Category Archives: BUFF (Boston Underground Film Festival)

BUFF23 capsule review: ‘THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER’ is a brutal and biting social commentary.

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THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER

Desensitized to death by gang violence in her neighborhood and her family, Vicaria chooses science as her savior. “If death is a disease. Then there’s a cure.” In this modern take on Frankenstein, writer-director Bomani J Story brings BUFF 2023 audiences a bold reclamation of power.

Laya DeLeon Hayes is magnificent as Vicaria. Love and success are her motivators. She battles microaggression and blatant racism from every direction. Hayes owns every frame.

The practical fx and special effects makeup are as visceral as they should be. Hayes fearlessly handles the material with glee. The writing is unflinching. It’s a gutsy, hell yes script, socially and psychologically, tackling police violence on black bodies, socioeconomic pain, and family. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is a brutal but brilliant watch.

RLJE will release the film in theaters this summer.

Shudder and ALLBLK will follow with streaming debuts later in 2023.

BUFF 2023 review: It’s the battle of the narcissists in Kristoffer Borgli’s ‘SICK OF MYSELF’

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SICK OF MYSELF

Not to be outdone by her narcissistic boyfriend, Signe manufactures drama to remain in the spotlight. The couple is absolute fraud who will do anything for attention. Their toxicity is contagious, figuratively speaking. When Signe finds that she receives less attention, she goes to drastic lengths to reclaim it.

The line between fantasy and reality blurs often enough to keep you guessing. This unhinged story of mental illness is undeniably shocking. Even more surprising is the message of disability treatment. Writer-director Kristoffer Borgli manages to weave this aspect into the story, if only briefly, before returning to the root of Signe’s narcissism. The special effects makeup team gives audiences a progressively evolving visual of Signe’s condition. It is eye-catching work. Costumes and color schemes noticeably pop, reminding us that this is a comedy.

Kristine Kujath Thorp is magnificent as Signe. Her ability to cry on cue serves the character at any given moment. Her self-absorption knows no bounds, and Thorp leans into obsessive and damaging behavior like a pro. Her performance feels effortless.

SICK OF MYSELF becomes a girl who cried wolf story. Through her self-mutilating plot, Signe is her worst enemy. But an addict only has two choices; feed the need or get better. A scathing takedown of self-aggrandizing behavior, this film is a must-see at BUFF 2023.

Boston Underground Film Festival 2023

BUFF23 review: ‘MISTER ORGAN’ is a terrifying and infuriating story of a con man.

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MISTER ORGAN

Journalist David Farrier takes audiences on a baffling five-year story that began as a car park scam that swiftly became the investigation into the chase of a professional con man. Michael Organ is a master manipulator, a gaslighter, a world twister, and a terrifying person. He can spot a victim in an instant. He is an evil parasite.

Farrier is fearless. He faces the monster head-on by inviting Michael to participate in the investigation under the guise of a documentary. Feigning dumb, Farrier allows Organ to blow smoke, knowing full well that every word is a lie. Weaving in interviews with a barrage of former roommates and targets in between, most of whom are terrified to show their faces in fear of retaliation. We see a picture of a devious man doing as he pleases to intimidate everyone.

Organ’s favorite thing is to hear the sound of his voice. He is a sociopath. He reminds me of Trump. Farrier’s ability to sit in on the long conversations astounds me. We feel his palpable exhaustion, confusion, and frustration. Digging into Organ’s family, Farrier hits a wall. No one wants to talk. Will this con artist ever see real consequences? David Farrier sums the experience up for the audience. “Michael Organ is a black hole, and I’ve fallen in.” BUFF23 audiences are not ready for the madness.

BOSTON UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL 2023

BUFF 2023 review: ‘SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING’ is Quentin Dupieux at his finest.

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SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING

Keep an Eye Out and Incredible But True director and master of the absurd, Quentin Dupieux, brings his latest film, SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING, to BUFF 2023 audiences. A brilliant bait-and-switch, this bizarre superhero team film is not what it seems.

Structured as a deranged knockoff of the Power Rangers, the film follows the superhero crew Tobacco Force. Ordered to go on retreat to recharge their relationship, their Chief, a scrawny puppet akin to TMNT Master Splinter, warns them of the ultimate intergalactic evil. Within the larger narrative, the film soon pivots to a campfire story anthology, each tale wilder than the last. Murder, mayhem, an industrial accident, and forbidden love all mix in Dupieux’s most bizarre film yet.

Quentin Dupieux’s style screams off the screen. You never know what weirdness comes next. He makes it a habit of pushing the envelope. The limit does not exist in his dialogue. Jokes often go on for longer than the audience expects. That is quintessential Dupieux. SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING is yet another over-the-top entry, and BUFF23 audiences are in for an unforgettable time. Heads up, stick around for the credits.

BOSTON UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL 2023

BUFF 2023 review: Kirby McClure’s ‘SPAGHETTI JUNCTION’ is sci-fi meets family drama.

