‘I Saw the TV Glow’ dims profound allegory behind spellbinding screen

Share: When it comes to A24 movies, there’s an unconvincing justification conveniently awaiting any negative thoughts over the inherent weirdness of most of their releases: you just don’t get it. With “I Saw the TV Glow,” a visually spectacular whirlwind of creativity from writer-director Jane Schoenbrun, the message is there but collapses under a convoluted narrative best described as an overstretched short film. The movie, spanning the late 90s to mid-2000s, takes place through the unreliable perspective of Owen (Justice Smith), who looks back on …

‘Civil War’ avoids real conversation of America’s dangerous divide

Share: What kind of American are you? How would you answer that with a gun to your head? Is that something that we should be asking ourselves? A24’s newest movie “Civil War” tries to answer the question with a gun to the head, but at the same time, it doesn’t and instead replaces those questions with jarring and often disturbing visuals which gloss over the real questions like how our nation got to that point. Don’t come into this movie expecting anything or wanting your …

‘Talk to Me’ will grab you and won’t let go

Share: “Talk to Me” is Australian twin brothers’ Danny and Michael Philippou’s first feature film. The brothers have a Youtube channel, RackaRacka, where they revealed that their movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and A24 picked up their film for distribution.  Filled with plenty of disturbing scenes that’ll leave you uneasy the whole way through, “Talk to Me” provides a new take on the overused Ouija board cliche with the main characters instead using a haunted hand to get in touch with the other …

‘Beau Is Afraid’ amuses and confuses in odd audacious odyssey

Share: There’s little to be afraid of in “Beau Is Afraid,” a surprisingly not-so-scary comedy from one of the most exciting horror directors, Ari Aster. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, it’s the sort of comedy where everyone, including the audience, is in on the joke. Everyone except for Beau, who is relentlessly tortured by any and every absurd creative choice Aster could imagine. Not every ambitious idea works in the film’s favor, yet the ungodly fever dream remains hilarious in a perverse, perturbed sense of humor. Beau …