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Light can lead you to safety, but it can also put you in danger in the world of #LightTheMovie. This very low budget #movie introduces us to 2 women on a planet enshrouded in night. Younger Tallie #GiaLily is newly arrived, separated from her father #TedroyNewell, except by voice. Niu @_christine_roche_ has already been on the planet. She knows the dangers it holds, but she’s searching for her son #JamesWoollard. Both women can talk to each other, but only via radio in their spacesuits. To add urgency, Tallie is running out of oxygen. So, she can’t just wait for help. She has to brave whatever’s out there. But if you’ve ever tried to move in complete darkness, you know that’s not going to be easy. However, in that journey, she just might find something that’ll change her life forever. If she can survive. If I had a complaint, it would be that I was hoping the 2 leads would connect physically & overcome setbacks together, but instead we bounce back & forth between the 2 leads, who remain separated until the very end. There are hints to backstory of each character, but seeing as they don’t completely trust 1 another, they’re not gonna share their secrets. So, the constraints of the story understandably limit that kind of openness. All in all, it’s a good 1st feature #film by director #MattWoollard. #movies #films #screeningoftheday #SciFi #SciFiFilm #SciFiFilms #SciFiMovie #SciFiMovies

#Wildcat isn’t your typical #biopic. Instead of showing the total life of #FlanneryOConnor, played by #MayaHawke, it focuses on a relatively short period. We see her briefly in NYC, but then she travels home to the South, where she will get diagnosed w/ Lupus. Her mom Regina #LauraLinney having to take care of her, even though they are like oil & water. It also acts out scenes from O’Connor’s stories. She sees a one-armed man in the train station & we’ll transition to the story of a drifter #SteveZahn w/ 1 arm approaching a mom (Linney) for work, while eyeing daughter (Hawke). The people in Flannery’s life play multiple roles within these vignettes. Linney is always the mom though. The heart of the story isn’t so much about her work (although clearly important), but of the inner turmoil the writer faces between doing that work & being heavily religious. It leads up to a fantastic scene w/ #LiamNeeson as the local priest visiting the bed bound Flannery. It’s 1 of the more well rounded portrayals of faith, where other #movies would lean the thumb on the scale. Even a faithless heathen like me enjoyed the #film. It’s an excellent showcase for Maya to showcase her talents. Worth watching just for that. The structure of the #movie can be a chore though. This is not a passive viewing experience. Much thanks to #FilmIndependent for the #screening, although they held it @amctheatres in Century City & I just despise that experience. They only validated for 1 hour of parking! #films #screeningoftheday #screenings

Oh, the days when astronauts only had to deal w/ a homicidal Hal. Now, we get Jay, an AI, who has taken it upon itself to tackle the eventual extinction of humanity. On the night before Anderson #SimonMerrells is supposed to lead a mission to establish a permanent base on the moon, he & wife Sam #KemiBoJacobs, are interrupted by the appearance of Charlie #HermioneCornfield (who has been in many #films I’ve loved). Charlie has noticed that mission objectives seem to have changed & they seem to be stemming from Jay. What follows is a sort of chamber room #drama, where the 3 figure out why the mission’s changed & the trustworthiness of AI. While there are a few scenes in space, mostly set up where Jay might’ve been the cause for an astronaut dying, most of it takes place in a lab under Anderson’s home. It’s not an optimistic view of the future, but it is a sincere one, grounded in certain realities, like Earth becoming increasingly unlivable & the need to colonize or risk extinction. There are no moral platitudes on how we got to this place, merely a stark evaluation now that they are. The idea of preventing disaster isn’t even brought up. It’s too late. Now, the success of such a #movie rises & falls on the cast. It’s a UK production & we are in very capable hands w/ these 3. However, this is a talky #film. If you’re looking for action, this isn’t your cup of tea. But if you want an intelligent story w/ talented actors, this is 1 to watch for. #movies #screeningoftheday #SciFi #SciFiMovie #SciFiMovies #SciFiFilm #SciFiFilms

We’re getting flooded w/ religious based #horror, but try to squeeze in #Resurrected because it’s got a neat little plot to it. Unfortunately, I’m not a big fan of the structure of how that story is told. It’s all done via screens, like in #Searching. So every actor is talking to the screen at us. Stan #DaveDavis is coming home w/ his young son, after the latter’s had a soccer game. The boy’s not in his car seat. Stan has had a beer. They FaceTime mom Audrey #KarliHall to tell of the victory. Thru the course of that conversation, Stan gets distracted & there’s an accident. Young Nicholas dies. Stan is hospitalized. Audrey blames everything on him, shutting him out. Now, for some reason, the Church reaches out to Audrey. They’ve perfected resurrection & want to use Nicholas as a test subject, which she jumps at. It works! At this point, Cardinal Degal #BradGreenquist shares what they can do w/ the world. Loved ones can return from the grave, BUT they have to be Christians. Not that religion? Better be willing to convert! Stan becomes a priest following the miracle, delivering sermons to a VR flock. He then counsels other people who have returned, like a therapist. But he finds himself in hot water when 1 of his patients returns to construction work & starts pushing co-workers off the high rise beams. The Church opens an investigation, run by Ortiz #KristenAriza, into the deaths, meaning Stan has to take a sabbatical for the duration. Suddenly, he gets the idea that he might be being set up to take the fall. He teams up w/ his handler, who also is a hacker, Rat #ErikaChase. Together, they discover this is not the 1st time a resurrected has gone on a killing spree. Indeed, it’s becoming a growing phenomenon. So, while they’re being hunted by Ortiz, they have to figure out what’s going on. On a personal level, Stan wants to get to Nicholas before the now young man does something similar. Besides being a #thriller, the #film makes specific commentary on the Catholic Church, which is forcing their beliefs on others, otherwise no resurrection for you! #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #horror #horrormovies #horrormovie #horrorfilm #horrorfilms

All the Knife Salesman #JimCummings wanted was to fill up his tank, so he could get to his daughter’s bday party, who he hasn’t seen since his marriage ended. But this gas station hasn’t gotten its tanks filled up yet, so there’s nothing to get & he won’t make the next station on his current tank. So, he waits in the diner for the fuel truck to come. The diner is run by Charlotte #JocelinDonohue. She’s dropped off by her sheriff/husband Charlie #MichaelAbbottJr before he goes to work. Sold on their famous rhubarb pie, he gets a slice to go for his daughter. However, their time alone doesn’t last, as the next car pulls in w/ Beau #RichardBrake & Travis #NicholasLogan. From the radio, we know there’s been a bank robbery & it doesn’t take long to figure out these guys did it. They have guns & they want Charlotte to find them a gassed up car from any customer that walks in. Gas station owner Vernon #FaizonLove doesn’t have a car, as he lives in 1 of the units of the attached motel. Soon, they’re joined by Robert #GeneJones & Earline #RobinBartlett, in the same gas predicament. Eventually, Bonnie & Clyde wannabes Sybil #SierraMcCormick & Miles #RyanMasson show up. They recognize the robber’s car & want the $ for themselves. Add into the mix a bumbling deputy #ConnorPaolo & the place becomes a powder keg. You definitely don’t want to be the knife guy in a gunfight! The tone reminds me of #QuentinTarantino, but w/ way better characters & a better plot. This is #FrancisGalluppi ‘s 1st feature #film & he handles it well. It doesn’t hurt that he’s got a murderer’s row of acting talent involved. There’s not a weak link anywhere. Special shoutout to Sierra (who was got to meet). She needs to be working more! I’m loved this #movie & want to thank #FilmIndependent for the early look. Opens wide tomorrow. I expect to see noms for the #SpiritAwards. #films #movies #screeningoftheday

#MidsummerNight on #Netflix is about 1 family & the secrets they hide from each other over the course of 1 day. Matriarch Carina #PernillaAugust is pushing for change on a day that’s reserved for tradition. She’s going to use the gathering to unload a bombshell on her family, 1 that husband Johannes #DennisStorhøi already knows & is eating away at him. Carina plans to delay the reveal, however, because she wants the memory of this last happy day before things change. Frankly. The timing’s not great. Her oldest daughter Hanna #AmaliaHolm is getting married to Darius #PeimanAzizpour soon. Carina’s also invited his parents to come. In a somewhat baffling turn, she’s also invited Hanna’s ex & his mom too, making a lot of people uncomfortable. Uncle Robert #ErikHallert shows up via boat, along w/ his very much younger GF Sara #FannyKlefelt, who has a secret of her own. She’s pregnant, even though he doesn’t want kids. However, she leaves it in the bathroom wastebasket in Carina’s home & Darius’ mom finds it, leading to a massive confusion & an uncomfortable moment for Robert. Youngest sis still lives at home, working several low paying jobs. Not only is she jealous of Hanne, she has a thing for Darius, who she met before knowing they were dating. More troubling, she knows that Hanne has been unfaithful, using Tinder. That Hanne continues to be the darling drives her crazy. So, between the songs & the games & the drinking & the big dinner, we flip back in time via flashbacks, hours, sometimes days, as we learn how everybody is keeping their secrets. Each episode is only a 1/2 hour long & there’s only 5 of them, so it’s kinda like a long #movie if you binge. As a fan of Holm’s I couldn’t not watch. It dropped on #Netflix a couple weeks back. It’s in Norwegian, w/ I’m sure digs at the differences between their Midsummer & Sweden’s that probably went over my head. But light & enjoyable all the same. #TV #television #screeningoftheday #netflixandchill

#Blackout started as a radio play, w/ dir #LarryFessenden playing the lead role. For this adaptation, the lead role of Charley is played by #AlexHurt. Charley is a blackout drunk, but more than that, he’s a werewolf. This is not #LonChaney times though. Charley is more akin to David in #AnAmericanWerewolfInLondon. He’s a local artist & when we meet him, he’s getting ready to leave town, saying goodbyes. None are more hard than to Sharon #AddisonTimlin, the former love of his life, who he can no longer be w/. Her dad #MarshallBell he won’t miss. Unfortunately, a car crash scotches his plan, setting the wolf free to feast on a pair of lovers, #ClayvonCarlowitz & @astaparedes. These are not throwaway characters. In our brief time w/ them, we get layers before the blitz attack. Charley’s plan then changes. He seeks out Earl #MotellGynFoster, who’s made a bunch of silver bullets. To avoid a murder charge, they’re going to film Charley’s change & then have Earl kill him. But again, the dynamics of the plan don’t pan out. In the meantime, cops Luis #JosephCastilloMidyett & Alice #EllaRaePeck hunt for their killer, neither suspecting the supernatural side. The town’s local racists fix on Miguel #RigoGaray as the killer, at the prompting of Jack. There’s a lot of moving parts in the tragedy that is Charley’s life. It all fits together, avoiding cliches. The most moral character may be the killer. Interesting #horrormovie. #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #horrormovies #horrorfilm #horrorfilms #horror

