tth1 8

TORMENTING THE HEN Review

Tension abounds in writer/director Theodore Collatos’s latest feature, Tormenting the Hen, as nearly every discussion and/or interaction is laced with potential avenues providing offense and/or judgments, even the more inconspicuous and trivial subjects up for discussion harbor the possibility of illuminating surprising truths and viewpoints. With his script, Collatos has crafted a proverbial minefield for his characters to navigate, one that is laden with opportunities to weaponize any and all words and the hazards of crafting conclusions about others with incomplete information.

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PRINCESS CYD Review

There is no denying that the two central characters end up learning a plethora of life lessons from each other, yet Cone’s message never has the feel of heavy-handedness, albeit direct and straightforward.

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SB2 8.5

SOME BEASTS Review

In his debut, Cameron Bruce Nelson has managed to present an effective portrait of humility in slow burn, a case study on the matter of adaptability as the nature of Sal’s situation remains in a constant state of flux, trying in earnest to readjust until finally realizing that he may not belong or be able to make do as nature decisively states its dominance emphatically. A bittersweet tale occupying the margins of the in between, in between the dusk of unrealized, cast off dreams and the threshold of promise and new beginnings.

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WEXFORD PLAZA Review

A diptych on the inner lives of supporting characters, each afforded the lead in their own half of the film, is how writer/director Joyce Wong decides to explore the ups and downs of the people that usually occupy the margins of a film in her debut, Wexford Plaza. A series of interactions, both intimate and social, taking place within the vacant spaces of a strip mall tilting towards dereliction, of well-meaning intentions unraveling the frayed strands of two lives to differing degrees.

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Another SYLVIO Review

The warmth and gentleness at the center of Sylvio is swaddled in creativity, layers and layers of inventive, joy-inducing DIY creativity. The film is a testament to the wide-ranging powers of imagination and to see these ideas so lovingly crafted and produced on-screen is an absolute delight. Whatever the reasoning, the sight of Herbert Herpels sinking jumper or planting a tree, with his hands on display like a surgeon awaiting gloves warms my heart. Also, I’m still not sure why an anthropomorphized gorilla displaying genuine kindness and affection through simple hand gestures, muted grunts, and positive posture moved me so, but it did nonetheless.

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STREAMING: Christopher Jason Bell’s left + Q & A

Back towards the end of June, I covered Christopher Jason Bell's left for my For Future Reference feature and, now, I am happy to announce the online premiere of that film right here at Film Pulse. The film is available for free and streaming at the bottom of the page. I also had the chance to conduct an interview with Bell about the making of his film and his thoughts on online self-distribution.

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A WOMAN ON THE TELEPHONE: CAROL Review

Erica Genereux Smith clearly has a thing for telephones. And, office spaces. Or, I should say telephones in office spaces operated by women, to be more specific. It was the focal point of Are You With Me?, her short film from 2016 that landed on my year-end review of shorts last December.

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Thirst_Street_Poster_Hi-Res_Theatrical_860 6.5

THIRST STREET Review

Grief and loss can push people to extremes, and Nathan Silver’s Thirst Street, co-written with C. Mason Wells, showcases a psychological character study of a flight attendant named Gina (played by Lindsay Burdge) who decides to make a new life for herself in Paris. A one-night stand with bartender Jérôme (Damien Bonnard) precipitates this decision, and her adoration for him leads to some undesirable outcomes.

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Fugue3 6.5

FUGUE Review

Now available to stream via NoBudge.com

In Fugue, the latest feature-length from director Jorge Torres-Torres, we are met with the present existence of a young woman, Claire (Sophie Traub), on a foreign island,

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LEMON Review

Janicza Bravo’s debut feature, Lemon, is a triptych of a mediocre man named Isaac (played by Brett Gelman), a stunted man with a deteriorating set of social skills who currently finds himself in a challenging stretch of his life brought on by his inability to think of anyone but himself.

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