Fantasia Festival 2021: ‘The Last Thing Mary Saw’ Will Haunt Your Nightmares

Tragedy begets tragedy, and star-crossed lovers are doomed to obscurity. For centuries, people have found ways to love each other despite obstacles placed in their way. However, finding this love rarely ended with a happily-ever-after. In 2020, the "Lesbian Period Drama" surprisingly became a punchline to a joke, as if many of these features were … Continue reading Fantasia Festival 2021: ‘The Last Thing Mary Saw’ Will Haunt Your Nightmares

Fantasia Fest 2021: ‘Baby Don’t Cry’ Provides New Perspectives on the Teen Experience

Teenage dreams and fickle adolescence fosters fertile ground for storytellers. For decades, teen romances have signaled the importance of growing up, all while displaying the pitfalls we experience in the process. As one of the great uniters of audiences, regardless of race or upbringing, the trials and tribulations of young adulthood continue to fascinate. However, … Continue reading Fantasia Fest 2021: ‘Baby Don’t Cry’ Provides New Perspectives on the Teen Experience

Fantasia Fest 2021: ‘What Josiah Saw’ Embraces its Gothic Roots

Since the 1920s, Southern Gothic literature has dealt out punishment to its characters and its readers. The genre chronicled uniquely American experiences while embracing grotesque and dark visions of the country. However, a focus on strange and upsetting stories ignored a central tenet of the genre, which author M.O. Walsh once described as an underdog … Continue reading Fantasia Fest 2021: ‘What Josiah Saw’ Embraces its Gothic Roots

Fantasia Fest 2021 Preview: Nicolas Cage, Suicide Squad, Xenomorphs, and Vampires!

The Fall film festival season is just around the corner, with Oscar contenders quickly piling into the Toronto, Venice, and New York. However, my Fall Festival season has started with explorations of the bloody, weird and fun films that will allow you to feel like you're discovering movies for the first time. Fantasia Festival 2021 kicks … Continue reading Fantasia Fest 2021 Preview: Nicolas Cage, Suicide Squad, Xenomorphs, and Vampires!