Following in her father’s & brother’s footsteps, #CaitlinCronenberg enters the family business. #Humane is not about physical #horror. It’s the horror of governmental overreach & a searing commentary on out of control capitalism. #ClimateChange has made the world a more difficult place & the response has been to make it easier for people to check out early, via assisted suicide. But unlike in #SoylentGreen, the passage to the next world isn’t as peaceful. Charles #PeterGallagher has gathered his family together for what will be a last meal. He & his wife Dawn #UniPark have signed up to be euthanized. The adult children have all lived a VERY privileged life, where eldest son Jared #JayBaruchel declares that these rules weren’t made w/ them in mind!. Rachel #EmilyHampshire virulently opposes the decision, feeling blindsided. She had brought her daughter, Mia #SirenaGulamgaus, not realizing the tone of the evening. Ashley #AlannaBale is a failed actor, barely starting down her dream path. Adopted son Noah #SebastianChacon has just come out of rehab & is a bit of a surprise to be there this evening. Death comes in the form of overly cheerful Bob #EnricoColantoni. While the kids have managed to convince Charles to not go thru w/ it, Bob is able to tighten that ship by pointing out the penalty for backing out. However, Dawn has done a runner, which leaves Bob in a bad position, as he NEEDS 2 bodies to get paid. So, 1 of the kids has to take step mom’s place. They are locked in the house & forced to decide amongst themselves who will be the sacrifice. Mia is automatically excused though, as too young. She spends her time w/ Bob in the mobile euthanasia van. What starts out calmly enough, as each makes a case, spirals into chaos, as not only do they have to choose, but must also provide the body. Bob’s genial demeanor is shown for the put on it is, but 1st dealing w/ Mia & then making a decision to let things continue, even though another solution presents itself. While he seems in power now, tables can turn. Maybe that extra body comes from somewhere else… #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #horrormovies #horrormovie #horrorfilm #horrorfilms

Looking for more #JessicaRothe stuff, after seeing BKW, came across #Parallels a #movie about traveling thru alternate dimensions. That’s right up my alley! Ronan #MarkHapka is a back room boxer, like #MonkeyMan, he lets himself get beat up a lot. It covers a guilt he’s holding onto, 1 we won’t learn of until the end. A strange call from his father #YorgoConstantine brings him home. Dad, however, is nowhere to be found, but his cryptic message involves a specific bldg. It’s the same place his sister Beatrix #JessicaRothe has been told to go, even though both ran home 1st. While they try to unravel their dad’s message, neighbor Harold #EricJungmann pops over. He’s always had a crush on Beatrix, so anything to be near. All 3 figure out where they’re to go. The bldg is clearly abandoned. Graffiti lines every surface of the lobby. Strange warnings about alternate Earths, which to avoid, which should be sought out, etc. Before you can say boo, the world outside shifts to a post apocalyptic planet. They meet a 4th traveler in Polly #ConstanceWu, who knows the tricks of the bldg. she knows they’ll only be there for a fixed period of time before it jumps again. Unfortunately, the group runs afoul of nuclear survivors, who capture them. Seems that the 1st bomb was detonated by someone who came out of that bldg & they have questions, questions that Tinker #MichaelMonks is perfectly happy using torture to get answers to. As time ticks down, the group make their escape, but Tinker plans to nuke the bldg. So, they have to stop that before the jump, which they do. They end up in a technologically advanced world. Once again, the timer is set & the group tries to get answers from this world, something they hope to use to get home, barring that info on dad. Things go awry when it’s discovered that Ronan doesn’t exist on this world & Tinker hitched a ride. The latter tries to use future tech to figure out who runs the bldg. Unfortunately, there’s a lot more questions than answers because this isn’t a #film at all. It’s an hour & 1/2 pilot for a #TVSeries that wasn’t picked up. #SciFi #TVShow #TVShows #screeningoftheday

Welcome to the very insular, yet privileged world, of a disgraced, unnamed reporter #LilySullivan. A past story has put her in the doghouse & so she’s relegated to starting a podcast called Beyond Believable. She’s not thrilled w/ the prospect, but there she is. An enigmatic email about “the brick” & a phone # starts her down a rabbit hole. People have been receiving these mysterious bricks. They’re accompanied by supernatural visitations. 1 person sees his brother, who’s dead. How they get the bricks is shrouded in #mystery. They appear. As our hero creates her episode, talking w/ past recipients, she records the conversations, always asking if it’s all right afterwards, never before. But as she follows the leads, she realizes that there’s a deeply personal connection to the bricks & her. The 1st woman she contacted actually worked for her family. It was jealousy of that woman’s daughter that caused the child version of our reporter to get her fired. The 1st episode hits ratings gold & she’s locked into a path. But that path leads to places she doesn’t want to go. It forces her to confront herself & she finds things wanting. Then a brick shows up at her door. It’s a 1-woman show, which Sullivan handles w/ ease. Everyone else she talks to is over the phone, which isn’t surprising as this is a COVID #film from 2022. It’s a seriously creepy #horrormovie, 1 I’ve heard about for a while, but struggled to find. Recently avail on demand. #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #horrormovies #horrorfilm #horrorfilms #horror

#BoyKillsWorld starts as a typical revenge #movie, but takes a sharp turn in the final act that puts everything we thought we knew into new light. Boy #BillSkarsgård is trained from when he was a boy by a shaman #YayanRuhian as an instrument of vengeance. He is a weapon to be unleashed on the corrupt ruling family of the Van Der Koys, specifically the matriarch Hilda #FamkeJanssen. As a child, he watched his mom & sister Mina #QuinnCopeland get gunned down in The Cull, an annual event meant to wipe out any opposition to the family’s rule. Boy escaped & was found in the jungle, but not unscathed. His ears have been burned & his tongue cut out. Fret not, as Boy talks to us via narration, the voice of a video game replacing his own. We get running commentary. He’s able to read lips, but that’s not always trustworthy, especially when he meets Bennie #IsaiahMustafa, part of the resistance, who seems to speak gibberish. Fortunately, he gets help from Basho #AndrewKoji, who he does understand. The action starts when Glen #SharltoCopley, a Van Der Koy by marriage, shoots into a crowd. Boy leaps into action & never stops. The fight choreography is very well done, reminiscent of #JohnWick, who Boy might give a run for his $. However, on his quest for vengeance, it seems his opponents aren’t always quite up to snuff. Sure, there’s June27 #JessicaRothe, who’s a motorcycle riding badass, but Gideon #BrettGelman is more failed playwright than threat. Hilda rarely comes out of her bunker. Melanie #MichelleDockery is tired of having to pick up the pieces of the fam. As a mute, Skarsgård has to convey a lot nonverbally & does so well. He gets help from his imaginary sis #QuinnCopeland, who is excellent here. The #film ‘s got a wonderful sense of wit to it & is very funny, adding to the enjoyment. It’s a satirical commentary on #actionmovies & a takes a bit out of the idea of a family running a country, which has parallels in today’s world. If only we had a Boy IRL! Currently in a theatre near you. #movies #films #screeningoftheday #actionmovie #actionfilm #actionfilms

While everyone is glued to this Trial of the Century, #WickedLittleLetters glances at what became a huge, national scandal that n England roughly 100 years ago. In a small, English town, the very proper Edith #OliviaColman started receiving vile letters, w/ filthy language. Her father #TimothySpall immediately accused neighboring, Irish woman Rose #JessieBuckley of being the culprit. W/ the latter woman being a bawdy widow, hanging out in the pub, most of the community was willing to believe it. However, they’re all wrong. The consequences for Rose are steep though. Her daughter (the talented #AlishaWeir, most recently seen in #Abigail) is in danger of being taken away, because they’re certainly not going to let Rose’s BF #MalachiKirby take custody. She could end up doing years of hard time. The police make the #KeystoneCops look like #SherlockHolmes in their ineptness & willingness to believe the accusation w/o any investigation at all. Fortunately, a young police woman, Gladys #AnjanaVasan, is skeptical. But she’s dismissed by the men, this being the time of Suffrage in England & men were, well, men. W/ the help of Rose’s Bridge clatch, Gladys sets out to prove the woman’s innocence by ensnaring the real culprit. While the #film is played for #comedy, there is an edge there & certainly parallels to modern times, where the “morally upright” are willing to go to great lengths to punish a woman for simply being a woman & enjoying her life. How dare she! This #movie is still in theatres, but also on demand now & is quite enjoyable. For those who feel themselves morally above others, who are just different, it should be a requirement. #films #movies #screeningoftheday

A small, rural community is invaded by a Tokyo development company. They want to exploit the peaceful existence, by building a glamping site, not camping, glamping. Be close to nature, but not TOO close. They picked the wrong town though, because these people know their land. They also know that the development company is half-assing their due diligence. They expected to be welcomed for bringing economic prosperity to the tiny village. But these people know what’s what. There are long periods when nothing happens. We’re looking up thru the trees to the sky pass by. The longer we stay here, the more we’re convinced something bad is going to happen, but it doesn’t. Takumi #HitoshiOmika is the local jack of all trades. He chops wood. He gathers river water for the local udon restaurant. He also spots wasabi in its natural form, which he also brings to the restaurant. What he’s never on time for is picking up his daughter Hana #RyoNishikawa after school. She inevitably walks home on her own, to the point where it’s a running joke w/ the teacher. The construction company has hired what is essentially actors to answer the community’s questions & allay fears. But they’re thrown into a lion’s den. Takahashi #RyujiKosaka can’t get past the benefits of tourism as a talking point. Mayuzumi #AyakaShibutani said s more responsive, but equally as powerless in addressing the legitimate concerns of the townspeople. Something as basic as the septic tank placement becomes a full on battle, because the town KNOWS if anything goes wrong, the balance will shift & their water supply will be tainted. That will be the end. They also know that the company doesn’t give a shit. Evil most assuredly DOES exist & it’s coming from “civilization.” That said, this is not an easy #film to digest. It makes you work. It will try your patience. It will not give you a pat ending. The ending is complex & I’m still working it in my head, as I write this. Thanks to #AmericanCinematheque for the free #screening. #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #foreignfilm #foreignfilms #screenings

Alejandro #JulioTorres has a problem. He’s an immigrant in NYC & he’s just lost the job required of him to keep staying in the country. Not only does he need a new job just to survive, but he needs 1 with the possibility of sponsoring him to stay. His dream job is to design toys, w/ ludicrous examples that he’s constantly pitching to a large toy company. To add insult to injury, someone at the company has taken some of his ideas & run w/ them to much success, but of course shared none of the credit. He meets Bobby #Rza & Elizabeth #TildaSwinton right before he’s about to freeze himself, due to a life threatening disease, in the hopes that a cure will be found in the future. He’s an artist, whose whole metier is portraits of oversized eggs. They did not set the Art world on fire. Elizabeth, an art critic & lover of Bobby, thinks they’re amazing & misunderstood. She is a forceful personality, perhaps the ultimate of Karens. Once she gets going, nothing will stop her. She agrees to hire Ale to program FileMaker Pro, so she can database the paintings. She wants to mount a show of Bobby’s art, even though no gallery wants to show it. Ale being desperate, says he can do it (he cannot). The #film is a fable, complete w/ a narrator #IsabellaRossellini, who’s very in line w/ Ron Howard in #ArrestedDevelopment. It’s running commentary that pokes fun at the leads. Buried under the #comedy though is the serious problem w/ the immigration system. It’s not just hoops to jump thru, but tunnels to be dug & doors to be broken down. The harder Ale works, the further he seems to get to his goal. It’s a fantastic & fantastical #movie that’s wholly original & very funny, while having a satirical edge. It’s in theatres now & avail online now too to rent. #movies #films #screeningoftheday

