Latest

October 2022

Reviews

Devil’s Workshop

Devil’s Workshop is, mostly, a two-hander.  An unhappy actor, Clayton (Timothy Granaderos of Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why), is trying to gain insight for a role he’s aspiring for.  For knowledge, he shadows experienced demonologist Eliza (Radha Mitchell of the Silent Hill film franchise) for the weekend before the pivotal callback audition.  Turning the tables on Clayton to probe more about his life, Eliza is eager to perform a ritual on her guest to alleviate woes,…

Reviews

Croc!

Croc! (also known as Crocodile Vengeance) is the first full-length feature from writer/director Paul W. Franklin — and, sadly, some of that inexperience shows through.

Reviews

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

As much as I liked The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, I find it incredibly difficult to endorse because its strengths lie deep beneath its surface.  Frequent filmmaking collaborators Hans Canosa and Gabrielle Zevin (Conversations with Other Women, Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac) have made an adaptation of Zevin’s novel of the same name that’s neither plot or character driven.  Instead, just like a layered and schmaltzy book, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry has…

Reviews

Triangle of Sadness

Triangle of Sadness pitches itself as a sophisticated comedy with “biting” satire about elitist attitudes during class wars.  However, the jabs made by writer/director Ruben Östlund are nothing more than the filmmaker taking swings at low-hanging fruit for a ridiculously long runtime;  intercut occasionally by tired attempts to be outrageous to offset an arthouse reputation.

Reviews

The Munsters

I’m getting a kick out of the people who are trying to provide Rob Zombie professional criticism regarding The Munsters, and likewise for the writers and vloggers who want to take digs at it and make fun of it – it’s all very cute.  I don’t hold myself in higher regard to my peers, but I know a lark when I see one.  And, Rob Zombie’s family-friendly seasonal comedy The Munsters is a big, fat,…

Reviews

Blank

Natalie Kennedy’s Blank is the latest addition to the “tech gone wrong” sci-fi sub-genre.  This time: an A.I. controlled retreat goes awry after a malware infection traps a creatively-stunted writer, Claire (Rachel Shelley), until they can finish their book.  However, the malfunction triggers a loop causing Claire’s “ideal” assistant, Rita (Heida Reed), to frequently reset and welcome in unpredictable and dangerous mechanical quirks.