
Directed By: Tyler MacIntyre
Written By: Chris Lee Hill & Tyler MacIntyre
Based on an Original Screenplay By: Justin Olson
Cinematography By: Pawel Pogorzelski
Editor: Martin Pensa Continue reading “TRAGEDY GIRLS (2017)”
Focus on Film & Television Reviews and writings about these subjects. As well as Pop Culture at times. With a bit of an edge and some color

Directed By: Tyler MacIntyre
Written By: Chris Lee Hill & Tyler MacIntyre
Based on an Original Screenplay By: Justin Olson
Cinematography By: Pawel Pogorzelski
Editor: Martin Pensa Continue reading “TRAGEDY GIRLS (2017)”

Written & Directed By: Nicolas Pesce
Cinematography By: Zach Kuperstein
Editor: Connor Sullivan & Nicolas Pesce
Cast: Kiki Magalhaes, Clara Wong, Will Brill, Flora Diaz
In their secluded farmhouse, a mother, formerly a surgeon in Portugal, teaches her daughter, Francisca, to understand anatomy and be unfazed by death. One afternoon, a mysterious visitor shatters the idyll of Francisca’s family life, deeply traumatizing the young girl, but also awakening unique curiosities. Though she clings to her increasingly reticent father, Francisca’s loneliness and scarred nature converge years later when her longing to connect with the world around her takes on a dark form.

Written & Directed By: Dan Gilroy
Cinematography: Robert Elswit
Editor: John Gilroy
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Zawe Ashton, Rene Russo, John Malkovich, Tom Sturridge, Toni Colette, Natalia Dyer, Daveed Digs, Billy Magnussen
A satire set in the contemporary art world scene of Los Angeles, where big money artists and mega-collectors pay a high price when art collides with commerce.

Written & Directed By: Nicolas Pesce
Story By: Ryu Murakami
Cinematography: Zack Galler
Editor: Sofia Subercaseaux
Cast: Christopher Abbott, Mia Wasikowska, Laia Costa, Marin Ireland, Maria Dizzia, Wendell Pierce A man kisses his wife and baby goodbye and seemingly heads away on business, with a plan to check into a hotel, call an escort service, and kill an unsuspecting prostitute.

Directed By: Gilbert Adler
Written By: A.L. Katz & Gilbert Adler
Story By: Bob Gale & Robert Zemeckis
Based on the Comic Books “TALES FROM THE CRYPT: By: William M. Gaines Cinematography: Tom Priestley
Editor: Stephen Lovejoy
Cast: Dennis Miller, Angie Everhart, Erika Eleniak, Chris Sarandon, Corey Feldman, Aubrey Morris, Phil Fondacro, John Kassir, William Sadler, Robin Douglas
The old bag of bones ‘Cryptkeeper’ returns for his second full length feature flick about a funeral home that’s a front for a whorehouse run by vampires
Continue reading “TALES FROM THE CRYPT: BORDELLO OF BLOOD (1996)”

Directed By: Vincente Aranda
Written By: Vincente Aranda
Based on The Novella “Carmilla” By: Sheridan Le Fanu
Story By: Matthew Lewis
Cinematography By: Ferando Arribas
Editor: Pablo G. Del Amo
Cast: Simon Andreu, Maribel Martin, Alexandra Bastedo, Rosa Rodriguez A young husband’s sexual fantasies frighten his new wife and cause her to seek advice from Carmilla, a descendent of Mircalla de Karnstein. Carmilla seduces the young bride and forces her to commit gory acts of mutilation.

Directed By: Joe Lynch
Written By: Matias Caruso
Cinematography By: Steve Gainer
Editor: Josh Ethier
Cast: Steven Yuen, Samara Weaving, Steven Brand, Dallas Roberts, Kerry Fox, Mark Frost, Caroline Chikezie, Annamaria Serda, Nina Senicar
Mayhem tells the story of a virus that infects a corporate law office on the day attorney Derek Cho is framed by a co-worker and wrongfully fired. The infection is capable of making people act out their wildest impulses. Trapped in the quarantined building, our hero is forced to savagely fight tooth and nail for not only his job but his life.

Written & Directed By: Eric England
Cinematography By: Mike Testin
Editor: Josh Ethier
Cast: Najarra Townsend, Caroline Williams, Alice MacDonald, Matt Mercer, Katie Stegmen, Dave Holmes, Simon Barrett, Charley Koontz
A young girl is date-raped by a stranger at a party and contracts what she thinks is a sexually-transmitted disease – but is actually something much worse. This film has a bunch of original ideas and really takes a different approach to the type of story it is telling.

