It’s funny to think that in an alternate reality so many radical ideas were likely able to flourish. In some reality Jodorowsky made his version of “Dune,” and in an alternate reality perhaps we had “Superman Lives.” I wasn’t keen on exploring the story of the lost production of “Superman Lives,” the failed reboot of the Superman movie franchise initially. But the documentary proves that the enduring fascination with its potentially disastrous development is just, and very much a worthwhile exploration of too many cooks in the kitchen. There was a time where superhero movies weren’t a common place in cinema, and those that were in theaters were low tier barely marketable characters that almost always guaranteed to flop.
Category Archives: A+ Indie
Sweet Madness (2015)
Since her inception in 1992, Harley Quinn has been one of Batman’s most intriguing and alluring rogues. She’s the ultimate fan girl to the point of lunacy, and her cunning along with her ability to match wits with just about anyone make her one of the most fascinating figures of contemporary culture. It’s no shock that director Peter Dukes sought to explore the inner most psychology of Harley, as she’s titillated just about everyone. And it’s satisfying that director Dukes is able to convey Harley’s persona so well. Despite the fact that Batman never appears, “Sweet Madness” is a pretty sick and brilliant fan film that puts Harley front and center.
The Murders of Brandywine Theater (2015)
It’s refreshing in this day and age that some indie filmmakers aren’t just content with splattering the audience with red ooze and goo and calling it a horror film. There are some filmmakers that really want to convey a story, and Larry Longstreth seems to be one of those directors who aren’t happy with just grossing people out. “The Murders of Brandywine Theater” is a complex, and very unique horror film that isn’t just eerie, but it’s also damn spooky to boot. To say Moxxy is a creepy antagonist really is underplaying the top notch puppetry that’s put to work here. Moxxy seems very rigid when we first see him, but soon enough he not only begins to take on his own life, but his limited expression make him a menace to be reckoned with.
The First Step (2014)
Co-written and directed by Daniel Brown and Kate McMeans, “The First Step” displays what happens when you take simplicity and pair it with old fashioned scares. What you end up with is a damn good short horror film. I’d even venture to call “The First Step” terrifying but that’s mainly because I hate basements, attics, and old houses. But that’s my hang up.
Spider (2007)
Nash Edgerton’s “Spider” has a cruel sense of humor to it, but one that I loved. It’s definitely reliant on a simple formula, but also very dependent on a chain effect that garners disastrous results in the very end. I was cringing, I was in disbelief, and by the very end I was laughing awkwardly for all the wrong reasons.
Mother & Brother (2015)
Dustin Cook’s family drama is a brilliant and tragic picture of two sons forever strapped down to their mother. Too often has this image resonated where kids feel not only constrained to their parents, but dutiful despite their own unhappiness and lack of fulfillment. Cook’s short drama is immediately a compelling character study that explores how families can become a burden and how the children, grown or young, can be forced to forever keep their burden.
Peter Dinklage (2014)
Through a fine tongue in cheek attitude, director Shannon Michaelas explores what life is like as a little person, especially in the midst of the popularity of Peter Dinklage. It’s insane how much one actor has come to define an entire group of people, but lo and behold, “Peter Dinklage” explores how the popularity of the man has helped popularize little people for better and for worse.







