2023: Slide
Woodstock 2023: The Kill Room
★★★★ The logline of The Kill Room sounds like the start of some bad joke. A hitman, his boss, an art dealer, and a money-laundering scheme—what could possibly go wrong? This dark comedy crime/thriller is far more entertaining than I had ever expected. Setting aside the obvious draw of a Pulp Fiction reunion with the … Continue reading Woodstock 2023: The Kill Room
Woodstock 2023: Fair Play
★★★ Alden Ehrenreich is perhaps one of the most underrated actors working today. First discovered by Steven Spielberg at a bar mitzvah, Ehrenreich has been consistently churning out intriguing fare, and discovering his niche as a character actor for years. From Beautiful Creatures to Stoker to Solo: A Star Wars Story and everything in between, … Continue reading Woodstock 2023: Fair Play
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 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