This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood In my last post I suggested that the unofficial theme for the 2018 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival is “horror is whatever you want it to be.” With that expansion of themes and ideas comes a flexibility in using both real life issues and fantasy to create something new ... Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Dispatch, Part 2: Level 16, Rusalka
This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The Chicago International Film Festival keeps chugging along this week, and so does our coverage. From upcoming big indie films to smaller local works, to foreign films that may never see mainstream distribution here, CIFF is a great time to stock up on works you may not get ... CIFF Dispatch, Part 2: What They Had, Retablo, Maria By Callas, and More
This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood As horror continues its gradual moving away from traditional monsters and slashers to rawer, more unsettling scares that are COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE, we can look forward to more internet discourse about whether a movie qualifies as “horror.” This requires the sort of pedantry that is the ... Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Dispatch, Part 1: Tower. A Bright Day, Empathy, Inc., Antrum
This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The 54th Chicago International Film Festival is more than just an amped-up pledge drive for Cinema/Chicago – it’s a huge showcase for some of the biggest, most interesting films of the year, foreign or domestic. It’s always a treat to cover – I spent two years as a ... CIFF 2018 Dispatch, Part 1 (Feat. Interview w/Felix van Groeningen)
This Riverdale-ified reboot of Sabrina the Teenage Witch is chock-full of scares, sex and a hefty dose of camp, making for a 21st-century Gothic delight. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood It is not at all an astute, original observation that horror, even in a subtle way, tends to reflect current events. Vampires once ... Chilling Adventures of Sabrina TV Review: A Total Witch Hunt
While Theresa Rebeck’s low-budgeted rural hangout comedy sports a fine cast, they can’t quite elevate the proceedings beyond the occasional modest laugh. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Movies that are remembered are generally on a spectrum of cinematic triumph to shoddy exercise for an inexperienced rube’s hubris. Then there are the films that ... Trouble Review: A Modest Small-Town Dramedy With an Overqualified Cast
Netflix’s latest creep-fest is a schlocky bore filled with predictable twists and some dodgy performances, though it’s mitigated with some genuine visual style. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood “Horror isn’t easy” is probably one of the greater understatements in the history of film. Sure, it’s easy to crank out an hour and a ... Malevolent Review: Netflix’s Latest is Stylish and Sloppy in Equal Measure
This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Novelist, screenwriter and Pulitzer-nominated playwright Theresa Rebeck is a woman of many hats – the latest of which is the director of the independent ensemble comedy Trouble. A film with modest ambitions but no small amount of charm, its tale of a small-town sibling rivalry is bolstered by tremendous ... Trouble: Writer/Director Theresa Rebeck on Wrangling Low Budgets and Big Stars (Interview)
This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Now in its third year, the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, taking place October 11th through the 18th, has become one of the fastest rising venues to catch the next best thing in scary movies months before everyone else gets a chance. This year’s line-up showcases both new faces ... Five Movies We’re Dying to See at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival
Elizabeth E. Schuch’s spooky, atmospheric horror gem prefers to keep its tale of demonic birth and possession filled with atmospheric dread rather than outright shocks. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Secluded from the world, convents offer filmmakers an isolated setting charged with religious significance. This combination especially lends itself especially to tales that ... The Book of Birdie Review: Atmospheric Chills Abound in This Convent Thriller
Sporting a brilliant ensemble cast, Drew Goddard’s throwback to the neo-noir crime films of Tarantino and Rodriguez is that rare example that actually works. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood It’s the sort of plot that’s been around for so long, Hollywood was essentially built on it: a bunch of ne’er do well strangers ... Bad Times at the El Royale Review: Good Times With Drew Goddard’s Gritty Ensemble
Mary Elizabeth Winstead lashes back at the stiflingly male-dominated world of standup comedy in Eva Vives’ acerbic, stunning debut. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood “Isn’t it great how all of the sudden they know that we’re funny?” comedy club owner and former stand-up Pam (Pam Murphy) tells her younger counterpart, Nina Geld (Mary ... All About Nina Review: Mary Elizabeth Winstead Struggles to Succeed in the Standup Boys’ Club
Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut features strong performances and some catchy tunes, but he’s just the opening act for Lady Gaga’s revelatory breakout performance. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood When that first teaser for Bradley Cooper’s version of A Star Is Born dropped in early June, jaws were justifiably dropped. The skepticism around the ... A Star Is Born (2018) Review: Lady Gaga Soars In Sumptuous, if Shallow, Remake
Jennifer Peedom’s intriguing blend of documentary filmmaking and classical music comes to home theaters courtesy of a stunning Blu-ray release. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Jennifer Peedom’s essay film Mountain begins not with snow-capped summits or other skyward fantasias, but the tuning of an orchestra: instruments are assembled, the conductor readies his baton, ... Mountain Blu-Ray Review: An Arresting Climbing Doc Gets Pristine Treatment
Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly are a pair of offbeat gunslingers in Jacques Audiard’s unconventional, gorgeously energetic Western. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The American Western has been told in every conceivable fashion, but they often feature the same sort of lead – a man who, when faced with great adversity, buries ... The Sisters Brothers Review: Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly Upend the Western
Netflix’s adaptation of the classic Shirley Jackson horror novel boasts a brilliant cast and some intriguing scares, but disappointingly reduces the book to a spooky soap opera. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood To ask “why was this made” when it comes to a remake or reboot is to be rhetorical – the answer ... The Haunting of Hill House: Netflix Adapts Shirley Jackson’s Novel, Loses Some of Its Essence
We sit down with the director of the upcoming long-distance running doc 3100: Run and Become to talk about the spirituality of running and their responsibilities toward the marginalized communities they highlight. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The Self-Transcendence Race in New York City is a grueling, unrelenting 3,100-mile race held every year ... 3100: Run and Become’s Sanjay Rawal on Running as Prayer (Interview)
Fresh off a string of failed horror flicks, Eli Roth bounces back with an unexpectedly fun, faithful adaptation of John Bellairs’ classic kid’s adventure books. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The prospect of grindhouse provocateur Eli Roth directing a four-quadrant kid’s flick is a dicey, but fascinating one – yet here we are ... The House with a Clock in its Walls Review: Eli Roth Tries (and Succeeds) at Spooky Kid’s Fare
In total, the fifth season of Netflix’s animated series juggles as many dark laughs out of the difficulty of breaking out of toxic behaviors, cementing its place as one of the most emotionally complicated shows on television. Minor spoilers ahead for the rest of season 5; check out our season 5 preview here. This piece ... BoJack Horseman Season 5 Review: Forgiveness, Change, and Free Churros
The 36th annual LGBTQ+ film fest starts up this week in Chicago, and we talk about some of the queer films we most look forward to. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood For decades, Chicago Filmmakers has been one of the city’s greatest champions for arthouse and independent film. Part of that is the ... Five LGBTQ+ Films We Can’t Wait to See at the 36th Reeling Film Festival
A bold, brassy take on Gone Girl, Paul Feig’s mommy-vlogger noir allows Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively to smash the patriarchy in some fascinating ways. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood You have to admire the bravery of a film that all but tells you what it’s about. At no point does A Simple ... A Simple Favor Review: Paul Feig’s Comedy-Thriller Is a Riotous Look at Female Agency