Snake Eyes is all about the origin story of the popular character of the same name in the cartoon series (played here by Henry Golding). It started like so many hero origins do: a family member is killed in an incredibly traumatic way, the child swears revenge and dedicates their life to bringing it about. This one veers off the typical path of “good guy stops himself before its too late” and goes kinda dark instead. It’s a bit surprising considering this is billed as a sort of family flick (or maybe that was just my assumption since it’s based on a cartoon), but it still made for a good story. Snake goes to incredible lengths, and makes nice with some truly awful people, to accomplish his goal without learning his lesson until his choices cause irreparable damage; and honestly he’s pretty dang violent in the interim. I don’t think I’m adding any spoilers here (since we know him as a decent guy in the G.I. Joe universe), he finally comes to his senses; as the film ends he’s putting his efforts toward becoming a true American Hero.
An attempt to tell a tragic true story, Joe Bell ends up being a fundamentally misguided movie
It is hard to shake the feeling that Joe Bell was designed with an Oscar nomination for acting in mind, though along the way it ended up forgetting to make an engaging film to justify such an award.
NBFF 2021: That’s a wrap!
Jenn and Chase are back to report on the strange goings-on of the North Bend Film Festival.
How It Ends is a meandering yet heartfelt look at the end of the world
A film that proves to be fleetingly sweet, How It Ends is a pandemic creation where absurdity and sentimentality are given priority over substance.
Here After is a single-shaming, frustrating take on love
An attractive forty-something, semi-successful actor from New York, Michael (Andy Karl), dies single. He’s told by a magical CEO (Christina Ricci) in a high rise in the sky that he has to find his soulmate to ascend and there’s a ticking clock to find them before he literally ceases to exist. So… eternity with a partner or you literally disappear never to be heard from again; useless and unloved.
NBFF 2021: Ayar, The Witches of the Orient
Two films that were featured in this year’s North Bend Film Fest have unusual takes on what “experimental documentary filmmaking” might look like.
NBFF 2021: Superior announces an exciting new voice
Erin Vassilopoulos’ debut feature takes daring stylistic risks that pay off in this tense tale of misplaced identity, familial reconciliation, and feminist empowerment.
NBFF 2021: Tailgate, Luchadoras
A tense Dutch horror flick and an inspiring Mexican documentary, both available virtually via NBFF through the end of the weekend.
NBFF 2021: We’re All Going to the World’s Fair is a crushing debut about isolation in the internet age
There is so much that just completely knocks you flat with We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, an incisive and stirring look at what it means to grow up in near complete isolation with the internet as your primary conduit to the world.
Nicolas Cage just wants his Pig back; Portland has other ideas.
With his feature film debut about one man’s love for his prized pig, writer-director Michael Sarnoski has harnessed Nicolas Cage’s latent intensity and made what might be my favorite film I’ve seen so far this year.