
The Final Girls (2015)
by Sara Michelle Fetters - October 9th, 2015 - Movie ReviewsThe Final Girls isn’t the first film to utilize a movie-within-a-movie scenario where the main characters discover themselves on the other side of the celluloid screen, but that doesn’t make it any less inventive. Working as both an irreverent, giggly eccentric homage to the ‘80s slasher movie craze as well as a solid little scare flick in its own right, it’s the somewhat surprising poignant maturity and warmth at the center of this lunacy that makes this anarchic hybrid memorable.
The Final Girls isn’t the first film to utilize a movie-within-a-movie scenario where the main characters discover themselves on the other side of the celluloid screen, but that doesn’t make it any less inventive. Working as both an irreverent, giggly eccentric homage to the ‘80s slasher movie craze as well as a solid little scare flick in its own right, it’s the somewhat surprising poignant maturity and warmth at the center of this lunacy that makes this anarchic hybrid memorable.

Goodnight Mommy (2015)
by Sara Michelle Fetters - October 9th, 2015 - Film Festivals Movie ReviewsIncredibly well made, freakishly evocative and unsettling, this terrifying psychological drama left me so shaken when it was over I was close to aghast as to what it was I had just witnessed. While [Goodnight Mommy] is remarkable, I found I didn’t want to talk about it with anyone let alone write down my thoughts on paper, writer/directors Severin Fialaa and Veronika Franz doing such a grand job scaring my psyche all I really wanted to do was go home, climb into bed in a fetal position and hope I didn’t have nightmares.
Incredibly well made, freakishly evocative and unsettling, this terrifying psychological drama left me so shaken when it was over I was close to aghast as to what it was I had just witnessed. While [Goodnight Mommy] is remarkable, I found I didn’t want to talk about it with anyone let alone write down my thoughts on paper, writer/directors Severin Fialaa and Veronika Franz doing such a grand job scaring my psyche all I really wanted to do was go home, climb into bed in a fetal position and hope I didn’t have nightmares.

Pan (2015)
by Sara Michelle Fetters - October 9th, 2015 - Movie ReviewsWright has reimagined Barrie’s world, given it a special imprint only he could have manufactured. None of which makes the resulting misfire good, let alone worthwhile, but it does make it fascinating, Pan (2015) the type of fearless failure only a director of consummate skill and vision par excellence could have delivered with such a resounding thud.
Wright has reimagined Barrie’s world, given it a special imprint only he could have manufactured. None of which makes the resulting misfire good, let alone worthwhile, but it does make it fascinating, Pan (2015) the type of fearless failure only a director of consummate skill and vision par excellence could have delivered with such a resounding thud.

Time Out of Mind (2015)
by Sara Michelle Fetters - October 9th, 2015 - Film Festivals Movie ReviewsGiving a tour de force performance unlike just ab out any other in his career, Gere is the chief reason writer/director Oren Moverman’s (Rampart) latest Time Out of Mind is worthy of a look. A totally immersive descent into invisibility, George is the definition of a lost soul who refuses to admit he’s vanished off of society’s radar.
Giving a tour de force performance unlike just ab out any other in his career, Gere is the chief reason writer/director Oren Moverman’s (Rampart) latest Time Out of Mind is worthy of a look. A totally immersive descent into invisibility, George is the definition of a lost soul who refuses to admit he’s vanished off of society’s radar.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – Collector’s Edition
by Sara Michelle Fetters - October 4th, 2015 - Blu-ray and DVDFree from expectation, away from all the hullabaloo that surrounded it back in May during its initial release, Avengers: Age of Ultron ends up working far better at home than I honestly expected it to…[It] isn’t a great superhero epic, but is oftentimes an exceedingly entertaining one, and in the end that’s perfectly fine by me.
Free from expectation, away from all the hullabaloo that surrounded it back in May during its initial release, Avengers: Age of Ultron ends up working far better at home than I honestly expected it to…[It] isn’t a great superhero epic, but is oftentimes an exceedingly entertaining one, and in the end that’s perfectly fine by me.

Insidious Chapter 3 (2015)
by Sara Michelle Fetters - October 4th, 2015 - Blu-ray and DVDI am not the biggest cheerleader for the Insidious franchise, my issues with the first two chapters in this trilogy fairly well known. Still, Chapter 3 isn’t too bad, breaking both the prequel curse as well as cracking through my relative indifference to this series with reasonably decent force.
I am not the biggest cheerleader for the Insidious franchise, my issues with the first two chapters in this trilogy fairly well known. Still, Chapter 3 isn’t too bad, breaking both the prequel curse as well as cracking through my relative indifference to this series with reasonably decent force.

Deathgasm (2015)
by Sara Michelle Fetters - October 4th, 2015 - Film Festivals Movie ReviewsOne cannot watch Deathgasm without thinking that writer/director Jason Lei Howden isn’t just a big time lover of old school, 1980s-style heavy metal, but also a passionate devotee of filmmakers like Tobe Hooper, Sam Raimi, Stuart Gordon, Peter Jackson and Edgar Wright. Not only is his debut a deft, dare I say joyous homage to the music he undoubtedly adores, but it’s a deliciously energetic and gory romp through monster, zombie and demon tropes so rambunctious it’s as if the whole thing was engineered from the start to be a rollicking love letter to the entire genre.
One cannot watch Deathgasm without thinking that writer/director Jason Lei Howden isn’t just a big time lover of old school, 1980s-style heavy metal, but also a passionate devotee of filmmakers like Tobe Hooper, Sam Raimi, Stuart Gordon, Peter Jackson and Edgar Wright. Not only is his debut a deft, dare I say joyous homage to the music he undoubtedly adores, but it’s a deliciously energetic and gory romp through monster, zombie and demon tropes so rambunctious it’s as if the whole thing was engineered from the start to be a rollicking love letter to the entire genre.

We Are Still Here (2015)
by Sara Michelle Fetters - October 3rd, 2015 - Blu-ray and DVDWe Are Still Here is pretty terrific. Freakishly well made, filled with a number of signature moments, director Ted Geoghegan’s film is both delectable homage to past horror greats as well as a new genre entry sure that delightfully stands on its own merits. I love this movie. Watch it at once.
We Are Still Here is pretty terrific. Freakishly well made, filled with a number of signature moments, director Ted Geoghegan’s film is both delectable homage to past horror greats as well as a new genre entry sure that delightfully stands on its own merits. I love this movie. Watch it at once.

The Martian (2015)
by Sara Michelle Fetters - October 2nd, 2015 - Movie ReviewsFilled with stellar visuals courtesy of cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (The Walk), production designer Arthur Max (The Counselor) and a passel of exceedingly talented special effects technicians, centered around a funny, personable and altogether human performance from Damon ranking as one of his all-time best, [The Martian’s] 141 minutes breeze by in the blink of an eye, building to a confidently rousing finale that’s simply out of this world.
Filled with stellar visuals courtesy of cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (The Walk), production designer Arthur Max (The Counselor) and a passel of exceedingly talented special effects technicians, centered around a funny, personable and altogether human performance from Damon ranking as one of his all-time best, [The Martian’s] 141 minutes breeze by in the blink of an eye, building to a confidently rousing finale that’s simply out of this world.