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SPAGHETTI JUNCTION

August lives with her troublemaker sister and a father stuck in mourning. Navigating the world with a newfound physical disability, she discovers a mysterious traveler needing her help. Filmmaker Kirby McClure brings BUFF23 audiences an otherworldly story of belonging with SPAGHETTI JUNCTION.

With music by HEALTH and the constant din of cicadas, an overarching ominous feeling follows August from start to finish. The lighting plays a beautiful role, from sunsets to firelight, natural light to pink hues surrounding Shiny. DP Kristian Zuniga creates a dizzying and awe-inspiring perspective with a mix of drone and handheld camerawork.

Eleanore Miechkowski plays Shiny with manic energy. She is perfectly loathsome, and that is a compliment. Jesse Gallegos is Antonio. His entire aura is punchable but perfect.

Cameron McHarg plays August’s father with equal parts empathy and fury. His performance brings the story back down to Earth (pun intended). Tyler Rainey is The Traveller. I could not keep my eyes off him. His theater training serves this role perfectly.

Cate Hughes plays August with a grounded curiosity and natural delivery. From beat to beat, her ability to adapt is breathtaking. She’s a star. Her chemistry with Rainey creates an undeniably captivating emotional journey.

The script is complex. I have so many questions. Breaking it down to its most basic concept, two wounded souls seek a tranquil existence. The further into the story, the more intriguing. So much so that I exclaimed, “Oh, shit!” at one unexpected revelation. SPAGHETTI JUNCTION might fair better as a limited series, but there is much to explore in McClure’s creation, and surely enough to grab viewers’ attention.

BOSTON UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL 2023

BUFF 2023 review: ‘THE UNHEARD’ takes sensory overload to the extreme.

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THE UNHEARD

Jeffrey A Brown  (The Beach House) brings B7FF 2023 audiences THE UNHEARD. The film follows Chloe, a young deaf woman who undergoes an experimental treatment to restore her hearing. While recuperating at her family’s beach house, auditory hallucinations and family secrets haunt her. Writers Michael and Shawn Rasmussen explore the impact of sound in everyday life through a series of heartache and small-town mystery.

Disability recognition and accessibility weren’t something I gave too much energy to until my son was diagnosed with ASD. I’ve found myself an advocate these past seven years, bringing attention to neurodiversity and education. THE UNHEARD gives audiences a taste of living with a disability in a straightforward and equally creative way. The Rasmussens understood the assignment and heightened the issue with a supernatural thriller.

Brendan Meyer (The Friendship Game) plays Joshua with a gentle approach. He deserves more screen time. Lachlan Watson (Only The Good Survive) is sensational. They handle the physical and emotional weight like a pro, weaving in and out of pain, fear, and curiosity at any moment.

The Unheard has meticulous sound editing. The silence places us into the mindset of Chloe. It is jarring at first but draws your attention to everything minute detail. You find yourself more cognisant of every noise. THE UNHEARD boasts clever cinematography, subconsciously building a claustrophobic environment with tight shots and the alarmingly quiet Cape Cod off-season location. It’s a slow-burn mystery that puts you through the wringer. BUFF 2023 audiences got an all-sensory experience, and Shudder subscribers are in for something unnerving.

THE UNHEARD streams on SHUDDER on March 31st.

BOSTON UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL 2023

BUFF 2023 review: ‘STAND BY FOR FAILURE: A NEGATIVLAND DOCUMENTARY’ walks a brilliant tightrope between art and culture.

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STAND BY FOR FAILURE: A NEGATIVLAND DOCUMENTARY

BUFF 2023 documentary feature STAND BY FOR FAILURE is an acid trip in creativity. An explosion of overlapping media and audio, jump cuts, and dissolves are mind-bending. Filmmaker Ryan Worsley takes us on a journey through Willy Wonka’s creepy ass tunnel whether or not we want to ride. Welcome to the world of Negativland.

David Wills, Don Joyce, Ian Allen, Tim Maloney, Chris Grigg, Mark Hosler, Peter Dayton, Jon Leidecker, Mark Gergis, Peter Conheim, and Richard Lyons embrace creativity to make things that have never existed before. Mixing home videos, commercial clips, photographs, and creative sound editing of everyday items like a toilet flush, Negativland comes to life. Beginning in 1980, bizarre albums and a radio show with live on-air mixing caught an unexpected audience’s attention. A lawsuit with U2 over some cover art got them a different kind of attention. Negativland turned that into a book. These guys are smart. Negativland exposes the intersection of culture and profit.

Immaculate editing from Worsley wows from the very first frame. The film includes videos from their live stage shows and studio time. It is fascinating to witness their genius in real-time. The film slyly reveals how the media sculpts our perception of life. You might not immediately realize how relevant the film is today. David Wills’ ramblings teeter on the edge of madness and insanity. Are we witnessing an unstable person’s stream of consciousness or an artist holding a mirror up to society? Who’s to say? As a whole, the band, and the film, are unafraid to cross the line and blow your mind.

