2020s

SXSW 2021: HERE BEFORE, THE SPINE OF NIGHT, & BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION
SXSW 2021: HERE BEFORE, THE SPINE OF NIGHT, & BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION

Kevin L. Lee reports back the latest from SXSW 2021 with Here Before, The Spine of Night, and Broadcast Signal Intrusion!

SXSW 2021: Interview With THE SPINE OF NIGHT Writer/Director Philip Gelatt And Morgan Galen King
SXSW 2021: Interview With THE SPINE OF NIGHT Writer/Director Philip Gelatt And Morgan Galen King

Kevin Lee spoke with writers and directors Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King about their film The Spine of Night and more!

SIX MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT: A Solid Yet Unremarkable Spy Thriller
SIX MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT: A Solid Yet Unremarkable Spy Thriller

While Six Minutes to Midnight does tell a story about life on the cusp of World War II, it still doesn’t stand out.

ALLEN V. FARROW Episode Four: The Art & The Artist
ALLEN V. FARROW Episode Four: The Art & The Artist

Allen v. Farrow – from the first episode to the last – has been an exercise in biased reporting, never representing both sides of the argument.

SXSW 2021 Review: R#J: A Horribly Misguided Experiment
SXSW 2021 Review: R#J: A Horribly Misguided Experiment

Even though I can feel everything is well-intentioned, little to none of it resonated. Thy movie is amiss.

ALLEN V. FARROW, Episode Three Disputing the Facts
ALLEN V. FARROW, Episode Three: Disputing the Facts

Episode three of Allen v. Farrow focuses on the allegations against Allen by a young Dylan Farrow and two seperate investigations into it.

SLAXX: Fun And Thoughtful Film About Sentient Killer Jeans
SLAXX: Fun And Thoughtful Film About Sentient Killer Jeans

Slaxx offers plenty of fun and amusing gory moments with a heartfelt story showcasing the evils of the fashion industry.

NOBODY: Maybe It's Time To Let The Old Ways Die
NOBODY: Maybe It’s Time To Let The Old Ways Die

A sturdy but familiar entry, Nobody hews so close to standards that it brings the whole genre into question.

SXSW 2021: KID CANDIDATE, WEWORK & THE LOST SONS
SXSW 2021: KID CANDIDATE, WEWORK & THE LOST SONS

In his first report from the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, Musanna reviews Kid Candidate, WeWork and The Lost Sons!

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER A Flawed Reimagining of a Feminist Classic
THE YELLOW WALLPAPER: A Flawed Reimagining of a Feminist Classic

Based on the 1892 Charlotte Perkins Gilman short story by the same name, The Yellow Wallpaper is a thriller that stumbles with uneven performances.

THE WINTER LAKE: A Grim, Well-Acted Irish Thriller
THE WINTER LAKE: A Grim, Well-Acted Irish Thriller

While underdeveloped and sluggish in approach, Phil Sheerin’s The Winter Lake is a sedate, rustic thriller examining familial complexities.

The film has a vibrant authenticity to it, and not just in the casting and locations — cinematographer Katelin Arizmendi gives Baltimore’s streets an oceanic sway and the conversations a realistic rhythm. And when we follow the Clique, engines rev, the riders lean back and lift, and we see them silhouetted against the sun, arms extended toward us, totally in the moment. Both Pug and Mouse talk about “going 12” like it’s the greatest sense of freedom you could achieve. It’s just you, the bike, and the road, and the only thing keeping you airborne is your innate talent and will to stay upright. The more expressionistic elements of Charm City Kings recall Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, a film that similarly blends realistic characters and dialogue with neon lighting, Nicholas Britell’s otherworldly music, and emotionally motivated camera movements and editing. That’s not accidental — Jenkins, alongside Kirk Sullivan and Chris Boyd, developed the story for Charm City Kings, while Sherman Payne, a TV writer known for his work on Shameless and Scream, wrote the script. The result is a story soaked with realism and augmented by stylistic flourishes and a poignant, subversive orchestral score from Alex Somers.
CHARM CITY KINGS: A Powerful Black Coming-of-Age Story

Charm City Kings is an expressionistic, powerful look at a neglected community that gets little attention on-screen.

ALLEN V. FARROW, Episode Two The Soon-Yi Affair
ALLEN V. FARROW, Episode Two: The Soon-Yi Affair

Episode two of Allen v. Farrow looks into Woody Allen’s affair and eventual marriage of his former partner Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter.

WILDFIRE: Irish Eyes No Longer Smile In Affecting Sibling Drama
WILDFIRE: Irish Eyes No Longer Smile In Affecting Sibling Drama

Wildfire is a commanding calling card for Brady, showcasing kitchen-sink realism and a powerful portrayal of sibling heartbreak.

RED POST ON ESCHER STREET: The World Is Your Stage. Are You At Its Center?
RED POST ON ESCHER STREET: The World Is Your Stage. Are You At Its Center?

It embodies the theory of a movie’s intricate parts, and bit players function initially as individualistic entities that coalesce into a collective.