★★★★ As a lover of all things found footage—and first-person survival horror video games—Dead Eyes was an absolute must-see. The entire film unfolds through the eyes of Sean (Rijen Laine), desperately searching the forest for his missing father. Along for the ride are his fiancée, Grace (Ana Thu Nguyen), their obnoxious pal, Eric (Charles Cottier) and … Continue reading SXSW 2026: Dead Eyes
Genres
Film Review: The Gates
★★★★ A morally complex thriller that personally requests audience engagement in its deeper thematic underpinnings, The Gates thrives off the performances of its three black leads in Mason Gooding, Algee Smith, and Keith Powers. Playing opposite them is supremely underrated actor James Van Der Beek as the villain in one of his final cinematic roles … Continue reading Film Review: The Gates
Film Review: Slanted
★★★★ Obviously the subgenre has existed for decades, yet The Substance truly made body horror cool again. One of horror's most unsung categories gets a racial facelift with Slanted, a twisted coming-of-age tale about the cost of popularity, and the insane price of beauty. Ryan Murphy just tapped into genuine greatness with FX's The Beauty, … Continue reading Film Review: Slanted
Must-See Movies at 2026’s SXSW
The newest edition of the SXSW Film & TV Festival arrives this week, and I'm excited to toss some must-see movies out for your reading pleasure! Check out my picks after the jump... DEAD EYES For admirers of found footage—and first-person survival horror video games—Dead Eyes is an absolute must-see. The entire film unfolds through … Continue reading Must-See Movies at 2026’s SXSW
Blu-Ray Film Review: Regretting You
★★★★ Much can be said about the modern rom-com, and if anyone has hooked a fresh spin, it's author Colleen Hoover. Hoover has a pretty stellar Hollywood track record thus far—both of her adaptations have done stellar box office, though the whirlwind controversy around It Ends With Us may have soured some fans. Regretting You … Continue reading Blu-Ray Film Review: Regretting You
Film Review: Scream 7
★★★★★ Hot on the heels of 2023's critical and financial hit, Scream VI, a seventh movie in the most consistent horror franchise of all time seemed like a no-brainer. Yet, after hitting numerous snafus along the way—the biggest being Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, and director Christopher Landon exiting the project—it came into doubt whether we … Continue reading Film Review: Scream 7
Film Review: This is Not a Test
★★★★ Adapted from the 2012 novel by Courtney Summers, This is Not a Test is the latest in a long line of cinematic offerings torn straight from the pages of young adult fiction. This one embraces its R-rating by leaning into the violence of a wild zombie outbreak. It has shades of 2004's Dawn of … Continue reading Film Review: This is Not a Test
TV Review: 56 Days – Season 1
Based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Howard, Prime Video's horny new erotic thriller series 56 Days arrives just as the genre has been experiencing quite the comeback. It trades pandemic-era Dublin for present-day Boston, but the whole premise would work no matter where it was set. Dove Cameron (Disney's Descendants) and Avan Jogia (Now … Continue reading TV Review: 56 Days – Season 1
Berlinale 2026: Chimney Town: Frozen in Time
★★★★ Poupelle of Chimney Town was sweet and delightful, a 2021 delight that flew under the radar with its sweet celebration of Halloween and... trash. Telling the story of chimney sweep Lubicchi and his magical garbage-made best friend, Poupelle, that first film had some heartwarming, Ghibli-esque magic. When I heard there was a sequel produced, … Continue reading Berlinale 2026: Chimney Town: Frozen in Time
Theater Review: Data
Returning to the Lucille Lortel Theatre well over a decade since 2012's Carrie the Musical, it really struck me just how different the world felt back then. Data, a gripping tech-thriller from playwright Matthew Libby, could not have existed in that version of the theatre sphere. This all feels so specifically 2026 in concept, not too … Continue reading Theater Review: Data