ELSE
A mysterious disease that merges living beings with their physical surroundings leads to a lockdown. After a one-night stand, uptight and brilliant hypochondriac Anx and free-spirited, flighty Cassandre find themselves in forced cohabitation. This odd couple fills the hours dancing, having sex, walking down memory lane, and chatting with neighbors through the vents. When suddenly confronted by an attack inside the apartment, Anx and Cassandre’s survival mode turns into something entirely different. ELSE supplies the shivers to Screamfest 2024 audiences. Get ready for some serious weirdness.
Beautiful camera work has an immersive feel. Eccentric production design initially mirrors Anx’s graphic artist occupation, eventually morphing to match the ever-evolving circumstances of the disease. There is a Tim Burton/JimHenson-esque quality to the creature fx. A grotesque whimsy that makes it difficult to look away.
Matthieu Sampeur and Edith Proust give us magnificent performances. The script possesses a dark inevitably the longer they are together. Director Thibault Emin, alongside co-writers Alice Butaud and Emma Sandona, delivers a surprising link to childhood trauma in Anx. The existential aspect creeps up on you and burrows under your skin. The psychosexual element is bonkers. ELSE is a genre-obliterating love story.
2. The varying visual aspects are so cool, from the black and white to the halo effect. Those specificities keep the audience relatively grounded in Jack’s chaotic “space and time.” What did this storyboarding look like? With all the elements involved, I imagine it was a huge wall or an entire room.
4. Can you tell us about casting Kelly Marie, Chris, and Jack? Their chemistry is magic. Did you let them play with dialogue during the shoot?
5. The set is incredible. As a theatre nerd, it was immersive enough for the imagination to fill in the blanks and for the cast to play on. How did you decide on a unit set?
6. Would you and Nik consider a franchise with new characters? I would be the first person watching the interactions of other people’s minds swirling with what-ifs!
GHOST GAME
I have mad love for 
As an Autism Parent, Vienna Maas does a lovely job portraying Sam, a child on the spectrum. Writer Adam Cesare handles it with such care. I genuinely appreciated both the delicate touch and the representation, so cheers.
Aidan Hughes is hands down one of the best players in this ensemble. His chameleon shifting is bone-chilling. Kia Dorsey gives Laura a fearless passion. She begs your attention in the morally grey area she exists in. She effortlessly leads this large cast, and I look forward to whatever comes next. Casting directors, get your eyes on her ASAP.
Based on the 1957 stage play The Kitchen by Arnold Wesker, filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios brings LA COCINA to the big screen. This exquisite drama follows the staff at a restaurant in Times Square and the coordinated (and uncoordinated) chaos behind the scenes. It is a beautiful character study that will punch you in the gut.
SYNOPSIS: It’s the lunch rush at The Grill in Manhattan, and money has gone missing from the till. All the undocumented cooks are being investigated, and Pedro (Briones) is the prime suspect. He’s a dreamer and a troublemaker, and in love with Julia (Mara), an American waitress who cannot commit to a relationship. Rashid, The Grill´s owner, has promised to help Pedro with his papers so he can “become legal”. But a shocking revelation about Julia compels Pedro to spiral into an act that will stop the production line of one of the city’s busiest kitchens once and for all.
Stories from staff, families, and residents tell tales of daily transgressions that build over time, ranging from laundry, food choice, incontinence care, medication changes, falls, and worker burnout due to understaffing. The film utilizes beautiful, childlike drawings as transitions and storytelling devices. Cell phone videos of neglect will break your heart. Photos of resulting abuse may take your breath away.
Then COVID-19 and 2020 made things so much worse. Once their failures are exposed, the government protects nursing homes from lawsuits sighting the pandemic and loss of workers. In each case, once regulations appear, they apply only to staff and never to the corporations behind the individual homes. These workers are the essential piece of the puzzle between a new standard of care and honoring their relentless efforts to do the right thing. The film delves into racism, the reductive overview of the profession, the label “women’s work,” and how simple changes would make all the difference.
The corporate lawyers use vile tactics to diminish their role, often attacking the family members with shaming language. Melissa explains this by giving her clients mock cross-examination examples to emotionally prepare them for what is coming in litigation. Another way they try to determine litigation is to delay and then drown Melissa and her team in documents. By giving her the runaround, they hope she will give up. They don’t know Melissa Miller.
The personal connections between legislation and privatization will shock no one. STOLEN TIME lays it out for you. The systemic failure, profit over people, no regulatory oversight, long-term residents are unnecessarily suffering. STOLEN TIME is about accountability and justice. The goal is an overhaul of the system. When we say long-term care, the keyword should still be “Care.”
BAD GENIUS
What begins as a favor to one morphs into a financial opportunity for Lynn. Using her staggering math skills, Lynn initially creates a secret code to pass test answers to a small group of acquaintances. As the scheme grows, so does the danger. The stakes get even higher when the SATs come around. Lynn must recruit help from the only other student needing tuition funds. A borderline insane plan comes with a price tag bigger than any dollar amount.
This cast is fantastic. Benedict Wong plays Lynn’s hardworking widower father. He is a lovely addition to the film. Performances from Jabari Banks and Callina Liang are the anchors. Banks delivers vulnerable energy that perfectly mirrors his character’s backstory. Liang effortlessly leads, giving Lynn a slick confidence from start to finish. Focusing on a whip-smart female lead is a winning strategy.
The script begs the broader question, “Why should three hours on a Saturday morning determine the rest of our lives?” In a system that is entirely rigged by and for the wealthy, why not beat them at their own game? Some systems deserve to break. BAD GENIUS will captivate audiences who have testing PTSD and parents who know it’s coming for their kids. It boasts a deliciously satisfying finale. Tens across the board. A must-see.
Shadowland’s initial 38 minutes drag with long, meandering shots, particularly of Iranon (“chaos magician) doing what I would lovingly refer to as “witchy shit.” As a self-professed spooky girl, I mean no disrespect by that term. Frankly, it’s narratively monotonous.
Stanley’s response is to call the women hysterical and spew conspiracy theories rather than take accountability for his actions. Iranon reenters the fray to detail when he discovers Richard’s allegations and their ensuing physical confrontation. It’s damning.
As a contrary view, Richard’s sycophant protege and priestess, Anaiya, believes that baptism will cleanse his past. Witnessing these women embrace him feels icky. It is challenging to know if her intentions are pure or an act. But Anaiya’s journey does not end there.
Joseph Sims-Dennett brings BAAL to Beyond Fest 2024. Upon hearing the news of her father’s death, Grace finds her estranged brother missing from their hometown. Following a strange lead and ignoring the ominous warnings from her remaining family members, she takes a journey into the wilderness, only to be tested mentally, physically, and spiritually in the worst ways possible. 
BAAL explores the devastating effects of unresolved trauma and guilt. As the film ended, I found myself scratching and shaking my head. Even after the final scene, I am unsure what was real and what wasn’t. I have so many questions. Sims-Dennett combines multiple tropes but never quite makes a cohesive product.
Saoirse Ronan narrates the constant temptation in scientific terms while scenes of alcoholic behavior play against her words. Rona’s work in rehab is beautifully juxtaposed with her nature work in Orkney. This narrative device becomes a repeated reprieve from her reality. It feels poetic.
Saoirse Ronan is spectacular, delivering a raw portrait of a fractured and flawed woman. Rona is incredibly lonely, seeking genuine human connection. When drunk, she is emotionally abusive. Saoirse explores every facet of sickness and redemption. It is a nuanced turn. Give her an Oscar already.
GIRL INTERNET SHOW: A KATI KELLI MIXTAPE
Kelli is a star. She has that sardonic wit you see in Aubrey Plaza. Frankly, if you told me they were blood relatives, I would accept that as fact. Also, it’s impossible to ignore how stunning she is.
The film ends with Kati’s short film, finished three days before her passing. The subject is both ironic and eerie. Going in with the understanding that Kati is no longer with us weighs heavy in the back of your mind. Knowing what a massive star she was and how much bigger she could have been leaves a sting, but GIRL INTERNET SHOW: A Kati Kelli Mixtape celebrates an artist in all her magnificence. It’s an unforgettable film. Kelli lives forever, an eternal celluloid angel. She flies.
For all things Fantastic Fest 2024, 
A MISTAKE
Christine Jeffs writes, directs, and produces the adaptation of the best-selling novel by Carl Shuker, A MISTAKE. The film follows Dr. Elizabeth Taylor, a teaching surgeon whose resident falters during a routine cut. The script jumps right into the case in question. The next morning’s death of the patient begins an avalanche of questions, accusations, and steering misogyny. We witness the systematic attempt at taking down a successful female surgeon who challenges power.
Elizabeth Banks starts as a confident and calming presence in the OR. Amid the chaos, Banks walks a tightrope of mothering Richard through his doubts and defending her skills and judgment. As circumstances spiral, her protective, almost cold exterior begins to crack, and mistakes manifest outside the hospital. One scene with a dog will bring you to tears and puts Banks’s character on the other side of loss. It’s a subtly powerful performance.
The cinematography, especially the quiet moments, has an emotional impact. Jeffs masterfully captures the nuance of being a woman, particularly in any position of power. Words and actions somehow have an entirely different meaning if you are female. Jeffs highlights the infuriating double standards. A MISTAKE delves into the wildly erratic medical field, the human element of playing God, and noble pursuits.
Zach Galifianakis is Reality’s activist-minded father, Ron. He plays a proud papa with a brilliant mind and passion for justice. The apple did not fall far. Galifianakis brings the sass in all the right ways. Connie Britton is Mom Billie Winner-Davis, someone I greatly admire. I followed her on social media once the story broke, urging others to retweet and signing petitions for the Biden administration to pardon Reality. Britton delivers a pitch-perfect performance as a Texas mother with the typical priorities before Reality’s arrest.
It’s an entire hour before we even touch on the infamous Russia document. The front end of the film gives us foundational reasons to root for Winner. Fogel skillfully injects humor into a story that appears authentically absurd from any sane outsider’s perspective. Jones’ narration sets the tone for the entire film. If you know Reality’s story, you understand what an indisputable hero she is. How this story got buried as quickly as it did will never cease to baffle me. 
SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON
Director Reema Kagti brings TIFF ’24 audiences a dramatized version of the 2008 documentary Supermen of Malegaon. The film begins in 1997 and follows aspiring amateur filmmaker Nasir Shaikh and fellow hometown artists in Malegaon, India. SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON is a story of small-town dreams coming true. Get ready to feel all the feels.
Frida Kempff brings TIFF 2024 audiences the true story of Sally Bauer, a single mother attempting to swim the English Channel in 1939. THE SWEDISH TORPEDO is a unique and multilayered sports docudrama. It will take you by surprise. 
Omari Douglas, Arthur Darvill, and Harriet Walter are perfectly cast. Each delivers a memorable performance. Colin Hanks gives Nathan an effortless sweetness so desperately needed in the circumstances. Susan Wokoma plays Gemma’s best friend, Ruth. She is a glorious balance of sense and sass. Billie Lourd is Nathan’s sister, Audrey. She’s flighty, fearless, and passionate. 
Aisling Bea is endlessly hysterical playing the straight woman to Lourd’s outlandishness. Her accessible nature makes you want to be her best friend. You are buying what she is selling. Lourd and Bea share a chemistry that is magic. I’d love to see a film of Wokoma, Lourd, and Bea doing anything together. 
Screenwriter Melissa Bubnic utilizes flashbacks to solidify the emotional stronghold between Gemma and Nathan. The editing is essential here. Reisinger gives audiences a unique examination of grief, love, and family. AND MRS is a romcom that is one-of-a-kind, built upon a surprising complexity. “Love waits for no one.” 
Ps-stick around for the credits. You won’t regret it.
Kim Ho-jung is magnificent. Sara’s journey spans motherhood, friendship, sleuthing, romance, and identity. Ho-jung embodies silliness, anxiety, boldness, and worldly naivete. She masters each moment with ceaseless charm. She is a star.
In Luna Carmoon‘s debut, HOARD, it is 1984, and Cynthia and Maria live a trying existence. Mom is a hoarder with chaotic mood shifts. Maria exists in freefall, never knowing when she’ll be bullied or exposed to inappropriate scenarios. An accident leads to foster care. In 1994, teenage Maria latches onto a visitor and former foster as he attempts to tap into her unresolved grief and trauma.
Hayley Squires delivers authentic emotional distress. Hoarding is a trauma response and, often, a mental illness. Squires slides into that skin with astonishing ease. Her highs and lows are captivating.
Her and Quinn’s chemistry is glorious. Their unfiltered bond fascinates from start to finish. Together, their animalistic instincts create a healing trauma bond like no other.
Sook-Yin Lee
Joseph Kahn
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