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Film Review – Shazam! Fury of the Gods
When Shazam! (2019) was released, it felt like a breath of fresh air. After the dark and brooding Batman v Superman (2016) and Suicide Squad (2016), it appeared that Warner Brothers and DC forgot that comic book movies could actually be fun. Shazam! was earnest in its approach – tackling themes of family,…
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SXSW Review – Deadland
***Trigger/Spoiler Warning: This film contains depictions of suicide*** Deadland (2023) revolves around the struggle of immigrants trying to cross into the US from Mexico at any cost. Screenwriters Lance Larson (also the director) and Jas Shelton take it one step further, with their main character…
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Film Review – Boston Strangler
The title of Boston Strangler (2023) references a series of murders that took place in the early to mid 1960s. However, it also operates as a sort of red herring. Yes, the film revolves around the manhunt of those responsible for killing over a dozen women in…
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Film Review – The Magician’s Elephant
The Magician’s Elephant (2023) is an animated fantasy that operates by the numbers. It’s colorful, bright, and has a strong central message about never giving up. Characters believe that anything is possible if we push beyond our comfort zones. There’s nothing egregious about the film –…
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SXSW Review – If You Were the Last
Sometimes a SXSW screening is chosen just because you love the actors involved, regardless of everything else. The choices do not always work out, and you see a not-so-great film. In the case of If You Were the Last (2023), the opposite happens, and it…
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SXSW TV Review – The Big Door Prize
The Big Door Prize is a new television series on Apple TV+, premiering March 29th—the first three episodes screened at SXSW. The trailer reveals an intriguing premise, with the source material coming from a novel of the same name written by M.O. Walsh. The Big…
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SXSW Review – Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Dungeons & Dragons has long been a game played by kids who grew into adults or just adults who fell in love with the gameplay and imaginative scenarios. Personally, I never played the game; my only exposure is through films and television shows. For some…
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Film Review – Scream VI
When the first Scream (1996) was released, it revitalized and recontextualized the horror/slasher genre. It was a self-aware send up, upending the tropes established in the 1980s. The result was such a surprise that it felt like anything could happen – no one was safe, the killer…
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