Synapse Films present all three versions Phenomena in 4K-UHD — Dario Argento, the maestro of Italian horror. His creative peak was in the 70s and 80s with cinematic landmarks such as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Four Flies on Grey Velvet, Deep Red, Tenebrae, and most famously Suspiria. One of his more offbeat ventures was Phenomena, releases in some…

An engrossing, single-location story, driven by a superb performance from Lily Sullivan — There’s always something alluring about “bottle films,” movies that center events around a single location, either through the creative use of small budgets, or taking on the logistical challenge, where one focal character serves as a conduit to an escalating situation in the outside world. Think Locke, Pontypool, 127 Hours…

A quirky rom-com about a mismatched but meant-to-be couple in the far-flung future — The rom-com is one of the most enduring film genres. Formula and familiarity. Audiences expect some formula and familiarity, but for those features that become truly beloved, both a fresh take and palpable chemistry are needed. Writer/director Michael Lukk Litwak’s Molli and Max in the Future certainly tick the boxes…

A Filipino-British thriller rooted in themes of class, colonialism, immigration, and exploitation. — As SXSW 2023 unfolds, the U.K. is gripped in something of a crisis, as new government efforts to stem immigration are labelled as “heartless.” It’s one thing to deny help to migrants, but another level of cruelty to exploit it. Many stateside who cry for strong action to deal with…

Writer and director Sophie Jarvis helms a beguiling debut feature. — Until Branches Bend is a restrained, largely internalized drama that unfolds in Montague, a town lying in a verdant region of British Columbia. This place and its people are inextricably linked to the local peach crop, a lifeblood to the town. …

A gnarly slice of Aussie horror that combines terror and trauma with a brilliant horror hook — Possession has fueled countless horror films for years. A dalliance with the dead or demons, allowing evil in, not just to the host, but this plane of existence. Talk to Me revels in the legacy of films like It Follows, Event Horizon, and The Ring, while planting the genre in…

The slasher franchise gets bloodier, and more brutal, as is moves beyond Woodsboro — The formula of a franchise is very important. Elements need to be preserved to meet expectations and yet, enough changes but be worked in to keep things fresh. …

An 4K Ultra-HD release that deepens appreciation for one of the best animated features of the past decade — During a recent awards ceremony, Guillermo del Toro stated “Animation is cinema. Animation is not a genre for kids, it’s a medium”. Every now and there, there are animated features that hammer home this statement, Kubo and the Two Strings is a perfect example. …

South By Southwest, the celebration of film, TV, and music, returns to Austin, TX. March 10–19th, 2023 — After a few years of pandemic disruptions and shifts to online, last year saw SXSW return to the streets of Austin. While a little dialed back as we eased back into things, the festival delivered the quality and boldness of filmmaking you come to expect, perhaps never more so than…