We live in a society where if something breaks, we buy a new one. Maybe you attempt to watch a YouTube tutorial on how to fix it, and then pay someone to fix it, and then end up having to…
Read moreNOW IN THEATERS! Yes, there will be moisturizing in the star-powered thriller Skincare, directed by Austin Peters. The screenplay by Peters, with Sam Freilich and Deering Regan, was based on true events and is set in Los Angeles in 2013.…
Read moreHOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! Most people feel that the American Dream is a reality. For others, as Ziyu Luo’s short film eludes, it’s merely an American Daydream. Marilyn Yang (Jessica Lee) is living the American Dream—from her mother Hui’s…
Read moreHOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! The dream of making it in Hollywood is often a nightmare in Christopher Greenslate’s thriller short Bananahead. Andi Sanger (Sally Maersk) is an aspiring actor who, as luck would have it, is up for the…
Read moreHOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! Space Ryder is a science fiction actioner written by Vivian Yoon and directed by Jeff Sloniker. Conner Bean stars as intergalactic bounty hunter Ryder, who is telling the story of his latest acquisition to a bartender…
Read moreThe Big Picture Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury step away from their horror-first roots. Achieves a sustainable level of procedural thrills. Lacks a bit of narrative tightness, but still succeeds as a suspenseful mystery. Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury have…
Read moreThe Big Picture Luke Hemsworth is trying but has nothing of substance to work with. Gunner feels like a movie that spent 90% of its effort in post-production. The experience sets back action genre gunplay to the PlayStation 2 era.…
Read more“Elizabethtown. ““Dean.” “August: Osage County.” All somewhat recent cinematic efforts of the past several decades revolving around a person or two dealing with the passing of a family member, more often than not, accompanied by a return to their childhood…
Read moreHOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! The legendary Takashi Miike directs Midnight. The 18-minute short is an adaptation of Osamu Tezuka’s manga written by Yûsuke Watanabe. Gang members are chasing Kaede (Konatsu Kato). These thugs wish to extort Kaede over her…
Read moreHOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! In Mort, co-writer/director Giselle Bonilla and co-director Tu Do skillfully navigate the emotional landscape of their sci-fi drama. The titular alien, Mort (Tyler Steelman), leads a peaceful life on his world, caring for the local…
Read moreWriter/co-director Harvey Loevner and co-director Steven Katner’s Peak Season is a slice-of-life drama. Engaged couple Amy (Claudia Restrepo) and Max (Ben Coleman) take a vacation to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. More accurately, she’s taking a respite, and he’s tagging along, though…
Read moreSummary Chris Wang reminds us how annoying teenagers can be in this comedy-drama. The film's use of humor undermines its deep themes and emotional moments. The meaningful exploration of the themes lacks in Sean Wang's feature debut. On the poster…
Read more