DANIELA FOREVER
Following the death of his beloved, Nicolas enters a visionary drug trial that lets him explore his relationship with new eyes and the boundaries of physics. Nacho Vigalondo‘s DANIELA FOREVER is an emotionally complex, visually stunning deep dive into grief.
As Nicolas learns to navigate and control his time and environment with Daniela, real life pales in comparison. He selectively shares information with the scientists, and suddenly Daniela’s behavior evolves, allowing Nicolas to control her newly created memories. With each evolution of his dream states, Nicolas destroys the dimensions of reality, while also coming to terms with his selfish behavior.
The lighting is dazzling. The stark visual contrasts, including varying aspect ratios, between the memory and the present, are incredible. The grainy, Super 8 camera effect screams sadness, while the sharp, CGI-enhanced dream state envelops the audience from every angle and emotion.
Henry Golding easily carries the film. He is brave, funny, and authentic. His chemistry with Beatrice Grannò is tangible. Nicolas’ emotional arc is fascinating, and Golding lives every beat. He is effortlessly charming and vulnerable.
Fans of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind will instantly vibe with DANIELA FOREVER. Vigalondo delves into selfishness, manipulation, and jealousy through his penchant for magical realism, sci-fi, and visual spectacle. If you are familiar with his resume, you understand how perfectly this film slots into his catalog. This exploration of anguish is undeniably extraordinary, but more importantly, DANIELA FOREVER is about rediscovering what makes life glorious, cherishing the details, honoring the mundane, and remembering how much joy still exists. It very much tackles the adage, “If you love something, set it free.”
Daniella Forever Trailer:
DANIELA FOREVER
In Select Theaters July 11
and On Digital July 22
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.
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!
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.
The cinematography is something to behold. The sepia-toned lens locks you into a compelling plot. It creates this magical, borderline eerie feeling. The production design team is aces with children’s drawings and makeshift inventions. The post-apocalyptic aspects are relatively subtle but incredibly effective. The end credits are outstanding. The original song “Our People Need Our Help” is a certified banger.
EGGHEAD & TWINKIE
Asahi Hirano plays Jess with a comfortability that is chef’s kiss. Acting like an LGBTQ+ sensai for Twinkie, Hirano makes the conversation flow easily. She is a delight, someone who could carry a spinoff film. Louis Tomeo as Egghead is fantastic. He is laugh-out-loud funny in his natural delivery. The sass is perfection. Holland allows him to show his comedy chops through the script and hilarious editing from Anna DeFinis and Kristina League. Sabrina Jie-a-fa plays Twinkie with a perfect balance of audaciousness and hesitancy. We see authentic coming-of-age and coming-out stories in her journey. Together, Tomeo and Jie-a-fa are a spectacular duo. You will fall in love with them. 
The teenage shenanigans ring true. That feeling of invincibility and daring reminds me of my crazy ideas and dumb decisions in the late 90s. Egghead and Twinkie take risks, make mistakes, hurt each other, get their hearts broken, and confess their fears. The film is a helpful guide for parents struggling to understand their kids’ feelings. Regardless of their core beliefs, 
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Fast-paced editing and augmented sound effects keep you engaged from the first frame. The concept combines the adrenaline of SAW and SPEED, but it’s funnier and inevitably much darker. The soundtrack is fantastic. Gregory Turbellier‘s camerawork is immersive and sharp.
Leading players Hus Miller (who also co-writes) and Cam McHarg have fiery chemistry, each delivering fully flushed-out characters even if we know the most basic information about them. They make a great on-screen team. I would love to see this entire crew create more projects together.
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Nelson remarked, “This story felt personal to me, I felt a real connection to it because the Nelson family farm has been a working farm in South Dakota since the Civil War, and my wife’s family were also farmers. Green and Gold captures the tenacity of small-town farmers and the strength of family and community. I was honored to play Buck and highlight the dreams defining many lives in America’s heartland.”
This meaningful film is presented in collaboration with Culver’s and the Green Bay Packers, the nation’s only community-owned professional football team. Culver’s small-town Wisconsin roots give the restaurant franchise a true heart for agriculture and inspired the creation of its Thank You Farmers® Project, which has donated more than $6.5 million toensure a sustainable food supply for the future.
Green and Gold is directed by Anders Lindwall and produced by Davin Lindwall and Aaron Boyd. Dan Visser, Darren Moorman, Scott Pomeroy, Craig Cheek, and Brooks Malberg executive produce the feature film. The screenplay was written by Steven Shafer, Michael Graf, Missy Mareau Garcia, and Anders Lindwall.
THE BUILDOUT
Cameron and Dylan are not the first to set foot on the land. Timelines cross. The two friends document what they find on a camcorder. In the isolation, they discover more questions than answers, and the viewer travels down a rabbit hole of unnerving chaos.
