by Allison Yakulis & Hunter Bush, Staff Writer
With The Outwaters, writer/director/star Robbie Banfitch may have used the limitations of a young filmmaker more creatively than any other example I can call to mind.
by Allison Yakulis, Staff Writer & “Doc” Hunter Bush, Podcast Czar
A selection of favorite shorts from this year’s PUFF.
by Hunter Bush & Allison Yakulis
The 7th annual Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival (PUFF) is almost upon us, and Hunter Bush and Allison Yakulis will be giving you all the tasty scoops on the select shorts and features from near and far
by Allison Yakulis, Staff Writer
Earwig addresses basic, primal instincts that drive lust, and that drive the yearning for social connection whether familial or more generally fraternal.
by Allison Yakulis, Staff Writer
Allison closes out her coverage of Fantasia Film Festival with two more flicks to add to your watch list.
by Allison Yakulis, Staff Writer
Check out her thoughts and add some of new movies to your watch list.
by Allison Yakulis, Staff Writer
Check out her thoughts and add some of new movies to your watch list.
by Hunter Bush and Allison Yakulis, Staff Writers
This year Fantasia is adopting a blended strategy, with most of its films available for screening virtually as well as providing in-person screenings to Quebecois cinephiles and visiting film buffs.
by Hunter Bush
Howdy once again, y’all. This is one of the more difficult intros for me to write in my two-ish years on this column. I’m writing this before Election Day y’see and have no way of knowing what will happen, and it’s twisting up my guts not knowing. I’ve been putting it off and putting it off and now I’m into the final week of October and haven’t done diddly. By the time this comes out, things will hopefully be looking up, but there is the chance that they’ll be somehow even darker than before and that’s a reality that I’ve been chewing on for weeks. More likely that not though, they’ll be in some horrible liminal space where we don’t know what will happen.
Read Moreby Hunter Bush
“Oh hello. I didn’t see you there.”
I love when infomercials have that bit in them, don’t you? But it’s literally true in this case, because I’m actually writing this at least a week before you’re laying eyes on it, because that’s how writing a timed monthly column works sometimes. If you were somehow under the impression that this was shipped over to the internet “hot off the presses”, I’m sorry to ruin the illusion for you.
Read Moreby Hunter Bush
‘Sup gang? Let’s start things off with some good news: The Spooky Season has begun! I don’t make the rules, y’all: Shudder has started their 61 Days of Halloween programming block and stores nationwide are rolling out their H’ween wares earlier than ever! Another bit of positivity: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2 are getting a remastered double game re release on Sept. 4th! [Or check out the documentary Pretending I’m Superman about the game here. -ed.] If like me, you’ll be spending All Hallow’s Eve at home this year for safety, maybe the kinds of tricks you’ll be treating yourself to will be sick grinds (that’s one’s for you, Ashley Jane!) and general shredding of the gnar! (*)
(*) DISCLAIMER: I haven’t skateboarded in 20-ish years and even when I did, I didn’t speak it.
Read MoreWritten and directed by Sidharth Srinivasan
Starring Avantika Akerkar, Noble Luke and Sudhanva Deshpande
Running time: 1 hour and 36 minutes
Currently unrated but depicts funerary rites, cannibalism and a healthy dose of male and female nudity
Language: English and Hindi (about 50/50)
by Allison Yakulis
You’re out at a club, and you meet someone very hot who makes out with you in a parking lot and appears very much a - as the kids say - “certified freak seven days a week”. But she insists you’ll have to go back to her place first. And when you get there her mom is home, her sister is home, there’s a priest they’ve invited over. Oh, and her dad is chained up, muzzled and clearly dying right in front of you of some mysterious long term illness.
