★★★ A romantic dramedy that uses the 2020 worldwide pandemic for its launching point is apparently going to be something we see quite often. Whether it’s Language Lessons, The End or Us, Songbird, or Locked Down, the fruitful new cinematic ‘COVID romance’ options are growing by the day. Enter: 7 Days. When a wonky pre-arranged … Continue reading Tribeca 2021: 7 Days
Film Review: 12 Mighty Orphans
★★★★ Set amongst the backdrop of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, 12 Mighty Orphans reminds us that orphans weren’t always looked upon favorably. In fact, at one time, they were completely stigmatized, considered second-class citizens, and referred to as nothing more than ‘inmates.’ Thousands of children were orphaned during this time period, and … Continue reading Film Review: 12 Mighty Orphans
Film Review: Censor
★★★★ Paired at the Seattle International Film Festival with Nasty, the short film that inspired it, Censor brings a grainy ode to horror excellence to the virtual fest. Set in grimy 1980’s Britain, it documents the mental unraveling of a feisty film censor, Enid (Niamh Algar). Video nasties, Britain’s censorship answer to the panic around … Continue reading Film Review: Censor
Inside Out LGBT Film Festival 2021 Wrap-Up
Inside Out LGBT Film Festival, an exclusive celebration of the best queer films from Canada and around the world, brought a unique selection of (mostly) foreign indie films rich with specificity. I had already seen a few of their selections, including the excellent Boy Meets Boy, Moffie, and Potato Dreams of America, so I was … Continue reading Inside Out LGBT Film Festival 2021 Wrap-Up
Brooklyn Film Festival 2021: Kringle Time
★★★ (Written by Freelancer, Dan Grote) Kringle Time follows Jerry (Benny Elledge) as he comes to terms with a sinister truth about his childhood idol, a creepy Frosty the Snowman knockoff named Kringles. Matthew Lucas directs his debut feature, with a screenplay penned by Zan Gillies, in this dark comedy about the adored children’s show that … Continue reading Brooklyn Film Festival 2021: Kringle Time
Inside Out 2021: I Carry You With Me
★★★★ I Carry You With Me blends narrative and documentary filmmaking into a beautiful examination of love across borders. It tells the true story of the love between two Mexican men: aspiring closeted chef Ivan (Armando Espitia) and high school teacher Gerardo (Christian Vazquez). When Ivan gets snubbed for a promotion to finally work in … Continue reading Inside Out 2021: I Carry You With Me
Film Review: The Djinn
★★★★ Written and directed by David Charbonier and Justin Powell, The Djinn is carefully molded minimalist horror. Fans of the most well-known riff on the djinn lore, the Wishmaster series, might think they already know where the story is headed. However, I can guarantee the pared-down intimate terror of The Djinn is far different than … Continue reading Film Review: The Djinn
Calgary Underground 2021: Itchy Fingers
★★★ “When you’re funny, people expect you to be funny all the time.” It’s a sentiment most comedians will be able to relate to, one whose mark has taken some of the greats like Robin Williams and John Candy. Itchy Fingers yearns to examine the psychological and mental toll that comedy takes on the brain; … Continue reading Calgary Underground 2021: Itchy Fingers
Calgary Underground 2021: Fully Realized Humans
★★★★ A charming little rom-com that strays from the norm is almost always must-see material, and Fully Realized Humans fits the bill perfectly. As a horror fan, it’s hard to miss the genre vets: Joshua Leonard, who stars in addition to directing, writing, producing, and editing, hails from 1999’s The Blair Witch Project, while his … Continue reading Calgary Underground 2021: Fully Realized Humans
OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2021 Wrap-Up
The 2021 OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival highlighted a wide range of fascinating indies of varying qualities. I really enjoyed taking the time to watch so many of these under-the-radar movies, many of which would've probably flown under my radar otherwise. For the movies I've already covered previously, or those awarded full coverage elsewhere, I have … Continue reading OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2021 Wrap-Up