It's What's Inside - Movie Review

The Movie: It's What's Inside

The Director: Greg Jardin

The Cast: Brittany O'Grady, James Morosini, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Devon Terrell, Gavin Leatherwood, Reina Hardesty, Nina Bloomgarden, David W. Thompson

The Story: A group of friends gather for a pre-wedding party that descends into an existential nightmare when an estranged friend arrives with a mysterious game that awakens long-hidden secrets, desires, and grudges.

Last Shadow at First Light - Movie Review

The Movie: Last Shadow at First Light

The Director: Nicole Midori Woodford

The Cast: Masatoshi Nagase, Mihaya Shirata, Mariko Tsutsui, Peter Yu

The Story: Ami, haunted by recurring apparitions, embarks on a journey from Singapore to Japan in search of her missing mother. Amidst the transforming landscapes, Ami's dreams, hauntings and lost mother unveil their true form.

Hold Your Breath - Movie Review

The Movie: Hold Your Breath

The Directors: Karrie Crouse and Will Joines

The Cast: Sarah Paulson, Amiah Miller, Annaleigh Ashford, Alona Jane Robbins, Ebon Moss-Bachrach

The Story: In 1930s Oklahoma amid the region’s horrific dust storms, a woman is convinced that a sinister presence is threatening her family.

Apartment 7A - 2024 Fantastic Fest Movie Review

The Movie: Apartment 7A

The Director: Natalie Erika James

The Cast: Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest, Kevin McNally, Jim Sturgess, Marli Siu, Andrew Buchan, Rosy McEwen, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

The Story: A struggling young dancer finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected older couple promise her a shot at fame.

Fly - Documentary Review

The Documentary: Fly

The Directors: Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau

The Story: Over seven years, three couples involved in the extreme sport of BASE jumping test the limits of love and life itself. Risking everything for the thrill of the jump, their dedication is put to the ultimate test.

TheTwoOhSix Picks - 2024 Fantastic Fest

I'm very excited to say that this will be my first time covering Fantastic Fest which is presented by the Alamo Drafthouse! Fantastic Fest has been one of the coolest genre film festivals for a long time and being able to remotely cover some of the films being shown is an honor that I couldn't pass up. So here we are and here is my list of the movies I plan on watching and I hope you're able to give them a chance as well. Here it is, the 2024 Fantastic Fest TwoOhSix Picks!

Sing Sing - 2024 SIFF Movie Review

The Movie: Sing Sing

The Director: Greg Kwedar

The Cast: Teddy Schwarzman, Michael Heimler, Colman Domingo, Raúl Domingo, Larry Kalas, Larry Kelly, Nancy Schafer, Clarence Maclin, John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San José, Paul Raci

The Story: Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.

Alien: Romulus - Movie Review

The Movie: Alien: Romulus

The Director: Fede Alvarez

The Cast: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu

The Story: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. 

Trap (2024) - Movie Review

The Movie: Trap

The Director: M. Night Shyamalan

The Cast: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill

The Story: A father and teen daughter attend a pop concert, where they realize they’re at the center of a dark and sinister event.

Twilight of The Warriors: Walled In / 九龙城寨之围城 - Movie Review

The Movie: Twilight of The Warriors: Walled In / 九龙城寨之围城

The Director: Soi Cheang

The Cast: Louis Koo, Raymond Lam, Terrance Lau, Philip Ng, Tony Wu Tsz Tung, German Cheung, Richie Jen, Wong Tak Pun Kenny, Fish Liew, Chu Pak Hong, Cecilia Choi, Lau Wai Ming, Aaron Kwok, Sammo Hung

The Story: Follows troubled youth Chan Lok-kwun as he accidentally enters the Walled City, discovers the order amidst its chaos, and learns important life lessons along the way.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - Movie Review

The Movie: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

The Director: Wes Ball

The Cast: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy

The Story: Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

Deadpool & Wolverine - Movie Review

The Movie: Deadpool & Wolverine

The Director: Shawn Levy

The Cast: Everyone

The Story: Wolverine is recovering from his injuries when he crosses paths with the loudmouth Deadpool. They team up to defeat a common enemy.

