★★★ (Written by Allison Brown) Writer/director Anu Valia has a definitive filmmaking style, that’s for sure, if debut solo feature We Strangers is indicative of anything. A richly vivid color palette paired with repetition, solid flashing screens, and ripe symbolism make for layered imagery. The irony of turning gel cleaner swirling down the toilet into stunning cinematography … Continue reading SXSW 2024: We Strangers
Genres
FrightFest Glasgow 2024: Mom
★★★ Last year, Dianna Agron starred in the pregnancy horror flick Clock, and the whole thing felt like a bit of a missed opportunity. In a similar vein, I was worried for Adam O’Brien’s Mom; specifically, that it would fall into the typical demonic child trope that frequently plagues so many of these genre movies. … Continue reading FrightFest Glasgow 2024: Mom
SXSW 2024: 3 Body Problem
From the creators of the legendary fantasy epic Game of Thrones comes… a character-based sci-fi thriller? While David Benioff and D.B. Weiss may not necessarily be the first names that spring to mind concerning aliens, they nevertheless make a bold entrance into the genre with gripping 3 Body Problem. Based on a massive trilogy of … Continue reading SXSW 2024: 3 Body Problem
SXSW 2024: Natatorium
★★★★ (Written by Intern, Shaun E) Icelandic writer/director Helena Stefansdottir arrives at SXSW with Natatorium, a dark drama/thriller that peers through the murky waters of family trauma. Mysteries and secrets deep within a family’s elegant mansion unfold through powerful acting and appealing cinematography. Intrigue is effectively garnered throughout without drowning in muddled confusion. Dreamy and … Continue reading SXSW 2024: Natatorium
SXSW 2024: Backspot
★★★ Pushing one’s body to the limit has been the subject of many a film, especially when it comes to sports. In this regard, queer co-writer/director D.W. Waterson’s Backspot probably will not deliver anything new for the majority of people. Yet, its bold depiction of one character’s utter commitment to her craft will mirror the … Continue reading SXSW 2024: Backspot
Cinequest 2024: The Island Between Tides
★★★ One thing I have learned about Cinequest Film Festival: there always seems to be at least one movie involving ghosts/the supernatural. This year, that entry is titled The Island Between Tides, an eerie chiller with a time-travel tinged twist. Perhaps we have seen this before to varying degrees of success, yet in its amalgamation … Continue reading Cinequest 2024: The Island Between Tides
Film Review: Damsel
★★★★ Right at the top of Netflix’s fantasy/action flick Damsel, Millie Bobby Brown’s Elodie exclaims that this is very much not a simple damsel in distress story. No princes will be swooping in to save the day, nor will first love’s kiss set her free. Elodie will be a different brand of princess, relying solely … Continue reading Film Review: Damsel
Film Review: Ricky Stanicky
★★★★ If this were the early 2000s, when the R-rated comedy boom really took off in the wake of American Pie's success, Ricky Stanicky would be considered an instant home run. Is there any surprise that one of the legendary Farrelly Brothers (Dumb and Dumber, There's Something About Mary, Me, Myself & Irene) sits in … Continue reading Film Review: Ricky Stanicky
Six Must-See Titles at 2024’s SXSW
The newest edition of the SXSW Film & TV Festival is here, and we're ready as ever to throw some movies on your radar! Check out our picks after the jump... Antisocial Network: MEMES TO MAYHEM (Written by Allison Brown) After years of 4chan mentions in the media, Netflix’s Antisocial Network: Memes To Mayhem finally provides some … Continue reading Six Must-See Titles at 2024’s SXSW
Film Review: Glitter & Doom
★★★ From the same director as adorably underrated 2008 gay musical, Were the World Mine, comes a sparkly new rom-com-ical with a lovable couple at its center. Glitter & Doom sells itself as an Indigo Girls jukebox musical. Certainly, the film is a full-on extravaganza, complete with duets, impressive dancing choreography, and bright visuals bursting … Continue reading Film Review: Glitter & Doom