Written & Directed By: Katie Aselton
Cinematography By: Benjamin Kasulke
Editor: Nat Sanders
Cast: Katie Aselton, Dax Shepard, Marguerite Phillips, Joshua Leonard, Bellamy Young, Sean Nelson, Frankie Shaw, Ross Partridge
In Los Angeles, Annie and Darren are a married couple in a comfortable relationship that’s lost its spark. They talk constantly, express affection verbally, start the day with high-end coffee, end the afternoon with gelato, shop at the farmer’s market, prepare dinner as a team, do crossword puzzles, and talk in bed. Darren wonders if a one-night stand would help bring more sex to their marriage. Soon, the two of them are laying out the ground rules and talking through the mechanics of each finding a lover for one night. They agree to give each other no details about the experience. The night comes. Will this give their relationship a needed boost

Directed By: Jon Watts
Written By: Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers
Based On Characters Created By: Stan Lee & Steve Ditko
Cinematography: Matthew J. Lloyd
Editor: Leigh Folsom Boyd & Dan Lebental
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jake Gylenhaal, Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Favreau, Cobie Smulders, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalan, Tony Revolori, Martin Starr, J.B. Smoove, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Peter Billingsly, Angourie Rice
Our friendly neighborhood Super Hero decides to join his best friends Ned, MJ, and the rest of the gang on a European vacation. However, Peter’s plan to leave super heroics behind for a few weeks are quickly scrapped when he begrudgingly agrees to help Nick Fury uncover the mystery of several elemental creature attacks, creating havoc across the continent.
This is a review of the first version not the extended cut.
This is immensely better than the previous spider-man movies. As far as the THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN movies go. As these feel less interferes with. Yet manage to stay just as marketable and enjoyable. They also stay true to the character origins.
The film works as as a teen comedy on its own and packs an emotional sincerity about loss. It fits in with the franchise as well as you don’t have to see the previous films but helps. And is also generally funny.
Here the film also becomes more about the romance especially with being overseas in Europe in these classic cities where love is happening all around them. So much so that while trying to be a superhero and defeat villains. He also has to go against a romantic rival. So here he has to face more parallel responsibilities.
This feels more like a film. Not so much a calculated product or stepping stone in a franchise that leads to an even bigger piece of an overall universe necessarily.
What I enjoy about these series of films is that with each series of films in this franchise not only has a different vision that is allowed as far as the directors go. Which also reminds me of the comic book series where you had The comic book series THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN and actually SPIDER-MAN. Which is almost the same of these franchises having all these continuing adventures and different universes.
As also each spider-man series of films has allowed the director’s vision to be complete with the character. They shaped those universes as no one replaced them And had to renew or copy the previous directors. It also gives every generation their own set of spider-man movies.
This feels like the most fun as it gives the fans more of what they want and can still appeal to teenagers and also offering minor or overlooked villains giving them More their due and giving them A rich back story and motivation.
They also have great action sequences that do have you on the edge of your seat.
Here what could easily have been a by the numbers superhero film offers quite a few twists and from what could have been a weak villain though one of my favorites from the comic book. Not the strongest of origins but allowable in this universe that it could be easily believable for the characters to believe the multiple universe theory especially with the spider verse movie coming out last year And even with that films excellent quality this is still a good runner up.
What we have here is a longer cinematic version of peter dealing with the death of a mentor. Usually we see this side with the death of uncle Ben. Here we are dealing with the aftermath of the death of Tony Stark.
Wondering if this life is worth it when it might be easier to take less responsibility and pass the work onto someone else. So that he can leave and enjoy his own life. Only here he learns his merit and worth more. A kind of rebirth of confidence. Where as soon as he becomes comfortable his works is rocked yet again.
Tom Holland is charming with a certain innocence and physicality making him a constantly entertaining lead and presence. As his character is so strong yet fragile emotionally and still shy when it comes to his feelings.
Zendaya is a star and here she is so good. As the sarcastic love interest who shows some vulnerability this time. As well as similar romantic feelings.
Have to give credit to director Jon Watts who has really helped to resurrect the franchise by design and content and so far has not made a bad movie on his resume.
This film even let’s the minor and supporting characters have their moments. Which only adds to the fun of the movie.
This film actually supplies a shocking ending. Which might make up for the obvious twist the film offers in the middle of the film that anyone who follows or has read in the comic saw coming ever since the preview for this film.
Grade: A-