A number of short films are screening during the 2021 SXSW Film Festival and they deserve as much attention as the feature films. The Other Morgan This film quickly rose up to the top of my list of SXSW short films after viewing. It’s a hysterically absurd comedy. A young exterminator (Alison Rich) learns that there’s another version of her (Mary Holland) out in the world. As you can imagine, she begins to question all…
"SXSW 2021: Short Films Recap"Category: Movie Reviews
Introducing, Selma Blair takes viewers on an intimate journey with the actress following her diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis. Here is what we know about MS: this disease it affects both the spinal cord and the brain. Symptoms differ for everyone and sadly, there is no cure. Blair went public about her diagnosis in an October 2018 post on Instagram. To say that this film is raw would not be an understatement. It honestly hurts to…
"SXSW 2021: Introducing, Selma Blair"
Hysterical takes us behind the stage and on the road with a number of female comedians who are veterans, rising stars, or beginners. It’s no joke that breaking into stand-up comedy isn’t easy. G-d knows I’ve tried but I’m more suited for improv and sketch comedy. Here’s a little known fact about me: I hosted a late night comedy talk show for six weeks during sophomore year of college. This was also before coming out…
"SXSW 2021: Hysterical"
See You Then is the next cinematic game-changer in terms of transgender representation both on screen and behind the camera. Imagine the Before trilogy of films but with a transgender lead in one of those roles. That’s what you’re getting in the story of this film. It’s a two-hander of a story. In hindsight, screenwriters Mari Walker and Kristen Uno would have probably set this film during the daytime. At least, that’s my understanding from…
"SXSW 2021: See You Then"
Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal takes a docu-drama approach in reliving this you-can’t-believe-it scandal. The approach to this film is no different than last year’s Sundance-premiering The Social Dilemma. It’s an intriguing approach but it works considering who isn’t talking on camera. A lot of this has to do with the fact that there are cases still pending. Or they simply chose to decline. You can’t blame them for that. It still makes…
"Operation Varsity Blues Has A Docu-Drama Approach"
Neighbors, which pits a married couple against a frat house, remains a laugh riot some seven years following its SXSW premiere in 2014. Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) are in the early stages of adjusting to parenthood. They have an infant daughter, Stella, so they can’t party with Jimmy Blevins (Ike Barinholtz) and his ex-wife, Paula (Carla Gallo), like they used to. Oh, the good old days! Mac and Kelly soon get…
"Neighbors: Comedy Remains A Laugh Riot"
kid 90 captures life in the early 90s when actress Soleil Moon Frye was carrying a video camera everywhere in an era before cell phones. Watch until the end of the credits. At times when watching this documentary, you can’t help but feel bad for Soleil Moon Frye. The actress went through puberty after Punky Brewster came to an end. I’m obviously not going to get into the specifics here but sometimes, this takes a…
"kid 90: A Pre-Internet Time Capsule of Fame"
A chance encounter may lead into a Long Weekend but getting to know each other and lasting longer might be easier said than done. When Bart (Finn Wittrock) encounters Vienna (Zoë Chao), you can almost call it love at first sight. But before this relationship can go anywhere, the two must communicate with each other. The thing is that whatever they say could be detrimental to their relationship before it really has a chance to…
"Long Weekend: Will Love Last??"
The briskly paced Yes Day comes a year into the pandemic but it’s a nice a reminder of the fun that families will be having in due time. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been out of my apartment much for the past few months but I really needed this film. Here’s how much attention this film had: I did not look at my clock once! Nor did my cell phone bother to capture my attention…
"Yes Day: Say Yes To This Family Comedy!"
Thomas Nicholas shows the potential to be an action star in his new starring role as a rideshare driver in the new thriller, Adverse. Ethan (Thomas Nicholas) has it out for revenge upon learning his sister, Mia (Kelly Arjen) owes a lot of money to a drug dealer. Adverse may be more of a low-key thriller but the action here is intense. When he’s not out for revenge, Ethan meets with social worker Dr. Cruz…
"Adverse: Thomas Nicholas Has Action Star Potential"