Read MoreWritten by Joseph Jeethu (Drishyam), Kaihua Fan, Sheng Lei, Peng Li, Yuqian Qin, Weiwei Yang and Pei Zhai
Directed by Sam Quah
Starring Xiao Yang, Tan Zhuo and Joan Chen
Running time: 1 hour and 52 minutes
Currently unrated, but depicts violence and sexual assault
Language: Mandarin
by Allison Yakulis
This was my first Fantasia Film Festival screener and guys, I feel a little like I’ve had my dessert before dinner. Sheep Without a Shepherd is one of those movies that is so lovingly crafted that anything I’d say against it feels like I’m splitting hairs. With confident and competent shooting, solid performances, and a plot that’s entertaining without being overly complex, it’s just a really enjoyable film overall.
Read MoreCompliments of your friendly cinematic pals at Moviejawn
Heading into its 24th year, the Fantasia Festival is known for the celebration of up and coming filmmakers within genre cinema. The Moviejawn crew is ecstatic to be covering this diverse and eclectic fest. With such a wide range of flick options, Fantasia is the type of event that has something for any movie lover.
Read Moreby Hunter Bush
Howdy, howdy one and all. How's everybody doing? Dark lord but it is hot out! I dunno how things'll be where you are, or when this drops but as I'm writing it we are heading into the dog days of summer in Philly. Nevertheless I'm back hunched over my laptop, the click clack of my fingers on the keys battling the susurration of a fan and clink of ice cubes in my glass, all to bring YOU, dear reader, the latest installment of Everything Old is New Again!
Read Moreby Hunter Bush
How's everybody doing out there? States are reopening, businesses resuming in some feeble attempt at "normalcy" but I keep getting this sinking feeling... and maybe this is just me but, does anybody else keep feeling like we're in the middle of Jaws when the mayor (Murray Hamilton) refuses to close the beach in the middle of prime tourism season despite the warnings of experts? Ugh. Well, I hope wherever you are you're doing well and staying safe.
Read MoreBy Hunter Bush
Welcome welcome, one and all. The quarantine persists and I would hope that if you're reading this, you are still socially distancing and taking care of yourself. But - to paraphrase my jr. high sex ed teacher - just because you're playing it safe doesn't mean you can't have fun. And around here, fun means Movies! In EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN it specifically means the movies that are Remakes of older flicks, or Adaptations of some other work or even Long-Gap Sequels to some long ago film that someone was just dying to add to the legacy of.
Read MoreBy Hunter Bush
Holy hell. How are you all doing out there? I know that the world is a very different place right now and that can be scary and frustrating. And boring. To help combat that boredom, this EOINA is going to be a little different. I'll still be covering Remakes, Adaptations and Legacy Sequels as per usual, just in a slightly different format. Welcome to Quarant-EOINA.
Read MoreDocumentaries About Magicians You Should Check Out
by Allison Yakulis
Is magic one of my pet interests? Not particularly. I had a kit when I was 7 or 8, and after two lackluster performances for my extended family that were embarrassing and painful for all involved it gathered dust under my bed until my dad got rid of it. When Breaking The Magician’s Code: Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed debuted on FOX in 1997 I was 9, and totally into seeing how all the big stage tricks were done (by the by, a lot of it can be found on their Youtube channel if you’re interested). That was about it for me and magic, until I started streaming documentaries in my late 20’s and realized I will watch any documentary about magicians (and really enjoy it!).
Read MoreDirected by J.J. Abrams
Written by Chris Terrio, J.J. Abrams, Derek Connolly, Colin Trevorrow
Starring Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, with hundreds of other actors, extras, and CG critters
Running Time: 2 hours and 21 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for gratuitous space violence and action
by Hunter Bush and Allison Yakulis
***There may be spoilers, read at your own peril.
It’s hard to talk about Star Wars anymore; many movies actually. Franchises have become such sacred cows that people feel personally attacked by any criticisms. Please know that is not our intent. While there are a lot of things in Rise of Skywalker (2019) that are genuinely good or fun or well-handled, it suffers from an overindulgence of fanservice and a general “more is more” sensibility that weakens its impact for even casual viewers. There is just so much stuff crammed into the film that nothing - good, bad or in between - is given enough time to land.
Read More