dfranklin-41821 Reviews

Jovi & Lou (2023)

A Fun and Irrevernt Cosmic Comedy

[7/10 · 16 July 2023]

Part The Seventh Seal, part Miracle Workers, and part Book of Jo (but a hell of a lot funnier,) this is a fast and funny indie comedy with a lot of charm and quirk to it. Definitely worth watching if you're looking for something fun and off the beaten path!

Victoria Strange offers a stand-out performance here, and. Trevor Van Uden is clearly having a lot of as her counterpart. The back and forth between God and Satan here adds a refreshing twist to a story we're all familiar with.

And at only 77 minutes, the film doesn't overstay its welcome, which is a refreshing change of pace in an era of long movies! Definitely worth a watch!

Mandao Returns (2020)

A Fast and Funny Sci-Fi Romp

[7/10 · 11 February 2021]

Mixing sci-fi and horror elements with comedy is no easy task, but the team behind Mandao Returns has managed to do just that. If you're looking for something a little offbeat but a lot of fun, and that doesn't overstay its welcome, Mandao Returns is a great way to spend 75 minutes!

The Stalker (III) (2020)

A Tightly Paced Throwback to Old School Horror

[7/10 · 12 December 2020]

Add in one part surreal and two parts suspenseful and you get this taut throwback to 80's slasher flicks - if that's your thing, you'll definitely enjoy the ride.

Job Guys (2020– )

Fun, Fast Paced, and Quirky

[8/10 · 15 July 2020]

This is a fun, offbeat little web series about two goons for hire who need an extra hand around the office - it's fun and well shot for a low budget web series, and the episodes are short, so it's definitely worth checking out!

Carving A Life (2017)

Touching Indie Drama Anchored By Strong Lead Performances

[7/10 · 7 May 2020]

This was a thoughtful and powerful meditation on addiction, and it is largely carried on the shoulders of the two leads, Tyler Bruhn and the stunning Karenssa LeGear, who is, interestingly enough, actually Australian - it's a testament to how good her acting is that her accent never breaks.

8 Remains (2018)

A Feminist Thriller With an Interesting Premise

[8/10 · 25 March 2020]

It's rare to see a thriller, much less one with such strong feminist overtones, also tackle the idea of parallel worlds in the span of 80 minutes, but this film manages to do just that. If you're truly looking for a horror film that offers something you haven't seen before, this one truly is worth the time.

Friends, Foes & Fireworks (2018)

Intimate Aussie Comedy/Drama with Shades of Linklater

[8/10 · 18 March 2020]

If you're a fan of Richard Linklater's early works, especially his "Before..." Trilogy, you'll more than likely love this movie. It's small and intimate, and it's nice to see a movie about regular people at a moment when we have so many superhero films being made - definitely worth a watch, especially because it doesn't overstay its welcome.

Athena (2015)

A Dark and Subversive Indie Horror With Some Interesting Ideas

[7/10 · 14 March 2020]

This is definitely one of the more offbeat indie horror movies I've watched in quite some time - the best way to describe is if you took elements of William Friedkin's film "Bug" (in terms of a man and a woman both dealing with trauma, and as you can see from the photo here, bugs), Spike Jonze's "Her" (an unseen female voice driving a lot of the story), and a dash of Cronenberg and put it all in a blender with a lot of fake blood, you'd get something close to this film.

As Carl, Matthew Ewald gives a compelling performance as a truly tortured man dealing with an intense loss, and I look forward to seeing other performances from him in the future. That being said, I did have some issues with the usage of blood in this story, both figuratively and literally - and no, I'm not the squeamish type, and you shouldn't be either if you watch this film.

Unfortunately, the blood is here is not only a bit excessive (people don't bleed that much that fast), but there are various moments where a character is bleeding (there's a scene in a bar that comes to mind) and people just ignore it - people don't react to people who could have some sort of contagious disease like that in the real world (especially right now.)

In short, this was an interesting movie - there was a cool story here, but some of the special effects distracted me from focusing on it in full. I'd like to see this director make another film, even a horror film, but one that relies less on the gross out and more on the genuine horror found in the human condition - I have no doubt he's capable of it.

Marlo Lasker (2020 TV Movie)

A Sweet Throwback to Old School Character Comedies

[8/10 · 10 March 2020]

I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into when I started watching this, but I'm glad that I did - it's a throwback to old school character comedies, such as the Pee Wee Herman movies and the early SNL films. If those kinds of comedies are your speed, give this one a try!

A Legacy of Whining (2016)

Darkly Funny but Also Heartfelt

[9/10 · 5 March 2020]

This is an offbeat, quirky indie comedy with a lot of heart, as the film largely revolves around two men trying to come to terms with their pasts. The film opens with a quote from Nabokov on the topic, and if you know who that is, then you're pretty likely to enjoy this movie.

Trouble Is My Business (2018)

A Fun Throwback Noir That Combines a Modern Look with an Old School Feel

[8/10 · 22 February 2020]

As someone who loves old school detective movies, I was pleasantly surprised to come across an indie version of an old school noir. The team behind this film has clearly done their homework, and they pull out all the stops when it comes to paying homage to the films that inspired this one while still putting an original spin on their version of this style of storytelling.

Beyond the Comic Panels (2019)

Interesting Look Behind the Scenes of Making it in the Comic Book Industry

[8/10 · 22 February 2020]

If you've ever had an interest in learning what it takes to make it as a comic book artist, this documentary is a great place to start. It features a number of talking head interviews with various professionals in the industry and actually (wisely) spends enough time with them to get to know them as people - definitely worth a watch!

Bikini Valley Car Wash (2020)

A Cool Comedy Throwback That Lovingly Embraces the Genre

[8/10 · 22 February 2020]

This is a really fun little movie that reminds me of the comedies of the late 80's and early to mid 90's - fun, balls to the wall, and not afraid to be a little bit silly. It also features an appearance from the OG Ron Jeremy himself, so if you're looking to laugh a lot and forget the fact that the world is on fire for 90 minutes or so, check this one out!

Take Me Out (2018)

Sweet Indie About Youth and Growing up in Chicago

[8/10 · 22 February 2020]

This was a small film, a character piece largely, but it had a lot of heart and made excellent use of available locales in the city of Chicago - if you're into indie or sports dramas, or have love for the Chi at all, this one is definitely worth a watch.

The Farmhand (2019)

An Ambitious Indie Period Short That's Worth a Watch

[8/10 · 22 February 2020]

This was an interesting and ambitious short, as it was set in the late 20's and deals with a criminal kingpin who tries to solicit the murder of a sheriff - from there, things spiral out of control pretty quickly. I won't spoil the ending for you, but definitely worth a watch if you're into 20th century period pieces.

Chameleon Shadow (2017)

A Surrealsitic Ride Into the Mind of a Man

[9/10 · 19 February 2020]

This movie, in some ways, reminded me of a lower budget version of Eraserhead (and that's a compliment) - what starts as a man simply attempting to get some relief from his nightmares turns into a surreal haze in short order. If you're into horror movies that dive into the human condition and don't just want to gross you out, give this a watch!

Unlawful Justice (2018)

Tense, Timely, and Very Well Made

[10/10 · 17 February 2020]

This was an indie movie through and through, but that certainly didn't stop me from enjoying it in the slightest - it was well acted, well shot, and told a tense, timely story about modern policing, and how the police need to change how they interact with minority communities in America today. Definitely worth a watch, as it doesn't overstay its welcome either.

The Hand Bag (2020)

Dark and Moody Storytelling With Excellent Lighting

[8/10 · 13 February 2020]

The Hand Bag is a story powered by the timeless storytelling motif of revenge - there's a lot of sex and violence, some of it pretty intense, so this is definitely not one for the kids. That being said, this could easily be a TV pilot for a series, and it would be interesting to see the further exploits of these characters.

Stadium Anthems (2018)

Sometimes Dark, Frequently Clever, And Very Very Funny

[9/10 · 10 February 2020]

Stadium Anthems is a fantastic example of an indie comedy - it's raunchy, witty, and has actors who are fully committed to their performances (and there's a LOT of commitment required here - you'll have to watch to see what I mean). It's also very well shot and takes fantastic advantage of various locales in Denver, so if you're a fan of movies about music, documentaries, or just laughing a lot, give Stadium Anthems a watch!

Purdah (2018)

A Documentary That Brings You Into a Whole New World

[8/10 · 8 February 2020]

As someone who doesn't know a ton about cricket, I ended up learning a lot about both the sport, and the Indian culture at large, after watching this documentary. It differs a lot from the traditional Western sports narrative of "the player/team" trying to win and instead focuses on one woman's struggle to find acceptance from her family as she pursues her dream, proving in the process that while borders are arbitrary and man made, the human struggle is a universal condition.

Chasing the Win (2016)

Informative and Entertaining, Even if You Don't Know Anything About Horse Racing

[9/10 · 7 February 2020]

As someone who knew next to nothing about horse racing, I wasn't really sure what I was getting into when I stumbled across this little gem here on Prime. This documentary is both informative and entertaining, and it manages to break down the complex world of horse racing in a way that makes sense to everyone - definitely worth a watch if you have 90 mins or so to spare.

What Love Looks Like (2020)

A Fun Anthology Rom-Com With a Lot of Heart

[8/10 · 6 February 2020]

This was a fun, sweet little indie, and it's nice to see the anthology format being used here - it's a great storytelling tool, and not enough movies try to use it! This was a fun watch, definitely worth checking out, especially with V-Day right around the corner.

Love Is Not Enough (I) (2019)

A Rom-Com With a Lot of Heart and Some Star Power

[8/10 · 6 February 2020]

This was a funny and heartfelt little indie romcom, and it was nice to see appearances from both Lavell Crawford ( a successful stand up in his own right, but you'll probably know him from "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul") and Kim Coles (from the early 90's classic "Living Single.") Definitely worth a watch!

The Paraseekers (2018– )

Solid Watch for Fans of the Paranormal

[8/10 · 6 February 2020]

If you're looking for a paranormal style documentary that treats its subject with reverence while still managing to have some levity from time to time, this doc is for you. I do wish the filmmakers would have spent more time with the people and less on VFX shots - people are always more interesting than special effects, but otherwise a solid outing.