A good trailer will whet the audience’s appetite & tease the story. Unfortunately, the 1 for #AbigailMovie pretty much gives up all the goods before you get to your seat. We know Abigail #AlishaWeir is a vampire from the get go, but it’s treated as if it’s a reveal in the plot. Like in #ReservoirDogs, the team each has a code name, so they don’t reveal too much to each other. They’re all named after the Rat Pack, which Inhave to believe flew over the heads of the targeted audience. Frank #DanStevens is a bent cop & takes a leadership role early on. Peter #KevinDurand is the muscle, but not big in the brains dept. Dean #AngusCloud is the wheelman. Sammy #KathrynNewton is a hacker, that gets the team into & out of the kidnap house. Rickles #WilliamCatlett is a sniper. And Joey #MelissaBarrera is a disgraced medic, that is supposed to be the only 1 w/ direct contact w/ Abigail. There are 2 things their client Lambert #GiancarloEsposito doesn’t tell them. She’s the daughter of a Kaiser Sose type mobster & that Abigail is a vamp. The latter being the most pressing problem, because while she looks young, Abigail is actually considerably older. Once the team learns that last bit, they get locked into the house & are picked off 1 by 1. The cast, however, makes up for the spoiled story. Stevens kills again. Durand stands out, as he adds layers to character that could easily have been 1 note. I’m a longtime fan of Newton’s. But the real standout is Weir, as she has to transition from kid to old soul. Frankly, the ensemble more than makes up for the spoiled story. I enjoyed the heck out of it. Don’t let box office narratives get in your way. It’s worth seeing in a #movietheatre. #movies #films #screeningoftheday #horror #horrormovies #horrormovie #horrorfilm #horrorfilms

I don’t wanna not like this. I really, really don’t. Maybe it’s an even #movie thing (discounting female #Ghostbusters because they’re not in the same universe). And it’s not that I don’t like it either. There’s some good stuff too. There’s just too much fan service, waaaay too many characters & they all get the short shrift. Then, there’s the plot, w/ the main bad guy not even appearing until the end. Look, the villain in the 1st 1 is not Gozer. It’s Walter #WilliamAtherton. W/o Walter Gozer is stuck. This time, we have Walter, but he’s basically just a punchline. I don’t even know the name of the outside threat, but once again spectral containment is breached & the city is in danger. Once that happens, the new busters take a backseat to the old, w/ the exception of Phoebe #McKennaGrace, who gets a sorta gay subplot w/ spectral friend Melody #EmilyAlynLind. But even that gets shorty shrift, as Melody is part of something bigger. Rudd & Coon are reduced to almost day players, w/ most of their best lines comping from the trailer. Wolfhard isn’t even needed for the story. The whole idea of handing off the baton is buried under fan service. Now, do I like to see Stantz & Venkman? Heck yeah! But there’s little reason for them there. THEN, it’s not really the Ghostbusters that save the day. It’s a whole other new character played by #KumailNanjiani (who has also like, but now we have roughly 12 lead characters & a host of supporting ones). Afterlife was a legit hit, so IDK why they didn’t explore more of what made that a hit. This 1 just left me tired & disappointed. We’ve done NYC. Get back to the core of THIS team & venture outwards. #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday

This is the sort of kid’s stories they just don’t make anymore, ones where they’re far from perfect & get themselves in trouble, yet you just know they’ll come thru safely in the end. Our intro to brothers Hazel #CharlieStover & Jodie #SkykerPeters, along w/ BFF Alice #PhoebeFerro is a warehouse heist, where they steal the latest generation of gaming consoles. What they didn’t count on was that mom #DanielleHoetmer would put a password on the TV, so they can’t play it. The trio try to wheedle it out of their sick mom, but she sticks to her guns. She wants them to go outside & play. However, she makes a deal w/ them. She’s craving a specific blueberry pie. If they bring her 1 from the store, she’ll cave. The kids readily agree & that starts them on the path of adventure. The store is out of blueberry pie & the woman who makes them is also sick. They try to get the recipe from her to make their own, but she wants something in return. Every obstacle they encounter leads to a new bargain. But even when they get it, they’re missing a crucial ingredient: speckled eggs. The last carton is taken by John Redrye #CharlesHalford or Woodsy Bastard, as the kids call him. So, they plan to follow him & steal them. He is part of a group lead by Anna-Freya #LioTipton, who has some magical powers. Suds #RachelBrowne & Kels #AndreaBrowne can be verbally controlled by AF, like a spell. At the bottom of the food chain is Marty #WestinRazooli (who also wrote & dir). The adults are off to kill a magical beast in the mountains. Not only do our heroes hideaway in the back of the pickup, but AF’s daughter Petty #LoreleiOliviaMote also stowaways. She becomes friends w/ the trio, which comes in handy because she too can cast spells. Their quest for a speckled egg hits highs & lows, w/ kids making kid-like mistakes. But while there’s danger, the stakes are low & you know in the end it’ll all work out. It’s a cute story, that’s more fun than I thought it would be. Outside of Halford & Tipton, I was unfamiliar w/ the actors, but it’s a great troupe & the kids hold their own w/ the adults. #movie #movies #films #film #screeningoftheday #fantasy #magic

Julita #MagdalenaKolesnik said s a rising star for Mega News in Warsaw. Her dad #AndrzejSeweryn wishes she would stop wasting her time in the little leagues & join him in the bigs, but she likes her freedom. That gets jeopardized when a famous TV presenter (think Jimmy Savile) goes on a mad drive in the autobahn, ending in a horrific crash. There are signs that he was injured long before the crash that killed him. She breaks this story, but then does something dumb. She clicks on a link emailed to her from someone she doesn’t know, hoping for more dirt on the case. Her computer & phone are infected w/ malware & suddenly a very private video is shared over the internet. It gets her fired, but she still pursues the story. W/ the help of a hacker, Janek #BlaźejDabrowski, she learns of the dark web (which I thought she should already know about). He gives her a new laptop that’s clean & shows her how to surf w/o being tracked. She discovers 2 things: some very powerful people have despicable tastes & someone else is trying to out them. The latter is the 1 who jacked Julita’s life, as her investigation was getting in the way of his revenge. #TheHiddenWeb is an excellent #thriller w/ a talented star in Kolesnik, my nitpicking aside. It’s based on a #novel by #JakubSzamalek. The themes are not new. The wealthy are horrible, etc. But the execution of the #film by PiotrAdamski is marvelous. He keeps the tension ratcheted high, w/ several good twists to the story. Add in a flawed, but compelling lead & it’s a hit. #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #foreignfilm #foreignfilms

Saw this a long time ago at The Egyptian, thanks to #AmericanCinematheque. It’s a Spanish #movie that did some casting in LA & I remember wanting to see it after reading the script. Also, I’m an #AllisonSmith fan. Tomás #JordiMollà & Jaime #ErnestoAlterio are 2 students that graffitied a wall during the Franco era of Spain, which meant prison, for sharing anti-govt propaganda. They escape their fate w/ the help of Kathy #HedyBurress & Susan #AllisonJones, 2 Canadian women. The 4 drive off in the red convertible (seen above). The goal is to get across the border & to safety for the 2 men. But it’s really about the story of their journey along the way. Both women are attracted to Jaime, but he chooses the more outgoing Susan, than the bookish Kathy. The coupling leads to odd bedfellows & a bit of tension in the small vehicle. They are pursued Javert-like by Victor #JuanEchanove, who’s a full on Franco loyalist, but comes across a little buffoonish, which is an odd choice, as this period in Spanish history is particularly bloody. Consequently, the tone vacillates between deadly seriousness & a light #comedy. It is based on a true story & 1 of the real life versions of the escaped men collaborated on the script. It’s also based on a #book (which I have not read). All 4 of the leads work well w/ each other & ground a story that can get fanciful. It’s the audience’s relationship w/ the actors that drives the #film. We like them & want them to succeed. There is definitely a personal nostalgia for myself, revisiting this, that feeds me fondness. I think both actresses were trying to break out of #TV & into #films, which is why they came onboard. I admire that risk & applaud it. So, if you can find #LosAnosBarbaros or #TheStolenYears (as it’s sometimes referred to), give it a watch. #movies #screeningoftheday

Arthur joshographee has a gift. He can sense the presence of antiquities buried underground, usually by using a diving rod. Just released from prison, travels to Italy to see Flora #IsabellaRossellini, who’s become a den mother to a bunch of young women. Italia #CarolDuarte is 1 of them, but also the housekeeper & keeper of secret children also living in the home, unbeknownst to Flora. But he returns to the life of grave robbing historic sites, along w/ a group of men who are all too willing to get a piece of the prize. But Arthur’s “job” & his growing relationship w/ Italia come to loggerheads. She’s appalled. So, what does he want? A VERY rare find brings it all to a head. The “voice” of Italia brings him to a crisis point & he either caves to his native state or he breaks free. The money or the girl? Maybe neither, if he completely flubs it. Or is the #film as a whole a chimera? Is this sort of heist #movie really something else, some fantastical creature, a hybrid? Because not all that is seen & heard can be taken at face value. #movies #films #screeningoftheday

Hanuman, like Prometheus, challenged the gods & was punished for it. He is the #MonkeyMan & he swallowed the sun, only to be struck down. Whether Kid #DevPatel is in fact Hanuman or merely using the legend is unclear. What we do know is that he’s on a mission. As a child, his mom was killed by the chief of police Rana #SikanderKher. It was part of a raid on orders from Baba Shakti #MakrandDeshpande. The latter is positioning himself for leadership in India. So, the revenge of the now grown boy is a thorn no 1 wants. By day, he fights in underground brawls, wearing a monkey mask. He is the designated loser, but it shows the amount of punishment he’s capable of taking. At night, he’s scammed his way into working at a club that caters to the elite, aka his targets. Unlike the #JohnWick #movies, this is not a wall to wall action set piece. It builds to 1 action set piece, that doesn’t go as planned. Kid has to rebuild himself & try again in the finale. When we get them, the fight scenes are kinetic & raw. Where the #film struggles is in explanation of the Indian political system, which is key to the plot, especially the final boss level. As an outsider, I got a sense of it, but clearly there’s more trying to be said than I understood. As an #actionmovie, it’s satisfying though. I’ve been watching Dev’s work since #Skins & he keeps getting better. He’s behind the camera here too, as director & he does a good job of it. In theatres now. #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #actionmovies

