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Reviews
I Want to Believe (2020)
Great UFO Documentary
Stuff like this always interests me, so I've seen my fair share of UFO shows/films. That said, I Want to Believe is really well done. The film masterfully dives into UFOlogy without any of the low budget shaky cam/weirdness you often find with these types of documentaries. I also really enjoyed how they spent time looking into the lives of the experts they interview. It's easy to put any John Doe on camera and have him read a teleprompter, but I Want to Believe used real experts and does a great job at showing how these experts are real people with real lives just like us. It was a solid watch.
Sweet Sunshine (2020)
Goes Deep, but Still Sweet
The obvious comparison for this story is A Star is Born, but Sweet Sunshine accomplishes all the same depth without leaving you feeling depressed. Cute moments, triumphant moments, heart-wrenching moments; Sweet Sunshine has them all. Up to the task of handling both ends of the emotional spectrum, John Way does a great job in the lead roll. Sweet Sunshine is a great watch if you're in the mood for a sweet drama with great music.
Love Is Not Enough (2019)
RomCom with Aplomb
Do you like romance? Do you like comedy? (Your answers are "yes" and "yes" because who doesn't??) Then Love is Not Enough will be more than enough for you! I think most romcoms today err on the side of light-hearted. They fear digging into the reality of relationships will dampen the mood and ruin the film. Love is Not Enough proves that you can have big laughs and go deep. The film confidently dives into a real look at relationships and isn't afraid to allow the viewer to consider their own. But it is all accomplished with great hilarity! I wish more romcoms were like this.
Broken Ceiling (2018)
Didn't See That Coming...
Full of great twists and turns, Broken Ceiling is tense corporate thriller with an important message. Imagine Glengarry Glen Ross directed by a young Alfred Hitchcock who has recently discovered Quentin Tarantino, and you get Broken Ceiling. Outside of the story, I especially enjoyed Karan Kendrick's performance. She really shows off her skills as she masterfully guides her character through every turn in the plot. Broken Ceiling was a great watch that was both tense and telling.
Carving a Life (2017)
Heartfelt Drama
I thought I was walking into your typical romance film when I started Carving a Life, but unexpectedly I found so much more. Without giving away too much, Carving a Life explores alcoholism and its effects specifically in regards its main characters relationship. Sweet and romantic, but brutal and honest, the film has all the feels. I was impressed by all of the performances including the supporting actors. Carving a Life is a heartfelt film with an honest approach to love and alcoholism.
A Lesson in Cruelty (2018)
My Favorite Teacher
Going through school, my favorite teachers were always the ones that made the subject matter interesting and fun. If A Lesson in Cruelty was a teacher, it would have been one of my favorites. The film tackles big ideas around kindness and revenge in hilarious ways. I hadn't seen Justin Lebrun in anything before, but I was pleasantly surprised by his strong lead performance. He masterfully executes a role that requires both comedy and cruelty. The character he creates in the film made me think of a cross between Ernest and Frank Underwood. Check out A Lesson in Cruelty if you're looking for a laugh that doesn't shy away from asking great questions.
Into the Void (2019)
Nothing Vapid about this Journey Into the Void
Into the Void relates one man's personal journey to save himself and his love in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a zombie creating disease. A tale that is comprised of both tense thriller moments, and introspective flashbacks, it was reminiscent of The Road for me. The film was shot well and it's carried by a strong lead actor. Overall, great film. I would encourage you to check it out. Reflect on your own life. What redemption exists for you now, would redemption exist in a post-apocalyptic world?
What Love Looks Like (2020)
Great Date Night Film!
Not my usual faire, but I sat down and watched it with my girlfriend and we were really impressed. The entire time she kept going back and forth between laughing and saying, "awwwww." An easy comparison to another film is Love Actually. The story takes place in LA, so it was cool to see a lot of places I've been to in the film. Overall look of the film is great. Strong cinematography with a bright clean look you'd expect for the genre. What Love Looks Like was a great watch!
Bearkittens (2018)
Das ist großartig Indie Film!
I always love to create comparisons to help others better understand a film, my comparable for Bearkittens is: imagine Orange is the New Black has a one night stand with Spinal Tap in Berlin, and they produce a child that grows up to be the leader of an indie punk band that opens for Green Day. This child is Bearkittens. Bearkittens is a dark comedy that follows a group of young criminally convicted women who must do community service trash cleanup in a park. Without giving away too much, what seems like a teen comedy at the outset, quickly spirals into much darker depths. Other than being a fun and intriguing story, I was really impressed by the performances. Bearkittens has an incredibly strong cast and I look forward to seeing more from these actresses in the future. Overall, Bearkittens was a fun ride.
Hex (2017)
Travel Into This Dark Wood
Think Blair Witch (minus the motion sickness) plus Malick's The New World and you'll land on this indie darling. Cerebral and haunting, Hex journeys into the darkness of evil as we follow two soldiers on the opposite sides of a British civil war face off with a witch. The story is accomplished with beautiful cinematography and poetic dialogue that asks questions far greater than what lies on the surface of the story. Hex is more than the haunting thriller it presents itself as, it's a philosophical journey into questions of good and evil that feels inspired by the likes of Malick and Tarkovsky. Hex is definitely worth a look!
Simbi_Xombies (2019)
A Film for Art Lovers!
Ximbi XombiX is a wild ride through art as it combines traditional film, VR, music, and so much more into a fantastic work. If this film was hanging in a gallery, on it's info card it would be listed as multi-media. As a non-traditionalist, I loved how the film took me on a journey through the art cosmos. Now don't get me wrong, this isn't some Warhol film that leaves you guessing if there's a story or point. Without giving too much away, the film tells the story of a band and their music... or to reference the aforementioned, the story of a band and their ART. Beyond enjoying the ride, the music for this film was AWESOME. Some of the songs even had a sort of a Sublime vibe. Totally a film worth checking out if you love the arts.
Perfect Feet (2019)
Entertaining and Informative!
Everything you could ever want to know about feet in one convenient place! I was thoroughly impressed by how thorough this documentary was. From ballet to foot tattoos this documentary covers it all. It was super refreshing to watch such an informative and fun documentary during a time when the current trend in documentaries are bleak true crime stories. Filmmaker/Host Calvin Harris masterfully walks the audience through this entertaining tale of feet. Besides the entertainment value, there's a lot of really good information you can put to use taking care of your own feet. Great documentary. 5 stars.
Nineteen Summers (2019)
Realistic View of Life in the Hood
"Just remember it's chess not checkers out here and you got to be strategic." Nineteen Summers dives head first into the trials and tribulations of life in the hood with a fresh authenticity I haven't seen in awhile. The cinematography is clean and smart, but never misses a beat capturing the reality of the world that Nineteen Summers takes the viewer into. The performances were strong and heartfelt. Lastly, I was really struck by the attention to detail. The filmmakers do a tremendous job at making the story feel real in every detail, from era appropriate props (like the Blackberry in the beginning) right down to music selection. To really feel the hardships of D'andre's life, you have to be immersed not only in the story, but also the world, and the filmmakers overwhelmingly achieve this.
Unlawful Justice (2018)
Much More Than Your Typical Cop Drama
Unlawful Justice immediately struck me with vibes similar to films like Training Day and The Fighter. Without giving away too much, the story explores inner city poverty and the difficult decisions faced by people on both sides of the blue line. Walking into the film, I was expecting something more procedural, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a story with real depth that raises great questions. It was a moving experience. Definitely worth a watch, and more importantly worth some thought.
Silent Panic (2018)
Tense Slow Burner That Continually Gets Hotter
Silent Panic is the perfect title for this film. It's the perfect combo of slow burner and thriller. The story has all the tense edge of your seat moments of a thriller along with the progressively louder ping of impending fate that we all love in a good slow burner. Without giving too much away about the story, I thought the writers/filmmakers did a great job at capturing the feel of what it must be like to be thrown into a situation that you have no control over that could spin out of control at any moment. Beyond story, as far as technical aspects go, the film looks great. It's a well shot film. Silent Panic is a great indie flick that's definitely worth a look.
Long Lost (2018)
Twisty Thriller
I typically hesitate to watch anything without a big name headlining it because I don't like to get drawn into poorly made films, but I gave Long Lost a go, and I'm so glad that I did! Long Lost is really well-made. Smart writing, strong performances, and great cinematography all set the foundation for a great story. It's hard to talk about the story without giving away too much, but Long Lost took me on ride that I thoroughly enjoyed. I wish it would have come through my local cinema!
