★★★★ Our final film of the virtual 2022 Sundance Film Festival, dark crime thriller Emily the Criminal, thankfully closes out our festival experience with a big taser-injected bang! The always-reliable Aubrey Plaza plays Emily, the titular character, a woman whose past continues to cause problems. Convicted of aggravated assault back in 2015, Emily’s record follows … Continue reading Sundance 2022: Emily the Criminal
Sundance 2022: Palm Trees and Power Lines
★★★ Palm Trees and Power Lines, like last year’s You Mean Everything to Me, puts coercive control in its crosshairs. If the thought of a 34-year-old man getting with a 17-year-old girl makes your stomach churn, just wait until the final act, when the film approaches a whole new level of uncomfortable. Lily McInerny and … Continue reading Sundance 2022: Palm Trees and Power Lines
Sundance 2022: Master
★★★★ The second racially-charged Amazon Studios release at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, Master is potent, twisty psychological horror. Led by a terrific cast, including Regina Hall and Zoe Renee, this slick slow-burn builds up a tangible atmosphere of racism and intensity. The darkness of the film’s thematic thrust may make audience members uncomfortable. For … Continue reading Sundance 2022: Master
Film Review: Wild Indian
★★ I missed Wild Indian at Sundance earlier this year, and it turns out this should have been a sign to simply skip it. The thriller or revenge element is barely there, instead choosing to focus on a despicable character that I hated to watch. If you have a story arc with a huge time … Continue reading Film Review: Wild Indian
Film Review: Cryptozoo
★★★★ Cryptozoo is a special brand of strange adult animation, the likes of which would find a perfect home at the doorstep of Adult Swim. Beautiful and trippy 2D animation feels like sketchy illustrations brought to life. The sheer scale they are able to achieve on a limited indie budget is jaw-dropping to behold. The … Continue reading Film Review: Cryptozoo
Provincetown 2021: CODA
★★★★★ CODA exploded out of the gate when it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. Almost instantly, Apple Studios made a record-breaking $25 million deal for worldwide distribution. Fast forward to the 2021 Provincetown International Film Festival, and I was finally able to see CODA after much hype and buildup… and it is one of … Continue reading Provincetown 2021: CODA