Twisters - Movie Review

The Movie: Twisters

The Director: Lee Isaac Chung

The Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane.

The Story: A retired tornado-chaser and meteorologist is persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team and new technologies.

Longlegs - Movie Review

The Movie: Longlegs

The Director: Osgood Perkins

The Cast: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Michelle Choi-Lee, Dakota Daulby

The Story: In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.

A Quiet Place: Day One - Movie Review

The Movie: A Quiet Place: Day One

The Director: Michael Sarnoski

The Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou

The Story: A woman finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing.

Trigger Warning - Movie Review

The Movie: Trigger Warning

The Director: Mouly Surya

The Cast: Jessica Alba, Mark Webber, Tone Bell, Jake Weary, Gabriel Basso, Anthony Michael Hall, Kaiwi Lyman, Hari Dhillon

The Story: A devoted daughter is attempting to figure out the cause of her father's passing.

Hit Man - Movie Review

The Movie: Hit Man

The Director: Richard Linklater

The Cast: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Retta Claudette, Austin Amelio, Molly Bernard, Evan Holtzman, Sanjay Rao

The Story: A professor moonlighting as a hit man of sorts for his city police department, descends into dangerous, dubious territory when he finds himself attracted to a woman who enlists his services.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - Movie Review

The Movie: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

The Director: George Miller

The Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne

The Story: The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max.

Eternal / For Evigt - 2024 SIFF Capsule Review

The Movie: Eternal / For Evigt

The Director: Ulaa Salim

The Cast: Simon Sears, Nanna Øland Fabricius, Anna Søgaard Frandsen, Viktor Hjelmsøe, Halddóra Geirharosdottir

The Story: An earthquake causes a mysterious fracture on the ocean floor, which accelerates climate change.

I Saw the TV Glow - 2024 SIFF Movie Review

The Movie: I Saw the TV Glow

The Director: Jane Schoenbrun

The Cast: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Fred Durst, Danielle Deadwyler

The Story: Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

Babes - SIFF 2024 Movie Review

The Movie: Babes

The Director: Pamela Adlon

The Cast: Ilana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, John Carroll Lynch, Stephen James, Hasan Minhaj

The Story: It tells the story of Eden who becomes pregnant from a one-night-stand and leans on her married best friend and mother of two to guide her.

In A Violent Nature - SIFF 2024 Movie Review

The Movie: In A Violent Nature

The Director: Chris Nash

The Cast: Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Reece Presley, Liam Leone

The Story: An ambient horror slasher that methodically depicts the enigmatic resurrection, rampage, and retribution of an undead monster in a remote wilderness.

399 : Queen of the Tetons - 2024 SIFF Documentary Review

The Documentary: 399: Queen of the Tetons

The Director: Elizabeth Leiter

The Story: 399: Queen of the Tetons follows the life of world famous Grizzly #399 as she attempts to raise four cubs.

Tim Travers and the Time Traveler’s Paradox - 2024 SIFF Movie Review

The Movie: Tim Travers and the Time Traveler’s Paradox

The Director: Stimson Snead

The Cast: Samuel Dunning, Felicia Day, Joel McHale, Danny Trejo, Keith David

The Story: A scientist creates a time machine and kills their younger self to see what would happen.

Food Roots - 2024 SIFF Movie Review

The Documentary: Food Roots

The Director: Michele Josue

The Story: Emmy-Award winning Chicago Restaurateur Billy Dec adventures through his mother's native 7641 Islands of the Philippines to learn recipes from his last living elders, confronting culinary and cultural treasures and family secrets.

The Primevals - 2024 SIFF Movie Review

The Movie: The Primevals

The Director: David Allen

The Cast: Juliet Mills, Leon Russom, Richard Joseph Paul, Walker Brandt

The Story: When a group of explorers go in search of a yeti, they find themselves taken captive by an ancient race of alien creatures.

The Fall Guy - Movie Review

The Movie: The Fall Guy

The Director: David Leitch

The Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Stephanie Hsu

The Story: A down-and-out stuntman must find the missing star of his ex-girlfriend's blockbuster film.

Cat City - Documentary Review

The Documentary: Cat City

The Director: Ben Kolak

The Story: A feature documentary chronicling Chicago's love/hate relationship with feral cats. It tells the story of Chicago's outdoor cats, the communities who look after them, and the ordinance that protects them.

TheTwoOhSix Picks - 2024 Seattle International Film Festival

50 years of movies thanks to the Seattle International Film Festival! What an amazing achievement for one of the world's most unique film festivals and I am proud to say that this is my 12th year covering the event as a member of the press. I have watched and reviewed so many movies during and for the festival, at some point I'll have to take a look back to see what my all time favorites are. In the meantime, here are the 12 (in honor of my years of coverage) feature films that I feel are the ones you absolutely do not want to miss.

Dancing Village: The Curse Begins / Badarawuhi di Desa Penari - Movie Review

The Movie: Dancing Village: The Curse Begins / Badarawuhi di Desa Penari

The Director: Kimo Stamboel

The Cast: Aulia Sarah, Maudy Effrosina, Jourdy Pranata, Moh. Iqbal Sulaiman, Ardit Erwandha, Claresta Taufan, Diding Boneng, Aming Sugandhi, Dinda Kanyadewi, Pipien Putri, Maryam Supraba, Bimasena, Putri Permata, Baiq Vania Estiningtyas Sagita, Baiq Nathania Elvaretta

The Story: A shaman instructs Mila to return a mystical bracelet, the Kawaturih, to the “Dancing Village,” a remote site on the easternmost tip of Java Island.

Abigail - Movie Review

The Movie: Abigail

The Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett

The Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, Kathryn Newton, William Catlett, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Giancarlo Esposito

The Story: After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they're locked inside with no normal little girl.

Boy Kills World - Movie Review

The Movie: Boy Kills World

The Director: Moritz Mohr

The Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Rothe, Michelle Dockery, Brett Gelman, Isaiah Mustafa, Yayan Ruhian, Andrew Koji, Sharlto Copley, Famke Janssen

The Story: A fever dream action film that follows Boy, a deaf person with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death.

Monkey Man - Movie Review

The Movie: Monkey Man

The Director: Dev Patel

The Cast: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, Makarand Deshpande

The Story: An anonymous young man unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless.

Civil War (2024) - Movie Review

The Movie: Civil War

The Director: Alex Garland

The Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman

The Story: A journey across a dystopian future America, following a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time to reach DC before rebel factions descend upon the White House.

Dagr - Movie Review

The Movie: Dagr

The Director: Matthew Butler-Hart

The Cast: Riz Moritz, Ellie Duckles, Tori Butler-Hart

The Story: Fame seeking YouTubers find themselves in a paranormal nightmare when the advert team they are stealing from awakens a murderous occultist from the past.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - Movie Review

The Movie: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

The Director: Adam Wingard

The Cast: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, Fala Chen

The Story: Two ancient titans, Godzilla and Kong, clash in an epic battle as humans unravel their intertwined origins and connection to Skull Island's mysteries.

Immaculate - Movie Review

The Movie: Immaculate

The Director: Michael Mohan

The Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Simona Tabasco, Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli

The Story: Cecilia, a woman of devout faith, is warmly welcomed to the picture-perfect Italian countryside where she is offered a new role at an illustrious convent. But it becomes clear to Cecilia that her new home harbors dark and horrifying secrets.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

The Movie: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

The Director: Gil Kenan

The Cast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Celeste O'Connor, Logan Kim, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts

The Story: When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.

Problemista - Movie Review

The Movie: Problemista

The Director: Julio Torres

The Cast: Tilda Swinton, Julio Torres, RZA, Greta Lee, Catalina Saavedra, James Scully, Larry Owens, Laith Nakli, Kelly McCormack, Spike Einbinder, Greta Titelman, River L. Ramirez, and narrated by Isabella Rossellini

The Story: Alejandro is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in NY. As time runs out on his work visa, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast becomes his only hope to stay in the country.

Night Shift (2024) - Movie Review

The Movie: Night Shift

The Director: The China Brothers (Paul & Ben)

The Cast: Phoebe Tonkin, Lamorne Morris, Madison Hu, Patrick Fischler, Lauren Bowles, Christopher Denham

The Story: While working her first night shift at a remote motel, a woman begins to suspect that the property is haunted.