Film-Forward

Horror

The Final Girls

The makers of The Final Girls pull of an admirable trick. They present a credible, genial spoof of 1980’s slasher flicks while successfully incorporating a sentimental yet credible theme of appreciating and letting go of grief. It’s impressive and gives the movie more heft than most of the joke-a-minute spoofs that, say, the Wayans brothers […]

Goodnight Mommy

Goodnight Mommy has one crackin’ good premise, but it doesn’t quite know what to do with it. This Austrian film aims for the sparseness and sleekness of recent arty Scandinavian horror, and in doing so, falls into self-enforced blandness. It treads the straight path instead of really examining its characters and ends up letting down […]

When Animals Dream

Directed by Jonas Alexander Arnby Written by Rasmus Birch, based on an idea by Christoffer Boe, Arnby, and Birch Produced by Caroline Schlüter Bingestam and Ditte Milsted Released by Radius Danish with English subtitles Denmark/France. 84 min. Rated R With Sonia Suhl, Lars Mikkelsen, Sonja Richter, Jakob Oftebro, Stig Hoffmeyer, Mads Riisom, Esben Dalgaard, Gustav […]

The Harvest

Directed by John McNaughton Written by Stephen Lancellotti Produced by Kim Jose, David Robinson, Steven A. Jones and Marshall T Released by IFC Midnight USA. 103 min. Not rated With Samantha Morton, Michael Shannon, Meadow Williams, Charlie Tahan, Leslie Lyles, Natasha Calis, and Peter Fonda Parents just want what’s best for their children, don’t they? […]

Spring

Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead Released by Drafthouse Films USA. 109 min. Not rated With Lou Taylor Pucci and Nadia Hilker In this new supernatural romance film, an isolated, directionless young American named Evan (Lou Taylor Pucci) flees to Italy to find himself. It’s obvious that he needs a chance to make a […]

Backcountry

Written and Directed by Adam MacDonald Produced by Thomas Michael Released by IFC Midnight Canada. 91 min. Not rated With Missy Peregrym, Jeff Roop, Eric Balfour, and Nicholas Campbell Based on a true story, the feature film debut of actor and director Adam MacDonald follows Jenn (Missy Peregrym) and Alex (Jeff Roop, executive producer) as […]

It Follows

Written and Directed by David Robert Mitchell Produced by Rebecca Green, Laura D. Smith, David Kaplan and Erik Rommesmo Released by Radius-TWC USA. 100 min. Rated R With Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, and Lili Sepe It Follows, a stunning new wave horror film, pays homage to its genre’s predecessors […]

Late Phases

Directed by Adrián García Bogliano Produced by Larry Fessenden, Brent Kunkle, Greg Newman, Zak Zeman Written by Eric Stolze Released by Dark Sky Films USA. 95 min. Rated R With Nick Damici, Ethan Embry, Lance Guest, Tina Louise, Rutanya Alda, Caitlin O’Heaney, Tom Noonan, Larry Fessenden, and Erin Cummings The setup of this werewolf movie […]

The Babadook

Written and Directed by Jennifer Kent Produced by Kristina Ceyton and Kristian Moliere Released by IFC Midnight Australia. 93 min. Not rated With Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Hayley McElhinney, Daniel Henshall, Barbara West, Ben Winspear One of a mother’s greatest fears is that she won’t love her child. For widow Amelia (Essie Davis), it’s an […]