Evelyn Wang is a chef at a hibachi restaurant, locked in a constant rivalry with her co-worker. Evelyn Wang is a sign twirler, drawing eyes by spinning an advertisement around her back and neck. Evelyn Wang is a singing sensation, star of the Chinese stage and screen. Evelyn Wang is a woman with hot dogs …
Daniels’ latest grounds alternate reality shenanigans with relatable pathos and stubborn hope.
Although they don’t get as much attention as tales about zombies or ghosts, body snatcher stories are among the most powerful in horror fiction. And a lot of their strength comes from the way body snatcher stories draw from other genres: the emotional terror of zombies (“That monster looks like someone I know!”), the epistemological …
The Hole in the Ground Mines Rich Horror Terrain Read More »
Mid90s may be a movie about adolescence, but the movie itself feels like an adolescent top. Shot on 16mm film in a 4:3 aspect ration, Mid90s drifts between a strikingly mature directorial debut from actor Jonah Hill and a clunky film full of first-timer mistakes.An example of the former occurs shortly after young protagonist Stevie …
Review: Mid90s Hints at the Development of a Great Filmmaker Read More »
Everyone knows that it’s hard to accurately portray adolescence in film. Even the best, most relatable characters of the past 20 years — Enid Coleslaw from Ghost World, Juno MacGuff from Juno, or Lady Bird McPherson from Lady Bird — proclaim their insecurity in impossibly witty dialogue or concise, effective declarations.Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher), the …
Review: Eighth Grade Loves Its Characters Too Much To Cringe At Them Read More »