and drama wrapped in a short 70-minute runtime. Jethica follows Elena (played by Callie Hernandez) as she helps Jessica (Ashlee Denise Robinson) deal with her stalker, Kevin (Will Madden). The situation becomes morbid and dark comedy as they seek assistance from beyond the grave to dispose of Kevin. Jethica keeps its pace, does not bloat the runtime, and stays unnerving and comical.
Sell/Buy/Date [SXSW ’22] Review
Sell/Buy/Date, a docudrama mixed in comedy, premiered at SXSW Festival. It stars Sarah Jones, with a story by her and David Goldblum that looks at the sex industry via the intersections of privilege. The documentary or, as Sarah Jones calls it “unorthodoc” is about Sarah Jones trying to make the documentary based on her play of the same name. Entertaining, honest in Sarah Jones’s confusion, Sell/Buy/Date skillfully touches on the main points regarding sex work, sex trafficking and decriminalization.
Aftershock [Sundance ’22 Review]
Aftershock, directed by Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee, personalizes the Black maternal mortality and morbidity epidemic in the United…
Emergency [Sundance ’22 Review]
Emergency starts as a comedy but spirals into a dramatic film that leaves you filled with dread as it progresses. Directed by Carey Williams and written by KD Davila, Emergency is about a night of would-be partying spiraling into a comedy of errors that leads to a potentially dangerous outcome. With strong directing and dynamic acting from the trio of men, Emergency tackles the terror of racism in an engrossing way. It does not seek to find a resolution but demonstrates how that unwarranted terror can have a lasting impact.
When You Finish Saving The World [Sundance ’22 Review]
Quirky with a helping of cringe and creep, When You Finish Saving The World is entertaining, although it lacks deeper substance. Julianne Moore stands out in her role as Evelyn, and Finn Wolfhard’s character, Ziggy, displays a level of white, entitled, lazy narcissism with an obsession that encapsulates a generation prizing their value with likes on social media.
Satoshi Kon, The Illusionist: NIGHTSTREAM ’21 Review
Satoshi Kon, The Illusionist, playing at Nightstream’s virtual festival, written and directed by Pascal-Alex Vincent, looks at Satoshi Kon’s creations and impact on the industry and the challenges he faced. The documentary explores a man that, like his creations, was complex but loved the entirety of humanity.
Poser: NIGHTSTREAM ’21 Review
Poser is a slow burn about identity, isolation and obsession. It blends artistic directing, the underground art and music scene with a steady pace to make a drama that is equal parts compelling and unnerving.
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain: TIFF ’21 Review
It’s told in a tonal mix with colorful hues that showcase the frenzied temperament of the man. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain manages to be magical and heartfelt with moments of crushing sadness.
The Guilty: TIFF ’21 Review
The Guilty, directed by Antoine Fuqua, is an American remake of a 2018 Danish film of the same name. With a screenplay written by Nic Pizzolatto and the original screenplay by Gustav Möller and Emil Nygaard Albertsen, the film follows Joe Baylor (Jake Gyllenhaal), assigned to 911 dispatch pending a trial, as he races against time to save a kidnapped woman who calls in. Despite copaganda elements, The Guilty is a fraught, riveting movie with dynamic acting and overarching themes of systemic issues, provided you haven’t seen the original.
Night Raiders: TIFF ’21 Review
Night Raiders, written and directed by Danis Goulet, is set in a dystopian future yet reflects the past. Indigenous people…