Tuesday, June 24, 2025

'American Trash' (2024) Movie Review

Lorelei Linklater with Robert LaSardo in a forest.
You may not immediately know the name Robert LaSardo, but you know Robert LaSardo. (Though if you’re a regular reader, odds are you’re very familiar with the man and his work.) He’s the guy you call when your movie needs a heavily tattooed, badass-looking motherfucker. In his 170-plus credits, with more than 50(!) on the way according to IMDb, he’s played vampires, gangsters, and heavies of all stripes. In addition to being an Adler Studio-trained actor, he’s also a veteran. So it only makes sense his first outing as a director, American Trash, focuses on a former soldier struggling with PTSD as a result of his experiences. 

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

'Diablo' (2025) Movie Review

scott adkins holding up his hand.
A team up between star Marko Zaror and director Ernesto Diaz Espinoza already has my attention. The duo is responsible for Redeemer, Fist of the Condor, Mandrill, and more face-kicking excellence, and Zaror is, for my money, the most unsung martial arts movie badass working today. One way to up the ante is to add Scott Adkins into the mix, like they do in their latest, Diablo, and hot damn. This was on my most-anticipated list for good reason, and it delivers the goods.

Friday, May 23, 2025

SIFF 2025: 'Know Her Name' Movie Review

a Black female filmmaker with a camera
All-too-often people seem to believe there were no, or at least vanishingly few female filmmakers throughout the history of the medium. If Zainab Muse’s Know Her Name has anything to do with it, that won’t last much longer. Her documentary dives into the deep, rich, and integral, not to mention frequently overlooked and undervalued role women have and continue to play in film history. 

Thursday, May 22, 2025

SIFF 2025: 'She's The He' Capsule Review

two teens get caught in a bathroom

To get close to a crush, seniors Alex (Nico Carney) and Ethan (Misha Osherovich) pretend to be trans, a dicey proposition for sure. Here’s the twist, for one of them, she’s never felt so comfortable, so herself. Realizing she is in fact trans, the movie follows the fallout from that revelation. 

Monday, May 19, 2025

SIFF 2025: 'Sanatorium Under The Sign Of The Hourglass' Capsule Review

a little stop motion animated dude
The Brothers Quay return with their first feature in 20 years, Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass. The haunting stop-motion offering, based on the book of the same name by Polish writer Bruno Schulz, adapts the surreal, fantastic journey of a young man, who, having recently lost his father, travels by train to a mysterious sanatorium.

Friday, May 16, 2025

SIFF 2025: '40 Acres' Capsule Review

a Black woman standing in a field.
Music video and TV veteran R.T. Thorne directs his feature debut, 40 Acres. In the apocalyptic wake of a fungal pandemic, new civil war, and sweeping famine, a family, led by no-nonsense former soldier Hailey (Danielle Deadwyler), must protect their fortified farm from threats within and without. Including potential cannibal invasion. 

SIFF 2025: 'Chain Reactions' Capsule Review

a woman watching Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe has delved into Alien, the shower scene in Psycho, David Lynch, and more. In Chain Reactions, he focuses on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, this time via extended interviews with Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama. Each shares their interpretations and experiences with the iconic film, honing in on legacy and influence.