Category: Uncategorized

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

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

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

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

By Jan Hamilton Beautifully filmed landscapes are the setting of our eerie road trip movie, as a young man and his teenage brother set off on a short vacation to hunt deer and camp. At least, that’s what they tell people they are doing, the reality is, at first, only hinted at. We are shown… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: THE STRANGE ONES

By Jan Hamilton Wonderfully talented Noel Wells wrote, directed and stars in this quirky, funny film.  Her character, Emily Martin, lives in LA where she struggles to make a career in comedy, without much success.  Her ex-boyfriend Eric (Nick Thune) calls her to say that her cat, Mr. Roosevelt, who was left in Nick’s care, is… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: MR. ROOSEVELT

By Jan Hamilton Likable Steven Yeun (Glenn from The Walking Dead) stars as Derek Cho, a rising young corporate star in his law firm, who has his eyes on the top spot.  That’s why it is such a surprise that, as the story starts, Derek is getting the blame for someone else’s error, is fired… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: MAYHEM

By Jan Hamilton Bonnie and Matt are a devoted, successful young couple living in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn.  She is an architect, they both work long hours, and late one night after Bonnie goes out drinking with friends, and she walks the short trip back to her apartment alone.  She is pulled into an… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: THE LIGHT OF THE MOON

By Jan Hamilton This is the story of Kiya, a strange and solitary young woman.  She lives her life online, posting herself doing weird things, like chewing huge wads of brightly colored gummy candy with her mouth open.  She has a large following, but she feels she must out do herself each time, so her… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: LIKE ME