Get ready for the White Lotus on psychedelics. Infinity Pool, disturbing and erotic, is a stylized bloody satire both trippy and mesmerizing. This film, as well as Possessor, has established Brandon Cronenberg as the most exciting young Writer-director in science fiction and horror.
Read MoreWolf Hollow (2023)
A good werewolf film is hard to come by these days. While their bloodsucking brethren, vampires, have enjoyed a long cinematic life, it generally seems to be accepted that werewolf films peaked in 1981 with the release of John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London and Joe Dante’s The Howling, both of which are considered to be the two best werewolf films of all time. While one cannot deny the romantic allure and elegance of a good vampire film, sometimes it’s fun to just sit back and enjoy the pure carnage that a werewolf film can bring to the table.
Read MoreThe Outwaters (2022)
Right off the bat, I need to state that The Outwaters won’t be to everyone’s taste. There is about a thirty-minute stretch of the film’s 110-ish-minute runtime that is probably best described as experimental. That chunk combined with the found footage aesthetic and the script’s reluctance to provide concrete answers makes for an atypical horror experience.
Read MoreCasting Kill (2023)
Shot in a mere six days in London, director/cinematographer James Smith’s Casting Kill is a classy and lightly satirical look at the underside of the film business. Though the budget was likely quite small, the filmmakers and their cast deploy some Hitchcockian flair in a beautifully shot piece that makes some movie magic with a coterie of fine performances and playful dialog. After an effectively moody title sequence, we soon meet Arthur Capstone, a big-shot Hollywood casting director.
Read MoreParalysis (2022)
There’s just something about watching micro-budget pictures that are clearly labors of love. Writer/director Levi Austin Morris’ Paralysis fits that description to the T. As I watched the end credits roll, several names popped up over and over. Chief among them was Morris himself, who in addition to his aforementioned duties is also listed as an associate producer, co-cinematographer, and editor, while also showing up in a few other spots like the art department.
Read MoreEmily the Criminal (2022)
Aubrey Plaza is one of the most versatile performers currently working in film. Though she’s perhaps best known for comedy, I am a huge fan of her thoughtful thrillers. Ingrid Goes West is one of my favorite flicks from the last five years and her latest, John Patton Ford’s Emily the Criminal, is a small triumph, as well. I wasn’t able to get to a theatrical screening back in August, but the brand-new blu ray arrived at my door this week.
Read More#Float (2022)
There's just something about a film with a hashtag in the title that puts a bad taste in my mouth, but when I saw that Zac Locke, known for The Voyeurs, was connected, I figured I'd give it a shot. #Float follows an aspiring vlogger and her friends as they embark on their annual river float to commemorate the untimely loss of their friend. They are plunged into a life-and-death battle with a mysterious local, a sinister paranormal force, and their own fears.
Read MoreDave Stevens: Drawn to Perfection (2022)
Combining the aesthetics of ‘30s-era pulpy adventure serials and Good Girl Art, illustrator Dave Stevens rocketed to comic book stardom in the ‘80s. Unfortunately, the beloved creator died from a rare form of leukemia in 2008 at the much too young age of 52. Kelvin Mao’s new documentary, Dave Stevens: Drawn to Perfection, lovingly charts the life of a man dedicated to pursuing the path of a pure artist.
Read More