Editorial Manager

'Wild Indian'–A Thriller About Generational Trauma–Gets Dark

Our 'Wild Indian' review was first published after the film's premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.

In his feature debut, Wild Indian, Indigenous filmmaker Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr. commands the big screen with the story of a Native American man, whose trauma-filled past leads to him committing an act of violence that changes multiple lives forever.

What makes the film so powerful is that, beyond it operating as a highly taut thriller, Wild Indian connects it's present day pain to the larger pain-filled past that Native American people have carried for centuries, making for both an expansive and intimate watch.

A history of Indigenous people's suffering.

From its start, Wild Indian captures the suffering of Native people, by presenting a title card that reads how man's sickness was carried west (the connotation of the "western world" being an important note here), as well as the visual of an early Native man in headdress and tribal wear standing over another downed by an arrow, showing a vast history of pain that writer/director Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr. connects back to later.

A jump in time brings us to the image of young Makwa (Phoenix Wilson), whose largely silent demeanor hiding behind shaggy hair that often hides the signs of abuse at his father's hand. Although Makawa is comforted daily by his sensitive friend Ted-O (Julian Gopel), his agitation turns into a quiet anger, which, on one fateful day, results in the senseless killing of a classmate, leaving Makwa and Ted-O with a horrific secret to keep.

A confident vision from an Indigenous director.

Corbine Jr. makes the confident directorial decision to then leap forward in time over thirty years to 2019, where we see Makwa (Michael Greyeyes)–who now goes by "Michal Peterson"–has succeeded in making a great life for himself, with a white-collar career and partner (Jesse Eisenberg), and wife (Kate Bosworth). Makwa's fortune impresses the audience, but the real surprise is when we see a grown-up Ted-O (Chaske Spencer), his previously meek, sensitive friend, now covered in face tattoos and being released from prison.

It's here that Wild Indian puts forward its morality-seeking themes of past sins, and how we are affected by them, as the centerpiece of the film. Considering Makwa's direct act of committing murder, it's powerful that the film flips expectations in this way. But Makwa's repression of his dark past continues to come out in compulsively sick ways, while Ted-O is distraught with the guilt he has carried, forcing the two former friends to each reckon with their past.

Deeply powerful performances.

Wild Indian is cemented by deeply powerful performances by its two leads. Chaske Spencer takes on a scary exterior with face tattoos and a shaved head, but it's a quiet suffering that makes his character so believable. Greyeyes, with his icy and stone-faced exterior, is able to take on the range of chilling detachment through his eventual crumbling vulnerability. All of this is captured through strong camerawork of gliding sequences and close-up shots to capture the emotions of spirituality and timeless connection, which makes the film feel larger than the frame onscreen.

When all things come to a head for Michael, forcing him to return to his past and leave his new California coast life, the film connects back to its original message of circular patterns of trauma. Wild Indian is a gripping and emotionally charged film that proves powerful both for its thrilling elements as well as its representation of Native culture on the big screen, in substantial roles that we deserve and hope to see more of.

by Ryan Rojas

'Cryptozoo' Review: These Hand-Drawn Fantasy Creatures Delight

Our ‘Cryptozoo’ review was first published after the film’s premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.

Treat yourself to a deep toke of your preferred strain of cannabis, and settle in for writer/director Dash Shaw's animated film Cryptozoo, a counter-culture-minded fantasy-adventure about the existence of imaginary creatures. It also speaks on humans' varying efforts of safeguarding and domesticating endangered species and understanding the "other" in the hopes of conceiving a utopian world.

With its child-like, trippy visuals, it's easy to feel like you're catching a contact high from just watching the film. It's simply rendered; the flat, 2-D hand-drawn animation of pencil lines and blotty ink, along with its stop-motion fluidity, feels as if the doodles from the corner of a stoned high schooler's notebook came to life in vivid wonder.

Cryptozoo doesn't so much require an active effort to follow along with, story-wise, and instead opts to slow you down. Its glacially-moving pace feels like a nice drift into a lazy, spellbinding daydream.

You'll first need to know what "cryptids" are, which the film explains as animals whose existence is unknown or doubted (which, if you're unaware, are rooted in cultural folklore and mythology). Lauren Gray (Lake Bell) is an activist who frees cryptids from black market opportunists. When the US government sets its sights on capturing the Baku–a cryptid that can suck out dreams–for weaponizing its powers to "wipe out the dreams of the counter culture," Lauren teams up with Medusa-humanoid Phoebe (Angeliki Papoulia) to save the creature and their world (because "without dreams, there is no future").

Cartoonish and yet beautifully textured, Dash Shaw (My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea) and Jane Samborski (Cryptozoo's animation director) pair wonderfully in bringing a balanced mix of limitless imagination. They also give millennial-minded reverence for counter-culture graphic art of the 60s, which extends to the idealism of the time that is at the heart of this film as well. They're both earnestly-minded artists with pure-hearted love for these imaginary creatures, and it's obvious that this film shouldn't be written off as just a "trippy movie."

Shaw explores our flawed human logic of the "Cryptozoo," which Lauren calls a "sanctuary to preserve the animals" – but it's as much that as it is a Seaworld-esque amusement park. The themes of domestication, preservation, exploitation, and control pop up as well. And it's all staged against the evil, controlling US government, whose demonization is both infantile as it is accurate (swap out "cryptids" with indigenous people and it's a story about our history of dominating other cultures).

Highly inventive and imaginative, Cryptozoo is a playful fantasy adventure with altruistic ideas of man's relationship with the natural world and animal liberation. Dash Shaw proves that a child's eye and mind is the best way to see magic and understand oppression and letting things be free. Take a trip to Cryptozoo and into a world that imagines how a more ideal way of life can be lived.

by Ryan Rojas

'Annette' is the Most Absurdly Odd Rock Opera You'll See All Year

It's best to know before watching Annette that it was not originally intended to be a film. Rather, it was conceived to be performed as a live musical production. With an original story and music written by art pop band Sparks, Annette defies some conventions, and sticks to others.

