★★★★★ Michael B. Jordan squares up for a third round in the ring as Adonis Creed in the aptly titled, Creed III. Not only does Jordan star as the lead, but he also steps behind the director’s chair for the very first time! Unlike the first two installments in this Rocky spin-off trilogy, Sylvester Stallone’s … Continue reading Film Review: Creed III
Genres
Film Review: We Have a Ghost
★★ Writer/director Christopher Landon has impressed me several times before, from Disturbia to Paranormal Activity to Freaky and many movies in between. His newest, a Netflix family comedy, sadly lacks the ferocious bite and wit of other entries in Landon's filmography. A close comparison in terms of a tone it’s attempting would probably be Tim … Continue reading Film Review: We Have a Ghost
TV Review: The Consultant
Tony Gasballop, creator of Apple TV’s sadistic Servant, prepares a fresh, disturbing course of suspense and dark comedy in Amazon Prime’s new series, The Consultant. An ensemble cast anchored by Academy Award-winning Austrian-German actor Christoph Waltz combine to make this a “workplace comedy” unlike any other. Similar to Servant, whatever direction one imagines The Consultant … Continue reading TV Review: The Consultant
Berlinale 2023 Wrap-Up
2023’s Berlinale compiled another excellent, deeply varied roster of films. Check out our full coverage of this year’s exciting film festival offerings after the jump! Films ALMAMULA I love a horror-tinged queer drama almost more than I can describe in words; last year's Hypochondriac perfectly epitomized this. Almamula, a French/Argentinian/Italian production, is unfortunately almost entirely … Continue reading Berlinale 2023 Wrap-Up
Berlinale 2023: Mal Viver and Viver Mal
★★★★ (Written by Sean Boelman, disappointment media) João Canijo’s Mal Viver and Viver Mal—translating to “Bad Living” and “Living Bad”—are two of the more interesting films in this year’s Berlinale lineup, as they are companion pieces. Billed as a “shot/reverse shot,” Canijo’s duology is well-made and intriguing, even if its novelty begins to wear thin … Continue reading Berlinale 2023: Mal Viver and Viver Mal
Interview: The Consultant Cast & Creator
What a pleasure to accept a proposal from The Consultant! We interviewed Christoph Waltz, Tony Basgallop, Nat Wolff, Aimee Carrero, and Brittany O’Grady to talk the sinister influence of Patoff, character complexities, and a surprising song cover! Join us as we break down this unconventional workplace horror… In the aftermath of the shocking murder of … Continue reading Interview: The Consultant Cast & Creator
Berlinale 2023: Femme
★★★★★ The modern queer thriller soars to previously unforeseen heights in searing, sexually-charged Femme. Based on the short film of the same name, writer/director duo Sam F. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping craft a harrowing revenge tale unlike anything I have ever seen before. After a shocking gay bashing, lust and longing give way to … Continue reading Berlinale 2023: Femme
Berlinale 2023: Silver Haze
★★★★★ (Written by Sean Boelman, disappointment media) Back in 2019, the film Dirty God picked up a great deal of acclaim on the festival circuit after beginning its run at Sundance and became one of the most underseen gems of that year. Its writer-director and star duo, Sacha Polak and Vicky Knight, have reunited for … Continue reading Berlinale 2023: Silver Haze
SBIFF 2023 Wrap-Up
Another year of magic arrives with the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival! Unfortunately due to accessibility, we were unable to cover a swath of features that we were intending to view; nevertheless, the festival was host to a plethora of previously-watched features that we really enjoyed, too! Read on for our full coverage after … Continue reading SBIFF 2023 Wrap-Up
Berlinale 2023: Deep Sea
★★★★ Animation as a medium is often undersung and underestimated—all the more reason to seek out nearly every animated film that I come across. In recent years, some of my favorite animated features have emerged from the film festival circuit. Last year alone, 2D-animated marvel Titina, bizarre ultra-gory Unicorn Wars, stop motion horror fantasy Wendell … Continue reading Berlinale 2023: Deep Sea