This Stagey Thriller Sacrifices Nuance for Half-Baked Twists
At the risk of diving into the annoying and frankly nonsensical discourse surrounding nepotism in the film industry, Amy Redford’s sophomore feature “What Comes Around” represents a curious object. Directed by Robert Redford’s daughter, starring Joaquin Phoenix’s sister Summer Phoenix…
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This Land Featured, Reviews Film Threat
At its best, art can illuminate the culture in which it is made. In this time of worldwide upheaval, political polarization, and frequent violence, society is forging a difficult road. These are not revelations in and of themselves. When these…
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Diomysus Featured, Reviews Film Threat
PORTLAND FESTIVAL OF CINEMA, ANIMATION & TECHNOLOGY 2023 REVIEW! Puppet mice get squeaky about being freaky in Diomysus, the comedic documentary short by director and puppeteer Emily Morus-Jones. The filmmaker uses mouse puppets to voice dialogue from interviews with real members…
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Genevieve Rises Featured, Reviews Film Threat
“I meddled with things Man must leave alone.” This famous quote is from James Whale’s 1935 The Invisible Man. That musing by the dying Claude Rains poses a warning that people do the unthinkable in genre films. No sane person would…
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The Circle of Life Featured, Reviews Film Threat
Art is a reflection of life, and that’s true for Shaily Sanghvi’s short film, Pirouette: The Circle of Life. Pirouette is a poem…a reflection on the theme of finding one’s purpose in life. The short opens with a ballet dancer…
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A Compassionate Spy Featured, Reviews Film Threat
NOW IN THEATERS! In the wake of Nolan’s sweeping 3-hour political epic Oppenheimer, writer-director Steve James has produced a modest documentary that will serve as an unofficial companion piece. In 1953, J. Robert Oppenheimer was dragged before the Atomic Commission, overseen…
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Attack of the Swole People Featured, Reviews Film Threat
Director Elijah Broughton and screenwriter Sean Furey bring some sci-fi fun with their alien invasion short film, Attack of the Swole People. A government Agent (Rachel Noble) and her Rookie partner (Ian Kramer) are called to investigate the mysterious death of…
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Late Checkout Featured, Reviews Film Threat
The stripped-down retro slasher Late Checkout, from director Josh Graves, peels off the needless fat and gets straight to the bloody core. The screenplay, written by Graves and Molly Souza, wears its minimalist strategy on its cut-off sleeve. Every move is…
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What Did Deborah Do? Featured, Reviews Film Threat
Writer-director Julius Charles Ritter’s feature, What Did Deborah Do?, is one of those films where I’m still wrestling with the plot even now as I write this review. Is this a good thing? I think so. The film opens with the…
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Quantum Cowboys Featured, Reviews Film Threat
PORTLAND FESTIVAL OF CINEMA, ANIMATION & TECHNOLOGY 2023 REVIEW! The frontiers of your imagination will expand into a horizon of unseen wonders in director/co-writer Geoff Marslett and co-writer Howe Gelb’s animated trippy time travel western Quantum Cowboys. Using rotoscope animation…
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August at Twenty-two Featured, Reviews Film Threat
In the wake of the WGA and SAG strikes, I’d like to say this is a wonderful time for non-union indie films to flourish and thrive. 1960, when the last strike of this kind took place, was the advent of…
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Seavenge Featured, Reviews Film Threat
After the release of Jaws into theaters nearly 50 years ago, the onslaught of sharks on the silver screen has been surging and steady. That wave of shark flicks continues to crash onto feature-length tides, both indie and big-budget, such as House Shark and The…
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