How Sparks Wrote Annette.

Ron and Russell Mael have made brilliantly catchy music over the entirety of their very long career. However, it's not been without also defiantly distancing themselves from commercial compromise. This has been to the point that true mainstream success has eluded them. In fact, Edgar Wright made the rock doc The Sparks Brothers earlier this year as an ode to their unsung greatness.

Always interested in charting new waters rather than playing into expectations explains why Annette came into existence as a musical at all (initially, Russell would play the lead role and Ron the supporting male role). That is, until the duo met director Leos Carax when he used one of their songs for his film Holy Motors. And what happened next is–eight years later–Carax would take their story and bring it to the big screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_EaNpL16SU&ab_channel=AmazonPrimeVideo

So... what's Annette about?

With all of this in mind, it should be no surprise to find that Annette is exactly what you would expect a rock opera from Sparks to feel like. It's a wonderfully strange and self-aware circus that's as infectiously catchy as it is bizarrely confounding. But for as much fun as it is, its pop music makeup is also the thing that makes it unable to be profound or deep in any real way. But I'd recommend managing those expectations and going into this film headstrong anyways. It's still one of the most mind-blowing films of the year.

Beyond its memorably wacky songs and story, the unquestionable stand-out in the film is Adam Driver. As tormented comedian Henry McHenry, Driver makes the character his own. Wild slapstick comedic scenes range to the more nuanced and commanding ones. Marion Cotillard and Simon Helberg also star in the film. Cotillard matches Driver's commitment and star power as the opera singer Ann. But one of the faults of the film is that it underwrites the rest of the characters in the service of Driver. And yet, its perhaps because he was attached to the film since Leos Carax saw him in Girls eight years ago.

A satiric, confounding experience.

And then of course, we need to mention the nature of baby Annette herself. Her hilariously marionette-like characterization as an actual wooden puppet is the film's silliest and un-serious depiction. This further pokes fun at the charade of the whole thing. And yet, there's still a soft and gentle beauty in Annette's presence. This counters Henry's forgone depravity, but fails to reach a real emotional impact.

There are themes of art and love and life and death interwoven throughout Annette but you'll have a much more enjoyable time if, instead of looking for an experience that will leave you emotionally floored, you give yourself over to a strange world that is sure to leave you in awe, for better or worse.

by Ryan Rojas

5 Things to Know Before You See 'Annette'

The new film Annette is without a doubt, one of the year's strangest and simultaneously transfixing films that you can see this year. This slightly more-than demented rock opera–starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard–shows the perils of fame with such bewildering vision that you might want to know a few things about it before going in. Here's a few things to know before seeing the film (now playing in select theaters and available to stream on Amazon Prime this Friday).

Annette was not originally conceived as a film.

The band Sparks, who wrote the story and music, originally conceived it to be performed live (with Russell Mael performing Adam Drivers' role and Ron Mael playing Simon Helberg's part). The piece was being readied to release and tour when the Maels met director Leos Carax at Cannes Film Festival (after he put a Sparks song on the soundtrack of his film Holy Motors) and decided to turn the idea into a film.

The main influence was The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

Sparks has shared that they were inspired to write a musical in the same way that Jacques Demy's musical is "sung-through" in a sort of spoken/sung manner. Sparks has specifically noted that the opening scene in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, at the mechanic shop, perfectly sets the tone for the style of the film to follow.

Annette took over 8 years to make.

Annette was in development for so long that at different points, both Rooney Mara and Michelle Williams were attached to play the lead female role (which eventually went to Marion Cotillard). Adam Driver was attached to star from the beginning (when Leos Carax first saw the actor in HBO's Girls) and remained with the film over the entirety of development.

Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard sang live on set (including during simulated oral sex).

Cotillard revealed how Leos Carax requested that she and Driver sing live, and what challenges that brought: "It added to the complexity of the set: we found ourselves singing in very complicated positions, doing back-crawling or mimicking cunnilingus; acrobatic positions that technically modify your song [the way you sing]."

Simon Helberg became a French citizen to get the role.

Simon Helberg was so eager to get the part that he became a French citizen and learned French, as the production needed more EU citizens in the cast to get EU funding. It turned out to be unnecessary as Marion Cotillard was cast in the role previously given to Rooney Mara and Michelle Williams.

'Annette' is now playing in select theaters and available to stream on Amazon Prime this Friday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_EaNpL16SU&ab_channel=AmazonPrimeVideo

by Ryan Rojas

'John and the Hole' Review: Trapping Your Childhood

It would be understandable to ask, much as I did while being led down the absurd path that John and the Hole leads its audience, where is the bottom of this movie? To what depths will this playfully sadistic film go?

In broad terms, John and the Hole is a film about a child who rebels against his family. The more specific, spoiler-filled description is that it's a film about a young boy who–for reasons that are at first unknown–drugs and drops his father, mother, and sister into a bunker on the family's property, leaving them trapped while he is left to preside above.

It's an absurd premise that rests upon a dark inclination, and it would be understandable to assume that the film would take an utterly depraved descent into the horrific from there. But audiences should feel comfortable in knowing that in director Pascual Sisto's world, trapping one's family is just a necessary formality so that a child can explore what it means to be an adult, and beyond that, freedom.

John and the Hole is a black comedy that feels like if Yorgos Lanthimos directed a version of Home Alone, or if Lynne Ramsay's wicked We Need To Talk About Kevin wanted to let a little air out of itself. Sisto's filmmaking–cold and clinical, yet clean and pristine (and opts to shoot 4:3 aspect ratio, whose black letterboxing traps the whole story in a proverbial hole)–feels more like an exercise to capture tone and mood, but its pitch-black tone cradles its odd fable, which explores the nature of childhood and the resigned feeling of being helpless and dependent on adults, and needing them and not understanding why.

