SXSW 2017 Review: 68 KILL

By Jan Hamiton This film is a blood soaked thriller with a lot of comic moments.  Cast against type, Chip (Mathew Gray Gubler, the young egg-head doctor on TV’s Criminal Minds) is a slightly naïve young man who empties septic tanks during the day, and tries to keep up with his super-hot girlfriend Liza (Annalynne… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: 68 KILL

Published
Categorized as Festivals

SXSW 2017 Review: SMALL TOWN CRIME

By Jan Hamilton This film and Small Crimes, also shown at this year’s festival, are both about disgraced former cops, but that’s where the similarity ends.  Our lead, Mike Kendall (John Hawkes) is a black-out drunk, nevertheless, he still tries to re-build his life, alternating visits to AA with nights at the bars with his buddy (Anthony… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: SMALL TOWN CRIME

Published
Categorized as Festivals

SXSW 2017 Review: PERSON TO PERSON

By Jan Hamilton The characters’ stories intersect a bit in this good natured film that involves fraud, murder (or suicide), romance, the fourth estate, and on-line porn.  We follow novice reporter Claire (Abbi Jacobson) and her slightly lecherous young mentor, Phil (Michael Cera) on her first day on the job.  She wants to have some… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: PERSON TO PERSON

Published
Categorized as Festivals

SXSW 2017 Review: PREVENGE

By Jan Hamilton Ruth is a young pregnant woman shattered by the accidental death of her boyfriend some six months earlier.  She hears voices, and the voices are telling her to kill people.  At first the victims are just random people who treat her badly, like the jerk she meets in a bar, and the… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: PREVENGE

Published
Categorized as Festivals

Review: GOING IN STYLE

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) In 1979, Going in Style, a brash and exciting comedy about senior citizens boldly thumbing their noses at old age hit theaters to mostly critical acclaim.  The film, which starred legendary actors George Burns, Art Carney, and Lee Strasberg, is actually a bit of a punk… Continue reading Review: GOING IN STYLE

Review: SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE

By Mark Saldana Rating: 2 (Out of 4 Stars) Unlike the previous Smurf films produced by Sony/Columbia Pictures, this latest blue adventure gets a completely animated treatment and doesn’t have any live-action scenes with actors.  However, like the previous films, this new movie has very little to offer any grown-up fans of the miniature, cobalt… Continue reading Review: SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE