Tag: Austin Film Festival

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) On July 18, 1969,   Mary Jo Kopechne, a member of the Boiler Room Girls staff who worked on Senator Ted Kennedy’s campaign, died by drowning just off of Chappaquiddick Island.  The Senator had hosted a party for some of his friends, colleagues and campaign staff on the… Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2017 Review: CHAPPAQUIDDICK

By Liz Lopez Rating: B+ Despite remarks made by others about multiple Winston Churchill or Dunkirk related films that have been released, this year director Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” and Joe Wright’s “Darkest Hour” relates a part of history with a different story and each has value. I viewed the highly successful “Dunkirk” twice in the… Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2017 Review: DARKEST HOUR

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) For those who are not-so-savvy in internet lingo, NSFW stands for Not Safe For Work. This abbreviation labels internet content that should only be viewed at home and not at work.  This film has this appropriate title, as the main character, Elenore (Audrey Kovar), spends much… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: NSFW

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 2 (Out of 4 Stars) The final night of the Austin Film Festival fell on October 31 this year. Appropriately, the programmers of AFF chose to screen a horror film for their closing night movie.  Mixing comedy, horror, and some action, All Cheerleaders Die does deliver some laughs and thrills, but… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) James Franco’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s third novel is appropriately as raw, primitive and coarse as its feral title character.  Franco, who co-wrote the screenplay with Vince Jolivette, never filters or dilutes the sometimes sickening and often disturbing subject matter. This faithfulness to McCarthy’s novel makes… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: CHILD OF GOD

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) In a genuinely heartfelt and true to life human interest tale, actor Paul Sorvino portrays a former Mafia Capo named Joe Scoleri. However, this isn’t a typical take on Mafia criminals. Writer/director David Rodriguez focuses his story on the man who is Joseph Scoleri, and not… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: LAST I HEARD

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Part psychological thriller and part soap opera, The Maid’s Room does offer suspense, tension and some unexpected twists, but some of the beats play out a bit too cheesy for its own good. Nevertheless, the talented cast manages to maintain some gravity to their story, making… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: THE MAID’S ROOM

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Certainly a curiosity piece, Living Dolls is a documentary which focuses on an unusual assortment of doll collectors. A young man who lives with his companion and parents has an obsession with collecting Barbie dolls and her accessories. A very eccentric artist loves turning Barbies and… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: LIVING DOLLS

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 2 (Out of 4 Stars) Teenage supernatural stories are all the rage right now, thanks to the success of the Twilight saga books and movies. The latest entry, which attempts to capitalize on this trend, takes place mostly in a private all girls school run by a faculty of supernatural, sexy… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: INNOCENCE