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  • Articles
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Viddy Well

viddywell6double5321@gmail.com

The Irishman: A Deceptively Deep Mob Movie

November 16, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Martin Scorsese’s latest mob epic, The Irishman, reunites him with usual suspects Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, and also marks his first collaboration with Al Pacino. Despite standing at a whopping three and a half hours, the film is a brisk, breezy, and entertaining thrill ride that reaches deeper than any of Scorsese’s previous crime films, arriving at a surprisingly profound and contemplative conclusion that lingers with a quiet sizzle.

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Dolemite Is My Name: A Real M*therf*ckin' Delight

November 10, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan) brings Rudy Ray Moore’s incredible and inspirational story to wide audiences with Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name. The film illuminates viewers on the hilarity and importance of Moore and his beloved Dolemite character, but most of all, it gives us the kind of quality Eddie Murphy performance that audiences haven’t seen in a very long time.

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The Lighthouse: A Salty Sailor Fever Dream Full Of Nautical Madness

October 29, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Four long years after his debut, The VVitch, acclaimed writer/director Robert Eggers returns with another haunting tale of disturbing terror — this time of the nautical variety. The Lighthouse pits Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson in a twisted two-hander full of isolation, seagulls, sirens, secrets, superstitions, bodily fluid, booze, and flatulence. This searing force of nature will ring your bell in ways that films rarely do these days.

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Jojo Rabbit: A Dull Satire With A Dash Of Charm

October 25, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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New Zealand writer/director Taika Waititi funnels his Thor: Ragnarok money into a self-professed “anti-hate satire” about Nazis, which we think is the cutest little misfire we’ve seen all year. Jojo Rabbit — or Inglorious Moonreich Kingdom as we like to call it — wants to be make light of WWII and the Holocaust while also showing its grim consequences, and it just doesn’t work. Its tone may be wonky, and its satire may be soft, ineffective, and surface-level, but it’s not without its moments of Kiwi charm.

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Greener Grass: The Absurd, Surrealist Suburban Satire You've Been Waiting For

October 14, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Writing/directing duo Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe are making big waves with their feature film debut, Greener Grass, which was a surprise hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Based off the duo’s short film of the same name, this refreshingly offbeat, delightfully absurd, and totally unpredictable satire unleashes a never-ending barrage on suburban living, and it has all the makings of an instant cult classic.

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Joker: A Gritty, Thought-Provoking Character Study

October 06, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Writer/director Todd Phillips brings a rich and complex character study to the comic book film with Joker, a gritty and grounded standalone origin story about Batman’s most iconic villain. Equal parts despicable and human and adorned with a phenomenal career-defining performance from Joaquin Phoenix, Joker causes us to see aspects of ourselves and our world in the tragic flaws of its protagonist, which makes his tumble down the rabbit hole of madness that much more real.

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tags / Viddy Well Film Blog, Viddy Well, viddy well, Todd Phillips, Joker, Batman, DC Cinema, DC Comics, Joaquin Phoenix, Character study, Psychological Thriller

Fantastic Fest Review: BUTT BOY Goes All In

October 02, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Writer/director/comedian Tyler Cornack’s second feature, Butt Boy, is a film that should not be judged entirely by its title. It might be as “cheeky” as you’d think, but it’s certainly not as silly or compelling as you’d initially suspect. This irreverent poker-faced thriller goes all in, and it must be seen to be believed.

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Fantastic Fest Review: ROCK, PAPER, AND SCISSORS Is A Twisted Chamber Piece

October 02, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Argentinian directors Martín Blousson and Macarena García Lenzi deliver a twisted chamber piece full of family dysfunction with their debut, Rock, Paper, and Scissors (Piedra, Apel y Tijera). The film takes a small story about a sibling power struggle and churns it into a quietly engaging and charmingly odd three-hander with a decent set of fangs.

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Fantastic Fest Review: DIE KINDER DER TOTEN Is An Experimental Mess

September 30, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Directors Kelly Copper and Pavol Liška take on Elfriede Jelinek’s epic and “unfilmable” novel, Die Kinder Der Toten, in their debut feature of the same name. This quasi-silent political satire with zombies is a peculiar exercise in experimentation, but it’s one that never fully stacks up to anything substantial, making it a collection of semi-intriguing images and not much more.

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Ad Astra: A Soft, Slow Journey Through The Stars

September 29, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

Writer/director James Gray’s previous quest through the Amazon in Lost City of Z must have made him weary of terrestrial adventures because his latest film, Ad Astra, takes us “to the stars” to explore the humanity that may (or may not) reside on the outer reaches of the cosmos. The film is a visually stunning meditative work that was just a little too emotionally unavailable to completely resonate.

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Fantastic Fest Review: PARASITE A Wickedly Entertaining Examination Of Class

September 26, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s latest film, Parasite, is going to infect audiences in ways they can’t even begin to anticipate. This wickedly entertaining amalgam of comedy, thriller, and social drama with have you instantly enamored with the surgical precision of its unexpected unraveling.

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Fantastic Fest Review: COME TO DADDY Is A Relentlessly Intense, Ever-Evolving Thriller

September 23, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Come to Daddy is the directorial debut of acclaimed producer Ant Timpson (The ABCs of Death 1 & 2, The Greasy Strangler, Deathgasm), and it is sure to take audiences on a topsy-turvy thrill ride. This darkly comedic thriller ventures into some very unexpected terrain, but underneath it all rests a deeply human story that’s as resonate as it is invigorating.

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Fantastic Fest Review: CLIMATE OF THE HUNTER Is A Bewildering Marvel

September 22, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Climate of the Hunter marks the 27th film by Oklahoman writer/director Mickey Reece — an astounding feat when you consider his first film was released in 2008. Atmospheric and broody, Climate of the Hunter blends elements of adult melodrama, psychological thriller, and arthouse horror into a complex and challenging brew about loneliness. One thing’s for sure, this is not your average vampire flick.

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tags / Viddy Well Film Blog, Viddy Well, viddy well, Nothing but movies, Nothing But Movies, I love cinema, I Love Cinema, Mickey Reece, Climate Of The Hunter, Agnes, Country Gold, Ben Hall, Vampire, Horror, Comedy, Dracula, Thematic trilogy, Ginger Gilmartin, Mary Buss, Kaitlyn Shelby, Samuel Calvin

Fantastic Fest Review: SCREAM, QUEEN! MY NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

September 22, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Mark Patton is a name you probably wouldn’t recognize (unless you’re a Nightmare on Elm Street fan) and for pretty good reason. As closeted gay actor working in Hollywood in the throes of the AIDS epidemic, he was driven into obscurity after being unwillingly outed by his big break, Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge — a film that has since been forever immortalized as “the gayest horror movie ever made.” With Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street, first time directing duo, Roman Chimienti and Tyler Jensen, chronicle Mark’s personal journey as he attempts to come to peace with the demons of his past.

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Fantastic Fest Review: THE MORTUARY COLLECTION Is An Assortment Of Horror Favorites

September 22, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Stories and their message are the focus of writer/director Ryan Spindell’s directorial debut, The Mortuary Collection. This gothic anthology provides an atmospheric mélange of horrific delights that deliver nice bends and twists to the familiar.

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Fantastic Fest Review: THE WAVE Is A Chaotic Head Trip

September 22, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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The Wave is the feature directorial debut from Gille Klabin, and it takes you on a chaotic head trip across space and time to show you the harmony of the universe. This vibrant and jittery romp is one part buddy comedy and one part psychedelic quest, wrapped up in an existential adulthood crisis that is punctuated by dazzling visuals and comedic twists.

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Fantastic Fest Review: HAPPY FACE Is A Challenging Affront To "Traditional" Beauty

September 20, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Alexandre Franchi’s powerfully "all-inclusive” sophomore effort, Happy Face, is a challenging affront to the narrow notion of “traditional” beauty that teaches us how to weaponize our subjective flaws. It’s also the most surprising, refreshing, and bizarre ensemble comedy that you’ll likely see all year.

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tags / viddy well, Viddy Well Film Blog, I love cinema, Nothing but movies, Alexandre Franchi, Happy Face, Happy Face Film, Canadian Film, Fantastic Fest, Fantastic Fest 2019, 2021 Film

Fantastic Fest Review: Takashi Miike's FIRST LOVE Is One Wild Ride

September 20, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Takashi Miike shows no signs of fatigue. Even with over 100 features under his belt, the prolific Japanese auteur continues to prove that he’s full of life and hasn’t lost his penchant for surprises. His latest feature, First Love, a noir-tinged, genre-blurring Yakuza film, is delightfully feral, frequently great, and everything one could want out of a Takashi Miike joint.

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The Peanut Butter Falcon: A Feelgood Adventure

September 19, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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What do Mark Twain and wrestling have in common? They’re both foundational to Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz’s debut feature, The Peanut Butter Falcon. The film is a real southern charmer that takes you on an indelibly sweet adventure full of moonshine, camaraderie, dreams, and redemption.

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Ayaneh: Nicolas Greinacher’s Topical Short Packs A Punch

September 16, 2019  /  Aaron Haughton

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Ayaneh is the latest short film from award-winning Swedish Director Nicolas Greinacher, which recently came off a few wins at the Oscar-qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival and received theatrical screenings at the Arena Cinelounge in Hollywood. This topical drama about rebelling against cultural norms packs a lot into its short runtime, and it is sure to stay with you long after it cuts to black.

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