Austin Film Festival Some people have remarkable talent. Others discover a purpose that gives their gifts extraordinary meaning. Lois Gibson, the fascinating subject of director Pat Kondelis’ documentary The Sketch Artist, possesses both. Screening at the 2026 Austin Film Festival, the film introduces audiences to a woman whose artistic abilities have helped law enforcement identify… Continue reading The Sketch Artist – An Extraordinary Talent for Justice
Month: October 2026
LA BOLA NEGRA: A Powerful and Exquisite Art House Epic
In 1928, Spanish poet, playwright, and theater director Federico García Lorca made a name for himself with Romancero gitano and went on to produce a respected, acclaimed body of work over the next eight years. Sadly, he became a casualty of the Spanish Civil War, as it is suspected that the Nationalist Militia assassinated him.… Continue reading LA BOLA NEGRA: A Powerful and Exquisite Art House Epic
Short Film Review: THE PROJECTIONIST
Back in August, I received an invitation to a private screening of a short film written and directed by an up-and-coming Austin filmmaker named (appropriately) Austin Noll. He reached out by email and offered a brief synopsis of his short that instantly intrigued me. As a film critic and cinephile, I love experiencing stories that… Continue reading Short Film Review: THE PROJECTIONIST
The Debut – A Delightfully Satirical Opening Night at Austin Film Festival
There is something wonderfully entertaining about watching people take themselves far too seriously, especially in community theater. Jesse Eisenberg understands this perfectly, and his film The Debut offers a delightfully satirical look at theatrical ambition, oversized egos, and the absurd lengths people sometimes go to in the name of art. The 105-minute musical comedy opened… Continue reading The Debut – A Delightfully Satirical Opening Night at Austin Film Festival
Fantastic Fest – Ghost in the Cell disponible en digital después del Fantastic Fest 2026
Escrito y dirigido por Joko Anwar (Gundala, Los esclavos de Satán, Asfixiados), Ghost in the Cell es un thriller de terror-comedia sobrenatural que mezcla géneros. Esta película se proyectó en Austin, TX, en el Fantastic Fest en septiembre y ganó Mejor Película en la categoría de Largometraje de Horror. Ghost in the Cell se estrena… Continue reading Fantastic Fest – Ghost in the Cell disponible en digital después del Fantastic Fest 2026
Fantastic Fest – Ghost in the Cell Now Available on Digital after Fantastic Fest 2026
Written and directed by Joko Anwar (Gundala, Satan’s Slaves, Smothered), Ghost in the Cell is a genre-blending horror-thriller-supernatural-comedy. The film screened in Austin, TX, at Fantastic Fest in September and won Best Picture in the Horror Features category. Ghost in the Cell debuts on Digital October 27th. Synopsis: Director Anwar plunges viewers into a high-security… Continue reading Fantastic Fest – Ghost in the Cell Now Available on Digital after Fantastic Fest 2026
WILDWOOD: An Outstanding Dark Fantasy Film
Director Travis Knight (ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings) and screenwriter Chris Butler bring Colin Meloy and Chris Ellis’ fantasy novel Wildwood to life. Though I have never read the source material, the movie makes it clear that it establishes an exciting world filled with vibrant characters, genuine stakes, and an intense, dark, compelling story.… Continue reading WILDWOOD: An Outstanding Dark Fantasy Film
CLAYFACE: A Batman Villain Re-envisioned as Body Horror
James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe continues with an origin story for a popular Batman villain that is genuinely a horror story. With a story and script by Mike Flanagan (Hush, Doctor Sleep), the movie re-envisions Clayface as a body-horror tragedy. Flannagan co-wrote the screenplay with Hossein Amini, and James Watkins directs. The result… Continue reading CLAYFACE: A Batman Villain Re-envisioned as Body Horror
Movie News: Austin Filmmaker’s Short Film, In Tow, to screen in Austin
Filmmaker Sharon Arteaga’s film, In Tow, premiered in Dallas in April 2023 and at the Austin Film Festival in October 2023, among many other festivals. I attended the Austin Film Festival and saw the film she wrote and directed. I highly recommend seeing her film this weekend. This Friday, October 23rd, the community can see… Continue reading Movie News: Austin Filmmaker’s Short Film, In Tow, to screen in Austin
GHOST IN THE CELL: a bloody, bizarre, and silly trip behind bars
Fantastic Fest 2026 Indonesian filmmaker Joko Anwar knows how to make an impression, and his latest horror-comedy, Ghost in the Cell, does so with plenty of blood, outrageous situations, and an assortment of characters as entertaining as they are unpredictable. Screened at a film festival, the film proved an unusual mix of supernatural horror, dark… Continue reading GHOST IN THE CELL: a bloody, bizarre, and silly trip behind bars