Jenna Kanell gives Cameron a feisty edge that reminds me of Robin Tunney in Empire Records, appearance and all. There is a visible aversion to the hyper-religious nature that Dylan openly expresses. Hannah Alline (
The audience holds its collective breath with only drips of information at any given time. The eclectic camera work by Justin Moore is jarring in the best way possible, delivering a continuously menacing vibe. (Don’t think I missed your EP credit, 
Eric McGinty‘s STOCKADE follows Ahlam, a Lebanese woman trying to get her artist’s visa extended in NYC. To pay her lawyer, she agrees to deliver a package upstate. 
Halfway through the story goes in an entirely bizarre direction when Richard doesn’t show up, Paul isn’t answering the phone, and two strangers appear in the house demanding the contents of the package. Suddenly, easy money is not so easy after all.
While the rest of the cast is mediocre at best, Sarah Bitar is spectacular. She has a commanding presence about her. Ahlam holds unspoken trauma and guilt from leaving her family in Beruit. Bitar holds you captive with her fierce energy. She is the reason to watch this film.
MOM
![Mom Jared and Meredith - Rotten Tomatoes - [www.rottentomatoes.com]](https://i0.wp.com/reelnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/Mom-Jared-and-Meredith-Rotten-Tomatoes-www.rottentomatoes.com_.png?resize=678%2C440&ssl=1)
As a mother of two, I will never forget those days of newborn life. Lack of sleep almost drove me to the edge. In MOM, Hampshire skillfully captures the nuance of first-time parenting like I have never seen portrayed onscreen before. Screenwriter Philip Kalin-Hajdu combines each new hardship with unresolved trauma, and the marriage of those two stories makes for the perfect storytelling storm.![Mom Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes - [www.rottentomatoes.com]](https://i0.wp.com/reelnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/Mom-Pictures-Rotten-Tomatoes-www.rottentomatoes.com_.png?resize=678%2C499&ssl=1)
Emily Hampshire nails this role. Her chameleon abilities shine once again in Meredith. Hampshire is so compelling you cannot take your eyes off her. She delivers an emotional torrent that burrows into your psyche. It is truly startling.
BIRDEATER
Secrets, awkward first meetings, hyper-toxic masculinity, and ketamine collide in one of the most one of the most tension-filled narratives I’ve seen. A stag week, including Irene, goes off the rails when the past and present come to light.
The script is a complex push and pull of who knows what and when. Forty minutes in a massive cloud of mystery looms over this bachelor weekend. Clark and Weir deliver characters that crawl under your skin and burrow into your brain whether you like it or not. This is what happens when a control freak loses control. 
Aggressive straight-to-camera looks feel like an invasion of the audience. Each one is more jarring than the next. The camera work is dizzying and immersive. The upbeat, celebratory soundtrack comes off as sinister amongst the feral behavior. The editing deserves an award. 
Performances are extraordinary. The ensemble cast nails every beat. Each character is loathsome in their own way, either because they are self-righteous, weak, or revenge-driven. The final 30 minutes are explosive. BIRDEATER will f*ck you up. 
The structure is a mix of real-time anxiety about the airing episodes, Rex’s extraordinary ballet training, and unresolved childhood trauma. After her first win, Lady Camden’s popularity skyrockets. But the film never lets us forget the immense work that goes into this art. 
Delving into family and friend dynamics is vital to Rex’s well-being. There is an unfiltered honesty that hits you square in the chest. Transitions are eye-catching animation sequences that also serve as explanations for any viewer unfamiliar with Drag Race. Nina West, a darling of the show’s legacy, narrates. It is the perfect pairing for Lady Camden and Rex. 
The film is beautifully shot and emotionally edited. There is love infused in making this film. A visceral joy of becoming who we always dreamed we’d be bursts off the screen. LADY LIKE is a must-see. 
IT’S COMING
Ashley can see and hear spirits. The physical and mental toll is obvious, despite her shockingly calm demeanor. She has become so accustomed to her circumstances, and not much ruffles her feathers, until she realizes how deep the negative energy goes.
Ashley brings in medium Soledad Haren to cleanse the apartment. She provides viewers with paranormal canon, reasons, and triggers for an uptick in activity. It is a solid checklist if you aren’t a connoisseur of this genre. Like clockwork, incidents get worse. An acrid odor pervades their apartment, so intense it triggers CO2 alarms and multiple fire department visits. Soledad returns with her spirit box and performs an automatic writing session, providing few answers and more questions.
A husband and wife team of demonologists, Chris and Harmony DeFlorio, arrive with all the electronic bells and whistles. We see their footage intercut with Shannon’s. The results are undeniably unsettling. This is the point where Ashley finally breaks. It is the first time we see her cry and become physically unwell. When you witness the effect on Chris and Harmony, your heart rate increases tenfold. The comparisons to England’s most infamous haunting, The Enfield Poltergeist, are inevitable.
Javier’s personality slowly changes throughout the long months of filming. He describes a growing friendship with the black entity he calls Kitty. If you know anything about the paranormal, you understand how dangerous this is. You can track what looks like disassociation creeping onto his face. Something is affecting this child, whether it’s his mother’s energy or something genuinely sinister is up to the viewer, but I’ve not been this disturbed by a paranormal documentary in a long time. The final scene will send a shiver down your spine. IT’S COMING will haunt your mind long after the credits roll. You’ll question everything.