Baron #JoeKeery is a puppy dog of a loser. He’s in prison for bank robbery, but he’s gonna get eaten alive there. His cell mate Otis #AldisHodge wants to hear his story before he helps him escape. See, he has to be somewhere special tomorrow to meet up w/ Marmalade #CamilaMorrone & get $125k, the latter being of most interest to Otis. Before meeting Marmalade, Baron took care of his sick mom, struggling to pay for her meds, not able to afford real help. Now, he’s been fired from the post office, he doesn’t know what to do. Suddenly, here’s this manic pixie girl, who’s also a bank robber paying him attn. She wants to rob a bank & wants Baron to help. While it seems like a fairly straightforward (& routine) story, this #film is far from that. Indeed, it’s the least straightforward #movie since #TheUsualSuspects. While it takes some patience to get thru the setup, the payoff is completely worth it. Actor turned director #KeirODonnell hides his story’s cards well. It helps that he wrote it too. Baron is like Cruise’s Vincent in #TheColorOfMoney, a complete flake. This 1 almost snuck by me, but I’m glad it popped back up & I chose to watch. Really enjoyable. I was in as soon as I saw Hodge, such underrated talent. Keery kills it. Newcomer Morrone is lovely. #movies #films #screeningoftheday #heist

I’m not a gamer. But that didn’t stop me from checking out #Fallout on #PrimeVideo & I’m glad it didn’t. What a weird, strange ride! We’re introduced to Cooper #WaltonGoggins at a kid’s bday party. It’s a long fall for the Gary Cooper style career he had, starring in #movies until times changed & heroes were replaced by anti-heroes. It’s at this party in the Hollywood Hills, when nuclear tension ratcheted up & bombs started flying. Cut to Lucy #EllaPurnell, who’s been living in a bunker w/ an entire colony of people. She’s of age to be married. Her dad #KyleMclachlan is the leader of the group & he calls over to the enjoining to arrange a marriage. But things go very awry when it turns out the neighbors were raided & replaced by topsiders, lead by Lee #SaritaChoudhury. They try to do the same thing again, but get beaten back. However, Lee gets away & takes dad w/ her. So, Lucy decides to brave the outside world & get him back. Maximus #AaronMohan is low man on the totem pole in the Knights. He’s constantly picked on, but nevertheless gets to be a squire to Knight Titus #MichaelRapaport on a mission. But the latter is a douche & manages to get killed out the gate. So, Maximus decides to take the armor for himself, finish the mission. Said mission is to retrieve Witzig #MichaelEmerson, an escaped scientist w/ a dog he refused to euthanize. What’s in his head is the macguffin for the whole #TVShow. Lucy wants to trade it for her father. Maximus needs it to not get killed when he returns to base. & Coop, well, he’s somehow been turned into a ghoul/bounty hunter. The 3 collide & separate several times. Lucy’s bro Norm #MoisesAlou spends time back in the shelter digging into the history of the place, which is dark & involves Coop, pre-ghoul. Mystery boxes abound in the #TVSeries created by the same people who gave us #Westworld. There are 8 episodes that ping pong around the LA basin. Next season is already a go & set in Vegas. Dense & satirical, but also just plain fun on the surface. Very different in tone from #LastOfUs, but equally as good in quality. Acting & writing are top notch! #screeningoftheday #TVShows #TVShow #TV #television

Judith #AllyMaki might’ve been unhappy before, but the death of her mom rocks her to her core. So, while the depression might be new, I suspect the unhappiness is not. She’s at a retreat w/ her husband Steve #LukeRoberts, young daughters Stephanie #NyhaHuangBreitkreuz & Emmy #RemyMarthaller that’s designed for couples therapy. The #film focuses on the 2 daughters, really Stephanie as the older teen. She tries to separate from her younger sis, who’s really feeling adrift. Steph gets befriended by other older girls at the retreat & it’s just not cool to have the younger sis hanging around. But while she’s focused on these new friends, she’s missing that her sis is going thru a lot on her own. Steve doesn’t want to be there. His actions in group therapy sessions make it clear. He’s feeling over competitive w/ Pat #ChrisPang, who seems to be the only other person in a mixed race marriage here, as Pat’s here w/ Carol #SarahGadon. It leads to infantile competition in tetherball of all things. Both parents seem not to notice that their youngest is struggling for support. She attaches herself to the pool’s inflatable ball for emotional comfort. That ball plays an important part of the third Act. When we’re hurting, we lash out. Sometimes, we lash out at the wrong people, but we don’t care at the time. Also usually it’s the people we love who bear that brunt. Wasn’t expecting emotional revelations when I started watching this little, Canadian #film & it smacked me upside the head. So, be warned introspection ahead when you watch #SeagrassMovie. #films #movie #movies #screeningoftheday

I am ecstatic for the reviewers that that didn’t like #LittleWing. It means they didn’t live thru a traumatic childhood. That’s great! For the rest of us, I found it to be a very moving experience. I never thought I’d say that about a pigeon racing #film. Kaitlyn #BrooklynnPrince is dealing w/ a lot. Mom #KellyReilly & dad #JonathanTogo have gotten a divorce, a messy 1. Her older brother Matt #SimonKhan doesn’t even talk anymore as a result. She’s seen the school therapist, so she’s a marked outsider. So, when mom announces that they’re gonna have to move because she can’t afford to stay, it’s 1 upheaval too many. She’s gifted a pair of pigeons by friends of mom, which is both a good gift & a very bad gift for the situation. Pigeons always return home. It’s something she learns about on the net. She also learns about Jaan #BrianCox, who’s notable in the pigeon racing world because of his bird The Granger. Said bird is worth enough to pay off the house & Jaan lives a bike ride away in Portland. Kaitlynn & her BFF Adam #CheTafari (would would very much like to just be a BF) make a plan to steal The Granger, sell it, so they can keep the house & not move, which is admittedly an insane plan. It doesn’t work, but they DO get The Granger. They also leave evidence behind. So, Jaan shows up at Kaitlynn’s doorstep 1 day, wanting his bird back. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have it anymore, but knows where it is. Now, Jaan could go to the cops, but he sees what the others do not. Kaitlynn is on the ledge. She’s 13, high risk for depression & suicidal ideation. It won’t take much more to push her over. So, instead, he decides to steal the bird back, w/ Kaitlynn’s help. In the meantime, he teaches her the ins & outs of pigeon racing, the rules of which I’m not going into. Some #movies hit on an intellectual level & others function on an emotional level. This 1 hits you in the feels, but if you overthink it, you’ll see the flaws (not gonna pretend they’re not there). What it has going for it is 2 excellent lead performances. You expect it from Cox. He’s practically an institution of quality, but I was blown away by Prince. #screeningoftheday #movie #film #movies #films

Love is tested 4 times in n the Korean #horror anthology #movie #CouplesToHell. In the 1st story, newlyweds Byeong-tae & Ji-na go to an old amusement park, that’s now closed down. They wanted to reminisce, but instead they’re kidnapped & tied to chairs. Their future killer wants to play a game of rock, paper, scissors. Whoever loses gets stabbed. Best of 3. At 1st, the guy tries to be a hero, telling his wife what he’s going to play, so she’ll win. That lasts until the 1st stabbing. When he isn’t clear the 2nd time & she gets stabbed, all bets are off. Hyeon-su lives w/ an influencer, known for being risqué. He’s a lowly delivery guy, but when he makes a delivery to 1 large man, he notices him being abusive to a girl that looks a lot like his GF, so much so, he conflates the 2. While being dismissive of his own GF, he tries to “save” this new girl, but he’s no hero. Soo-mi considers herself plain looking & she’s invited people in that reinforce that perception, including her current BF Swinger. He’s a hip-hop producer that’s always promising to take her to the studio to show how he makes beats, but really he uses her to get things he wants, like a super expensive clutch bag. To get the $, she goes to Weezer, a real life wizard, who can do anything as long as he has access to virgin blood & Soo-mi in s still a virgin. Deals are struck, but will she finally see Swinger for who he is & stand up for herself? Finally, we have Ji-eun who goes out trolling for men alone. She picks up a guy in a jazz club, even though she doesn’t even like jazz. This is because she has a secret. At home is her crippled BF, who’s allergic to daylight, if you catch my drift. She brings home dinner as it were, which allows the BF to be as he once was. But this time, he thinks of her. What’s really best for her life, as 1 does w/ the ones we love. But will she like the choice he makes? All the stories are written & directed by #Anglee. Before you ask, no, not THAT Ang Lee. Currently at #Panicfest #filmfestival for a couple more days. #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #filmfestivals #horror

It’s family dinner night, which mother Joy #MindyCohn delights in, which makes dad Jerry #EnricoColantoni happy as well. Son Jim @iain_stew_art is engulfed in his phone, because he’s dealing w/ something w/ husband Pete #IzadEtemadi (who the family doesn’t like). And daughter Jolene #MelanieLeishman is going thru a divorce herself, but that’s not her most pressing concern. While dad pushes mom to share their secret, she refuses because she wants 1 more happy memory of family time. Before either can spill, Uncle Frank #JuanChioran drops by, as an unwelcome guest. See, this is the last family dinner here, as he’s taking their house & their best egg, because he knows they pulled financial shenanigans w/ their travel agency & that’s his price for staying mum. Individually, they all decide to kill Frank, end the blackmail. But each has their own method. The poison in the banana cream pie does the trick, but now what? These aren’t master criminals. How do you get rid of a body & clean up all that blood? To make matters worse, 1 distraction after another comes up: a neighbor’s missing dog, an overly dramatic Pete & eventually a cop, responding to a disturbance of the peace complaint (thanks to Pete). The family was going to struggle to get clear of the mess before all that. Now, it’s just impossible. It’s just 1 comic moment after another, as this #farce keeps barreling along. Antics are high & laughs plentiful in this #darkhumor #film. It’s a #comedyoferrors in full effect. While there’s blood galore, it’s more #highconedy than #horrorcomedy. Also currently playing #Panicfest #filmfestival. #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #filmfestivals

Watching #PurgatoryJack reminded me a lot of #HighwayToHell, except it’s Purgatory. Viv #AlexandraBeaton appears in the wastelands after having committed suicide. She’s got the stink of newly dead (& maybe not full dead yet), so she is a prize in these lands. So, a lot of local residents are after her. Too old for this crap Jack #TimRozon takes it upon himself to be her protector, but he’s also of the gumshoe variety & she’s looking for her mom #LoraBurke, who also committed suicide. So, it’s an Odd Couple road trip kind of #film, where not everything & everyone as they seem. Body part selling is a big thing, w/ 1 gang in charge of it. They want Viv’s body for other reasons. So, leader Flo #EmilyAlataio sends Plater #JoelThomasHynes to retrieve her. However, rival Boogey #JoelGagne is tired of being thought of as just a meathead & he tries to get her too, to show he has range. It plays out like a #Noir in the afterlife, w/ twists, turns & betrayals. They encounter an elderly couple w/ noises around their necks, the OMG Body Sisters (who collect body parts to swap out on their own bodies. Rozon is good in this damned if you do hero role he perfected in #WynonnaEarp. I’m unfamiliar w/ Alexandra, but she was on a #TVseries for 135 episodes & is transitioning from kid roles to adults (which is not easy) & doing an okay job of it. #Movie is making festival rounds right now, currently at #Panicfest #filmfestival. Try to catch it. #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #filmfestivals

