★★★ The newest offering from streaming service Shudder comes in the form of bizarre psychological horror film, Mosquito State. It takes the body horror of Cronenberg and tries to modernize it with clumsy metaphors. A premise this instantly ridiculous begs for the embracing of its campy sensibilities. Co-writer and director, Filip Jan Rymsza, is far … Continue reading Film Review: Mosquito State
Genres
Locarno 2021: Beckett
★★★★ Netflix films have been knocking it out of the park this year, between The Woman in the Window, the Fear Street trilogy, and A Classic Horror Story. Next on their roster is politically-charged thriller, Beckett. Starring John David Washington (Tenet, Malcolm & Marie) as the titular lead character, director Ferdinando Cito Filomarino wrings maximum … Continue reading Locarno 2021: Beckett
Bentonville 2021: Falling for Figaro
★★★★ Perusing the options at Geena Davis’ 2021 Bentonville Film Festival, one title immediately caught my eye: an opera singer rom-com? I was relatively sure from the concept alone that Falling for Figaro would be a cutesy way to kill a couple of hours. I never dreamed that its adorable love story and lead character … Continue reading Bentonville 2021: Falling for Figaro
Film Review: Notorious Nick
★★★ For better or worse, Notorious Nick is an entirely straightforward inspirational sports drama. Bolstered by the natural charisma of gorgeous leading man, Cody Christian, real-life one-armed MMA fighter Nick Newell gets the Hollywood treatment. Filmmaker Aaron Leong, whose sole other directing gig was 2016 comedy Mamaboy, does a terrific job staging enthralling combat scenes. … Continue reading Film Review: Notorious Nick
Film Review: 6:45
★★★ Another repeating day movie is upon us! 6:45, the new psychological thriller from Dark Ride director Craig Singer, traps our lead characters on a seemingly endless time loop. The day itself is a double-edged sword. It always begins at 6:45am, in the throes of passionate sex, always in the coziness of the quaint small … Continue reading Film Review: 6:45
Film Review: The Last Matinee
★★★★★ If you’re a fan of 80s and 90s slasher films, reliable Dark Star Pictures has a treat for you: Maximiliano Contenti’s explosive new feature, The Last Matinee. Evoking gory and suspenseful Italian Giallo horror mixed with the stalk-and-slash of greats like Friday the 13th and Halloween, The Last Matinee reminds us that sometimes keeping … Continue reading Film Review: The Last Matinee
Film Review: Naked Singularity
★★★★ Directed by 2017’s It screenwriter Chase Palmer (and despite taking a whopping 8 years to come to the screen), Naked Singularity serves as hybrid black comedy/light drama/dangerous crime/light sci-fi movie with a lot on its mind. The film takes an impressive slate of acting talent, slotting them into characters based on the book A … Continue reading Film Review: Naked Singularity
Film Review: The Psychic
★★★ Lucio Fulci is considered one of the greatest and most influential horror directors of all time, so I am ashamed to say that this 2K restoration of his 1977 film The Psychic is my first taste of Fulci. Lovingly referred to as “the Godfather of Gore”, Lucio Fulci is responsible for such bonafide horror … Continue reading Film Review: The Psychic
Fantasia 2021: Hayop-Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story
★★★★ Acting as my first review for 2021’s Fantasia International Film Festival, Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story (coming to Netflix later this year under the translated title, You Animal!) could not have been a better table-setter. A saucy and deeply horny animated love story that is decidedly not for younger viewers, this film took … Continue reading Fantasia 2021: Hayop-Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story
Film Review: Nine Days
★★★★★ It has been a very long time since I have watched a film as philosophically satisfying and devastatingly powerful as Nine Days. Winston Duke’s soothing voice and passionate line-delivery (as an omniscient being named Will) is just perfect casting, and that is before even delving into the excellent ensemble. The easiest way for me … Continue reading Film Review: Nine Days