2022 has been a great year for horror films, including a few unexpected gems. "Smile" is another welcomed surprise that will send chills down your spine. "Smile" is the impressive feature debut of writer/director Parker Finn. From the opening moments, we know we're in for a treat. We're first introduced to Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), [...]
Most biopics about Hollywood icons follow a traditional rise and fall story arc, as we witness the meteoric rise of a star, their inevitable fall, and a cathartic moment of salvation and redemption. With his bold new film “Blonde," based on the Joyce Carol Oates fictional novel of the same name about the life of [...]
LGBTQ stories have, until recently, remained within the independently-produced space. Call Me by Your Name and Brokeback Mountain are two titles that have reached mainstream consciousness, having been put out by their respective studios' indie labels. These films typically do not have the marketing budgets to reach a wider audience, nor are they intended to. [...]
At the risk of intentionally avoiding the razmataz of behind-the-scenes shenanigans, it was hard not to take notice of the "Don't Worry Darling" North American premiere at TIFF and not address it. Were the salacious rumors hitting the industry trades and tabloids more interesting than Olivia Wilde's second film? No. It turns out that the [...]
Movies have an ineffable way of connecting us to the characters on screen, the themes, and the stories that play out. A film can be timeless just as it can remind us of time. Waxing poetically about the film does not address all that film can do. In its affecting ways, film reminds us of [...]
Commitment to characters and stories about our collective history has fueled films for generations. Covered less often are stories about the tribal nature of Africa and its peoples, the customs, and the traditions for better or worse. Bringing these stories into the light is far more critical in an enlightened age such as we live [...]
I don't know about you, but I like an intense "who-done-it" mystery, the type of story where we have the main character actively trying to solve a vicious murder and for what end. Even though the proceedings are dramatic, a modern “who-done-it” is couched in a comedic genre, allowing ease with which we can familiarize [...]
Thinking objectively about a pearl, one is inclined to think about decadence and luxuriousness. It is slowly formed due to grains of sand grating on the inner lining of an oyster shell, taking a tremendous amount of time to develop, drawing attention, sometimes unnecessarily, and costing a small fortune to obtain. Applying that logic to [...]
If you've been reading my reviews for any length of time or talked with me, you'll doubtless be aware that I grew up without seeing much in the way of Horror films. As I've gotten older, I've found myself drawn into them, and we've had plenty in 2022 already. They're imaginative and inventive in ways [...]
Summers in Phoenix can be downright sweltering. Yet, 2022 has been unusually temperate. And on the day of the “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” screening, the temperatures had climbed into the triple digits, and nerves were frayed. Did that stop us from seeking redemption upon that greatest of cinematic cathedrals? No. You might be [...]
