Category: Indie

“Is This Thing On?”

8.2

It’s amazing what trying to dodge a cover charge can lead to…

This one surprised the hell out of me. If you’ve listened to podcasts at all in the last decade, there’s a good chance you’ve heard a stand-up comic gushing about the life of a comic, grinding it out for years to build a set, learn to work a room, and the cost-benefit analysis that goes along with every step of the journey. This movie somehow tells that tale in a way that doesn’t seem stale and keeps you engaged the entire runtime in the sea of quirks. There’s not really a single character wasted in this entire thing, and each interaction’s awkwardness is somehow a springboard to a therapeutic release of sorts put to film. Will Arnett and Laura Dern absolutely kill it here.

“The Baltimorons”

8.4

Humans being human… my FAVORITE!

In the vein of my recent favorite Christmas film “The Holdovers,” I think this is going to join the yearly rotation! The unlikely and undeniable charm and chemistry between Didi and Cliff is truly something special. It’s not often you get such an abnormal narrative that has the right mix of serious and silly to thread the needle and land the plan. Alas, here we are! A feel good flick that holds its own with the best of them! Highly recommend!

“Zombeavers”

6.9

The things you find in the depths of Amazon Prime Video… The schlock that makes even Shudder blush.

That brings us to “Zombeavers,” which delivers in kind on its promise for zombie beavers! Turn your brain off and watch the hilarity ensue as this merry band of brainless misfits gets picked off by, you guessed it, zombified beavers! With the production value of an adult film… often also with the script quality of an adult film… you’ll feel better about your next film choice, having had your palate thoroughly cleansed by this legendary piece of art.

“Ella McKay”

7.9

A feel-good political drama/comedy? As insane as that sounds – yes. A great one, at that!

Get ready to hate this husband with every fiber of your being. Punchable doesn’t even begin to describe him by the time the third act rolls around. The messiness of the family was relatable and I was able to find a great comfort in the imperfection of almost everyone on the screen. There was a realness here that really made me feel at home for an hour and a half, and left me a bit bummed out that the credits were already rolling. We all need a good scream from time to time… I’m with you, Jamie Lee Curtis!

“Twinless”

7.1

I guess this is one way to deal with your grief…

I genuinely did not see the third act coming! The two lead actors killed it in this tale of friendship and family, whether chosen or born into. A deeply personal study of relationships and psychology, and the complexity of dark humor within grief processing. Much deeper than I expected at the onset.