Watching Arrest the Midwife felt less like being swept into a dramatic crusade and more like being dropped into a complex situation that’s been developing for years. Director Elaine Epstein presents a case that’s emotional, yes, but also complicated — legally, culturally, and personally. The documentary follows three certified professional midwives in upstate New York… Continue reading Arrest the Midwife: stylistically steady and reflective
Category: Reviews
Sallywood: heartfelt and quietly memorable
Sallywood is a small film with a surprisingly lasting impact. Written and directed by Xaque Gruber and inspired by his own experience as an assistant to Oscar-nominated actress Sally Kirkland, the movie combines comedy, memoir, and gentle reflection into an understated Hollywood story that remains personal from start to finish. Tyler Steelman stars as Zack,… Continue reading Sallywood: heartfelt and quietly memorable
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: light, charming, occasionally funny
Walking into Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, I didn’t expect much beyond flashy—and, of course, unbelievable—sleight-of-hand and a few smug grins from the returning Horsemen. What I got was pretty much that—but with enough charm, humor, and energy from the new cast to keep me more entertained than I expected, even if I… Continue reading Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: light, charming, occasionally funny
SENTIMENTAL VALUE Is A Heartfelt Story Of A Family Coming To Terms With The Past
From director Joachim Trier (The Worst Person in the World) comes a moving and powerful film that examines an estranged family reuniting for the first time in years and striving to make some semblance of peace despite past traumas. I first watched this trailer at the movies about two months ago, and I knew instantly… Continue reading SENTIMENTAL VALUE Is A Heartfelt Story Of A Family Coming To Terms With The Past
THE RUNNING MAN: Edgar Wright Offers A Take On Stephen King’s Story A Little Too Faithful To The Source Material
That headline might sound like I didn’t like the movie, but I actually did enjoy it. When I first heard that filmmaker Edgar Wright was developing a new film adaptation of Stephen King’s story, my ears perked up with excitement. I am a big fan of Wright’s filmmaking, and I went into this screening thinking… Continue reading THE RUNNING MAN: Edgar Wright Offers A Take On Stephen King’s Story A Little Too Faithful To The Source Material
Round Top Film Festival – Due West: imperfect, yes, but grounded and relevant
Due West doesn’t shock or reinvent anything, but it genuinely captures what it’s like to live somewhere with few options and serious consequences. Watching it at the Round Top Film Festival, surrounded by a community that truly understands rural Texas, gave the film an extra boost. Adrianne Palicki anchors the story as an unnamed woman… Continue reading Round Top Film Festival – Due West: imperfect, yes, but grounded and relevant
Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Cottonmouth: a gritty Western thriller that doesn’t pull its punches
I caught Cottonmouth at this year’s Round Top Film Festival, and it left me both unsettled and impressed—a gritty Western thriller that doesn’t pull its punches. Directed by Brock Harris, the film is steeped in dust, betrayal, and retribution, a modern take on the old frontier morality tale. It’s not an easy watch—bleak, violent, and… Continue reading Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Cottonmouth: a gritty Western thriller that doesn’t pull its punches
Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Adult Children: set the tone for a weekend that celebrated heartfelt storytelling
There’s something both comforting and quietly disarming about a film that tackles the idea of “family” without sentimentality or moral lessons. Adult Children, which opened the Round Top Film Festival 2025, does exactly that. Written by Annika Marks and directed by her husband, Rich Newey, the film finds humor and heartbreak in equal measure as… Continue reading Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Adult Children: set the tone for a weekend that celebrated heartfelt storytelling
Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Short Drama Showcase
A Look at the 8 Dramas I had initially planned to catch all the festival shorts, but due to timing and a last-minute decision, I chose the drama block. Eight films later, I learned something about myself: I can sit more easily through a two-hour feature than through eight short ones in a row —… Continue reading Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Short Drama Showcase
PREDATOR: BADLANDS Is A Fun and Entertaining Buddy Movie
Director Dan Trachtenberg earned his place in the franchise with Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers. If you haven’t watched these films, I highly recommend them. I went into his latest installment, which thankfully is getting a theatrical release, and I was not disappointed. Trachtenberg, working with co-writer Patrick Aison, takes the Predator franchise into… Continue reading PREDATOR: BADLANDS Is A Fun and Entertaining Buddy Movie