These are the thoughts that occupy our titular character, John (Charlie Shotwell, Captain Fantastic), an intellectually gifted yet odd kid. He's proficient at tennis and piano and knows the square root of 225 (even though he "doesn't know" how he knows). But he's trapped in his head, unable to communicate a confusion that comes from not understanding the outside, grown-up world. His family extends their love and non-threatening warmness to his sweet, silent self. That's why it's a total left-turn when his family wakes up one morning to find themselves trapped at the bottom of a bunker with no way out.

Sisto plays with denying the audience the reason why John's trapped his family at the bottom of a hole, but we soon find that it's more innocent than it is sadistic; he's not getting pleasure in torturing them. He checks in on his family (Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Ehle, and Taissa Farmiga) occasionally, it's just that he wants to do fun kid things, like play with his drone, eat fast food, and play video games with his friend (who he picks up joyriding the family car).

With such a wild concept, John and the Hole could so easily fall apart into the ridiculous at any moment. But Sisto provides an airtight framework that feels in control of its absurd logic and vision every step of the way while remaining playful and sidestepping expectations to be a mostly innocent exploration. And, without giving anything further away, there's a narrative framing device that's revealed past the film's initial introduction that establishes another layer to the film and shows that maybe he's trapping his family out of misplaced fear so that they can never leave him.

Selected to play at Cannes Film Festival, John and the Hole is a confident, visionary, and daring exercise in tonal filmmaking, as well as a provocative exploration of childhood and adulthood. Sisto leaves much of the film open to interpretation, so the audience can make a lot of its own meaning. In that sense, there's much to consider while going farther and farther down into the void.

This review originally ran as part of our 2021 Sundance Film Festival coverage.

by Ryan Rojas

'Nine Days' Review: Souls Prepare For Life in Spiritually Conceptual Film

If you were a soul waiting to be born, how would you prepare to live? This is the question that the new film Nine Days asks (In LA and NY theaters this Friday, expanding nationwide on August 6th). A highly conceptual film that’s both spiritual and sci-fi, the film is ultimately more rewarding for the cerebrally-stirring questions that it attempts to pose to the audience rather than it being an exciting watch that's as entertaining in the moment.

Nine Days begins quite ambiguously. A large-framed yet mysteriously quiet man, Will (Winston Duke), observing a wall of old televisions through antique glasses–each stacked on top of the other to make for a wall of screens–each playing through life moments from first-person POVs.

We soon learn why he pores over these life moments: (somehow) Will is directly responsible for choosing the souls that will begin a life on Earth, a gatekeeper or god-figure, however you choose to see it. And so, over nine days' time, we see Will interview a collection of characters, asking them all a variety of life-affirming questions with a searing intensity that gives the film its conceptual identity.

Nine Days has a very interesting premise, but the film–directed by Edson Oda–doesn’t give Will anything for us to invest in. Zazie Beetz is underutilized as Emma, a character interviewing for life on Earth, whose countered-openness and positivity challenges the cynically over-stoic Will into rethinking who should be granted life.

While the film is too slow-paced and loose for a great watching experience, Nine Days should be rewarded for being a daring and original film.

This review originally ran on October 20, 2020 during the 2020 AFI Film Festival.

‘Nine Days’ is being distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. In LA and NY theaters this Friday, expanding nationwide on August 6th.

by Ryan Rojas

'Settlers' Review: When We Colonize Space, We'll Bring Our Flaws Too

With this week's news of Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos becoming the first American public citizens to enter orbit, the reality of humans colonizing space is becoming more and more a reality. But what exactly will that future look like? What obstacles will the first people who live on Mars endure, and what flaws will we bring with them? One such vision comes in the new sci-fi film from IFC Midnight, Settlers (in theaters today), which feels surprisingly less fictitious and more inevitably real of what may be to come.

Settlers tells the story of mankind’s earliest people on the Martian frontier. Reza (Jonny Lee Miller), Ilsa (Sofia Boutella), and Remmy (Brooklynn Prince) are a tight-knit family of three living on a compound in Mars. It's clear that they love each other, showing concern for each other's safety at every moment, and soon enough it's clear why: when masked intruders arrive brandishing weapons and disrupting the family unit, their dynamic is destroyed. The trespasser's message becomes clear soon enough: who is the real intruder amongst them? And who is actually trespassing on whose land?

For a sci-fi film taking place on Mars, writer and director Wyatt Rockefeller gives Settlers a realistic setting (not always easy to do on a tight budget). Its vast, red-skied desert landscape makes for a grounded and believable depiction of Mars. To this end, Settlers smartly focuses its story on the human elements at the heart of the story (even breaking the film into chapters focusing on each of the main characters). The central struggle here is both of settlers and indigenous people trying to co-exist with each other, along with trying to survive while bringing their fatal human flaws (and corruptions) with them. Settlers ends up entering much darker terrain than I had anticipated, which makes the film even more substantial and worthy of a watch. There's a funny BB-8-like robot named Steve that's around for some light-hearted fun, but Settlers is at its best when it stays intimate with its characters.

The film's biggest names, Sofia Boutella (Climax) and Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project), establish the heart of the film early on as mother and daughter, giving a strong central core to the film. Boutella's protective resolve as young Remmy's mother is strong, and Prince is tasked with delivering a strong emotionally intricate performance beyond her years, which she does. When Settlers advances forward in time, it's Ismael Cruz Córdova as Jerry, a native intruder, who lives long enough to see an older Remmy (Nell Tiger Free) and attempt to live alongside her. Nell Tiger Free continues the film's suspenseful and adventurous tone while ending up being the one to take the story to a new chapter.

