Some movies make you rethink a bad haircut. “Bad Haircut,” which premiered at Fantastic Fest 2025, makes you reconsider stepping foot in a barbershop ever again. On the surface, Kyle Misak’s debut appears to be a quirky indie thriller about a guy trying to reinvent himself with a new look — but once the scissors… Continue reading FANTASTIC FEST – Bad Haircut: Animal House meets Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Author: Laurie Coker
FANTASTIC FEST2025: Haunted Heist- one of the most painfully misguided and awkward screenings I’ve attended in years
There’s nothing quite like the particular kind of disappointment that comes from walking into a film excited and walking out questioning how it ever got made. That was the mood leaving Haunted Heist, Lil Rel Howery’s directorial debut, which premiered this week at Fantastic Fest. What should have been a clever, high-energy mix of heist… Continue reading FANTASTIC FEST2025: Haunted Heist- one of the most painfully misguided and awkward screenings I’ve attended in years
FANTASTIC FEST 2025: Silver Screamers – a breath of fresh air — a warm hug in cinematic form
After several days of watching dark thrillers, grim horror films, and cynical dramas at Fantastic Fest, Silver Screamers felt like a breath of fresh air — a warm hug in cinematic form. As someone who’s 66 myself, I wasn’t just watching this documentary; I was deeply feeling it. It’s rare to see people my age… Continue reading FANTASTIC FEST 2025: Silver Screamers – a breath of fresh air — a warm hug in cinematic form
FANTASTIC FEST 2025: Luger – lures viewers in with a grin before hitting square in the chest
Bruno Martín’s Luger is the kind of film that lures viewers in with a grin before hitting square in the chest. It opens with an almost breezy rhythm — Toni and Rafa, stepbrothers and fixers for hire, spend their days doing the dirty work rich clients would rather not be caught doing themselves. Whether it’s cleaning up… Continue reading FANTASTIC FEST 2025: Luger – lures viewers in with a grin before hitting square in the chest
FANTASTIC FEST 2025: The Forbidden City – an excellent “spaghetti” martial arts film
Gabriele Mainetti’s The Forbidden City was one of the most distinctive films I saw at this year’s Fantastic Fest, a sharp and confident entry that blends multiple genres into something strikingly original. Best described as a “spaghetti martial arts” film, it combines the choreography and intensity of classic kung fu cinema with the grit and atmosphere of… Continue reading FANTASTIC FEST 2025: The Forbidden City – an excellent “spaghetti” martial arts film
HIM -never rises above these flashes of potential
Some movies feel like they’ve been built around a killer idea that simply doesn’t survive once the lights go down. Him is one of those films. It has all the ingredients for a creepy, genre-bending sports thriller: a promising young player invited into the inner circle of a living football legend, an isolated training compound… Continue reading HIM -never rises above these flashes of potential
London Calling -part buddy comedy, part coming-of-age story, and part slapstick shoot-’em-up
Sometimes a movie doesn’t quite know what it wants to be, and that’s both the strength and weakness of Allan Ungar’s latest film, London Calling. On paper, it’s a crime story about a burned-out hitman who flees the UK after a job gone wrong, only to end up working for a new crime boss. His… Continue reading London Calling -part buddy comedy, part coming-of-age story, and part slapstick shoot-’em-up
Checkpoint Zoo – a tribute to human bravery, compassion, and sacrifice amid chaos
As a lifelong animal lover and advocate for their protection, I found Joshua Zeman’s Checkpoint Zoo to be one of the most impactful documentaries I’ve watched in years. The film highlights the incredible efforts of Feldman Ecopark’s owner, staff, and volunteers to rescue nearly 5,000 animals trapped in Kharkiv, Ukraine, when the Russian invasion turned… Continue reading Checkpoint Zoo – a tribute to human bravery, compassion, and sacrifice amid chaos
Nobody 2: a quick, 89-minute burst of bone-crunching, campy chaos
Sometimes you just want a late-summer blast that doesn’t demand much of your brain beyond keeping up with the next punchline or the next punch. Nobody else delivers exactly that: a quick, 89-minute burst of bone-crunching, campy chaos that swaps the first film’s surprise for a looser, more playful good time. Directed by Timo Tjahjanto,… Continue reading Nobody 2: a quick, 89-minute burst of bone-crunching, campy chaos
Weapons: confident unforgettable filmmaking – just not for me
I’m not a big horror fan. There are exceptions—filmmakers who avoid lazy jump-scares and create something hauntingly memorable—but most horror movies leave me indifferent. Still, I went to see Weapons with a group of friends: three walked out raving, one firmly declared they “hate horror,” but stayed curious. The premise is compelling: at exactly 2:17… Continue reading Weapons: confident unforgettable filmmaking – just not for me