Happiness for Beginners Review: A Heartfelt Journey of Love, Growth, and Self-Discovery
Happiness for Beginners, directed by Vicky Wight and based on the novel of the same name by Katherine Center, is a poignant and heartwarming tale of one woman’s transformative journey through the Appalachian Trail. The film takes us on a…
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Darkness (Buio) Featured, Reviews Film Threat
Darkness, the brainchild of writer-director Emanuela Rossi and co-writer Claudio Corbucci, asks an insidiously clever question: what if the parent you are utterly reliant on for all your food and shelter isn’t a trustworthy person? This is the thought that…
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Deadline Featured, Reviews Film Threat
PORTLAND FESTIVAL OF CINEMA, ANIMATION & TECHNOLOGY 2023 REVIEW! Two elderly women fight off death, literally, in Idan Gilboa’s stop-animated short, Deadline. An elderly woman is having problems with a routine check-up at the local health clinic. She moves slowly because…
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Twisted Vines Featured, Reviews Film Threat
Twisted Vines marks the debut of director Jihane Mrad Balaa, as well as co-writers Corinne Sbeih and Tom Stohlgren. These newbie filmmakers have assembled quite the cast for their first film, including Michael Paré, Vivica A. Fox, and Jon Briddell.…
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Resident Evil: Death Island Review: A Fractured Descent into Mediocrity
Resident Evil: Death Island attempts to breathe new life into the iconic survival horror franchise but unfortunately falls short of its ambitious goals. This fifth installment in the movie series brings together a talented cast, including Matthew Mercer as Leon…
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Visualization Featured, Reviews Film Threat
Writer-director Abdolrahman Sarraei’s Visualization shows that stories and art are not always about the narrative but the emotions they can evoke. In this experimental short film, the audience is placed in a dreamlike state, floating down a corridor of doors. Behind one…
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Lily Gladstone Anchors This Beautiful Road-Trip Through Middle America
In one of the final scenes in writer/director Morrisa Maltz’s debut feature, “The Unknown Country,” the camera tracks the shadow of a moving car, following it as it bends around rocks and trees, constantly moving forward in its anonymity. It’s…
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Zoey 102 Review: A Messy Trip Down Memory Lane
Zoey 102 directed by Nancy Hower, is a nostalgic reunion of beloved characters from the classic TV show Zoey 101. However, this long-awaited sequel falls short of expectations, despite its heartfelt attempt to bring back the magic of the original…
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Big Break Featured, Reviews Film Threat
NOW ON VIMEO! In Big Break, writer-director Julian Berger taps into that moment of our biggest heartbreak and then walks us through when we can put it behind us and move forward. Austin (Hudson Klass) is an up-and-coming songwriter and artist,…
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HBO’s Throwback Series Is Charismatic But Not As Slick In Season 2
Co-creators Max Borenstein and Jim Hecht’s “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” was a delight for basketball fans in Season 1, a rare look at a specific sports era that’s not part of a “30 for 30” ESPN…
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‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’ Season 2 Review: Still a Good Game
Back in 2021, a year before the premiere of the first season, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty showrunner Max Borenstein compared his basketball drama to The Crown. This was a surprisingly apt description for the series which…
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