7
It’s funny how — in this new reality — it seems like everything reminds me of COVID-19, from TV shows that remind us of how things used to be to dystopian-future films that make us exclaim, “Hey, that’s sort of like what we’re dealing with!” Neasa Hardiman’s sci-fi horror film Sea Fever may be dealing with a horrific parasite instead of a virus, but I couldn’t help but draw parallels to the current worldwide pandemic we’re experiencing.
5
Releasing at just the right time comes Vivarium, a film involving a suburban nightmare in which a couple is trapped in a housing development with no way to escape for an undetermined period of time.
8.5
After the phenomenal release of Spike Lee’s 1989 classic, Do The Right Thing, on the Criterion Collection earlier last year, I was anxious to see which of his next films they would tackle.
6
Resistance manages to check all the right boxes. Entertaining. Educational. Well acted.
6.5
The Surrogate picks back up in its final moments, leading to a risky conclusion that some may find frustrating but fits perfectly within the rest of the overall tone: that is —to raise questions and not answers, resulting in a thought-provoking, well-performed, and well-written indie drama that’s well worth a look.
5.5
Seven Stages is a film with a great idea on paper that never truly comes to fruition, which starts off silly and intriguing but slowly rolls off the tracks before getting completely lost by the end. It definitely has more than a few laughs, but don’t expect to achieve enlightenment with this one.
8
Blow the Man Down is a well executed noir with plenty of comedic moments to bolster an already strong set of complex characters and a killer feature debut for its two directors.
7
Being the spouse of a sleeptalker (and to the person editing this review right now, love you!), I often find it fascinating what goes on in individuals’ minds during sleep. I’ve had full-blown conversations with her, only to discover she’s been unconscious
7
Propelled by the performance of Pete Davidson in his first starring role, the film feels a bit paint by numbers at times, but the solid script and even pace keep it from toppling over under the weight of its own formula.
7
Swallow is a meaningful study of mental illness through a captivating, off-the-wall character.
Of all the Japanese horror titles released after the explosive success of The Ring, none was as derivative as the One Missed Call series, but at least in the case of Takashi Miike’s first entry, there’s a lot more substance here than
5.5
Based on a true story or not, Escape from Pretoria is incapable of wringing much tension from its long, arduous prison-escape plot.
7
The premise alone for Extra Ordinary, a film about a timid driving instructor whose ability to communicate with the dead puts her in a position to save the life of a teenager who is about to be sacrificed by a one-hit-wonder musician in order to resurrect his career, should be enough to warrant the price of admission.
5.5
Run This Town couldn’t hit the political-thriller notes because of the way it chose to tell its story, needing more pieces of Rob Ford and his staffers to paint a more complete picture.
8
This is a unique take on the Invisible Man narrative and has some really creative turns, and as a massive fan of this series, I was beyond excited to see Whannell deliver something terrifying, original, and easily one of the best horror experiences of the year.
6.5
Matthew Pope’s feature debut, Blood On Her Name, is a well crafted, Southern-fried, neo-noir with a heavy reliance on tension, and while this method doesn’t always quite work, audiences are still in store for a satisfying crime thriller.