Settlers works as more than just another sci-fi film and successfully poses questions that we should currently consider as a society, across all of humanity. It's a worthy depiction of humanity's inevitable future, and warns of the human struggles that will continue to endure if we don't learn from our intrinsic corruptions. It certainly makes me think that Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos should consider and share their thoughts on the ethical questions surrounding colonization before we settle onto these new frontiers.

Distributed by IFC Films, now playing in theaters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeCcJCy0HzM&ab_channel=IFCFilms

by Ryan Rojas

July Preview: 6 Films We're Looking Forward to Watching This Month

As heat waves keep things sizzling outside, so too does this month's hot new titles, which we've rounded up in our July preview. Enjoy some indoor air conditioning and catch up on these highly anticipated films, both in theaters and streaming, from your living room. In our July preview, we include some films whose original releases were delayed due to the pandemic, as well as all-new releases.

We're ready to settle in with a cold beverage and watch everything in this month's July preview–are you?

No Sudden Move

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GRDLX3a-IE&ab_channel=HBOMax

What it’s about: A group of criminals are brought together under mysterious circumstances and have to work together to uncover what's really going on when their simple job goes completely sideways.

Why we’re looking forward to it: After making Let Them All Talk for HBO Max, Steven Soderbergh is back with another film for the streaming service. Not only is he returning to his heist roots (with an amazing all-star cast to boot), but he's taking things back to 1950s era noir, which is a time period we cannot wait to see his vision of.

‘No Sudden Move’ opens in select theaters and is available on HBO Max starting Thursday, July 1st.

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

https://youtu.be/slFiJpAxZyQ

What it’s about: Summer Of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is a feature documentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African American music and culture, and promoted Black pride and unity.

Why we’re looking forward to it: I first saw this film make its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and it was rightfully awarded the Festival Winner Documentary. Director Questlove knows that music is always accompanied by stories, and the stories here–along with never-before-seen archival footage–makes this one of the most powerful films of the year so far.

'Summer Of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)' opens in select theaters and is available on Hulu starting Friday, July 2nd.

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

https://youtu.be/ihEEjwRlghQ

What it’s about: A documentary about Anthony Bourdain and his career as a chef, writer and host, revered and renowned for his authentic approach to food, culture and travel.

Why we’re looking forward to it: Seeing Anthony Bourdain’s extraordinary life brought to the big screen by Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom) is sure to warm the hearts of his beloved fans, as well as inspire audiences.

‘Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain’ opens in select theaters on Friday, July 16th.

Ailey

https://youtu.be/PHcM4HJEgs4

What it’s about: An immersive portrait of dance pioneer Alvin Ailey, told through his own words and a new dance inspired by his life.

Why we’re looking forward to it: A documentary about a black man who changed the world with choreography and dance. I wasn't previously familiar with Alvin Ailey but after watching the trailer, I realize that is going to have to change.

‘Ailey' opens in select theaters and is available on Digital and VOD Platforms starting Friday, July 23rd.

Settlers

https://youtu.be/jeCcJCy0HzM

What it’s about: Mankind's earliest settlers on the Martian frontier do what they must to survive the cosmic elements and each other.

Why we’re looking forward to it: This futuristic sci-fi film with Sofia Boutella and The Florida Projects's Brooklynn Prince looks like it will be an entertaining thrill ride that will also combine humanity and connection.

‘Settlers’ opens in select theaters and is available on Digital and VOD Platforms starting Friday, July 23rd.

The Green Knight

https://youtu.be/sS6ksY8xWCY

What it’s about: A fantasy re-telling of the medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Why we’re looking forward to it: The Green Knight was originally supposed to come out last year, so the fact that it's finally getting its proper theatrical release now is beyond exciting. Director David Lowery's incredible vision and Dev Patel deserve it.

‘The Green Knight’ opens in select theaters and is available on Digital and VOD Platforms starting Friday, July 30th.

by Ryan Rojas

'The Sparks Brothers' Review: Edgar Wright Fanboys Hard For Sparks

This review originally ran as part of our Sundance Film Festival 2021 coverage.

Spanning every bit of two hours and twenty minutes, it's clear that Edgar Wright feels indebted to both educate, as well as attempt to make audiences appreciate, art-pop duo Sparks–the most influential band that you've never heard of–in his first documentary, The Sparks Brothers.

An unabashed pop music fan himself (whose own films' perfectly-placed jukebox needle drops have attributed to his own film geek following), Wright makes it his mission to not only tell the story of the Mael brothers–Ron and Russell, whose band "Sparks" not only spans over five decades in which the pair made 25 studio albums and 500 songs–but capture their undefinable creative identity, and show how real commercial success would evade them over their entire career while they refused to compromise their vision.

But Wright the established filmmaker is up for the job, telling Sparks' story with an inspired assortment of zany and diverse animation styles whose tongue in cheek humor mix with the band's own ironical detachments. By intercutting these animations with an array of interviews from the music and entertainment world–including Beck, Mike Meyers, Jason Schwartzman and Flea (as well as Wright himself), who all profess their love for Sparks–it's a wealth of riches to tell Sparks' story.

To understand Sparks is to understand the Mael brothers: born in Santa Monica, California (already confusing, as most everyone thought they were a British band), there's Ron (the "older" one) and Russell (the "cute" one), who were raised on a diet of Hollywood and cinema by their late father (who passed away before the boys were teens). It was this level of theatricality and cinema that would inspire the band aesthetically, and would later influence them philosophically through the appreciation of French new wave film, in which the brothers' self-awareness would rally them to churn against the mainstream of pop music that they'd would eventually operate in.

Of course, Ron and Russell themselves are present in this doc, too. So too do they want a part in constructing this (their) story, as their authorship has always been integral to their presentation. What I found interesting about The Sparks Brothers is that, while the Mael brothers were clearly all-too gleeful playing pop-provocateurs throughout their career (Ron famously sported a sort-of Hitler moustache, which he would say curiously never got mistaken for Chaplin), it's clear that they were in some small part motivated by a desire to break into the mainstream, to be more famous than they were, or to a more simple degree, "be understood."

