PARK CITY – Sometimes the star of the movie isn’t the cast or the director. It’s not the cinematography or the score. Sometimes you watch a film and realize you’re experiencing the unfurling of a pretty fantastic screenplay. That’s the…
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Bullying is a serious problem that could destroy people’s lives. Countless genre films have been made about this, including High Tension, Frontiers, and the extremes of Audition. The theme of a female protagonist doing evil things to males for various reasons is handled…
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The Big Picture Kneecap embraces a heightened sense of the past, rather than being bound by literal events. The main trio of maniac musicians are all captured authentically, with their rough edges remaining intact. Michael Fassbender's presence feels forced and…
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Writer-director Kyle Butenhoff has designs on statement cinema with Laced. In his first feature, the director has attempted a tense and seedy domestic dramatic thriller, one baked with layers of symbolism and societal commentary. And while the filmmaker has conceived the…
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PARK CITY – Trend alert: drag queen movies might just be the not new thing in the contemporary indie film world. And as a fan of both the visual arts of cinema and drag performance, we certainly aren’t complaining. 2023…
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The Big Picture Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell is a quietly astounding film that explores themes of searching and meaning. The film's deliberate pacing, use of long takes, and stunning cinematography draw viewers into its world. It is a bold…
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In Its Wake, from writer/director Lee Foster and co-writers Angela Cavallin and Ryan Kobold, isn’t trying to reinvent the genre wheel. The film knows what it is and never strays from its monster movie path. Yes, the film introduces the…
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Oscar-winning actor-turned-filmmaker Daniel Kaluuya’s directorial debut, “The Kitchen,” is a slightly unusual, oddly shaped movie at times. And/or, another way to look at it is, depending on your point of view, Daniel Kaluuya’s filmmaking debut (co-directed with Kibwe Tavares, who…
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The Big Picture I.S.S. starts strong with an intriguing premise but ultimately becomes a mundane space thriller. The movie fails to reckon with the unimaginable horror of a war-ravaged Earth, ignoring the big questions presented by its concept. The cast…
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What is it about food documentaries that make our mouths water? Is it that they lull you in with images of mouth-watering four-star meals followed by a hit you over the head with incredibly tense drama? Such is the case…
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In a university lecture on traumatic life events in psychology, I was told that “you never grow up till you bury one of your parents.” While we see true horror on television during wartime, for many, it is harder to…
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Wanted Man, an action film helmed by the multi-talented Dolph Lundgren, promised a concoction of adrenaline-pumping sequences and a riveting narrative. Unfortunately, the film struggles to live up to its potential, stumbling along the way with a convoluted plot and…
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