Alan French Crime, Drama, Feature, Film Festivals, Movies, Reviews, Thriller

Fantastic Fest 2022: ‘Missing’ Anoints a New Star Director Through a Dark Mystery

There are few filmmakers capable of changing their careers overnight. However, the arrival of Missing at Fantastic Fest 2022 may do just that for Shinzô Katayama. Missing lands at the festival as an explosive breakthrough. After working with Bong Joon Ho on a pair of films as his assistant director, Katayama made his own debut … Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2022: ‘Missing’ Anoints a New Star Director Through a Dark Mystery

Alan French Drama, Feature, Horror, Movies, Reviews

Review: ‘Pearl’ Solidifies the Brilliance of Mia Goth

After X blew the doors off the horror community in early 2022, Mia Goth had become a critical darling. Her dual roles in the film were impressive by any metric. Ti West also found himself back in the spotlight. The director, know for slow contemplative horror, directed television instead of films for six years. When … Continue reading Review: ‘Pearl’ Solidifies the Brilliance of Mia Goth

Alan French Feature, Horror, News, Theme Parks

Halloween Horror Nights 31: ‘Descendants of Destruction’ Gets Very Weird

A common refrain from the HHN community after the infamous HHN 31 t-shirt leak was pure confusion about the Descendants of Destruction house. With the other houses having clear narratives and exciting characters, many began to downplay Descendants as a lower-tier house. However, the mood began to shift once the house logo released. In addition … Continue reading Halloween Horror Nights 31: ‘Descendants of Destruction’ Gets Very Weird

Alan French Feature, Horror, Theme Parks

Halloween Horror Nights 31: Ladies and Gentleminions…The Weeknd

Perhaps the most controversial IP house of the year, The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare became a lightning rod for controversy. Some in the community tried to say Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd was not a horror figure. This argument never really held water, and we're here to dispel it quickly. First, many of his music videos and … Continue reading Halloween Horror Nights 31: Ladies and Gentleminions…The Weeknd

Alan French Feature, Horror, Movies, Reviews

Review: ‘X’ Simmers with Sexuality and Regret In Homage to ’70’s Exploitation

The eternal debate about the depiction of sex and violence in movies continues in 2022. Some want to return to the Code days, where sex was self-regulated out of Hollywood in favor of innuendo. Others, including some infamous international filmmakers, push the boundaries. Yet a brief era during the 1970s led some to believe that … Continue reading Review: ‘X’ Simmers with Sexuality and Regret In Homage to ’70’s Exploitation

Alan French Feature

Review: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Reminds Us Why We Love Movies

Some films land at the exact moment we need them. When The Matrix released in 1999, it foretold the digital revolution. The mid-1970s saw Network, All the Presidents Men, and Star Wars upend trust in controlling institutions. 1967's saw The Graduate and Bonnie & Clyde clash with public morals about sexuality and violence. There are lofty … Continue reading Review: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Reminds Us Why We Love Movies

Alan French Awards, Feature, Movies, Rankings and Lists

Alan French’s 2021 Best in Film Superlatives – Oscar Categories, Genre Picks and More

With the Oscars this weekend, I wanted to make sure that we focused on some of the great performances of 2021. While I've voted for critic's prizes (shoutout to my critic's group, the Critics Association of Central Florida), there were still films and performances I had missed when I sent in my ballot. After all, … Continue reading Alan French’s 2021 Best in Film Superlatives – Oscar Categories, Genre Picks and More