One of the most surprising and telling reveals is when, after the album of their first band, "Halfnelson," didn't sell well, it was their manager at the time who advised them to change their name to what would become Sparks (as they were told they looked like the Marx Brothers). While Sparks would (and should) be the last band in the world to be accused of having motivations to work to fulfill audiences reactions (which they never did, to be clear), it is telling that a constant need to work against rejection fueled them to achieve pinnacles of creative accomplishments that, who knows, might not have happened otherwise.

Sparks' prolific output would be for our collective cultural benefit, as Ron (the songwriter) and Russell (the voice) would create some of the most genre-defining music of the '60s, '70s and '80s, which would go on to predate electronic synth music like New Order and Pet Shop Boys. So even if you're not aware of Sparks' music (which you likely aren't), or don't entirely "get" their music (which mass audiences clearly didn't–hence this doc), The Sparks Brothers is a fantastically abounding story about creative artists who were unafraid to chart forward, to re-define themselves, to change up the formula and evolve to new places, which is a rare but necessary thing for artists to do today. Sparks wanted to stay true to their selves and never compromise on their unique vision. So they chose to be the best band that you've never heard of–until now.

by Ryan Rojas

'Wolfgang' Tribeca Review: The Chef, the Myth, the Legend

You know his name, you've likely seen him on television, and chances are that you have eaten at one of his many restaurants. But do you know the story of the legendary Wolfgang Puck?

Directed by David Gelb (Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Chef's Table), Wolfgang is a new documentary that shows the rise of Wolfgang Puck, the world's first celebrity chef.

Arriving soon on Disney+, Gelb weaves together this portrait of the naturally charismatic, energetic, and tireless Wolfgang Puck, whose ascent as one of the world's most successful and well-known chefs comes with an incredible life filled with hardships that audiences likely haven't heard.

It's clear how Wolfgang Puck became so beloved as a media figure. His naturally vivacious personality and charismatic showmanship, with that strong Austrian accent, made for a perfect fit for a newly emerging television and celebrity market. A blitz of TV clips featuring Wolfgang dazzling audiences with open flame cooking wows the viewer and sets the stage for his story and rise to stardom.

In parallel to seeing a seemingly infinite amount of clips showing his meteoric success, we're also taken to Wolfgang's hometown of Austria, where the chef, in the present day, walks through old places and recounts his memories along the way. It's here where Wolfgang gives the chef the space and time to get personal in a way that we haven't yet seen or heard before.

Wolfgang reveals that growing up as a child, he was quite poor and didn't have much to eat. The kitchen became a refuge to him, the only place that he said he ever felt safe.

More troubling is the revelation that he and his family endured the hand of an abusive stepfather during his childhood, instilling fears in him at a very young age. And after being fired at an early age from one of his earliest jobs cutting potatoes for a restaurant, he found himself overlooking a bridge and contemplating whether or not to jump.

But Wolfgang's resolved not to give up on his passion, and propelled him to move to Los Angeles at the age of 24 to continue cooking. An early job at a steak joint was disastrous (the doc reminds us that American cuisine in the 70s was bland and uninspired).

Things would soon change though after Wolfgang was hired at Ma Maison, which, after evolving the menu and growing to become the head chef, became one of the most popular eateries in LA.

After toiling for creative control with Ma Maison's restauranteur, Wolfgang set out to create his own restaurant–Spago–which instantly became the number one restaurant for Hollywood A-listers to dine, do business, and be seen at. Perched on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, we see how food critics and chefs alike gush over how, with its open kitchen and menu offerings like salmon pizza and salads (inventing a new "California Cuisine"), Spago and Wolfgang changed the way things were done forever.

Wolfgang's natural taking to the world of celebrity would soon thrust him into making national TV appearances, leading to building a brand and empire that would make him universally known as the world's first celebrity chef. The documentary points out that his appearances on national TV led the way for culinary personalities and entertainment to emerge, such as The Food Network, Emeril, and reality cooking show competitions.

There's a brief moment amidst all of the chaos where Wolfgang acknowledges that his tireless work ethic was likely motivated by the feeling that everything in his life could fall apart at any moment, likely due to the fears instilled in him during childhood.

Wolfgang feels like the story of a man who, after tirelessly working to build a business empire and now entering the twilight of his years, is finally slowing down to reflect and understand the story of his life. With all of his successes, though, come failures, and large personal ones at that: the end of his marriage to Barbara Lazarof after 19 years (Lazarof helped Wolfgang open Spago and remains the unsung hero of its success) and time not spend with his children during his busiest times are moments that he now reflects upon with remorse.

As we are able to gather, turning away from family was a constant in Wolfgang's life. There's a present-day moment where Wolfgang, along with his sister, visits the grave of his grandmother. His sister brings up that when their grandmother was dying, she wanted nothing more than to see Wolfgang by her side. He acknowledges that he was elsewhere, working, and doesn't intend to linger on the moment or unpack it any further. As the scene ends without much fuss, we are left to realize that the price that his greatness cost him leaving his family.

Although director David Gelb doesn't pry too far in the way of emotional investigation, one of the things that Wolfgang offers is Gelb's trademark aesthetics that make his culinary filmmaking so mesmerizing. Gelb shoots food so expressively and cinematically that it captures the magic in food, and it's exactly what's needed to make Wolfgang's story come to life.

