HIPPO
Mark H. Rapaport‘s curious tale of two step-siblings struggling to come of age amongst sexual urges for each other. HIPPO is a deadpan satire is like nothing else.
Rapaport and star Kimball Farley serve as co-writers. They give Hippo a precocious vernacular similar to the dialogue in Dawson’s Creek but with a darker edge. The absurdity of the narrative works because the siblings are homeschooled. It’s genuinely perfect in this era of online indoctrination of our male youth. It is incel heaven.
(L-R) Kimball Farley as “Hippo” and Lilla Kizlinger as “Buttercup” in the dark comedy, HIPPO, a Kinematics release. Photo courtesy of Kinematics.
Eliza Roberts, wife of our narrator Eric Roberts, is hilarious as mother Ethel. Her eternally optimistic attitude is incredible. Jesse Pimentel is ceaselessly smarmy as Craigslist predator Darwin.
Lilla Kizlinger as “Buttercup” Photo courtesy of Kinematics.
Lilla Kizlinger delivers a delightfully morose performance as 17-year-old, Buttercup. Desperate for physical connection, her urges bend in a dangerous direction. Kizlinger is flawless.
Kimball Farley gives the titular role a quirky and dramatic overtone that captures the unfiltered chaos of a teenage boy’s mind. He bleeds toxic masculinity that is so over the top it is humorous. It reads incel. He is fantastically punchable.
Kimball Farley as “Hippo” Photo courtesy of Kinematics.
The film occurs in 1994, and the production team nails the aesthetic with wardrobe and props. The delicious black-and-white cinematography and the cartoon-like score are perfection. Overall, HIPPO is an irreverent look at adolescence and a hyper-antiquated personification of gender roles. Also, it’s weird as hell.
HIPPO will be available in select Theaters on Nov. 8.
The film was written by Mark H. Rapaport (The Scary of Sixty-First) and Kimball Farley (Andronicus) and was directed by Mark H. Rapaport. It stars Kimball Farley, Lilla Kizlinger (Semmelweis), Eliza Roberts (National Lampoon’s Animal House), and Eric Roberts (Runaway Train).
It examines the coming-of-age of two step-siblings: Hippo, a video-game-addicted teenager, and Buttercup, a Hungarian Catholic immigrant with a love of classical music and Jesus. Like the Ancient Greek Aphrodite, Buttercup’s love is unrequited by a brother who prefers to indulge in the art of war and chaos. The result is a hormone-fueled, tragicomic waking nightmare that must be seen to be believed.
Run Time: 100minutes | Rating: Not Rated
Rob Morrow
The script is relatively predictable, except for one late reveal that had me simultaneously yelling, “WTF?”. It’s something you’ll have to witness to understand. Overall, the editing and storytelling style feels disjointed. Even at only an hour and thirty-plus minute run, the cuts feel like snippets of a Law & Order series rather than a single film.
Based on the harrowing true story and book of the same name, Andrew Boodhoo Kightlinger’s Lost on a Mountain in Maine follows 12-year-old Donn Fedler‘s nine-day journey lost in the wilderness. When a father-son hike goes awry, Donn must fight to survive. 
The film opens with archival footage of one of the 1939 searchers as he describes the danger of the terrain. More interviews interspersed throughout the narrative, with Donn’s childhood friend and brother Ryan, reinvigorate your emotional investment. Idan Menin‘s cinematography, Andrew Drazek‘s editing, and Garth Stevenson‘s truly affecting score come together beautifully.
Caitlin Fitzgerald delivers a lovely performance as Ruth Fedler. She captures that mother-child bond perfectly. Ruth’s relentless efforts to find help are inspiring, and Fitzgerald nails her calm ferocity. Paul Sparks, who I loved as gangster Mickey Doyle in Boardwalk Empire, plays Don Sr. with a much-needed complexity. Fitzgerald and Sparks have a genuinely sweet chemistry. 
Luke David Blumm is outstanding as our lead, Donn. He is spirited and charming, effortlessly filling the frame with each fully fleshed-out beat. He’s a star.
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.
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.”
TEACUP
Ep 1: Think About the Bubbles
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.
Danielle Octavien plays Tara’s best friend, Helen. She is incredibly natural, and I enjoyed every minute of her screen time. Georgie is the most intriguing character. Andrew Diego‘s commitment to the character’s PTSD and/or neurodivergence is applause-worthy, even if writer Patricia V. Davis writes him as a borderline offensive stereotype.
Johnny is toxic as hell. Joshua Malekos gives audiences an extremely unlikable and manipulative character. He is a gaslighting master, and I wanted nothing more than for him to find a tragic end, regardless of his backstory. Tara Nichol Caldwell is perfectly passable as Tara. Unfortunately, the script does nothing for her, leaving a mediocre and likely forgettable turn.
The script never hides Johnny’s shady leanings. Having masks appear everywhere ends up coming off as hokey. The costumes also make little sense in specific scenes. Honestly, the fact that Tara sticks around is utterly preposterous. The amount of tropes all smashed together makes for a messy finished product. LYVIA’S HOUSE ends up being an overly long, frustrating watch.
Two surprising performances will blow you away, but I won’t spoil that with specifics. I will only say that Norma Flores and Horacio Lazo give us everything they’ve got. Our three young brothers are magnificent. Mateo Ortega Casillas gives Benny the right amount of innocence and rebellion. Leonardo Cervantes delivers vulnerability and compassion as Oliver. Farid Escalante Correa gives Salvador a perfect mix of resentment and raging hormones. Together, they warm and break your heart.
HAYRIDE TO HELL
The cast delivers solid Hallmark energy, and that is a total compliment. The dialogue is laugh-out-loud hilarious the entire run. The script solidly shifts into the horror realm halfway through, and you easily root for our band of heroes turned vengeful villains.
Bill Moseley gives Sam an equal parts sweet and sarcastic edge. The more agitated he becomes, the funnier he gets. Moseley is a legend, and he must be protected at all costs. 
HAYRIDE TO HELL is homegrown horror at its finest. Featuring some of the genre’s greats doing what they do best, fans cannot help but be enchanted by the Halloween fun and clever kills. It’s a beautiful marriage of everything that makes the season fun. HAYRIDE TO HELL is the perfect film to watch on a chilly Autumn afternoon with some homemade cider and popcorn in hand.
Masterfully absurd, Lenny and Harpo Guit’s latest film, HEADS OR FAILS, introduces Fantastic Fest 2024 to the ceaselessly irresponsible and eternal hustler, Armande. Down on her luck and owing money to everyone in her path in Belgium, risky wagers are her bread and butter. Whether they pan out is another thing entirely.
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.
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