Few filmmakers have captured a generation of moviegoers like Christopher Nolan. Emerging from a passionate indie scene, the director broke into the mainstream with his incredible Dark Knight Trilogy and The Prestige. The rest is history: one Oscar nomination for Best Director and several borderline masterpieces later, Nolan packs in fanboys like few other directors. … Continue reading Review: ‘Oppenheimer’ – Nolan, American Exceptionalism, and Imperfection
Fantasia 2023: ‘Emptiness’ – Eerie Tension Does Not Always Scare
Horror, like any genre, requires new blood to shift the direction of the subculture. For the past decade, features like The Babadook and The Witch forced the audience to sit in discomfort to elicit scares. In many ways, Emptiness reaches for similar disorientation and scariness. However, due to some frustrating repetition, it cannot quite reach … Continue reading Fantasia 2023: ‘Emptiness’ – Eerie Tension Does Not Always Scare
Fantasia 2023: ‘Vincent Must Die’ – Violent Delights and Conspiracies
Sometimes it feels like the world is out to get you. For Vincent (Karim Leklou), that turns out to be true. Drawing from various genres, Vincent Must Die surprises with its tactile but violent observation of the world. Director Stéphan Castang crafts a unique spectacle that perfectly blends action, dark comedy, and horror elements. The … Continue reading Fantasia 2023: ‘Vincent Must Die’ – Violent Delights and Conspiracies
Review: ‘The Lesson’ – A Frustrating Intellectual Thriller
The literary world, like Hollywood, relies on myth-making. Without it, figures of renown struggle to catch in popular culture. While the work will often be the primary reason the world pays attention to the author, the story of their rise helps layer additional insight into the work. Throughout The Lesson, Director Alice Troughton asks the … Continue reading Review: ‘The Lesson’ – A Frustrating Intellectual Thriller
Tribeca 2023: ‘You’ll Never Find Me’ – A Claustrophobic and Taut Thriller
Dark stormy nights set the perfect atmosphere for a thriller or horror film. The mere act of rain can envelop a person, and as the claustrophobia sets in, it can cause genuine unease. A torrential downpour becomes a catalyst in You'll Never Find Me, a thriller from debut filmmakers Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen. The resulting film … Continue reading Tribeca 2023: ‘You’ll Never Find Me’ – A Claustrophobic and Taut Thriller
Tribeca 2023: ‘Somewhere Quiet’ Explores the Life of a Final Girl After the Tragedy
The horror and thriller genres push audiences to witness the darkest sides of humanity. Yet as they do, we rarely follow up with life after death and violence. While sequels often focus on the killer, fewer series return to their lead women (outside of Scream and Halloween). This makes Somewhere Quiet an interesting experience. Rather … Continue reading Tribeca 2023: ‘Somewhere Quiet’ Explores the Life of a Final Girl After the Tragedy
Review: ‘Motion Detected’ Fails to Deliver the Scares
The era of smart tech is upon us in horror films. Scream (2022) showed a character fighting off her attacker with a smart lock. Video surveillance in Paranormal Activity led to truly grueling scares. Meg3n embraced a killer AI doll and seems poised for sequels. The fears of AI and a digital world are primed … Continue reading Review: ‘Motion Detected’ Fails to Deliver the Scares
Review: ‘Influencer’ – A Follower From Hell Thriller
The world of social media mints and reshapes celebrities daily. Some find their fifteen minutes, while others launch long-term brand collaborations. Yet this also opens the door for parasocial relationships. A new Shudder thriller, Influencer seeks to capitalize on this idea. Set around social media, Influencer serves as a fun thriller. While it has little … Continue reading Review: ‘Influencer’ – A Follower From Hell Thriller
Review: ‘Hypnotic’ – Ben Affleck Cannot Save a Lackluster Thriller
Once an iconic independent filmmaker, Robert Rodriguez continues to build his own ecosystem outside of Hollywood. In some cases, this has resulted in big wins, including the lucrative Spy Kids franchise. In other cases, his projects have struggled to make much of an impact. Combining forces with James Cameron and Ben Affleck opened Rodriguez to … Continue reading Review: ‘Hypnotic’ – Ben Affleck Cannot Save a Lackluster Thriller
2023 Florida Film Festival: ‘DID I?’ Struggles With Storytelling, Despite Incredible Style
Emotional trauma has become the backbone of visual storytelling in recent years. Explorations of characters struggling with the fallout of horror have popped in every medium, from short films to long-form television. On the one hand, this has resulted in increased attention to mental health. However, sometimes the tropes become a dangerous subject matter to … Continue reading 2023 Florida Film Festival: ‘DID I?’ Struggles With Storytelling, Despite Incredible Style