At the time of writing I’ve sat on The Dark Mile for just over a full day trying to work out my thoughts on the film. Not that I didn’t like it, in fact, it’s probably the best film I’ve seen at this year’s Festival so far. It’s an experience that I guarantee will piss a lot of people off and trying to recommend it is going to prove difficult, due to the film’s own encouragement that “the less you know the better.”
Nile reviews the 80’s horror classic ‘Motel Hell’ in the first video of the ‘Retro Reviews’ series.
With TV currently in it’s Golden Age, a lot of genres have proven to work better with a long-form series rather than a one-off entry; case in point, crime thriller with the likes of Fargo and Twin Peaks making the most of their extended run-time. I bring this up because while it’s very easy to tell when a movie needs to be cut shorter, new Alaskan thriller Sweet Virginia is one of those rare films that could benefit from being longer.
Logan Myerz here! We wanted to give all of our followers a chance to win Power Rangers Blu-Ray copy that comes out on June 27th. All you have to do is subscribe to our YouTube Channel, follow our social networking sites, and let us know which movie you are looking forward to see this summer. One random winner will be chosen on Tuesday, June 27th at 7 pm CST and will receive the Blu ray copy via mail. Also, please use the hashtag #PhellasGiveAway
Cheers!
Nile shares his favorite characters from Life-Action films from the past few decades. The list includes characters from Planet of the Apes, Lord of The Rings, Star Wars, and Beauty and The Beast!
by Nile Fortner
Calling for Community: A Conversation with Blake Freeman
On this episode of the Cinephellas podcast we have my conversation with the multitalented Blake Freeman. We’re discussing his new comedy, All About the Money. Blake wrote the screenplay, directed, produced, and stars in the film. But he consistently points out that the project was only possible thanks to the community of people he worked with, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. He’s got some great co-stars, including Eddie Griffin and Casper Van Dien. This is Eddie’s return to the big screen after about two years doing other projects. And Casper gives a great performance playing against his usual all-American type. Blake also gave me some info about his upcoming TV project based on tech and gaming culture. It’s a timely look at contemporary digital culture.
by Nile Fortner
This is a movie I have been looking forward to for a very long time. With a title like ‘It Comes at Night,’ the eerie trailers, the visually appealing posters, the A24 entertainment company who made The Witch and Ex Machina (two movies I love), and from all the marketing, I was expecting one of the best horror movies this year. Yay for horror movies! Who doesn’t love a good horror flick, a good spook to the spine every so often? I love horror movies, and it is actually one of my favorite genres. Unfortunately, us “horror heads” don’t get the most original or best treatment in the land of Hollywood. In my opinion, the best horror films lately have been foreign or independent. This is why I was looking forward to this somewhat “small budget under the radar” horror movie.
New Perspectives: A Conversation with Ward Horton
Who’s your favorite movie villain? What makes an antagonist threatening enough to fear, but vulnerable enough to find relatable? Too often these questions are ignored in favor of stereotypical performances. In the the new film Midnighters, however, Ward Horton develops a multi-layered anti-hero. Questions surround the identity of his character, “Smith,” forcing Horton to perform a spectrum of personality traits from suave to demonic. His ability to transform gives brings to fruition several plot points in the journey of Midnighters’ protagonist, Lindsey, played with sincere vulnerability by the phenomenal Alex Essoe.
Looking Beyond Eyes: An Interview with Aaron B. Koontz
Schedules can be hectic. My flight back to Los Angeles from a wedding in New York and director Aaron B. Koontz’s packed press schedule meant that we couldn’t talk directly. But our good friends at the Katrina Wan Press Agency had our backs. Samantha Arevalo and Camelia Adibi forwarded my questions to Aaron so the Cinephellas community could get some insight into his artistic process, being a first-time director, and why he wanted to tackle Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the new film Camera Obscura. I’d like to thank Samantha, Camelia, and Aaron for taking time out of their busy schedules, and I hope Aaron’s answers get you as hyped for the movie as I am.
by Nile Fortner
Finally, a movie about the iconic DC Comics character, Wonder Woman has hit the big screen. A character that finally has her own big feature movie, a movie 75 years in the making!
When DC first launched their expanded-cinematic-universe, many fans were not thrilled with the start of this cinematic universe. I personally enjoyed Man of Steel, even though some people argued that Superman was too moody and depressing. That film was followed by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and fans as well did not react to well to that movie either. I have parts I like about the movie and other parts I can’t stand. I did not like the portrayal of Lex Luthor and how they forced Doomsday into the movie. Suicide Squad had its issues, and many people seemed to give up on DC Comics setting up this expanded-cinematic-universe. Many fans saw Wonder Woman as the last chance for this cinematic universe to work and finally give us a movie in this universe that blows audiences away with action, story, and character development.
Cinephellas 