This oddball team of modern-day outlaws fearlessly tracks down society’s worst with hypnotic nonchalance. It is no wonder the film had a field day on the festival circuit—the cast rules. Raymond S. Barry is phenomenal as Lester. Mena Elizabeth Santos is equally deranged, letting the intrusive thoughts win.
Ryan Patrick Brown delivers an unexpectedly gentle turn as Freddy. Focusing on gains rather than violence, his love for his Baba and adoration for Westerns fit perfectly into this weird puzzle. Austan Wheeler delivers a comedically unhinged performance playing Lars. He is a coked-up loose cannon and motivator/bad influence for Freddy. Wheeler’s toxic aggression gets a pass due to his vigilante goals.
Robby Ngai‘s editing is applause-worthy. North provides enough meat to expand into a series. There is much to explore within these characters. Each one deserves an entire episode for their backstory.
The film celebrates the morally grey areas of life. The fantasy sequences bleed into the narrative like a gift. Memorable, singular, and sensorial FILTHY ANIMALS is the epitome of cult indie filmmaking.
YEAR 10
Somber natural lighting sets the tone for Year 10 from the get-go. The sweeping and ominous score plunges us deep into this near-future reality of sadness and violence. The team raises the bar even further by including heartbeat sounds, heavy drums, and dazzling strings. 
The film is a genuine family affair. Scan the credits for the many Goodgers involved in this magnificent production. Charlie Googger‘s handheld camera work is immersive and beautifully choreographed. Year 10 is quite a feat. This feature-length film with zero dialogue captivates with stunning performances wrought with panic and desperation. Toby Goodger is outstanding. His furious passion and fearless energy carry the entire movie. 
The script juxtaposes two survival styles, one of heart and kindness, and the other savagely selfish and brutal. The lack of dialogue never lessens the intensity. If anything, it allows raw emotion to convey each beat. YEAR 10 taps into the best and worst of humanity’s most feral instincts.
THE FIX
Filmmaker Kelsey Egan brings audiences THE FIX. The near future film occurs where toxic air is slowly poisoning the population, and only the wealthy have access to treatment. Ella exists in the shadow of her recently deceased supermodel mother. Thinking she’s taking a party drug, Ella accidentally ingests an experimental synthetic, causing accelerated and unpredictable mutations inside and out. Ella becomes the target of both the drug dealers and global big pharma Aethera. THE FIX is much more nuanced and endlessly intriguing. It is sci-fi, action, thriller, and everything in between. 
Icon Clancy Brown plays Aethera patriarch. Anytime he appears in a film, it elevates the entire production. Robyn Rossouw delivers a fear-soaked performance as Ella’s best friend, Gina. Huge accolades for Keenan Harrison and Tina Redman as they prove their acting chops, but I’ll let you discover their vital roles on your own. It is truly A+ work from both.
Production is spectacular. Props are sleek, costumes are clean but unique, and the sets are just as applause-worthy in their minimalist glory. The special FX makeup team gives us top-notch originality. Read More – 
THE FIX could seamlessly expand into a multiple-season series. There is so much well-developed canon that audiences would tune in without hesitation. Tackling ethics, capitalism, and the fragility of humanity, THE FIX has arrived to entertain and challenge.
Laura Benanti plays the family matriarch, Renee. She adds authentic warmth to every role. Even if her scenes are few and far between, she steals every single one. Dylan McTee plays the eldest brother, Jason. He exudes hurt with an overly aggressive demeanor that perfectly suits the role. 
There are a few particularly memorable shots by cinematographer Tom Fitzgerald. Heather Benson and the makeup department give us startling work. They deserve all the applause. 
What gets the pulse-pounding is undeniably well done. Chipman and cowriter David Purdy use dreams as a gateway to terror. Perry Blackshear‘s 
CELLAR DOOR
The set is marvelous. Wood-paneled rooms mixed with modern updates, a sprawling terrace, and an exterior straight out of Great Expectations, the audience falls in love with the house at first glance.
THE HOUSE FROM
The editing is clever. For example, one former owner of Jesse’s house in Breaking Bad house was a teacher, so Avallone cuts to scenes of Walter White in his chemistry classroom. She was able to buy her son his first car from the profits of filming. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the current owner of Walter White’s house aggressively hates tourists.
THE HOUSE FROM counters this negative fan experience with the owner of The Goonies‘ home. Susan Preston got a bad rap. This redemptive story is authentically heartwarming. Bushnell Ave, in South Pasadena, is the ultimate film fan’s dream. From Back to the Future to Old School, it boasts several famous houses, and the owners love the fans. The Rubio House in Altadena is iconic. I lost track of the number of films and television shows listed by the owner, Liz. Ethan Embry visits the house, and his excitement and nostalgia are infectious.
The doc also uses TikTok and other social media clips of fan visits. The behind-the-scenes footage from Home Alone takes the cake. The lovely neighbors across the street took camcorder video from their front yard during the 1990 production, and it is a coup for Gen X and Millennials.
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