As a theatre kid, a singer in a ska band, a podcaster, a writer, and a general weirdo, the film is tailor-made for my sensibilities. It is hypnotizing. It deserves a watch in IMAX or a planetarium. For maximum effect, it should show in every modern art museum. STAND BY FOR FAILURE: A NEGATIVLAND DOCUMENTARY is an undisputed must-see.

Boston Underground Film Festival 2023

Capsule review: Inspired by actual events, ‘NITRAM’ is a gripping tale of inevitable violence.

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NITRAM

SYNOPSIS: Nitram (Caleb Landry Jones) lives with his mother (Judy Davis) and father (Anthony LaPaglia) in suburban Australia in the Mid 1990s. He lives a life of isolation and frustration at never being able to fit in. That is until he unexpectedly finds a close friend in a reclusive heiress, Helen (Essie Davis). However, when that relationship meets a tragic end, and Nitram’s loneliness and anger grow, he begins a slow descent that leads to disaster.

Witness the downward spiral of an already unwell young man as he slowly travels down the rabbit hole of complete darkness. When Nitram finally connects with a reclusive heiress named Helen, his world appears brighter. Helen provides the comfort and emotional shelter his parents could not. When the sadness becomes too much, his anger and anxiety manifest in violence and unfathomable tragedy. Inspired by actual events, NITRAM tells the story of one man’s undoing, changing Australia’s history forever. 

Caleb Landry Jones embodies the mentally fragile Nitram with his entire being. It’s no wonder he won Best Actor when the film premiered at Cannes last year. Jones’ uncanny ability to live in the skin of his character is something you don’t see often. He’s on another level, whether that be his voiceover work in Finch or his haunting performance in Antiviral. Alongside stellar performances from Judy Davis and Anthony LaPaglia as Nitram’s emotionally exhausted parents and a breathtaking turn from Essie Davis, NITRAM is an eerie chronicling of inevitable implosion.

IFC Films will release the thriller/drama NITRAM in Theaters, on Digital Rental and AMC+ on March 30, 2022.

Directed by Justin Kurzel (TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG, SNOWTOWN MURDERS, MACBETH) and written by Shaun Grant (TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG, BERLIN SYNDROME), NITRAM stars Caleb Landry Jones (THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI, GET OUT, HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT), Essie Davis (THE BABADOOK, TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG), Oscar Nominee Judy Davis (HUSBANDS AND WIVES, BARTON FINK, NAKED LUNCH), and Anthony LaPaglia (EMPIRE RECORDS, WITHOUT A TRACE).

 

BUFF 2022 capsule review: Creature feature ‘HATCHING’ takes growing pains in a horrifying direction.

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HATCHING

Tinja exists in a world where her mother expects perfection. Subconsciously, she seeks to replace her lack of affection. When she stumbles upon a strange abandoned egg, she decides she will nurture it. When things go awry, Mother has created a monster.

There’s no denying Hatching is a metaphor for puberty. Physical and emotional changes in Tinja are tied directly to the creature. As terror, anxiety, and jealousy intensify, so does Hatching’s horror. Our leading lady, Siiri Solalinna, is nothing short of extraordinary. She’s vulnerable, grounded, and fearless. It’s an astounding performance.

The creature design is reminiscent of something that might come out of the Wētā Workshop from Jim Henson‘s team. Its evolution is fascinating. It manages to be shockingly grotesque and yet adorable. If you’re a fan of Labyrinth or The Dark Crystal, you’ll especially appreciate the aesthetic. Hatching is a unique and terrifying journey. It’s one of the most emotionally brutal scripts of the year. BUFF 2022 fans are in for one hell of a film. 

IFC Midnight releases HATCHING in theaters April 29th and on VOD everywhere you rent movies May 17th.

Starring: Siiri Solalinna, Sophia Heikkilä, Jani Volanen, Reino Nordin

Directed By: Hanna Bergholm

Synopsis: 12-year-old Tinja is desperate to please her mother, a woman obsessed with presenting the image of a perfect family. One night, Tinja finds a strange egg. What hatches is beyond belief.

To find out more about BUFF22, click here!

BUFF 2022 capsule review: Playground dynamics get ramped up in ‘THE INNOCENTS.’ It’s pure good vs evil.

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THE INNOCENTS

Synopsis: During the bright Nordic summer, a group of children reveal their dark and mysterious powers when the adults aren’t looking.

“With great power comes great responsibility.” A group of children in an apartment complex realizes they have a strange and often dangerous bond. They possess otherworldly powers. As the connection between the children grows, so too do their abilities. The Innocents plays like a mysterious superhero and villain origin story.

The complexity of The Innocents is endless. This young cast carries a heavy emotional weight. They delighted and terrified me. The evolution of this dark sci-fi narrative gave me full-body goosebumps. The volatility of young feelings is on an entirely uncharted plain. What these characters do with their power speaks to the purity of good and evil. Look for an extraordinary turn from Alva Brynsmo Ramstad as Anna. It’s pure wow. BUFF 22 audiences, get ready for one hell of a showdown. 

US Release Date: May 13, 2022

Starring: Rakel Lenora Fløttum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Sam Ashraf

Directed By: Eskil Vogt

To learn more about BUFF 22, click here!