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‘Spin Me Round’ Takes Us On Absurdly Comic Trip to Italy (Review)

26Aug

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Features, Film, Reviews

‘Spin Me Round’ Takes Us On Absurdly Comic Trip to Italy (Review)

In Jeff Baena's new indie comedy 'Spin Me Round,' a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity turns out to be a ridiculously bad idea. Alison Brie ('Community') stars as Amber, the longtime manager at the Bakersfield, California location of an Italian restaurant chain called Tuscan Grove. At one point she had quit to start her her own restaurant with a boyfriend. He ended up driving the business into the ground and destroying her credit, so she comes back to sling salads and breadsticks. Alison Brie and Aubrey Plaza star in 'Spin Me Round' (IFC Films) As Amber returns to a kitchen that mostly heats things up in a microwave and uses pre-made sauces out of plastic bags, a silver lining appears. She wins an all-expenses-paid trip to Tuscan Grove's luxurious "institute" outside of Florence, Ita...

‘Happening’ is a Searing Reminder of Life Before Roe v. Wade (Review)

10May

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Features, Film, Reviews

‘Happening’ is a Searing Reminder of Life Before Roe v. Wade (Review)

'Happening,' released by IFC Films from director Audrey Diwan, could have just been an emotionally charged look back at what life was like for women when abortion was illegal. This 1960's-set drama stands poised to be not just be a look back at the past. It's also a terrifying look into what the future may hold in America if the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. Wade. Louise Orry-Diquéro, Anamaria Vartolomei, and Luàna Bajrami in 'Happening' (IFC Films) Based on a True Story 'Happening' takes place in 1963-era France. Based on Annie Ernaux’s semi-autobiographical novel, Anamaria Vartolomei gives a César award-winning performance as Anne, a vibrant young Literature student. Her life becomes derailed after a one-night stand leads to pregnancy. Diwan divides the film up into...

‘The Novice’ is a Tightly Wound Tale of Obsession (Review)

21Dec

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

‘The Novice’ is a Tightly Wound Tale of Obsession (Review)

Sometimes you watch a directorial debut and you find it hard to believe it was created by a first time filmmaker. Lauren Hadaway's thrilling debut feature is a shining example of this. It probably helps to craft a story that is inspired by your own life. Hadaway was a competitive collegiate rower and "The Novice" tells the story of Alex ("Orphan" star Isabelle Fuhrman), a college freshman who joins the rowing team and becomes obsessed with rising up the ranks. It's highly unusual for a freshman to be anywhere near the varsity team, but Alex's determination and laser-sharp focus finds her sidelining friends, classes, and romantic relationships in order to succeed against upperclassman competition. Fuhrman's performance is striking and borderline terrifying. We've all known somebo...

‘The Beta Test’ is a Razor Sharp Satire With No Strings Attached (Review)

5Nov

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

‘The Beta Test’ is a Razor Sharp Satire With No Strings Attached (Review)

In the opening scene of "The Beta Test," viewers witness the graphic murder of a young woman in a domestic violence incident. It sets a very dark tone for the film and foreshadows some elements of the storyline but shifts directions relatively quickly after the opening credits. We're introduced to Jordan (Jim Cummings, "Thunder Road," "The Wolf of Snow Hollow"), an anxious Hollywood agent battling a stressful job, a painful ulcer, and a fiancée named Caroline (Virginia Newcomb) who he is just weeks away from marrying. A routine visit to the mailbox kicks Jordan's storyline into full gear. He gets a letter in a purple envelope, addressed to him with golden calligraphy and featuring no return address. Inside is an invitation to come to a local hotel room for an anonymous and "no strin...

Creativity, Loss, and Passion Collide in “Bergman Island” (Review)

15Oct

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

Creativity, Loss, and Passion Collide in “Bergman Island” (Review)

In her English-language debut, French director Mia Hansen-Løve utilizes the inspiration of Ingmar Bergman to tell two stories in one. Both take place on the Baltic island of Faro, not far off the northern coast of Sweden. Bergman first went there in 1960 while scouting locations for "Through a Glass Darkly." He ended up shooting multiple feature films and two documentaries there and ended up building a house where he lived with Liv Ullmann. Chris (Vicky Krieps) and Tony (Tim Roth) are two American filmmakers who head to Faro on a creative pilgrimage. They are not married, but have a young daughter at home, so they've escaped to work on their separate screenplays and be inspired by the land that Bergman loved dearly. They stay in the home where "Scenes From A Marriage" was filmed...

St. Vincent Checks in to “The Nowhere Inn” (Review)

14Sep

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Music, Reviews

St. Vincent Checks in to “The Nowhere Inn” (Review)

The evolution of Annie Clark as a musician has been pretty incredible to watch over the years. From the quieter introspection of her 2007 debut album "Marry Me" to the full-on glam rock persona she has taken on more recently, she has become an award-winning artist recording as St. Vincent. Despite the acclaim and a rabid fan base, she isn't exactly a household name. That's where the fun begins in "The Nowhere Inn," a film that begins with Clark in the back of a limousine. The driver rolls down the window to make sure she knows that he's never heard of her and then calls his son and puts him on speakerphone to make sure it's clear that they don't really believe she's famous because they've never heard of her. Director Bill Benz ("Portlandia") helps bring this wild mockumentary to lif...

Tribeca 2021: “Werewolves Within” (Review)

22Jun

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

Tribeca 2021: “Werewolves Within” (Review)

It takes a very careful balance to create a successful horror comedy film. If you want to expand beyond genre lovers, you need a strong cast of characters and a way to still have some impactful scares and enough laughter to lighten the mood along the way. Mishna Wolff (with her first screenplay) and director Josh Ruben have very loosely adapted a multiplayer Ubisoft VR game from 2016 where a town is being attacked by a werewolf and the players have to figure out if one of their own is the culprit. The residents of Beaverfield are a motley crew and they don't seem to get along too well. A proposed gas pipeline coming through town is only dividing them further. Enter Finn (Sam Richardson, "Veep," "Detroiters") - a forest ranger who is brand new to the community. He is a genuinel...