Theatrical Reviews Archives

Conor McMahon’s LET THE WRONG ONE IN delivers a distinctly Dublin dance with draculas from Screamfest 2021

By Luke Y. Thompson 4 years ago

The main vampire in the situation, a bridezilla-to-be who gets bitten at a bachelorette party in Transylvania, could be seen as a metaphor for people who won’t allow such things as an international plague to put the slightest cramp in their style. Or, more simply, just the general obliviousness of youth. At any rate, she sees the young adult population of Dublin and its love of nightclubs as a particularly fertile feeding ground, and Deco is just one of the early victims along the way. But the queen succubus’ betrothed happens to be played by Anthony Head…for exactly the reasons you’d suspect. His skills may be slower in this story, but the man is still a mentor for vampire slayers.

Bridget Smith and Samuel Gonzalez Jr.’s THE RETALIATORS drags a preacher through hell on earth — From Screamfest 2021

By Luke Y. Thompson 4 years ago

up is familiar: two beautiful girls take a creative driving shortcut through scary rural territory. Of course, they break down, and get attacked by…things. But just when they think they have a handle on the situation as some sot of zombie attack, a bloody faced man yells “They’re not zombies!” Heads appear to explode. And the film’s point of view completely changes.

Evan McNary’s RAGGED HEART is a rust-toned, back-woods musical journey toward a father’s redemption — Austin Film Festival review

By Daphne Street 4 years ago

experiences of the dad. The writing and dialogue uniquely embody each character created, and the performances could not have been more authentically executed. The pace might be a little sauntering for some moviegoers who have become more accustomed to the traditional Hollywood fast-paced, action-driven tempo. But for those willing to dive into the spirit of indie character-driven art film dramas, you won’t be disappointed.

Lane Michael Stanley’s ADDICT NAMED HAL probes beneath the banality of addiction — Austin Film Festival review

By Luke Y. Thompson 4 years ago

Stanley’s script remains agnostic over treatment efficacy. At its most optimistic, it suggest that having someone else to live for is the key to surviving the rest. At the other end, it implicitly criticizes the zero-tolerance mindset which says that even a sip of booze is such a failure that, well, shit, a person might as well fail in a blaze of glory and do heroin at the same time.

Anna Baumgarten’s DISFLUENCY has more to say than just the words that come out — Austin Film Festival review

By Luke Y. Thompson 4 years ago

In the film festival program blurb, one of the film’s topics is described as “the never-ending process of healing.” That’s true of trauma, addiction, what-have-you…but it’s a phrase that can also apply to life. We can – and must – always heal, always figure out what ails us and rebound better. Even the most educated of intellectuals sometimes utter a disfluency, as even the best of us encounter their metaphorical equivalent in life.

John Donvan and Caren Zucker’s IN A DIFFERENT KEY brings their autism research to the screen — Austin Film Festival review

By Luke Y. Thompson 4 years ago

Like so much else that simplistic forces in society try to force into a binary, autism is a spectrum. And while we may have heard the phrase “on the spectrum,” internalizing what it means is another thing. Donvan and Zucker take pains to show both ends, emphasizing that while it’s unfair and prejudicial to assume high-functioning autistic people can’t function just fine, it’s equally misguided to neglect just how much help those on the other end need, in some cases to keep from physically damaging themselves regularly.

Randall Okita’s SEE FOR ME at Tribeca 2021 Review: turns the tables on everyone – us included – in home invasion thriller

By Luke Y. Thompson 5 years ago

But See for Me is no simple “good women versus bad men” escapist shoot ’em up. Sophie is a pragmatist above all else, and will switch sides however many times it takes in order to stay alive. Okita, along with writers Adam Yorke and Tommy Gushue, not only look to shatter stereotypes about the disabled as they relate to their abilities, but also their perceived nobility. They’re not afraid to have their heroes be seriously flawed, in ways that major studio executives would probably insist on sanding off.

Marq Evans’ CLAYDREAM: Tribeca 2021 Review — explores the career and creativity of animation legend Will Vinton

By Luke Y. Thompson 5 years ago

As an animator, Vinton could certainly compete with Disney or anyone else. His elaborate clay-sculpted characters rival any seen before or since for detail, and the way he would transform them, melt them, and turn them into other things onscreen evinces a kind of imagination rarely seen in most studio animation…and the influence of psychedelics in his youth, to which he freely confesses.

Dorie Barton’s WELCOME TO THE SHOW at Big Apple Film Festival Review: takes you on an journey defined by your own imagination

By Luke Y. Thompson 5 years ago

Now imagine that instead of having those conversations inside a dorm room, you find yourself inside a world made entirely of such questions. That’s what this movie calls The Show, initially presented as an experimental theater piece but soon proving to be far more encompassing than that, like some adult conceptual version of The Phantom Tollboth crossed with extreme haunts like McKamey Manor or Blackout.

Antonio Pisu’s EST: SEEfest 2021 Review; keeps you guessing with its matter-of-fact approach to dramatic misdirection

By Luke Y. Thompson 5 years ago

If this were a typical American movie, one of two paths would likely be followed next. Let’s call them Hostel and Eurotrip. Under the first scenario, the danger gradually escalates until it becomes impossible to escape. Under the second, absurd situations escalate until things get ridiculous, and the guys probably get laid.