There is no perfect formula for a first scene — art is simply too complex to make such generalizations. The pulsing action of Jackie…
Enough time has passed that it’s possible for one to feel vaguely nostalgic about the myriad young adult film franchises, and would-be franchises, that…
Fewer subgenres in recent memory have had a more fleeting window of viability, if ever it even really existed, than the “pandemic film.” Beyond…
Disclaimer: It’s important to acknowledge the severity of the accusations of abuse made against both Shia LaBeouf and Asia Argento, and clarify that while…
There’s always at least a modicum of interest stirred up when well-known actors take a turn in the director’s chair. More often than not,…
Religious iconography and the unofficial symbols of nationalism, when not one and the same, serve a similar purpose. A vehicle, a symbol of salvation…
What do a master spy, an ornithologist, and a bunch of regular dudes from around the world have in common? That’s the premise of…
When it comes to metaphorical expressions, perhaps no other narrative and visual motif can provide a sense of boundless liberation and spiritual freedom as…
The Inhabitant somehow takes axe slayings as a primary plot point and makes the whole thing boring and self-serious. The horrific true-life tale of axe-wielding…
Mack & Rita is but the latest lame vehicle for Diane Keaton, a lazy body swap flick with little heart or humor to sell its…
The Score offers some conceptual intrigue, but its vitality as a musical is undermined by source material ill-suited to the form. Based on the music…
Madelines has the clear kernel of a good idea, but ultimately feels like the rough draft of a rough draft. The latest no-budget sci-fi flick…
The only thing Tethered is tied to is a bad time. Miles from civilization, a monster stalks woods that are inhabited by a mother…
The Other Me amounts to little more than an empty spectacle banking on David Lynch’s name. Let’s get it out of the way: the most…
The King’s Daughter is a would-be pop confection that would have been stale even if it hadn’t sat on shelves for nearly a decade.…
The Free Fall fails to balance camp, horror, and thriller in any meaningful and engaging way. Five years after his debut as a co-director…
Isolation is a contrived gimmick flick that shoehorns in topical fodder without nuance or authenticity. Isolation, a horror anthology co-produced by James P. Gannon and…
Anonymous Animals is repetitive, unimaginitive, and facile in boths its ideas and images. Anonymous, indeed. If, for some misguided reason, you feel the need to…