Lulu #NikkiMacCallum, Emily #SarahFayeBeard, Allegra #BriannaCala & Cece @josefinasantos are all addicted to following life advice from influencer Kali #SophieSumner. Emily’s about to get married & Cece submits to a contest Kali is throwing, w/ a prize of meeting & spending a weekend w/ her. And they win! However, when they get to their cabin, all they really want to is have a bachelorette party w/ Kali, which doesn’t go over well w/ her. She’s vegan & they’re chowing down on chicken & ribs! This must stop! W/ the help of her handyman (& brother) Travis #MattVita, she puts a stop to the fun & games, by killing them 1 by 1. There’s a slight hiccup as Travis has a crush on Allegra & she likes him back too. The murder kicks off when a male stripper #HaulstonMann shows up & the party goes downhill from there. The tongue is firmly in the cheek, as the influencer discovers she really doesn’t have any influence at all & can’t stand that. #Killington is a ski resort town in Nee England, in case you’re wondering where the title comes from. It’s also the location of the “retreat.” It’s a fun romp, that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Currently, a part of #Panicfest #filmfestival. #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #horrorcomedy #horrormovies #horrormovie #horrorfilm #horrorfilms

#Livescreamers is a sequel to #Livescream by same writer/dir #MichelleIannantuomo. But fortunately, you don’t need to have seen the 1st one to understand this 1. We’re introduced to a team of live streamers on YouTube, organized by Mitch #RyanLaPlante. Nemo #MichaelSmallwood is an older player. Zelda #AnnaLin and s just happy to be here. Dice #MaddixJulienSlide Forge s a black, queer woman w/ a HUGE chip on her shoulder. She’s a bit annoyed that Jon #ChristopherTrindade & Davey #EvanMichaelPearce pretend to be gay for likes. Married Taylor #CobyCOram & Gwen #SarahCallahanBlack have trouble in paradise. Joining them is super fan Lucy #NeomaSanchez, who won the ability to@play w/ the team, but picked a bad time to do that. The game is, of course, cursed. If you’re eliminated from the game, you die in real life. The ONLY way to survive is setting aside differences & helping each other out, but that’s easier said than done, especially as the game puts them against each other & in at least 1 case cheats. As players are eliminated 1 by 1, the rest have to keep playing w/ dead bodies around. NPCs can be deadly. The puzzles are not cut & dried, w/ several having conflicting clues. So, they have to be done in a certain order. I’m not a gamer, but this seems to be the most authentic of the gamer #horrormovies I’ve seen. There’s a lot of talking heads, w/ digital avatars doing all the action. I found it very enjoyable as they battled thru the various levels. Another #Panicfest #filmfestival treat. #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #horror #filmfestivals #horrormovies #horrormovie #horrorfilm #horrorfilms

If you enjoy hearing the word “liminal” over & over & over again, w/ a few more dashes of “liminal,” boy do I have a #movie for you! 2 stoners wander around the lower levels of a mall, looking for liminal spaces. They try different doors. Some are locked, others not. They ride an elevator between levels. This happens for an hour & then they leave. That’s it. That’s the whole #film, which can’t even keep interest up for its hour long runtime. There’s no story. The 2 guys don’t discuss anything of value. This isn’t #MyDinnerWithAndre or #Mindwalk. The pair are not contemplating the mysteries of our time or society. They are mindlessly walking around. I have spent time in the back hallways of malls & a good story could be told about them. This is not that. I’m wondering about what #movies didn’t make it into #Panicfest & this one did. Because if made 1 of them, I’d be pissed. #films #screeningoftheday #filmfestival #filmfestivals

It’s Halloween night in 1998 & TV producer Gerry #MarkClaney thinks it a good idea to do the show live at a haunted flat, much to the consternation of the family who lives there. The host is Michelle #AimerRichardson, who’s not liking the combination of cold weather & thin dress. This is actually inspired by a real event in ‘92, which went full Welle’s War of the Worlds that night. The story goes that the flat is haunted by a guy looking for his daughter & he ends up taking young girls, which concerns mom Sarah #SiobhanKelly, as her daughter Rose #LibbyMcBride has not been herself of late. Things kick off when they bring in medium Sinead #AntoinetteMorelli & let line expert Robert #DavidFleming. It’s probably not how Gerry saw his career in news ending, but it’s what he’s getting. The tone is #horrorcomedy, but as things progress, it gets more serious. It never gets scary, but darker tones come out & sacrifices are made. Currently playing at #PanicFest #filmfestival #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #horror #filmfestivals

The villain in #TheActivatedMan is a spirit dressed in black & wears a fedora, garnering the terrifying name The Fedora Man. He has sorta the same abilities as #FreddyKrueger, except w/ no sense of fun. The catalyst for the story is Ors #JamieCosta dog dies of cancer. This shock “activates” psychic powers. He’s helped w/ these by the weird neighbor, Jeff #TonyTodd. He too has psychic powers. What luck! His GF Sarah #IvanaRojas was s a detective, currently investigating mysterious murders, that we never see. She’s partnered up w/ fellow Det. kit #AndrewKeegan, who doesn’t get much to do. I just finished watching the #movie & I don’t remember why The Fedora Man does what he does. But only Ors & Jeff can see him. He basically just stands in the background. Although once, he whispers something to Sarah, that makes her walk into traffic. Fret not though. She lives & in just a matter of hours after being hit by a car, she’s capable of leaving the hospital. Turns out, there’s a personal connection to Ors (screenwriting 101). Indeed, much of this #film is by the numbers. It doesn’t have the budget to do anything cool. So, you get a lot of portentous talking in serous voices, while a ghost dog sometimes appears to Ors, looking wistful. It takes almost 2 hours to tell this non-story. The end is anti-climactic. You can pass on this one. #movies #films #screeningoftheday #PanicFest #filmfestival #filmfestivals

Worlds is the name of a mysterious man, that wears all white, a small backpack & a shirt w/ the word “Worlds” emblazoned on it. Who is this odd person, who will stand in empty parking lots, looking up to the sky for hours. A man who journals constantly? In an interview, Morgan #NikkiNeurohr explains how she 8 friends started noticing him around town & they’d furtively record him on their phones. The sightings increase, until somehow Worlds ends up in her neighborhood & maybe even inside her house. Dir #ChrisHanmarberg decides this is good #documentary material & sets out w/ his little crew to unravel the #mystery. #SavannahWhitten (playing herself) but s the host. Not only do they interview Morgan, but also the cop #LotenzoBeronilla sent to investigate. But before they can get too far, Worlds’ body is found in the street, neatly decapitated by Jonathan #JohnRSmithJr. There’s no blood. So, someone planted the corpse. Our documentarians shift focus to #whodunnit. And that’s when things start to fall apart. James stops talking to them, even when they track him to his home. This is after Jonathan goes missing. Even during his interview, he’s clearly shaken & afraid. Whoever killed Worlds is powerful, maybe even a MiB. In other faux #documentaries, we’re on the side of the truthseekers, but here, when faced by terrified people, they keep pushing. They refuse to respect boundaries & it’s suggested that it’s their interference that leads to the disappearance of Jonathan. It doesn’t quite stick the landing, but it’s a good trip while you’re on it. #film #films #movie #movies #screeningoftheday #PanicFest #filmfestival #filmfestivals

Jenks #TheodusCrane needs lifesaving meds, so he does what he would not normally do, he robs a drugstore for his medicine. In the process though, he injured pharmacist Julia #VirginiaNewcombe. How we know he’s essentially a good guy, is that he can’t just leave her there, bleeding out. So, he goes back & gets her out. He wants to take her to the hospital, but she insists against it. Instead has him call a # on her phone. No hospitals! The voice in the other end tells him where to take her, then she passes out. He then calls Trevor #FrankMosley to come get him & bring a car. The pair deliver Julia to a house in middle America, where Randy #JoshuaBurge & Sally #LeilaniSmith take over. They have Jenks lie low in the cellars, that Jenks adroitly calls a jail cell. But they insist it’s for his own good. Trevor will come back & get him when the heat dies down. Not content to stay imprisoned, the big man knocks down the cellar door, where he finds a recovering Julia. She explains that her group provide medicine to the needy, who can’t afford it. She takes him out to 1 of their patients, Farmer Boone #CarlPalmer, shows Jenks how crucial it is they continue to do their work. Jenks is placated, then rendered unconscious by drugged food. He wakes up strapped down to a table, w/ his skin covered in words. They’re going to cut him up for organs, a new step for them. But again, the underestimate the strength of the man & he’s able to get away, even finding Trevor in a similar predicament, having already lost a kidney. The 2 make their escape, but both still have knockout drugs in their system. Can they get away before the so-called Do-Gooders catch up? The #horror aspect is more in the situation, than in the production. It’s all from Trevor’s POV & he’s kept in the dark, sometimes literally. He just wants to find his meds, rescue Trevor & get home. #Horror rarely tackles the inequalities of American medical care, except as a justification for bad actions. Here, our hero can’t get the lifesaving meds w/o a bad act. It’s commentary on the health crisis, especially in poorer places. #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #PanicFest #filmfestival #filmfestivals

Cults are scary because otherwise normal people are convinced to do abnormal (& damaging) things. Keith’s #JohnLaird sis Maddy #MichelleWestbrookHinds joined the Osiris Collective & then went missing. He’s a #filmmaker & he makes a doc about the surviving members. At 1st it’s a stream of interviews in B&W about how things changed when a new member showed up. Each person had to surrender their given name & take 1 from the Egyptian pantheon of gods. It was run by Father Osiris #RaulDelarosa. However, when Anubis #ChadWestbrookHinds (who also wrote the script) arrives, he seems to have a preferred status. 1 day both he & Father climb a mountain & only Anubis returns. He says Father fell & died in the trip, but not before naming him as his successor. Thing’s immediately got darker & a few left (the interviewees). But Maddy #MichelleWestbrookHinds stayed. What spurs Keith into action is a message from her. So, he packs up his stuff & heads to where the cult is. Except, when he gets there, it’s abandoned, w/ the exception of Anubis. Hoping to get answers, he follows Anubis around, getting his story, little understanding that he’s caught in a web already. I was reminded of Benson & Moorhead’s #TheEndless while watching, which is high praise from me. It’s a testament that Chad can hold up 90% of the #film on his own. His charisma bleeds out. An excellent #movie from #PanicFest #filmfestival! #movies #films #screeningoftheday #horror #horrormovies #horrormovie #horrorfilm #horrorfilms #filmfestivals

#Spookt is about as generic as you can get in a haunted house #movie. We have a woman famous for debunking in Rachel #ChristenSharice & the true believer in Claire #HaleyLeary. They’re #TheXFiles w/o badges. In this rural Pennsylvania town, Dr Bryler #EricRoberts (clearly shot out in 1 day) performed surgeries, trying to be a modern day Frankenstein. On a dare, a little girl went into the house & never came out. That’s the #mystery being explored, w/ some saying the place is now haunted by the doc’s ghost. Much of the early part of the #film is the 2 leads butting heads. Claire spends the 1st night in the house & suffers sleep paralysis, saying she felt the weight of the little girl holding her down. It’s dismissed by Rachel, as all things are. It’s not until the 3rd Act that the strange REALLY come out to play. A character I was kinda into for the novelty, a cross-dresser named Machen #KeithBrooks takes a dark (& unnecessary) turn. Even his identity is washed, explaining he wears his dead wife’s clothes because he misses her. It’s not explored after that comment & it feels like a way to sanitize it for Southern viewing. I found it blah. #movies #gilms #screeningoftheday #horror #horrormovies #horrormovie #horrorfilm #horrorfilms #horrorfan #panicFest #filmfestival #filmfestivals