Wolfgang feels less emotionally deep than Jiro Dreams of Sushi, which remains the superior film of the two. Because it only briefly touches on darker moments instead of looking to offer tougher emotional breakthroughs, Wolfgang feels like the master chef wants to tell his life's story, but still hasn't come to understand its meaning himself. When Wolfgang asks in a fleeting moment, "Who am I? A chef, brand, restaurant, character?" he doesn't follow to provide an answer. And so we are left to believe that he is everything he's created all at once: the chef, the myth, and the legend.

by Ryan Rojas

'Censor' Review: Traumas Repressed Within VHS Era Horror

Before going into the fun new horror film Censor, you should know what a "video nasty" is. A colloquial term coined in the United Kingdom in the 1980s "video nasties" were the films distributed on video cassettes that were criticized for their violent content by the press and various religious organizations. In her directorial debut, Prano Bailey-Bond puts these graphic films at the center of the story about a film censor (Niamh Algar) who, after viewing a strangely familiar video nasty, sets out to solve the past mystery of her sister's disappearance and embarks on a quest that dissolves the line between fiction and reality.

Expression

While operating within the familiarities of the horror genre that fans will hope for, Prano Bailey-Bond also flexes her deeper knowledge and appreciation of the genre with the plot's central connection to "video nasties." The fun Bailey-Bond brings to the screen with the video nasties' campy kills, titles, and even videocassette jackets are going to be some of the film's most memorable moments. And on a more personal level, it's clear that Bailey-Bond is expressing her voice through the central character Enid (Niamh Algar), a young and beautiful woman who is more interested in losing herself in her career of grisly fantasy than following a more traditional life path. Censor has a strong and empowering female perspective about being a woman both in the workplace and in danger, which Algar is game for the whole time.

Expression: 4 out of 5 stars

Daring

It's always fun to see a movie where evil isn't just a boogeyman but something deeper, more spiritual, and the descent that we take following Enid's psychological unraveling is a fun journey. For a film that is so knowledgable about video nasties and the fun that's had in staging violence in film, though, Censor's disturbances are aimed at the more heady paranoia of mental instability rather than blood-spurting horror sequences. There are only one or two jump scares and a few moments of grisly slasher fun, all handled quite mildly. I wonder if Censor had allowed itself to indulge in the genre's more bloody mayhem what further fun we could have had within this set-up.

Daring: 3 out of 5 stars

Craft

For a modestly made indie movie, there is still distinguishable filmmaking skill on display. One accomplishment capturing 1980s UK style where one might assume Stranger Things is happening across the pond. The throwback to the videotape era will always be fun to indulge in and seeing Enid watch these horror films within this horror film gives Censor further depth. Then, of course, there are the slasher elements that are handled well. What I found most impressive were the moments where the filmmaking style shifts, occurring when Enid loses grip of reality and we would slowly track into the screen and the world of horror fun. The slow use of color that consumes her drab world – that of red and paranormal blue – along with tilted camera framing blossoms into a large world of real vision and scope.

Craft: 3 out of 5 stars

Impact

For a film with shocking and grisly deaths, Censor actually ends up hitting on the softer side in terms of an all-out gorefest. However, the deeper human truth that Bailey-Bond expresses here is even more terrifying in its relatability. It's telling that after her sister goes missing during childhood, Enid grows up to become a film censor, choosing to submerge herself in such gruesome and violent content, striving to single-handedly extricate the most horrific moments from the public's (and specifically children's) consumption. But when a particular video nasty becomes the center of a national headline for an inspired real-life murder, Enid is left shaken, and the trauma of her horrific past haunts her again. Bailey-Bond shows the unconscious ways that we try to stave off events that are too hard to make sense of in a disturbing moment and what worlds we then create for ourselves to cope. In asking the audience what fears are we running from, and what actions we take in an attempt to push those unendurable memories out of our minds, Censor is a film that will stick around and stir inside our minds.

Impact: 3 out of 5 stars

Conclusion

At 84 minutes, Censor is perfect for casual audiences looking for a fun time with a horror movie, as well as for the more seasoned horror fans looking to indulge their appetites with the throwback to "video nasties." If you were wondering what a video store clerk's re-imagining of Midsommar and Mandy might look like, you might want to queue up Censor quickly.

Conclusion: 3.5 out of 5 stars

84 minutes. Not rated. 'Censor' begins playing in LA theaters this Friday at The Landmark Westwood, Alamo Drafthouse and the Laemmle Glendale.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRrhXjH1M70&ab_channel=MagnoliaPictures%26MagnetReleasing

by Ryan Rojas

Tribeca Film Festival 2021: 12 Films We’ll Be Watching From Home

As another example of this country's slow yet exciting return to normalcy, Tribeca Film Festival 2021 begins on Wednesday, June 9th, with in-person screenings taking place in New York. Along with theater attendees, the festival will also be available to the public through "Tribeca At Home," a new virtual platform which will bring the festival's films and programs to audiences nationwide to enjoy in the comforts of their homes (which is how Cinemacy will be joining this year as well).

Below are 12 films that we're most looking forward to seeing at the Tribeca Film Festival. You can check out the full list of films available through through "Tribeca At Home" here, or by following the links to buy tickets to the individual screenings.

False Positive (United States, 92 minutes)

Genre: Thriller

What it's about: After Lucy (Ilana Glazer) and Adrian (Justin Theroux) encounter difficulties with conceiving, charismatic and world-renowned reproductive specialist Dr. Hindle (Pierce Brosnan) appears to be the answer to the couple's prayers–that is, until cracks in the facade arise which threaten Lucy's grasp on reality.

Why we're looking forward to it: Broad City's Ilana Glazer at the center of a Rosemary's Baby-esque thriller? Sign us up.

Available to watch at home starting Fri June 18 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (United States, 118 minutes)

Genre: Documentary

What it's about: A look at the life of the cultural-culinary-intellectual force that was Anthony Bourdain, whose outsized personality, insatiable curiosity, and passion for food, travel, and culture tapped into a deeper humanity that inspired fans and audiences alike.

