By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Even with the limitations of budget, and that fact that she makes her movies in a Communist state, director Mattie Do remains undaunted and enthusiastic about her films, and wishes to use the medium to shed light on the real problems of her nation. At the… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: DEAREST SISTER
Category: Reviews
Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: THE GREASY STRANGLER
By Mark Saldana Rating: 2.5 (Out of 4 Stars) I am thinking this movie will not win any “respectable” movie awards this year, but it certainly deserves an award for being the weirdest comedy of the year. The quotables alone will definitely earn this film a well-deserved cult status. And though I, in my right… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: THE GREASY STRANGLER
Review & Interview: VOYAGE OF TIME: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE
By Liz Lopez Rating: A The story of the universe, while not a new one by any means, has intrigued many humans for centuries. There is a variation of films available, both shorts and features, Sci –Fi and documentaries on the topic that can highly entertain or mildly make a viewer want to snooze. Merging… Continue reading Review & Interview: VOYAGE OF TIME: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE
Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: AMERICAN HONEY
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Writer/director Andrea Arnold captures lightning in bottle with her new film American Honey. The lightning, to which I am referring, is Arnold’s lead actress Sasha Lane. Lane, who has no previous acting experience, shows that she is a naturally talented actress and has an undeniable screen… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: AMERICAN HONEY
Review: MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE
By Liz Lopez Rating: B- It has been a while since I have had a child in middle school, nor have I had a work related reason to be on a middle school campus, but I certainly do remember the atmosphere and the attitude of some of the students during my time on campus. Although… Continue reading Review: MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE
Review: THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) The tagline for this movie boasts, “Based on the thriller that shocked the world.” After watching the movie and comparing it to a handful of genuinely shocking movies that were presented at Fantastic Fest last week, it is difficult for me not to laugh at this… Continue reading Review: THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN
Review: THE BIRTH OF A NATION (2016)
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) In 1915, one of the most controversial movies ever made was released in theaters. D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation, a silent propaganda film, preyed on the racial fears prevalent at the time, and presents the Ku Klux Klan as a heroic organization whose intentions are… Continue reading Review: THE BIRTH OF A NATION (2016)
Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) It would not be a Fantastic Fest without any scary movies and this particular one turned out to be my favorite horror film of the festival. Written by Ian B. Goldberg, Richard Naing, and directed by Andre Øvredal (Troll Hunter), The Autopsy of Jane Doe is… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE
Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: ORIGINAL COPY
By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) For a festival started by a movie theater company who has a division dedicated to cinema art and posters (Mondo), I cannot think of a more appropriate movie that honors the art and discipline of movie banners. In keeping with the Bollywood theme of this year’s… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: ORIGINAL COPY
Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: THE HANDMAIDEN
By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) My first film of Fantastic Fest 2016 was an erotic thriller by the incomparable, South Korean director Park Chan-wook. After making his English language debut with Stoker, the acclaimed filmmaker returns to his native language with an adaptation of the novel The Fingersmith. Though the novel… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2016 Review: THE HANDMAIDEN