100 Kilos (2001)
Gritty Crime Drama
I would best describe 100 Kilos as Goodfellas meets Straight Outta Compton. 100 Kilos has all of the crime drama and intrigue of Goodfellas mixed into the location and flavor of the hood. I was extremely impressed by how well they imbued the feel of the late 80's with not only set and costume, but also in the overall filmic look of the story. I felt like I had walked back into the time period. Also, noticeable were the performances. While I didn't recognize any big names in this film, I was super impressed by the leading performances. 100 Kilos is definitely a hidden gem on Amazon. If you're in the mood for a crime drama, give it a go!
Loners (2019)
Smart Comedy with Heart
You don't have to be an introvert to get on board with Loners. Silly at times, but always clever, Loners was a fun watch for me. It's just really smart comedy with great writing. Which leads me to the plot. Don't take Loners for granted as some typical comedy, there's more to this story than meets the eye with twists and turns ahead. I was also impressed by the performances. Strong cast all the way around. The other thing that really stood out to me was the cinematography. Loners has a really strong, clean look with nicely conceptualized shots. If you have a brain, and you're looking for a laugh, look no further.
Marlo Lasker (2020)
Just Right Zany Comedy
As a comedy lover, Marlo Lasker immediately reminded me of classics like There's Something About Mary and Dumb and Dumber. But Lasker takes things a step further by creating an incredibly lovable character. The film does this without sacrificing any of the zingers and zaniness you'd come to expect from a good comedy. This is all accomplished by Rich Rotella both playing the title character and directing the film. Hats off to him for so seamlessly pulling it all off in this film! If you're looking for a good laugh, this is the film for you.
Yesterday went with Yesterday (2019)
Lovely Foreign Drama with Important Message
Yesterday Went With Yesterday is a lovely foreign drama that explores familial relationships and how history affects family. Beyond the typical family drama aspects, YWWY digs into how war can affect a people years after the conflict has ended. If you're looking for a strong foreign drama that addresses issues that are pressing but often overlooked today, this is the film for you.
The Evil Down the Street (2019)
CREEPY. INDIE HORROR.
I don't know why I do this to myself, but here i am again watching a creepy demonic horror film. The whole story as it played out was unsettling. And it only made it creepier knowing that it was based on true events. It's definitely an indie horror, but it's done really well for being an indie piece. Cinematography is strong and clean. Acting is good. If you enjoy indie demonic horror, I'd definitely recommend giving it a watch. It successfully creeped me out!
Boris and the Bomb (2019)
A Countdown to an Explosive Battle Royale
Totally unexpected. Boris and the Bomb had all of the action one would expect from a film about a nuclear bomb, plus so much more. Beyond the awesome action sequences, the film dives into the personal lives of its characters twisting the story together in unexpected directions. All this done with a great splash of humor. I was also super impressed by the cast this indie film was able to assemble. J. Anthony McCarthy is spot on as Boris, and Faran Tahir steals every scene he's in. Overall, Boris and the Bomb is great indie watch!
Kultur Shock! (2013)
An Extended Twilight Zone Episode
If you're a fan of indie flicks and the Twilight Zone, this is the movie for you! Great one location mystery/thriller/scifi piece that will keep you guessing. Great writing and great production value from an indie gem. If you need big names and superfluous CGI, go watch a Marvel film, but if you love good story and quality indie films, Kultur Shock! is for you!
Purdah (2018)
Excellent Documentary
Purdah is a great documentary for two reasons: heart and story. In a time when we are constantly bombarded with cultural docs, Purdah takes this genre to the next level when dives beyond the mere facts of the societal norms of a culture to the humanity directly affected by them. As we see the story of the entire family unfold, one can't help but be touched by it. Secondly, I loved the structure of the film. While Purdah on the surface seemed to have a typical doc structure, I was thrown for a loop when it dove deeper into the lives of the family. After that cut to black, everything changes. You'll see what I mean.
Let's Kill Grandpa (2017)
Dark Comedy with a Twist
Let's Kill Grandpa (This Christmas) takes holiday comedy to a new level. Definitely a dark funny though! As the story navigates the dysfunctions of a family all sorts of hijinks along the way as the title indicates, attempts are made on Grandpa's life. Definitely a fun watch.