A killer stalks a small town. He listens to Brad’s #BrandonJJohnson radio show & whomever calls in becomes his next victim. We see him attack a young woman as she showers, a la #NormanBates, which kicks off a police investigation. Sarah #OliviaClariNice heads up the investigation w/ her partner, to whom she may be having an affair w/. Despite being masked at 1st, he find out relatively quickly who the killer is. He kidnaps Alice #RachelDeRouen, Brad’s ex-wife, who is going to move out of state w/ their daughter. Why she’s not killed instantly, like the others IDK. But that’s not all! There’re 2 bumbling cops & a REALLY pissed off chief #MikeFerguson. Who exactly is supposed to be lead, IDK. A lot of screen time is shared by Sarah & Brad, but ditto the killer towards the end. Because the killer shifts his MO from a serial profile to a spree killer 2/3s of the way thru. Sarah& her partner are able to get a jump on him, but he still manages to severely wound her & kill the partner, thus getting away. But he defines he likes killing cops! So, he takes out the bumblers & then makes a beeline for the station, where he kills everyone he sees. We cut back to Alice, who has managed to escape, but goes to the police station, which is where everything else goes down. While there’s no kitchen sink, it’s not for lack of trying. Fortunately, the local actors, who comprise the cast, do good work. Those performances lift the overly burdened script. It runs almost 2 hours, so trimming would’ve been good. Playing at #PanicFest #filmfestival currently. #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #filmfestivals

Have you ever been in a crowded room, yet never felt more alone? Tyler #JordanLaneRice knows the feeling, even as he’s the 1 being celebrated. The #movie within the #film that he made is causing quite the stir. It could be the start of something big, if he can get out of his own way, but he can’t. His sense of self is shaped by the deaths of his parents at a young age. Dad was drunk driving & killed but he himself & his wife, which is the story he chose to tell on celluloid. But instead of seeing it as an external problem, he’s internalized it & made it HIS fault this happened. Agent Felicity #CallieSkopelitis has taken on the project of promoting the movie & Tyler, but he sabotages all her efforts at every turn, all while questioning reality. He’s constantly reminding himself, “this is not real.” To a certain extent, so do we. His day to day job is a school janitor, which he does at night, yet he’s always joined by 13 yr old student Thomas #JacobChildress. We know that’s not right. He shares an apt w/ George #TrevorVanAuken, who often has his GF Regina #LexiMinetree over. She does NOT like Tyler & is openly hostile to him. The effect is that he either retreats to his room alone or leaves when they’re around. All the while, he’s chased by a monster w/ burning eyes that may or may not exist. W/ his very foundation of reality torn asunder, it isn’t long before he takes drastic action. It’s an interesting #horrormovie that isn’t the easiest to follow, especially for the mentally balanced. Fortunately, I’m broken & I clicked in right away. Currently playing #PanicFest #filmfestival virtually. #films #movies #screeningoftheday #horror #horrormovies #horrorfilm #horrorfilms #filmfestivals

When I saw the trailer, I thought this was going to be a #comedy in the vein of #TheWayWayBack, but it’s not. It’s not even really a #comedy. While funny, it’s really a #dramedy & when it takes a serious turn, you will be thrown. “Entrepreneurs” AJ #ConorSherry & Moose #GabrielLabelle have a knack for pushing boundaries, especially when it comes to making $. We meet them in an OTB, where they’ve been winning on horse racing, w/ responsible AJ wanting to get back & wild Moose wanting to push it for another bet, which pays off. However, they’re supposed to be on a Nebraska HS field trip & they ditched to go here & their absence is noticed. Their older buddy Shane #NickRobinson is back from Iraq & going to be a lifeguard at the local pool. Said pool has a snack bar that needs manning & the 2 younger guys think it’d be the perfect way to earn. Plus, AJ is on thin ice w/ mom #GillianVigman & dad #DavidCostabile, w/ military school on the table. While they manage to have the top bid on the shack, it’s far more decrepit than they thought. Practical AJ is left to clean up, while Moose goes out to make connections to stock the place. While the latter tends to have the former do the heavy lifting always, he does wrangle a sweet deal w/ vendors. The $ starts rolling in. But when AJ’s neighbor gets a summer visitor in Brooke #MikaAbdalla, the thick as thieves pair start to show cracks. AJ REALLY likes her & she seems keen on him. However, he’s painfully shy & when he doesn’t make a move, Moose dies after she too becomes a pool lifeguard. It’s AJ’s story though. We spend most of our time w/ him. He’s got a plan for the following summer to go to Alaska w/ Shane, which Shane is down for. He’s like an older brother, encouraging AJ to be less timid. It’s a good #movie & you should see it, but it opened a couple of weeks ago & I’ll be damned if I can find anywhere not an online rental place to see it. That is a REALLY short window! Also, keep your eye on these leads. They are going places! #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday

The title is a taunt. Who is the “you” & who is the “me?” The 2 players are Paul #BrendanRock & The Visitor #JordanCowan. The former sits in his double wide, in the middle of nowhere Australia, while a storm raged outside. He’s going thru something, but we don’t know what, as The Visitor knocks on his door. She’s sopping wet & barefoot. She claims she was at the beach when the storm hit & she was walking back to her hotel, when she saw the trailer. There are holes in the story. How did she get past the locked gate to get to the trailer? But despite his doubts, he lets her in, has her warm her clothes by the stove. Suggests a shower, while he finds something to wear while her clothes dry. Despite needing help & having come for help, red flags go off for the young woman. He makes a hot stew for her, but she only pretends to eat it, dumping it into his boots instead. While Paul is acting odd, TV isn’t necessarily responding in appropriate ways. He offers to take her into town when the storm lifts, but he’s not keen about braving the storm, reasonable. He claims not to have a phone, but there’s a pay phone past the locked gate if she wants to attempt going there (but he doesn’t recommend it). It’s a slow cat & mouse game, w/ both potentially being the cat & the mouse. Who’s playing who? W/ the storm raging outside, pounding the roof w/ rain, both could easily be in danger. In the meantime, each steps carefully, sometimes calling out the other’s lies, sometimes not. It makes for a tension filled #film, w/ building dread. It’s got a creeping pace, w/ subtle revelations as it goes, but I also get how some could get restless watching. A lot happens & nothing happens at the same time. It’s engaging on an intellectual level, but not really providing scares per se. Tons of dread, but few scares. Makes for a challenging watch if you’re up for it. Can be found on #Shudder. A good one to watch while it’s storming outside. #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #horror #horrormovies #horrormovie #horrorfilm #horrorfilms #horrorfan #YouCantFindMe

What if #TimBurton & #DavidLynch teamed up to make a #film about modern suburban life? You’d get #GreenerGrass, but writer/dirs #JocelynDeBoer & #DawnLuebbe beat them to it. They star in it as well. Don’t stand out! That might be on the town sign on your way in. This is a place where everyone bends over backwards for the other, to comical ends. Everyone travels by golf cart & when 4 hit a 4-way stop sign, no 1 advances, insisting others go 1st. Soccer moms Jill (DeBoer) & Lisa (Luebbe) watch their kids play, well, soccer. Jill has a young baby & Lisa does not. So, she asks Lisa if she’d like the baby & Lisa accepts. It’s now hers. You’d think husband Nick #BeckBennett would mind, but 1st he has to remember he’s married to Jill & not Lisa. Of course, Lisa’s hubbie Dennis #NeilCasey have to remember that too! But no, Nick is more enamored of the new pool filter that is chlorine-less, having discovered that said water is now better tasting than any other water (he lugs a jug of it wherever he goes). The competition within such a community is still there. The king knives are hidden, but still exist. But now, kindness is the weapon. It’s the sort of 1-upmanship that leads to giving your baby away. But everything is far from perfect, as its residents would like you to believe. Jill’s older son #JulianHilliard is a bedwetter (& other place wetter). He’s not athletic at all, which frustrates Nick, who can’t even have a game of catch. Won’t even tell you the absurd twist that happens to him. Concurrently, Lisa’s son takes a very dark turn, not handling new “sister” very well. It’s even more bizarre than I’m describing & I LOVED it, but it may be a bit much for a more conventional moviegoer. I followed the DeBoer rabbit hole to here & I’m glad I did. Can be found on #AMCPlus. #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #satire

Carter #DavidKrumholtz was thought to be a literary prodigy when his 1st #book came out. It was highly praised & he landed a job teaching literature at a college. His career has since languished & now he just doesn’t care anymore. Maybe it was the way his mom #MonaLeeFultz pitted him & sis #TriesteKellyDunn against each other, but he basically separates himself from others, sabotaging relationships. His best friend is fellow prof Kaminsky #MartinStarr, yet he carries on an affair w/ his wife Olivia #JocelynDeBoer. He teaches a course on #TheGreatGatsby & on Nabokov to a handful of students, who are really there just to earn the credits, not really learn from him. Gail #LuxyBanner has caught his eye, if not his potential lust, but she’s far from enamored of him, opening cans of Lone Star beer whenever he summons her to his office. You would think that a terminal diagnosis would give someone pause & they would change, but not Carter. He doubles down on his behavior. He made his bed a long time ago. It’s comfortable & he’s not getting up to risk being uncomfortable in his “final days.” His life continues to fall apart, in a way that reminded me of #LuckyHank, but there’s no redemption to Carter. We root for him solely on the performance of Krumholtz. What he brings to the sad sack role is compelling, even if we aren’t really on his side. This isn’t #OlYeller. No one is going to be weeping for Carter. Yet it IS funny. The #film does entertain. You wouldn’t want to spend too much time w/ a real life Carter, but you do w/ this fictional one. #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday

As soon as I heard about #SilverHaze, I knew I HAD to see it, just because #EsméCreedMiles. It’s not really her story. It’s #VickyKnight ‘s, who plays Franky. She’s a blue collar nurse in England, who’s had it pretty rough up until now. As a child, she was burned badly by fire in her dad’s pub. He’s since abandoned his family & started another w/ the woman Franky suspects started the fire. She lives w/ her mum & sis Leah #CharlotteKnight (Vicky’s real life sis), but she’s the real head of household. She also stalks her dad, but he refuses to recognize her. Her BF is a knob, that’s really just there, than any possible future. Florence (Esmé) ends up on Franky’s floor. She’s a wild child, who’s there because she tried to commit suicide. Once discharged, the pair start a romantic relationship. Franky moves in w/ Florence’s “mom,” Alice #AngelaBruce. Alice took in both Florence & her autistic brother, Jack #ArchieBrigden. While things start hot & heavy, Florence is ephemeral at best. Whether things are becoming too serious or maybe it’s the uncomfortable bus ride back from the beach, where friends of Franky’s ex are being jerks to the pair, but the relationship fizzles. The story shifts, adding in the plot line of Leah converting to be a Muslim for a guy, but not really understanding what that means. Alice gets cancer. And Franky wants some sort of revenge on her father. Some of this is because the #movie is based on Knight’s actual life. So, while it’s historically accurate, not everything is needed for the story, which has lead to a recurring theme of the #film being overstuffed. This is the sophomore effort of dir #SachaPolak. I didn’t see the debut, but will try to track it down now. I liked it. It’s in theaters now. #movies #films #screeningoftheday

