There’s a lot of head scratching moments during director Becca Kozak’s horror comedy “Last Call,” and that’s both a good thing and a band thing. Director Kozak definitely relies on not really leaning on expectations, but that leads us down a bizarre narrative that I, frankly, wasn’t too clear on. It’s unpredictable, and weird, which is a plus. But I couldn’t quite understand to what end our villains were working toward.
Tag Archives: Indie Film
The End of the Squirrel (2022)
Death is inevitable. And it’s not too often we can stare it in the eyes and welcome it with open arms. “The End of the Squirrel” is a refreshing, kind of heartbreaking take on the zombie apocalypse, where everything goes wrong and its heroes simply… accept their fates, once and for all. They’ve done everything they could do, and now it’s a matter of how they go out.
Living with Chucky (2022)
Director Kyra Elise Gardner’s “Living with Chucky” is a great summarizing of the entire movie series that started from its humble origins, and then explores the reboot which saw the emergence of a new dawn for the series. It’s interesting and garners some unique anecdotes from its cast and crew. There’s a lot of good information and nuggets of wisdom to be mined with “Living with Chucky” and for a one hundred minute movie, it’s sad that it only kicks in in the last twenty five minutes or so.
Mukbang (2022)
One of the big sensations of the youtube age are Mukbangs: where people or a person sits on in front of a camera to eat food for the audience. Sometimes they’re usually discussing an issue or completing a challenge, but most times the attraction is watching someone eating food. “Mukbang,” from ACM Official, is a great twist on this formula that takes this trend and turns it in to a bonafide tale of horror.
VHS Massacre Too (2020)
“VHS Massacre” was one of many looks back at the golden age of VHS and how physical media is dying in the age of streaming. Thomas Edward Seymour produced a very good and insightful glimpse at a time where the death of physical media seemed imminent. So it feels only logical that he’d follow it up with a further look in to the death of physical media. The problem though is that “VHS Massacre Too” is a less focused and somewhat confused successor that never quite knows what it’s trying to tell its audience.
The Chromakey Man (2022) [CINEJOY 2023]
Success or the potential for success can be a harrowing prospect for any artist, especially when they’re faced with the specter of impostor syndrome. Told through a unique avenue, “Chromakey Man” is a pretty insightful look in to a man facing inevitable success in a field he’s been struggling in for years. The problem is he has to face whether or not he’s ready for that success, and that becomes an inner conflict for him.
Wayback (2020) [CINEJOY 2023]
Director and Animator Carlos Salgado’s “Wayback” is most appreciated as an experience more than a narrative feature and that’s fine. “Wayback” is a stellar and beautiful animated science fiction short that implements computer animation to unfold a tale about exploration and trying to save an alien world.