Tag: Tesh Guttikonda

LOWLIFES (2024)

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Directed By: Tesh Guttikonda and Mitch Oliver

Written By: Al Kaplan

Cinematography: Matt Young 

Editor: Jason Hamill

Cast: Matthew MacCaull, Amanda Fix, Brenda Llewellyn, Cassandra Sawtell, Richard Harmon, Elyse Levesque, Josh Zaharia, Kevin McNulty 

The survival instincts of a road-tripping family are put to the test when they have no other choice but to stay the night at a remote homestead.

This is a film that is definitely better. If you don’t know much about it before you watch it even though the poster makes it look like a run-of-the-mill horror film. Hopefully, you are reading this after the film, As there are minor spoilers.

This film offers the typical violence thrills and scares, but it also offers up quite a few twists that are quite original and fun that keep the film entertaining.

Though the film might reveal its hand early. It seems necessary to heighten the situation that the characters find themselves in.

Most of the most creepy characters in this film, or actually the most innocent, and those that seem the most innocent tend to be the most disturbed ones.

This is a single horror film for the most part, so it maintains its ground and stays on the ground, which works for this tale. All the actors are spot-on in their performances.

This film deserves more of a theatrical release or to be part of the BLUMHOUSE productions. The film gives more to the audience and shows respect for them rather than being easily formulaic and providing cheap thrills. just as this is more entertaining than any of the American horror stories by Ryan Murphy

Surprisingly, this film is more solid than expected. It shows what can be done with imagination and a low budget. it offers a lot with what little it makes you believe it has. It even has a pro-LGBTQ+ romance in it. 

Grade: C+

INFLUENCER (2023)

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Directed By: Kurtis David Harder
Written By: Kurtis David Harder & Tesh Guttikonda 
Cinematography: David Schuurman 
Editor: Rob Grant & Kurtis David Harder 

Cast: Cassandra Naud, Emily Tennant, Sara Canning, Rory J. Saper, Justin Sams, Paul Spurrier 

While struggling on a solo backpacking trip in Thailand, social media influencer Madison meets CW, who travels with ease and shows her a more uninhibited way of living, but CW’s interest in her takes a darker turn.

The film l lives up to its title as everything in this film is pretty yet shallow. 

The film follows a familiar trend when it comes to a lot of thrillers recently involving the internet and revolving around it. Characters who are Influential on Social Media. 

The film is fairly predictable throughout. Despite trying to throw some twists that never amount to Much. Here at least the film tries to humanize the victims.

The film has a glossy Veneer which keeps it visually interesting. As it tries to say something about the shallowness of Social media before branding itself as kind of the same. 

As you only feel sympathy for the first victim and at times her boyfriend but he always seems To remain on the fence about how you should feel about him.

The only trace of originality is that it takes place overseas and that the main actress has a noticeable birthmark on her face.

Though the villains’ motives are never truly explained or revealed. Is she jealous of them?

Does she just want to live in their identities for a bit to see how the other half lives? Is it done for survival? Or is she just a psychopath? 

The film makes everything look good. Even the lead is much sexier than her victims and shows the most skin throughout. Though ever completely and set up a kind of sex scene. That is the most revealing she or the film Gets.

Cassandra Naud gives a believable performance and stays captivating throughout. Hopefully, she gets better material in her future films. 

This is a nice film for those beginning into thrillers or wanting one with not too much violence. So that it feels like a Lifetime Movie but maybe a little bit harder-edged.

Back in my day, we would’ve considered this a CW movie as that channel used to have television shows with very young casts that were model-looking or would have adults playing teenagers and adult situations. Everything in this film is picturesque at times too pretty to be believed. This film seems to want to showcase the darkness that runs underneath all that shines.

Grade: C –