Elle #CameronKelly was on a syndicated cop show in the vein of #Baywatch, when the network pulled the plug. Looking for that next gig, she accidentally ends up as a store elf, working for perhaps the real Santa #GeorgeWendt. Fellow coworkers Gabe #KentonChen is over it before she even showed & Peoper #NicoleAlyseNelson more than makes up for it w/ excessive peppiness (that could rival Buddy the Elf!). #WhatTheElf is comprised of 5 short #webisodes that combined equal a half hour. Elle bumbles thru the job, sometimes just accidentally making kids cry & once on purpose. It’s all set in a singular location of the mall, w/ a couple of visits to HR #EnaFleming. Was hoping it was up on YouTube or some place where you can watch, because it’s an enjoyable time, but I can’t find it. It was only a part of #Cinequest #filmfestival, I guess. But if you do get the chance, give it a try. Quite funny. With that. I bid #Cinejoy a find farewell (hopefully just until next year, where they’ll still have a virtual aspect, fingers crossed). It was another good run this year. #filmfestivals #screeningoftheday

I’ve seen this #shortfilm before, maybe even done a post on it, but ran across it again at #Cinejoy #filmfestival & it’s worth a double post! Polly #EilisePatton has commandeered a bounce house during the apocalypse. There’s blood all over it, but she seems blasé about it. She sleeps in her camper in the yard. She travels to the mini, shared library box (although she’s read almost all of them now. She thinks she’s the last one left. That’s why she’s a bit surprised when Thea #JadeKaiser shows up, armed. After convincing the newcomer that she’s not a cannibal, like in Orange County, the 2 woman decide to make their way cross country. But 1st, Polly’s gotta train. The 2 discuss the possible reasons for the end of the world, everything from disease to giant sloths, which Thea dismisses out of hand. But the plan made God laugh & a hiccup was introduced. The 2 actresses have down several shorts together (but I’ve just seen this one). I hope they graduate to full length, because I think the talent is there for that. This one is wryly amusing &’I enjoyed it enough to risk repeating myself. So, check it out! #shortfilms #cinequest #filmfestivals #screeningoftheday

Anh #NguyenLamThaoTam is a #socialmedia influencer, whose mom used to be a famous actress. Before you can say “Sing out, Louise,” she’s pushing her daughter to follow in her footsteps. However, to get a role in a #slashermovie, Anh sleeps w/ the dir, but it’s the role of an early victim, w/ 6 lines, which mom isn’t happy w/. But someone else has also taken an interest in Anh, a mysterious person, hiding behind a SM account, that sends emoji messages to her that are promises or threats? Whoever it is, takes the current lead actress, Kim #ThuAnhHo, out of the picture, leaving Anh to take over the picture after the prod demands a rewrite. Things aren’t smooth sailing from there, because Anh isn’t an actress, so she keeps getting pushed by her benefactor/tormentor. Her BF #VoDienGiaHuy is not the sort of guy I would like to hang out w/, but the actor does a great job portraying privileged partier (especially in a scene where he drops pretense). But he’s a target to get her to do what her stalker wants. As we try to unravel what’s really going on in this Vietnamese #horrormovie, we’re taken down several paths. Kim returns, also wanting to get to the truth. More people are tricked by fake emails. We’re off balance all the way until the end, when Anh finally has control of her fate. Can you guess what she does next? #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #cinejoy #filmfestival #Cinequest #filmfestivals #slashermovies

Jay #IsaacNevrla thought he had everything he wanted. He was a good boy growing, always came correct. Was very respectful. He’s the kind of guy a father would be happy to give his blessing to for engagement to his daughter, in this case Beverly #IsabelaJacobsen. He was on the road to happiness, right? On the way from getting that blessing to sharing the news w/ his soon to be fiancé, he meets Ricky #SergioAcevedo. The latter is new to the club & works as a waiter. Jay’s in a good mood 8 he’s friendly w/ the new guy. Bev quickly gets pregnant. Jay goes to work in the family business. Everybody meets up at the country club regularly. Again, it’s all anyone could as for. So, why is there something missing? That something turns out to be Ricky. Late hours in the office is really just what Jay tells Bev, so he can spend time w/ Ricky. The 2 men get bolder & bolder. Eventually, they’re going to underground gay bars (because there were no upstairs ones). While Jay was content w/ his double life, Bev was not. She calls daddy to find out why he’s working Jay so hard. In her mind, she suspects an affair w/ a secretary (which would be SO much better to her). But when Jay is caught up in a police raid on the bar, worst fears are met. Not content to merely pray the gay away, they send him to a clinic where he gets aversion therapy & other tortures. It works. Bev hides a letter from Ricky to Jay & the 2 go back to their old lives. As a senior, after Bev’s passing, Jay gets the letter finally, prompting a desire to find his former lover. But life has another curveball for him. It feels like a personal story to writer/dir #RyanSarno. Maybe he’s the son Jay had & this is an attempt to set a record straight (no pun intended). As a whole, there’s not much new in the story, but that’s ok. There aren’t a lot of these #lovestories out there & a bit of repetition doesn’t hurt. The cast is good & talented. It’s a decent watch, which can currently be had at #Cinejoy #filmfestival. #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #cinequest #filmfestivals #LGTBQ

“Please don’t let us have killed John Wayne,” a GOP congressman. #TheConqueror” is an “epic” #film from #HowardHughes, directed by actor #DickPowell (his 1st ever). It’s the Genghis Kahn story with The Duke going full yellow face in the lead. It was shot in the southwest, not far from where nuclear testing was still happening. Went in expecting to hear the horror stories of a mismanaged production of an “epic” that ran under 2 hours. Sure, there’s a bit of that, but the bigger story is what happened to that cast & crew after. Narrated by #SophieOkonedo, we find out how this mismatched cast was out together. #SusanHayward absolutely refused to be put in yellow face (rightly so), changing the biography a bit. When location shooting wrapped & they moved to RKO to finish, Hughes insisted they dig up tons of the sand to spread out on the soundstages. That sand was full of radiation, from the testing. The #documentary then turns to talk about all the cast & crew members that came down w/ cancer, as well as the townspeople that were not far from the original location. We now know that despite the tests being in remote regions, the radiation got up in the jet stream & spread thru the South & Midwest & eventuality around the globe. Despite the cancers coming out of the region, the US govt would not stop testing & would not recognize their culpability to n the spread of the disease. They were more than willing to sweep suck people under the rug throughout Republican controlled Congress & Presidencies. It wasn’t until Wayne got cancer, that they realized they were screwed, hence the above quote. STILL, they only did a bare minimum & testing didn’t stop until decades later. I wonder how many people died due to nuclear tests & still do to this day? I bet a lot. The doc is actually longer than the original #movie at 2 hours. Can only be seen currently at #Cinequest #filmfestival virtually ATM. I’m found it really interesting. #movies #films #screeningoftheday #Cinejoy #filmfestivals #documentaries

#TresHermanos is about masculinity, some of it toxic. 3 brothers live in the woods of Argentina, not far from a major sawmill. They hunt their own food. They listen to heavy metal. The youngest takes jiu-jitsu classes, where he’s VERY competitive. He also plays drums in a band & at home. Middle brother has returned from working on a boat, only to find out he’s not needed anymore. The oldest brother is dealing w/ testicular cancer. None of them are particularly good guys. The youngest is vindictive. Middle is stalking a woman, who we later find out he did something really bad to. Oldest deals w/ whether having 1 ball makes him less than. A fire has raged thru the countryside & the brothers have been cutting down the trees & shipping them upriver to sell. It’s all illegal. They don’t even want to share w/ the rest of their family: uncles & aunts. It all climaxes when the dam breaks. Everyone is trying to fill sandbags to mitigate the flow before it hits downstream, but it’s all futile. It’s a dark story told beautifully. The Cinematography is awesome. Looks great! But the story is about some the worst things in us. Another #Cinequest #film from the #Cinejoy #filmfestival. #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #foreignfilm #foreignfilms #filmfestivals

When you are in the grip of love, there’s no better feeling in the world. But when the other person isn’t, there’s no deeper pit of hell. Su #XingtingWang screwed up, badly. He broke up w/ Zhao #PadmaKyab, his childhood sweetheart & a little bit more. Now, he’s determined to win her back, but she’s cold to him & she’s now engaged to Gu #LeoWei, a much older man (maybe her doctor?). Su’s plan is to take her to blooming of a tree, something that only happens every 100 yrs. The trip is convoluted, driving thru the countryside, picking up dragonfruit & a goose (to be slaughtered for a meal) along the way. Eventually, hiking thru the jungle. It’s an almost epic journey. As we travel w/ them, not only do the 2 men bond, but what’s real becomes questionable. Su is a writer & it’s almost fantastical what happens. Not only do the furries from the poster show up, but whales fly thru the sky. Eventually, Zhao bluntly tells him to just say he loves her. No poems. Just three words. And it takes him a moment before he can, but when he does, he becomes more & more insistent. Then, we get it the climax & things begin to make sense, even the flying whales. Reality was not as we were told & everything comes into sharper view. We better understand Zhao’s constrained actions. It’s funny, fantastical & sad all at once. It’s a Chinese #film, w/ very little information out there about it. The only place I know you can watch is #Cinequest #filmfestival via #Cinejoy. I recommend the trip, but you have to stick w/ it. #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #filmfestivals #ARomanticFragment #LangManDeDuanZhang

In the near future, a disease strikes that turns young women old, UNLESS they’re pregnant or have been pregnant. It strikes randomly & those it does strike are shunned. Which is why Ann #ManshuJian panics when she loses her hair, forcing her to wear a wig. Her clock is ticking in a new way. Normally, she’s an outgoing, independent woman, working as a flight attendant, which allows her freedom & nets her good $. She prizes this life, which adds hoops she has to jump thru to maintain everything AND get pregnant. Xiao #MasonLee is a doctor & Ann’s BFF. He’s willing to do the deed, but things have to be done proper or his mom will give him hell. Mom is a dragon lady of propriety. Ann’s dad isn’t much better, being full on religious disciple. But Ann’s biggest concern is the prenup Xiao’s mom wants her to sign, which will force her to quit her job, move away from her family & basically do nothing but devote herself to the child. It MUST be a boy, FYI because mom wants an heir for her son, which means IVF, but Ann’s dad is against not doing things naturally. Basically, Ann is a puppet on a string trying to save her lifestyle & her health, while outsiders make decisions on her behalf, that affect both. I think it was originally a Taiwanese #TVSeries, but what showed at #Cinequest is definitely a complete #film. #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #Cinejoy #filmfestival #filmfestivals #foreignfilm #foreignfilms