Why we're looking forward to it: The documentary is sure to warm the hearts of longtime fans by celebrating Anthony Bourdain's extraordinary life, as well as leave life lessons that all audiences can learn from.

Available to watch at home starting Mon June 14 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Italian Studies (United States, 81 minutes)

Genre: Women, Drama

What it's about: A "neorealist wonder of a film" that finds a mysterious woman (Vanessa Kirby) wandering the streets of Manhattan in confusion, and inexplicably drawn to a charismatic teenager, who she follows on an adventure through the cityscape and into the unknown.

Why we're looking forward to it: After seeing Vanessa Kirby's shattering Academy Award-nominated performance in last year's Pieces of a Woman, we have been eagerly waiting to see her in her next starring role.

Available to watch at home starting Fri June 11 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

7 Days (United States, 86 minutes)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

What it's about: The only thing worse than being set up on an awkward pre-arranged date by your old-fashioned parents is when COVID forces you to shelter-in-place together, which is what happens to Ravi (Karan Soni) and Rita (Geraldine Viswanathan), making for a funny premise and relationship comedy.

Why we're looking forward to it: This COVID-era rom-com premise sounds totally of-the-moment and fun, made even more appealing with the casting of Bad Education's Geraldine Viswanathan and Deadpool's Karan Soni.

Available to watch at home starting Fri June 11 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Werewolves Within (United States, 97 minutes)

Genre: Horror, Comedy, Mystery

What it's about: After a snowstorm traps forest ranger Finn Wheeler (Veep’s Sam Richardson) and a colorful array of residents inside The Beaverfield Inn, Wheeler must play the reluctant hero and figure out what, or who, is racking up a body count and shrinking Beaverfield’s population.

Why we're looking forward to it: College Humor's Josh Ruben's directorial debut!!!

Available to watch at home starting Sat June 12 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Catch the Fair One (United States, 85 minutes)

Genre: New York, Action, Thriller

What it's about: A Native American woman and former boxer embarks on the fight of her life when she goes in search of her missing sister, intentionally getting entangled in a human trafficking operation in order to retrace the steps of her kid sister and work her way up the chain of command to find the man responsible.

Why we're looking forward to it: An absorbing revenge thriller that sounds similar to Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here and executive produced by Darren Aronofsky sounds like one of the most exciting films of the festival.

Available to watch at home starting Mon June 14 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Reflection: A Walk With Water (United States, 80 minutes)

Genre: Documentary, Environmental

What it's about: Taking a several-hundred-mile trek on foot along the Los Angeles Aqueduct, Filmmaker Emmett Brennan joins like-minded activists on a mission meant to raise awareness about California’s water crisis, making the compelling argument that society has lost touch with this delicate and crucial place water occupies in the environment.

Why we're looking forward to it: The fact that the American Southwest is current experiencing a disaster-level water draught makes this documentary feel like a prescient and vital call-to-arms for everyone to learn from.

Available to watch at home starting Wed June 16 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Bernstein's Wall (United States, 100 minutes)

Genre: Documentary, Art

What it's about: In this enlightening look at one of the greatest classical music figures of the 20th century, director Douglas Tirola mines a rich trove of interviews, television appearances, home movie footage, photos, letters to craft a comprehensive look at Leonard Bernstein, whose passion and drive took him well beyond the marvelous music he wrote and conducted.

Why we're looking forward to it: This is very much looking to be the year of Bernstein, as Bradley Cooper is set to direct and star as the late composer for Netflix, as well as seeing Spielberg bring Bernstein's famous West Side Story to the big screen once again.

Available to watch at home starting Mon June 14 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Wolfgang (United States, 78 minutes)

Genre: Documentary, Food, Biography

What it's about: A documentary on legendary chef Wolfgang Puck that pushes past his sunny superstar persona and storied career in Los Angeles with the opening of the celebrity hot spot of the 80s and 90s, Spago, to revisit his birthplace in Austria and reveal an abusive childhood that pushed him to flee home and fight for a life of his own as a teenager.

Why we're looking forward to it: From acclaimed filmmaker and Tribeca alum David Gelb (Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Chef’s Table) comes another mouthwatering delight of a film about one of the first “celebrity chefs” to rule the scene and a pioneer in the world of California cuisine.

Available to watch at home starting Mon June 14 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Wu Hai (China, 110 minutes)

Genre: Drama

What it's about: When an ambitious business venture—a dinosaur theme park—goes bad, a small-time broker finds himself in an inextricable web of debt and desperation, and his attempts to stay afloat only entrap him further.

Why we're looking forward to it: We're looking forward to seeing this Chinese drama that's described as being "impressive in scope and style," as well as seeing what this dinosaur theme park is all about.

Available to watch at home starting Mon June 14 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Mark, Mary & Some Other People (United States, 90 minutes)

Genre: Women, Comedy, Drama, Romance

What it's about: A couple agree to “ethical non-monogamy”, and that's where this story really begins.

Why we're looking forward to it: Exploring the world of young love and polyamorous relationships, this film looks like it will be a fresh, fun and honest take on modern love and evolving cultural ideas about relationships.

Available to watch at home starting Fri June 11 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

Kubrick By Kubrick (France, Poland, 73 minutes)

Genre: Documentary, Art

What it's about: A documentary on one of cinema's greatest masters, assembled by footage of his own soundbites.

Why we're looking forward to it: Being a huge Kubrick fan, this documentary feels like it will be a treasured gift and master class all in one.

Available to watch at home starting Fri June 11 - 6:00PM. BUY NOW

by Ryan Rojas

June Preview: 6 Lesser-Known Films Coming Out That You Should Know

With the passing of Memorial Day weekend bringing us even more fully into the summer season, it's an exciting time once again for movies, as previously unreleased titles get slated and theaters re-open in larger numbers across the country. Our June preview brings some highly anticipated new films–some that have played in film festivals earlier this year and last–that are finally able to be seen by audiences. We rounded up six films coming out this month that you should definitely have on your June preview radar to check out.

