Directed by Nick McAnulty and Brian Allan Stewart, this found footage shocker, Capture Kill Release, seems like a natural progression in the tradition of films such as “The Honeymoon Killers” and “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.” Combining strong performances, a wicked script, and an appropriately dreadful atmosphere, it’s a worthwhile entry into a sub-genre…
Tax law is hardly a prepossessing topic for a comedy. Perhaps it could be the backdrop for a dour thriller or a piece of social realism, or even form the basis of a cheeky caper about slyly slipping through cracks and besting the system. But a sweet comedy about an average Joe completely baffled by…
Unless your name is James Nguyen (the man responsible for treasures like “Birdemic 2: The Resurrection”), it’s difficult to laugh at a terrible movie on a shoestring budget. The temptation is to look for the silver linings, the more admirable qualities of what, frankly, looks like a disaster in pixels. Who doesn’t want to be…
Some beautiful aerial photography of Napa Valley is the strongest asset of Decanted, a leisurely paced, reverent look at a handful of winemakers in that famous region of California. If you’re interested in how, or why, a person would start a winery in this competitive industry, then you may find something more to like in…
In Havenhurst, a recovering alcoholic takes up residence in a Gothic apartment building in an effort to locate her missing friend, herself an addict, and finds a rabbit hole worthy of Lewis Carroll himself. The movie is truly effective at bringing the scares, with an atmosphere of unease and a typically amazing performance by Fionnula…
All of its potential and promise is thwarted by an incessant reliance on cliché. What’s left is a story that has nothing intriguing or ingenious to offer and so feels underwhelming from start to finish.
The first rule of a frightening film, as outlined in meta masterpieces like “The Cabin in the Woods” and “Scream,” is that in order to be punished, our protagonists must first transgress. Going somewhere they shouldn’t, engaging in nefarious activities, hurting another person (whether they meant to or not) . . . one or all…