Probably the most Hollywood of #Cinejoy #filmfestival, #OldRighteousBlues comes from SA. It’s a triumph of the underdog story. Hantjie #AydenCroy is the next gen of a tradition that dates back generations. It’s a combination marching band & choreographed marchers. He has ideas to be more dynamic, but finds himself not only butting his head against tradition, but trapped in a Romeo & Juliet style love w/ Risi #MeganSaayman, who’s the daughter of the leader of a rival troupe. There’s also bad blood between the current leader of ORB & Hantjie, due to the younger man’s father having broken off & joined that rival troupe himself. When the opportunity comes for the young man to realize his dream, he’s passed over, in favor for another by that same leader. It’s that vitriol that spoils the unity of the town, forcing our hero to have to choose another path, as much as he doesn’t want to. It takes a major tragedy to bury past grievances. The truth comes out about Hantjie’s dad & what REALLY happened way back when. More importantly, what was once divided is returned whole. Shoutout to the costume designer, I see what you did there. Love triumphs over hate, a story that’ll never grow old. It’s in Afrikaans w/ subtitles & shows a side of the country rarely seen here in the States. I’d be surprised if someone didn’t try to remake this, set it in New Orleans. This is a fun 1 to watch! #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #foreignfilm #foreignfilms

Zoe #NellBarlow has come to Amsterdam from The UK to do mushrooms, but she’s still a week shy of 18 & shop owner #JoeSinduhije isn’t budging on selling to her. On the sidewalk is Ruth #NaanaAmit from Israel, who could buy for her, but Zoe’s told so many lies in the few minutes, she hesitates. But Ruth is going thru things too. She’s a runaway bride. Caution is already in the wind. The trippers of the title are them, but it’s not about traveling in the conventional sense. The pair go to a park & trip balls. It’s a freedom that Ruth is desperately holding onto, while Zoe is looking for connection. While 1 could be the mom of the other, she’s not keen on that, preferring to be a slightly older friend. They are an odd pair, w/ Zoe swimming in freedom, but craving connection & Ruth feeling tied down, craving freedom. Being in “shrooms, both are able to let go & see things from outside their normal perspective, grow a bit. It’s not a #lovestory in a traditional sense, nor in a sapphic way, but the 2 women do come to love each other. It’s about connecting & understanding, that might only come from someone w/ no predispositions about you. Once again, #Cinequest has chosen a #film that’s about all of us, while telling the tale of 2. IDK if I’m going go shrooming w/ a stranger any time soon, but I liked watching a #movie about doing just that. #films #movies #screeningoftheday #filmfestivals #Cinejoy #filmfestival

Olga #KariMatchett Isn’t winning any mother of the year awards. Why she even had kids is a mystery. Probably because someone dared her to. She is the very definition of “tough love.” Her husband, Roger #BillyMacLellan dies 9 times to begin the #movie. He has a weak heart, but he’s always bounced back. 1 morning, Hailey chooses to sleep in instead of the traditional fishing trip w/ dad & that decision haunts her, as he has his final heart attack, goes overboard & drowns. Blamed by Olga, Hailey #EmHaine moves out. She finds love in Syd #RileyReign, but leaves behind younger sis Rose #CaitlynneMedrek, who is Hailey’s opposite in many ways. Years later, Hailey gets a call from Rose, that Olga has died & she should come home. That is a lie! But Hailey doesn’t find out til she gets there. Hailey sticks around because she’s promised their dad’s boat, which she’d like for nostalgia’s sake. But for 1 reason or another, getting to see it is delayed & in the meantime, she reconnects w/ people she had once out behind her, including BF Cole #JoshCruddas, who has trouble accepting she’s gay. The #film focuses on the wackiness that happens in Nova Scotia. Olga teaches belly dancing. Lobsters are gotten & eaten. A wheelchair bound neighbor loves to race down the neighborhood hill. All interspersed w/ snippets of Olga giving “life lessons.” The story is about acceptance & inclusion, but seems to ride atop of some serious issues in moderately disconcerting ways to keep it a #comedy. I get the sense that the story is semi-autobiographical, but don’t know that for sure. I’ve always liked Matchett & she stands out here. #films #movies #screeningoftheday #Cinequest #filmfestival #Cinejoy #filmfestivals

Sam #RezaEmamiyeh has just arrived in Tokyo to spend a week w/ his long distance GF Becca @iamcaileeoliver. What he does not know is that she’s been waiting for him, so she can break up w/ him in person, as opposed to over the phone. This should tell you exactly what you need to know about her. But it’s not like he knows no 2 else in town. He calls up Jun #ShinichiroWatanabe & the 2 make plans to meet for drinks w/ his GF Ayaka #TokikoKitagawa, who speaks no English. She shows, but he doesn’t, leaving Sam & Avaka together. Before you can say #BeforeSunrise, the 2 are galavanting around Tokyo. Seems the reason Jun bailed was because he’s the guy Becca was having the affair w/. The 2 don’t speak a common language, but Sam breaks out a translator app on his phone & they start communicating thru that. After a bit, the phone gets put away, but it’s still translating, making it easier for the 2 to move around w/o constantly looking down, we get subtitles to show what’s going on. As they roam & share stories, Avaka talks about her dad, who she was separated from by her mom when young. It’s mostly all surface-y, because he’s determined to fly home in the next plane, in a few hours (but he CAN stay a week). They both only have a single thing in common, but they grow in each other. She shows him a wishing fountain. He gets them gyros from a street vendor, sharing an embarrassing story about himself in the process. As they open up to each other, we see what they will eventually see, which is maybe the curveball life three them isn’t a bad thing, but an opportunity for something new. There’s still the long distance thing, but shush, romance is happening! It’s a sweet little #film about finding something (& someone) in the midst of tragedy. A nice way to while away an hour & 1/2, especially when the 2 leads are engaging & fun. The formula works! #movie #movies #films #screeningoftheday #Cinequest #filmfestival #Cinejoy #filmfestivals #romance

All her life, Liang #PengChi has wanted 1 thing, to be an actress. But life doesn’t go as planned. There was always 1 reason, after another for why she can’t be the lead. She moved on, but never forgot. Now, much older, she sees a chance to follow that dream again, but it’s a scam. This time, though, she’s going to be the lead & her stage will be a con. For she is going to get back what she lost, w/ the help of a young writer, her niece, a producer that fell for the scam too & her husband. All she has to do is become a once famous opera singer, turned recluse, the 1 that got away from a local mob boss. It takes a village in this Chinese #film playing as a part of #Cinequest #filmfestival. Not everything goes to plan, but it’s a fun watch along the way. Outside of this festival, I can’t find anything out about the #movie, dir by #BoYao, his 1st feature. It’s not even on IMDb yet! While it’s not out yet, I can’t help but think it’s ripe for a remake. I’m already casting in my head. Shout out to #TingWang as the No-nonsense niece that proves an invaluable right hand to Liang. #movies #films #screeningoftheday #CineJoy #filmfestivals #ChineseMovie #ChineseMovies

Jane #DeniseWilton has signed up for a #Retreat & has brought along surly teen son Jamie #HarryWalters. She feels a bit guilty because she a had to kill her abusive husband & Jamie’s dad. So, she overcompensates by being needy & ever present. Jamie, however, has MUCH bigger problems. A girl has gone missing from school, who Jamie is see to know. His best mate figures it had something to do w/ her father, as that’s who PD is looking at. Com f you think Jamie isn’t involved in that case, I have a bridge to sell you. A stop off for the night in a motel cements it. Mom & son run into a dad #SteveHemsley w/ his daughter Thelma #KateRichardson. While dad & Jane have a dinner date & retire to the bedroom, the 2 teens spend the night wandering around & talking. She’s flirtatious & he’s standoffish. When she makes her bold move, he doesn’t react. Then, it’s morning & Jane wants to get back on the road again. David interrupts to frantically ask if they’ve seen Thelma, but Jane shines him off, as they MUST get to the retreat. Upon arrival, Jane befriends Candace #VeronicaCaddick, who also brought her daughter, Sophia #IzzyKidd. Once again, Jamie finds himself in the company of a contemporary girl, while mom “grows.” There is something different about this girl though. She’s depressed & suicidal, perhaps wise enough to spot a potential tool, if not ally in her plans. However, there’s a hiccup of a different sort in that plan, 1 that’s not going to be healed at this retreat. This is writer/dir #ChristopherNeeberry ‘s 1st feature #film & it shows promise, especially in what he’s able to hold back. Too often, young dir lean towards being flashy, but this is a tortoise #movie, not a hare. #movies #films #screeningoftheday #Cinequest #filmfestival #CineJoy #filmfestivals #horror #horrormovies #horrormovie #horrorfilm #horrorfilms

George #TylerPoelle is over his marriage to Annie #ElshaKim. He’s got a low paying service job, where he’s supervised by the owner’s young daughter, Lucy #CaitlinDuffy, who despises him & vice versa. Meanwhile, his wife is on TV. She’s the breadwinner. She’s equally unhappy w/ him, but can’t divorce due to a pre-nup. It’s not much better for their couple friends: Mikey #MattLowe & Gemma #ChristinaKirkman. She’s having an affair w/ a skydiving instructor #KevinKreider & while he suspects, he doesn’t really want to know. He likes having her as his wife. George plays the lottery daily, but has no money for it, so he has racked up a sizable IOU w/ the bodega owner. Of course, the #s never hit. He’s equally as good at trying to kill his wife. I guess it’s good that he’s this inept at it. None of the characters are particularly good people, which means we have to decide who to root for by picking degrees of awfulness. The actors do a great good in their roles, nothing against them. #DarkComedy is tricky to pull off & they do. But as an audience member, do I want any of them to win? The tone, for the most part, is light, but mean spirited. However, that changes come the end, where things get much more dark, than #comedy. They’re stabbing from Hell’s heart here. I will note that the outside world building is interesting, where guns are pushed on everybody. George gets assaulted daily by a young girl who shoots pellets at his knees, as he daydreams of tropical vacations. It’s not just the comedy that’s dark. The whole world is too. #movie #movies #film #films #screeningoftheday #Cinejoy #filmfestival #Cinequest #filmfestivals

Don’t quite know how to describe #Vincent, an Australian #film showing at #Cinejoy #filmfestival. It’s weird. Written, directed & starring #AlanKing, the story has elements of #TheGodsMustBeCrazy, w/ occasional narrator stopping the action & telling us things. Vincent is an author, who will write a seminal novel out the gate & not now what to do next. He IS however chased by an unseen beast, which leaves him w/ various cascading injuries as the #movie progresses, 1st losing an eye. It’s a critical success, but leaves the man spiraling downward, as his follow up is a series of children’s #books no 1 wants to read. They’re all in landfill. Eventually, he meets a homeless man named Jesse #ChristopherKirby & the 2 become friends. However, Vincent’s friends fare worse then him when the beast attacks, so he’s a bit hesitant to let Jesse in. Mostly, this is a character study of a strange man. It’s played straight, but wryly funny. It feels a tad long because nothing much happens, while a lot happens. King’s performance is excellent, but of course he tailored it for himself. I really don’t know how to convey it to you. It simply must be seen to be gotten. #movies #films #screeningoftheday #filmfestivals #comedy