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Fantastic Fest 2019 Review: KNIVES AND SKIN

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Though not a true musical, Jennifer Reeder’s Knives and Skin uses music and song in some inventive and powerful ways. This film, which tackles the scary years of high school, focuses on a group of teenage girls struggling with identity amidst the aftermath a classmate’s disappearance.… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2019 Review: KNIVES AND SKIN

Review: HOTEL MUMBAI

By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ Had the events of 9/11 never happened incidents like the one that occurred at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, India would have been little more than a few segments the evening news. Horrific actions on foreign soil had nothing to do with us. Director Anthony Maras who shares writing credit… Continue reading Review: HOTEL MUMBAI

Review: JUDY

By Laurie Coker Rating: C + Gearing up for or towards Oscar season, viewers can expect to see excellent films and excellent actors just not necessarily together. Renee Zellweger comes to the screen again in Judy, a movie based on the late, talented Wizard of Oz star, Judy Garland. Missing for a bit of time… Continue reading Review: JUDY

Review: JOKER

By Laurie Coker Rating: C Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker feels, at the same time, both disgusting and admirable. Joker’s director and co-writer, with Scott Silver, Todd Phillips explores the dingiest, darkest, and most disturbing aspect of the character and still, he disappoints with his dismal, in-your-face social commentary.  Were it not for its… Continue reading Review: JOKER

Review: ABOMINABLE

(from left) – Peng (Albert Tsai), Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) and Yi (Chloe Bennet) with Everest in DreamWorks Animation and Pearl Studio’s Abominable, written and directed by Jill Culton.

By Laurie Coker Rating: A- In the hit and miss world of animated features, Abominable is far more hit than miss.  In a mixed-up world of mix-ups, an unlikely buddy story evolves between a trio of teens and an abominable snowman. Universal Pictures has created a cuddly cute character in “Everest” and kids will love… Continue reading Review: ABOMINABLE

Review: JOKER

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) The award for the “Feel Bad Movie of the Year” goes to Joker. Writer/director Todd Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver have taken the iconic DC Comics villain and have given him his most fully realized cinematic treatment ever. The downside of this (for some audiences) is… Continue reading Review: JOKER

Fantastic Fest 2019 Review: PELICAN BLOOD

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) A mother’s true love usually knows no bounds and said mothers will do whatever it takes to defend their children, even if this desperation drives them to take seemingly irrational measures. Those are the central themes of this powerful and emotionally charged film which played the… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2019 Review: PELICAN BLOOD

Fantastic Fest 2019 Review: FIRST LOVE

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Japanese filmmaker extraordinaire Takashi Mikke brought his latest movie to Fantastic Fest this year and the it’s definitely a fun, crazy and violent affair. Mikke’s latest piece presents a true romance amidst criminal power plays, serendipitous circumstances, and filters it through a slightly heightened reality where… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2019 Review: FIRST LOVE

Fantastic Fest 2019 Review: SCREAM, QUEEN! MY NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) Actor Mark Patton will forever be remembered as the male “scream queen” of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge. Even though he has been honored and celebrated in recent years as a trailblazer in horror cinema, his journey to this status has been a… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2019 Review: SCREAM, QUEEN! MY NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET