STAR PEOPLE
Adam Finberg‘s narrative feature debut, STAR PEOPLE, arrives to engross Dances With Films LA 2025 audiences. The film follows a photographer who receives a tip about the same strange lights she witnessed in childhood. But, a heatwave and tensions between unexpected guests threaten everything.
The archival news footage sets a brilliant tone for STAR PEOPLE. Combining alien hunting with an immigration story is incredibly clever and entirely seamless. Finberg brilliantly tackles racism and the sick practices of border coyotes and anti-immigration militants. Everything is high stakes as temperatures rise to deadly levels, and the chance to solve Claire and Taylor’s biggest childhood mystery seems less and less likely.
Connor Paolo plays influencer Justin with a precise amount of self-absorption. Similar to his performance in 13 Reasons Why, Paolo elevates his scene partners with his presence. You will love to hate him in this role. Eddie Martinez is the perfect foil for Paolo, playing the dedicated father, Ricardo. He is passionate and kind, leaving the audience in the shoes of a desperate parent.
McCabe Slye is Claire’s junkie brother Taylor. Slye is outstanding, tapping into Taylor’s manic PTSD like a pro. He steals every frame he’s in. Kat Cunning‘s Claire is desperately chasing answers from childhood. Her comfort in front of the camera is unmatched. She and Slye’s chemistry is movie magic.
Aiden Chapparone‘s cinematography is beautiful. Paired with a perfect synth-inspired score from Reza Safinia, each element complements the next. Claire’s visions are a mix of memories and nightmares. To piggyback on her condition, a theory 3/4 of the way through from the rather loathsome Justin is like a gut punch. You’re so emotionally invested in Claire’s arc that you hope he’s wrong.
STAR PEOPLE truly grabs you from the very first frame. It is a film for dreamers, cynics, and stargazers alike. Mulder was right. The truth is out there. STAR PEOPLE embraces humanity at its best and worst.
Star People Trailer:
WORLD PREMIERE
Directed and written by: Adam Finberg
Producers: Adam Finberg and Josh Shader
Starring: Actor and recording artist Kat Cunning (The Deuce, On Swift Horses), McCabe Slye (Destroyer, Fear Street Trilogy), Connor Paolo (The Last Stop in Yuma County, Revenge, Gossip Girl), Eddie Martinez (The Sinner, Night Swim), Bradley Fisher (Westworld), and Adriana Aluna Martinez (Duster).
Inspired by The Phoenix Lights, the largest mass UFO sighting in U.S. history, STAR PEOPLE is a sci-fi thriller that tells the story of a photographer (Kat Cunning) who receives a tip that could finally shed light on her childhood UFO sighting, but a deadly heatwave and unexpected guests threaten to derail her obsessive search for answers.
Adam Finberg (Writer/Director/Producer)
Adam Finberg grew up in Phoenix, Arizona,, and moved to Southern California to attend the American Film Institute’s directing program. He’s worked the past 20 years as a writer, director, and editor. Star People is his first feature-length narrative film.
Adam began his career directing music videos (Armin van Buuren, Malbec, Otis) before moving on to commercial work (Napoleon Perdis, GoDaddy). His first documentary, After Katrina: Rebuilding St. Bernard Parish, shined a light on the perils and pains of post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans.
His first feature documentary, The Business of Recovery, dove into the secret lucrative world of the American addiction treatment industry. The film was featured on Last Week Tonight With John Oliver as it sparked conversations about the rehab industry and was even showcased at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Washington, DC to help guide policy decisions.
Through the years, Adam has been a lead editor on numerous unscripted television shows on a variety of networks, including Discovery, WETV, The History Channel, Lifetime, MSNBC, History, TruTV, Oxygen, ABC, CMT, Showtime, VH1, and MTV.
Running Time: 103 Minutes
Language: English
Feature Film (USA, 2025)
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PINS AND NEEDLES
Filmmaker James Villeneuve brings audiences a creative thriller ripped straight from global science and technology headlines. In PINS AND NEEDLES, a diabetic biology grad student’s ride back to campus turns deadly when a flat tire finds her trapped with two diabolical biohackers. With her insulin running dangerously low, Max must figure out a way to escape and take down a couple of psychopaths in the process.
Max’s diabetic hallucinations are an incredibly creative way to use Daniel Gravelle and work out potential escape routes. Short and sweet fantasy sequences also keep your heart racing. I would have loved more of both. I do have a gripe about there being no food in the house. Emily and Frank very clearly live in the house, and there is not a single snack lying around. 
While Kate Corbett and Ryan MacDonald are sufficiently eccentric and evil as our whackjob “scientists,” PINS AND NEEDLES is 100% the Chelsea Clark show. She easily carries every scene with grace and ferocity while never going overboard. She is one to watch.
I loved the use of car keys, and women will cheer that shit on. Did I yell at the screen during the finale? Damn right. PINS AND NEEDLES makes direct fun of billionaire Bryan Johnson. You know, the guy injecting himself with his son’s blood to stay young forever. And, just for your information, he’s moved on from that practice and opted for a “total plasma exchange” instead. Biohackers love to claim science when we all know damn well any fountain of youth is only for sale to the highest bidders. PINS AND NEEDLES leans into real-life monsters in a wildly clever way.
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For more Dances With Films coverage, 
DON’T TELL LARRY
Dot-Marie Jones and Ed Begley Jr. serve up pro performances that most certainly elevate DON’T TELL LARRY. Kiel Kennedy has a genuine Will Ferrell energy. His portrayal of Larry is cringe, uncomfortable, and entirely unhinged. It’s wild and wonderful. I won’t say more because seeing is believing. Kennedy gives Larry a larger-than-life persona, mastering the comedy and terror. 
Kenneth Mosley is Patrick, Susan’s work bestie and equally fabulous sidekick. Do yourself a favor. Watch Mosley’s reel on IMDB. You will wonder why he isn’t on every screen in your home. His performance as Patrick immediately catches you off guard in the best way. He’s magnetic. Patty Guggenheim is unforgettable as the hyper-ambitious Susan. Guggenheim is a star. She has a similar energy to Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Her comic timing and charisma pull you in. Her chemistry with Mosely makes me want a sequel/spin-off/whatever!
animal.
Author and personal trainer Zane Griggs guides us through an hour-and-a-half argument for a carnivore diet. Often called “The Caveman Diet,” a meat-led way of eating has been all the rage in certain circles for years now. ‘animal.’ features doctors and a select few nutritionists presenting the benefits of consuming a diet contradictory to generations of teaching. Griggs uses testimonials from those who tout the life-changing effects of red meat. 
The film feels like one lengthy infomercial with cherry-picked science for effect. There is no mention of pollution and the links to socioeconomics. I’m not arguing the diet is faulty. I would have loved to have seen unbiased medical charts. I’m suggesting that the food chain accessibility should be half of the film. The fact that the only two black individuals interviewed are UK residents, a former bodybuilder, and his health coach daughter, Eddie and Selina Abbew (dad has 4m Instagram followers) is glaring. 
My husband went on a Keto diet in preparation for his half-Ironman competition in 2015. I joined him a few weeks in. On the fourth day, once my body entered ketosis, my body looked entirely different in all the best ways. I was shocked. But remaining on the diet in the real world was incredibly challenging. After a single cheat day, my body fell out of ketosis. I had to restart the process. I became angry, and I was always hungry. It wasn’t a sustainable lifestyle for me. 
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A Keto diet worked wonders for my husband, but that was in an intense training setting. I was able to see immediate physical results, even though it did not end up feeling ideal for me. I’m worried that omitting information curves the film into pseudoscience territory. ‘animal’ has good intentions, but withholding information on the healthiest countries and their varied diets feels skewed. Viewers will have to come to their own conclusions based on the information presented, personal health journey, and availability of resources. If nothing else, ‘animal.’ triggers a broader conversation about nutrition and sustainability.
![Fire at Will (2025) - [www.imdb.com]](https://i0.wp.com/reelnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/Fire-at-Will-2025-www.imdb_.com_.png?resize=566%2C884&ssl=1)
FIRE AT WILL looks fantastic. Jared Levy‘s camerawork is most immersed and intimate. Kyle Moriarty‘s quick-take editing is perfect. The fast-paced dialogue filled with self-absorbed personalities is every kitchen table conversation featuring adult children and their parents. As the firstborn of four loud children in an Irish Italian household, I can attest to the authenticity in the chaos of Gruer’s script, right down to the mother storming out in emotionally exhausted dramatics and the unspoken connection between father and artistic daughter. The cast nails each ping-pong match beat. FIRE AT WILL is a spectacular treatment for a feature. I need to know what happens next.
The jury is exceptional as they move through measured recall to furious shouting matches. Their diligence in tracking down evidence and looking at all sides gives me hope that jurors take their duties seriously. Jack Thornton’s editing is a feat. The choice to keep Krieps in the frame for longer than seems normal has a chilling effect. RE-CREATION is akin to live theatre. It is an improvisation session strapped to a ticking time bomb. The audience is the 13th jury member. Sheridan provides newsreel footage, newspaper clippings, video testimony, and audio recordings at the precise times we might feel lost. It is a real-time exploration of possibilities. 
Jim Sheridan also plays Juror #1, serving as a guide and sounding board. Sheridan’s attention to detail is award-worthy. Going as far as to take the jury on a tour of the key locations in the investigation. It’s hard to discern where Sheridan lies on the guilty spectrum personally. His extensive knowledge never feels coercive. He and Merriman skillfully make a case for confusion and conflict, mirroring the state of the evidence.
Following the overdose death of his brother, Eric’s coping mechanism for his unresolved trauma is breaking and entering to avoid his home life. A visit to his junkie cousin Sean’s house leads to the accidental destruction of a bag of drugs. Now, the boys must devise a plan to find the funds to pay back Sean’s dealer.
Jasper Jones is a pretty boy screw-up. His tough-guy persona leads to stupid decisions. Jones is incredibly watchable. He expertly leans into a character that feels deeply punchable but shows us we’re missing the root cause. Jones delivers the manic behavior of addiction like a pro. It is an impressive turn.
José Condessa creates a vibrant and charming character. He is sensitive and caring, everything a woman desires in a man. Condessa is dazzling. Ayden Mayeri gives June a true egocentric millennial with an unresolved emotional trauma vibe, which is precisely what Lilian T. Mehrel intended. Mayeri effortlessly glides into June’s arc. Amira Casar takes on Lela with a lived-in authenticity and passion. She holds each frame with her powerful presence. These two women share gorgeous chemistry. 
It becomes clear early on that fear and unresolved trauma impede Mel’s release. He lashes out to prolong his release. Getting polar opposite advice from Mark and Warren, Mel enters a quiet tailspin of decision-making as the clock runs down. 
Guy Pearce is a legend. Warren’s goal is emotional redemption for past transgressions, but reality outside forces him to save the only soul he can on the inside. Pearce is a quiet storm. His masterful ability to speak volumes with nothing but a breath proves vital to Warren’s arc. He is an unconventional guardian angel. Vincent Miller captivates as our young leading man. He comes with an unusually mature sense of self, and his comfort in front of the screen and alongside other screen titans is beyond impressive. 
Filmmakers Kasper Bisgaard and Mikael Lypinski bring Tribeca 2025 audiences documentary, THE END OF QUIET, a thought-provoking exploration of human connectivity. In an isolated town in West Virginia, the world’s largest radio telescope can pick up the murmurings of signals across the universe. To achieve this, the telescope resides in the Quiet Zone, the only place in the U.S. where Wi-Fi and cell phone signals are not permitted.
How do they fight the boredom? Brionna and her gun enthusiast grandfather, David, spend time together shooting his 37 guns and rifles and blowing things up. Choosing to reside in The Quiet Zone due to electromagnetic hypersensitivity, Clover and her dog, Beautiful, live for landline phone calls from her husband, who lives abroad. Her original poetry also serves as beautiful transition audio. A lonely but contented elderly vet named Willard spends his days drinking a lot of coffee and attending local funerals. Kirsten, 17, and Frankie, 23, are a young, engaged couple who dream of having a child. 
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