Which releases are you most looking forward to watching from our June preview? Did we miss a film? Let us know which releases from our June preview you'll be watching this month in the comments.

Undine (IFC Films)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD0ABeBzx3U&feature=emb_title&ab_channel=IFCFilms

I don't know much about Undine, except that early reviews are comparing it to Guillermo Del Toro's The Shape of Water (which makes me think this mysterious movie might get a bit... fishy). Undine is the name of its lead character (Paula Beer), a historian who, after being left by the man she loves, must fulfill an ancient myth of killing him and returning to the water. The latest from director Christian Petzold (whose films Phoenix and Transit have been well-received by critics, but which I've personally yet to see), I'm very excited to see what's in store with this film, as well as looking forward to Paula Beer's performance in the lead role (Beer won the Best Actress award at the Berlin International Film Festival where the film was also nominated for Best Picture).

'Undine' opens in select theaters and is available on Digital and VOD Platforms starting Friday, June 4th.

Holler (IFC Films)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-CFpCQbIek&ab_channel=IFCFilms

With a focus on southern Ohio's economy and commnity, Holler looks like it will continue the blue-collar themes brought to the screen in this year's Best Picture-winner Nomadland by exploring the evasiveness of the American dream. The story of a young person (Jessica Barden) who must decide whether to enter her town's scrap metal crew or pursue college and uproot herself from the trappings of her home, Holler is already making me wonder "what kind of life are we willing to settle for?" "What are we willing to risk by choosing to live in our comfortable living situations instead of daring for more?" Writer and director Nicole Rigel's film looks gritty, evocative, and authentic in all the best ways, and I'm looking forward to seeing Jessica Barden in what appears to be a breakout role.

'Holler' opens in select theaters and is available on digital Digital and VOD Platforms on Friday, June 11th.

Sweat (MUBI)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUcbYj2tOZM&ab_channel=MUBI

Movies about social media and the anxieties that it produces only continue to feel more real and relatable as they are made. Sweat looks to examine the role of influencer culture through three days in the life of a fitness instructor (Magdalena Kolesnik), whose enormous platform that fuels her social media celebrity status also brings the anxieties of danger from one of her threatening followers. Sweat appears to tap into the same anxieties that Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade brought but with a more potent element of suspense. With MUBI behind its release, you know that Sweat is one worth checking out. (Check out our capsule review of the film, which we saw this year at Chicago International Film Festival, here.)

'Sweat' opens in select theaters on Friday, June 18th and will start streaming on MUBI on Wednesday, July 23rd.

The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOUsIYESOpM&ab_channel=FocusFeatures

If you're a fan of director Edgar Wright, then you already know that his extensive knowledge of obscure pop-culture music makes for some of the best needle-drop soundtrack moments in his films. In his documentary feature debut, Wright shines his spotlight on the band Sparks (who, if you're like me, may not have heard of before this documentary, but is very likely "your favorite band's favorite band"). As Wright shares with fan-boy energy and passion, Sparks's (made up by brothers Ron and Russell Mael) career spans over five decades in which the pair made 25 studio albums and 500 songs, but never saw the breakthrough recognition. which Wright attempts to course-correct here. I saw The Sparks Brothers when it premiered at Sundance earlier this year (read our full review here), and immediately after watching it dove into their vast back catalogue and started recommending my new discoveries to friends–which is what you'll be doing too in this summer of Sparks.

'The Sparks Brothers' opens in domestic theaters on Friday, June 18th.

I Carry You With Me (Sony Pictures Classics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueldqg6D-Wk&ab_channel=SonyPicturesClassics

After premiering at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, writer and director Heidi Ewing's I Carry You With Me won the Audience Award for the festival's Best of NEXT selection as well as the NEXT Innovator Award. The story of forbidden love between two young Mexican men (Armando Espitia, Christian Vazquez), the film looks emotionally warm and intimate. The film's handheld shooting and expressive color make this look stirring and artful, and appears to follow in the the steps of Brokeback Mountain and Call Me By Your Name. Heidi Ewing's visionary film looks like one to get swept away and a new lens on how love transcends cultural constraints.

'I Carry You With Me' opens in select theaters in Los Angeles and New York on Friday, June 25th.

Zola (A24)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24KbaKlCDDI&ab_channel=A24

Of all of the films listed, Zola might be the film I'm most excited to see getting its release, as I saw the film premiere at Sundance Film Festival two years ago. A24's decision to hold the film until the start of this summer season feels right, as the freedom that we're collectively feeling is exactly the atmosphere that this wild story should be experienced in. Based on a true story of a stripper's Tweet-storm, in which she chronicled an insane road trip filled with sex, drugs and everything in between, gets a bigscreen adaptation. Director Janicza Bravo (Lemon) puts her comedic twist on the story, which trades Hangover-style insanity for a deadpan stillness that counters the extremity of the situations to its own comedic effect. Riley Keough, Coleman Domingo and Cousin Greg–I mean Nicolas Braun–star in the film, and Taylour Page as Zola in the titular role is who audiences will be thrilled to discover.

'Zola' opens in select theaters on Wednesday, June 30th.

by Ryan Rojas

'Swimming Out Till The Sea Turns Blue' Review: Delicate Yet Dense Poetry

Swimming Out Till The Sea Turns Blue is a film about resolve–which is what this documentary's subjects all speak to while recounting their lives, as well as what you'll need in order to watch this delicately crafted, yet densely, rich film. Following three prominent Chinese authors—Jia Pingwa, Yu Hua, and Liang Hong—born in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, respectively (and all from the same Shanxi province), the figures recount stories of hardship and oppression they faced that shaped who they would be as artists, and how those experiences would affect the Chinese nation on the whole.