Category: Indie

“Hokum”

7.4

Adam Scott, man… there’s nothing he can’t do!

What seems like it’s straight out of a Stephen King novel is surprisingly not… instead, it simply riffs on the Overlook hotel so well that you don’t even notice it until thinking back on it. In the thick of things, each turn of the corner is filled with a surprising amount of dread and well, surprise. I never expected this one to pack as much of a punch as it did. I enjoyed it from the first frame to the last. This would have been rad in October, though… my only complaint.

“Obsession”

7.4

Instead of going to therapy, just measure how much of this film you personally identify with… it’ll give you a great sense of clarity. A “be careful what you wish for” scenario for the ages. Phenomenal performances from beginning to end. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be genuinely disturbed from the first frame to the last. So much creativity in the scares. It earns every laugh and every bead of sweat as the plot devolves further and further into madness. I was engrossed in every single scene of this… highly recommend!

“Backrooms”

8.4

In one word? Aesthetic.

It took me a solid 48 hours to fully process just what the hell I witnessed during this 2 hours in the theater. I still wasn’t entirely sure, and may never be fully certain.

AS the liminal space envelopes you, each frame comes alive with clues in every pixel, every micro expression on the faces of the cast. Prepare to have your mind blown, and leave with a sense of bewilderment. The second and third acts will either fill you with love or hatred – there really is no in between. I fell into the former, having been looking forward to this one for months now. A refreshing time enjoying originality!

“Slanted”

7.4

Ok, stick with me here… this was far better than I expected. I expected a low brow attempt at social commentary that devolved into “laughing at this means I’m going to hell” comedy. What this actually evolved into was a surprisingly nuanced take on society, race, belonging, family, assimilation, and inner comfort with ourselves… with a few solid laughs sprinkled in for much needed levity. Really really well done!

“Dead Man’s Wire”

7.4

This one was a very pleasant surprise! The world building was really well done, and Bill Skarsgård’s signature menacing does this character justice, as he straddles the line between understandable grievance and “yeah man, you took this way too far.” The fact that this is based on a true story made it even more intriguing. A really solid historical drama!