5
SXSW 2022: SERIOUSLY RED Review
leaves Seriously Red toothless for a film patterning itself after a woman known for her indomitable gumption.
Posted by: Chris Luciantonio
5
SXSW 2022: SOFT & QUIET Review
In a secluded room above a church, a group of posh and affluent white women sip tea and eat dessert while making polite conversation. Then, like a switch being flipped, casting all their pleasantries into a new light, school teacher Emily (Stefanie
Posted by: Chris Luciantonio
7.5
SXSW 2022: UNDER THE INFLUENCE Review
The still relatively new phenomenon of YouTube fame has brought about a new breed of celebrity with the platform’s ascension to the upper echelons of popular media and, with it, new inquiry into the accountability of the YouTuber star. While it might
Posted by: Chris Luciantonio
7
SXSW 2022: DEADSTREAM Review
The slapstick, heavy-found-footage horror Deadstream works much better as a sendup of exploitative YouTuber culture than as a Raimi-esque horror comedy.
Posted by: Chris Luciantonio
7.5
SXSW 2022: SKATE DREAMS Review
The world of professional skateboarding during its ascendance into mainstream popularity inarguably has the aura of an insulated “boys club,” born out of and maintained within California. For those not entrenched in the skating community, the likelihood of their familiarity with any
Posted by: Chris Luciantonio
2
BIG GOLD BRICK Review
With a meaningless story, underdeveloped plotlines, and a cringe-worthy performance from Emory Cohen, Big Gold Brick makes for a disappointing feature debut from Brian Petsos.
Posted by: Raul de Leon
6.5
A BANQUET Review
The horror genre has always wrung tension and thrived around the plausibility of the supernatural and stringing the audience along over whether what they think is happening is actually happening. As of late, this quality has been invoked by what was once
Posted by: Chris Luciantonio
6.5
A TASTE OF HUNGER Review
You expect food to be the central focus of A Taste of Hunger, given the title and the fact that the film centers on a chef named Carsten (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). What’s unexpected is the references to food and cooking that exist outside
Posted by: Amanda-Marie Howard
5.5
FREELAND Review
With Freeland, filmmakers Mario Furloni and Kate McLean deliver a small and intimate story embedded within the politics of marijuana legalization, that, while decent, just ends too soon for us to get emotionally involved.
While Devi (Krisha Fairchild) walks around the Cannabis
Posted by: Raul de Leon
7.5
THE GIG IS UP Review
Taking a human-centric look at platform capitalism, The Gig is Up is an informative and succinct approach to the nuances and trappings of the gig economy.
Posted by: Chris Luciantonio
5
DETENTION Review
Video game adaptations are often a precarious prospect when it comes to transitioning to the big screen; studios can’t seem to get the transition right, either losing sight of – or perhaps just not recognizing – what makes the game so successful
Posted by: Adam Patterson
8
Fantastic Fest 2021: THE TIMEKEEPERS OF ETERNITY Review
I have no idea what compelled director Aristotelis Maragkos to remix the 1995 TV miniseries The Langoliers, but I’m very glad he did because this is certainly one of the most unique storytelling methods I’ve experienced this year, and it’s one that
Posted by: Adam Patterson
5
SOUTH OF HEAVEN Review
The atmosphere of South of Heaven feels like an action movie shoved inside a drama with a love story and a life-threatening-disease crisis sprinkled on top, yet even its charming leads can’t dig their way out of this one.
Posted by: Amanda-Marie Howard
6
Fantastic Fest 2021: NAME ABOVE TITLE Review
From its alluring and tragic opening minutes, wherein a young woman commits suicide while nearby a serial killer claims his next victim, it quickly becomes evident that Carlos Conceição’s giallo-infused thriller Name Above Title is going to be far from your typical
Posted by: Adam Patterson
7
Fantastic Fest 2021: THIS IS GWAR Review
Even if you’re not familiar with their discography, you’ve probably at least seen some of the antics of metal band GWAR, specifically their wild stage shows. Scott Barber’s documentary, This is GWAR, aims to present the definitive history of the band, highlighting
Posted by: Adam Patterson
6.5
Fantastic Fest 2021: GLASSHOUSE Review
Initially playing out like a post-apocalyptic version of The Beguiled, Kelsey Egan’s Glasshouse quickly comes into its own with its intriguing world-building and exquisite production design. Although its final reveals will likely divide audiences and take some time to process, it remains
Posted by: Adam Patterson
