Beast Beast is a timely story set in the American south about three teenagers from first-time feature filmmaker Danny Madden. There’s a type of culture that one will find in southern towns. Though to be fair, you’ll see different cultures in a larger city compared with the rural communities. Danny Madden continues Krista’s (Shirley Chen) from a previous short film and fills it with characters like skateboard-obsessed Nito (Jose Angeles) and gun-loving Adam (Will Madden). …
"Sundance 2020: Beast Beast"
Solzy at the Movies previewed a number of shorts that screened in the shorts programs during the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Meats Ashley Williams certainly couldn’t have picked a better project for her directorial debut. Imagine being a vegan but finding yourself having strong cravings for eating meat. What would you do in such a predicament? For Lane (Ashley Williams), it’s eat as much meat as you possibly can. Lane considers herself to be an…
"Sundance 2020: The Shorts Program"
Jumbo is one of the stories that are stranger than fiction and yet this coming-of-age drama is surprisingly inspired by a true story. Jeanne (Noémie Merlant) is a shy young woman that works late nights at the local amusement park. While Jeanne’s mom would prefer that she meet a man already, she’d rather be doing other things. For instance, Jeanne is always building miniature theme park rides in her bedroom. When the park gets a…
"Sundance 2020: Jumbo"
Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story takes us through the journey of Ren & Stimpy while also touching on creator John Kricfalusi’s dark side. Ren & Stimpy was a hit for Nickelodeon when it first hit the airwaves. Outside of those working on the series, nobody could have ever guessed what happened beyond the scenes. No, not creator John Kricfalusi performing the storyboards while pitching his ideas. It’s worse than this to…
"Sundance 2020: Happy Happy Joy Joy"
Aggie shows how far one art collector and philanthropist will go when it comes to criminal justice and having a dialogue on social action. Agnes “Aggie” Gund’s life has been rather impressive. By serving as a longtime president of the Museum of Modern Art, Gund has an important name in the industry. And yet, she’s not afraid of using her name when it comes to important causes. As one should, of course. However, some of…
"Sundance 2020: Aggie"
Miss Americana presents a very open look at singer-songwriter Taylor Swift with raw conversations and new insight into Swift as a person. Taylor Swift is one of the most popular singers in the world. It’s no surprise that a documentary starring Swift would premiere on opening night at Sundance. However, audiences were allowed into see a side of Swift that we don’t usually see on social media or her TV appearances. Here’s a musician who…
"Sundance 2020: Miss Americana"
The Painter and the Thief documents the friendship between a Norway artist and the man who ended up stealing her artwork. This film reminds me of the Neo-Nazis who reform their lives and start speaking out against hate. Here we have Oslo-based artist Barbora Kysilkova choosing to become an ally to Karl-Bertil. Of all friendships to happen in the history of the world, this is among the oddest of couplings. The fact that she chooses…
"Sundance 2020: The Painter and the Thief"
Jessie Kahnweiler spoke with Solzy at the Movies about the upcoming premiere of her short film, He’s The One, during the Sundance Film Festival. Kahnweiler writes, directs, and stars in He’s The One. Joining Kahnweiler in the cast are Luka Jones and Alexandria Churchwell. The film premieres this Friday during the festival in Shorts Program 2. How thrilled are you that He’s The One is making its world premiere during the 2020 Sundance Film Festival?…
"Sundance 2020: Jessie Kahnweiler talks He’s The One"
While the 2019 Awards Season comes to an end on February 9, the 2020 Sundance Film Festival will launch a new around of contenders. Between films, parties, and catching up with friends you haven’t seen in a few months, there’s a lot going down. This year’s festival features some huge headliners with the likes of country-turned-pop sensation Taylor Swift, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. How I Met Your…
"Sundance 2020: What to Watch"
During the Critics’ Choice Awards weekend, Solzy at the Movies visited Walt Disney Studios, Universal Studios, and Warner Brothers Studios for studio tours. To say that my weekend in LA was magical would certainly not be an understatement. Walking along the hallways that Walt Disney once roamed is also very inspiring. You can’t help but get a magical feeling in knowing just how much magic went down within the building. Yes, I did take a…
"Studio Tours: Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros."