Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls - Review | Sundance 2023

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Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls - Review | Sundance 2023

Directed by: Andrew Bowser

Written by: Andrew Bowser

Starring: Andrew Bowser, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Jeffrey Combs, Ralph Ineson, Rivkah Reyes, T.C. Carson

Runtime: 110 min

Synopsis: The story follows fledgling Satanist Marcus J. Trillbury (Onyx) as he attends a once-in-a-lifetime ritual at his idol BARTOK THE GREAT'S dark mansion. Once there, Marcus meets a group of other worshippers. As the group is led by Bartok and his assistant Farrah in a series of rituals meant to "better them," it becomes clear that their intentions are more nefarious. As his new friends are losing the battle to keep their souls, a question of great destiny looms over Onyx's head: is he doomed to be a nobody or is he the only one who can defeat Bartok and save his friends from damnation?

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Bad Behaviour - Review | Sundance 2023

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Bad Behaviour - Review | Sundance 2023

Directed by: Alice Englert

Written by: Alice Englert

Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Ben Whishaw, Alice Englert, Ana Scotney, Dasha Nekrasova, Marlon Williams

Runtime: 107 min

Synopsis: Lucy (Jennifer Connelly) is a former child actress who seeks enlightenment at a retreat led by spiritual leader Elon (Ben Whishaw) while she also navigates the close yet turbulent relationship with her stunt performer daughter, Dylan (Alice Englert).

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Polite Society - Review | Sundance 2023

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Polite Society - Review | Sundance 2023

Directed by: Nida Manzoor

Written by: Nida Manzoor

Starring: Priya Kansara, Ritu Arya, Nimra Bucha, Akshay Khanna, Seraphina Beh, Ella Bruccoleri

Runtime: 103 min

Synopsis: Martial artist-in-training Ria Khan believes she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, Ria attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood.

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Sometimes I Think About Dying - Review | Sundance 2023

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Sometimes I Think About Dying - Review | Sundance 2023

Directed by: Rachel Lambert

Written by: Kevin Armento, Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Katy Wright-Mead

Starring: Daisy Ridley, Dave Merheje, Parvesh Cheena, Marcia Debonis, Meg Stalter, Brittany O'Grady

Runtime: 91 min

Synopsis: Fran (Daisy Ridley), who likes to think about dying, makes the new guy at work laugh, which leads to dating and more. Now the only thing standing in their way is Fran herself.

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The Pod Generation - Review | Sundance 2023

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The Pod Generation - Review | Sundance 2023

Directed by: Sophie Barthes

Written by: Sophie Barthes

Starring: Emilia Clarke, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rosalie Craig, Vinette Robinson. Jean-Marc Barr

Runtime: 109 min

Synopsis: A New York couple, Rachel (Emilia Clarke) and Alvy (Chiwetel Ejiofor) live in a not-so-distant future where technology provides ever-more convenient living. A rising tech company executive, Rachel lands a coveted spot at the Womb Center, which offers couples a convenient (and shareable) maternity by way of detachable artificial wombs, or pods. But Alvy, a botanist with an affection for nature, prefers a natural pregnancy. And yet, as Rachel’s AI therapist puts it, why is that “natural”? So begins the tech-paved path to parenthood.

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Missing (2023) - Mini-Review

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Missing (2023) - Mini-Review

Directed by: Will Merrick, Nick Johnson

Written by: Will Merrick, Nick Johnson

Starring: Storm Reid, Joaquim de Almeida, Ken Leung, Amy Landecker, Daniel Henney, Nia Long

Runtime: 111 min

Synopsis: When her mother disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June's search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her before it's too late. But as she digs deeper, her digital sleuthing raises more questions than answers...

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Alice, Darling (2023) - Review

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Alice, Darling (2023) - Review

Directed by: Mary Nighy

Written by: Alanna Francis

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Kaniehtiio Horn, Charlie Carrick, Wunmi Mosaku

Runtime: 90 min

Synopsis: Alice (Anna Kendrick) is a woman pushed to the breaking point by her psychologically abusive boyfriend, Simon (Charlie Carrick). While on vacation with two close girlfriends, Alice rediscovers the essence of herself and gains some much-needed perspective. Slowly, she starts to fray the cords of codependency that bind her. But Simon's vengeance is as inevitable as it is shattering - and, once unleashed, it tests Alice's strength, her courage, and the bonds of her deep-rooted friendships.

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JUNG_E (2023) - Review

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JUNG_E (2023) - Review

Directed by: Yeon Sang-ho

Written by: Yeon Sang-ho

Starring: Kang Soo-yeon, Kim Hyun-joo, Ryu Kyung-soo

Runtime: 98 min

Synopsis: In a post-apocalyptic near-future, a researcher at an AI lab leads the effort to end a civil war by cloning the brain of a heroic soldier - her mother.

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M3GAN (2023) - Review

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M3GAN (2023) - Review

Directed by: Gerard Johnstone

Written by: Akela Cooper

Starring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Lori Dungey, Stephane Garneau-Monten

Runtime: 102 min

Synopsis: M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child's greatest companion and a parent's greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to. When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), Gemma's unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems - a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.

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Mini-Reviews - 2022 Edition

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Mini-Reviews - 2022 Edition

Usually, I prepare this type of article near the end of each year and upload mini-reviews that I have in store for a few films I didn't have time to write a full opinion piece on. I'm going to do things differently in 2022 so that I can publish my thoughts on every movie I see this year without missing a single one.

Therefore, this article will contain the same concise opinions you've seen in other pieces like this. Small reviews of some movies I can't afford the time to write 800+ words on due to external situations that might occur in my life. In most cases, these are going to be films that won't have that much of an impact on my year-end reflection of the best movies I've seen in 2022.

This section will be updated each time I add a new entry, as well as its date of publication, so these compact opinions can be seen by everyone at any time.

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