★★★ Underrated actor Gabriel Basso flexes his scriptwriting and directorial chops with chilling thriller, Iconoclast. Best known for roles in Netflix's The Night Agent and movies including Super 8, The Kings of Summer, and the recent Strangers trilogy, Basso's latest is unlike any other roles he has done before. He plays Connor, a straight white … Continue reading Tribeca 2026: Iconoclast
Fantastic Fest 2023: Totally Killer
★★★★★ For my final film of 2023’s Fantastic Fest, retro slasher horror/comedy Totally Killer closes out the festival with a bloody bang! In the vein of camp-tastic slashers The Final Girls, Freaky, and Happy Death Day, this Blumhouse/Amazon Studios production appears destined for yearly Halloween-season viewing. New blood in the genre sometimes reaps the best … Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2023: Totally Killer
TIFF 2022: Wildflower
★★★★ Set in Las Vegas, Nevada, Wildflower unfolds similar to many movies in the coming-of-age genre: a message declaring that it is “inspired by true events,” and of course the immediate voiceover of our lead character—in this case, that’s Bea (Kiernan Shipka, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Running with Sharks). I felt like I was … Continue reading TIFF 2022: Wildflower
SXSW 2022: Swimming with Sharks
SXSW drama Swimming with Sharks has the bite of a 90s erotic thriller, and the sleek and stylish shine of David Fincher films such as Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. As a Roku original, I fear it may not draw a huge audience despite being loosely based on the 1994 classic of the same name … Continue reading SXSW 2022: Swimming with Sharks