Attention gays! If you’re a fan of The Wizard Of Oz, Psycho, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?, The Other, What’s The Matter With Helen?, and Who Slew Auntie Roo?, have I got a film for you! Ti West’s Pearl, the prequel to X, a slasher film about a production crew trying to make a porno... Continue Reading →
A short time ago, I was coming home from dinner with a friend when a young man with a pronounced limp walked towards us, his little dog in tow. Just as he drew close, he dropped his phone on the sidewalk. With my natural instincts kicking in, I picked up his phone, returned it and... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wanted to rate a movie using Olympics guidelines? I thought of that while watching Bodies Bodies Bodies from director Halina Reijn. Instead of a detailed review, mustering up all my skills as a film critic, I just wanted to say, Concept: 10, Execution: 2 and leave it at that. Alas, I have... Continue Reading →
I’ve always enjoyed Michelle Ehlen’s films, such as Butch Jamie, Heterosexual Jill, and S&M Sally, and consider them a maverick in that they write, direct, produce, edit and star in their own films. Full disclosure: Michelle wore many hats on my feature debut, Eating Out: All You Can Eat, and our pre-existing relationship scared me... Continue Reading →
Many film festival programmers look at a collection of films and realize they’re all speaking with each other, the themes reverberating across the divide, that they’re tapping into the zeitgeist, crying out together. Perhaps due to the past couple of years of COVID lockdown and loss, a deep well of loneliness has informed many filmmaking... Continue Reading →
If you enjoyed Take Shelter, Midnight Special, Bug, and Safety Not Guaranteed, four films which had you wondering if the sci-fi events depicted were real or a result of of a mental break, then you may respond to director Juan Felipe Zuleta and writer Leland Frankel’s Unidentified Objects, Outfest LA’s U.S. Centerpiece. Otherwise, your mileage... Continue Reading →
Edward Brzezinski in Make Me Famous. Courtesy of Outfest. After a few days of watching so many films at Outfest LA, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and overloaded. But the pair of films I’m reviewing today felt so fresh, that I feel almost as rejuvenated as when soaking in a tub with one of those... Continue Reading →
Always one of the most popular Outfest film programs, Boy Shorts often features some of the best submissions of the year. With each film having won a major award or two, the selections here live up to this reputation and then some. More than ever, we are offered glimpses into other cultures and other ways... Continue Reading →
Outfest LA is back and in hybrid form once again, offering audiences in-person and virtual screenings. With a daunting 200+ selections, it’s impossible to see everything and sometimes decisions as to what to watch come down to educated guesses, coin flips, or a provocative still. I’ll end up watching way more movies than I end... Continue Reading →
Imagine if The Prince Of Tides had the world’s most boring baby with Nell as they watched To Kill A Mockingbird one late night on TMC, and you’ll get a glimmer of how I felt watching Where The Crawdads Sing, Oscar-nominated screenwriter Lucy Alibar’s (Beasts Of The Southern Wild) adaptation of Delia Owens’ bestseller, and... Continue Reading →
