Gavin Schmitt’s review related to movies and television.
Anything for Jackson Movie Review An aging couple (Sheila McCarthy and Julian Richings) is willing to do anything to bring back Jackson, their deceased grandson. A pregnant woman becomes involved and calamity ensues. The premise is a simple one, and one that all parents can relate to. The protagonists in this story will “do anything …
ANYTHING FOR JACKSON (2020) Review, Nightstream 2020 Read More »
Bloody Hell (2020), Directed by Alister Grierson Gavin’s Bloody Hell Review Right off the bat, viewers will be able to tell that this is a very polished film, with a crazy-high production value. Now, that does not necessarily mean a big budget. No A-list stars are attached (with all due respect to Mr. O’Toole) and …
Detention Movie Review Set in 1962 during Taiwan’s White Terror period, two students are trapped at their hillside high school at night. While trying to escape and find their missing teacher, they encounter ghosts and the dark truth of their fate. When you think of “detention,” you might think of spending 30 minutes after school, …
Shock Value Review As described in the brochure: “In a fascinating feature-length horror anthology, ‘Shock Value: The Movie—How Dan O’Bannon and Some USC Outsiders Helped Invent Modern Horror,’ archivist Dino Everett proves that USC students O’Bannon, John Carpenter and others began redefining the horror genre while at the School of Cinematic Arts in the 1970s.” …
SHOCK VALUE Review, Shorts Compilation, Nightstream 2020 Read More »
Darlin’ Movie Review Overview: A feral teenage girl is taken into strict Catholic church care and prepared for her First Holy Communion.Director: Pollyanna McIntoshProducer: Andrew van den HoutenStarring: Lauryn Canny, Bryan Batt, Nora-Jane Noone Gavin’s Review The path to this film is long and winding through multiple mediums going back almost forty years. In summary, …
True Fiction Move Review Avery Malone (Sara Garcia, Reign), a wannabe writer and lonely librarian, gets her big break when she’s hand-selected to assist her hero, reclusive author, Caleb Conrad (John Cassini, Se7en). Whisked away to Caleb’s remote estate, Avery is given her one and only task; to participate in a controlled psychological experiment in …
TRUE FICTION (2019) Movie Review, Fantaspoa 2019 Read More »
Deodato Holocaust (2019) From the makers of “FantastiCozzi”, a new documentary about the life and career of controversial Italian director Ruggero Deodato. Director: Felipe M. GuerraStarring: Ruggero Deodato, Willie Aames, Luca BarbareschiGenre: Documentary Movie Review Some directors are demanding. Others are difficult. But only one was accused of killing his actors. “Deodato Holocaust” tells the …
DEODATO HOLOCAUST (2019) Movie Review, Fantaspoa 2019 Read More »
Rondo Movie Review Played July 27th – Directed by Drew Barnhardt, USA A kinky sex proposition devolves into a chain of murder, sex, and revenge. And more murder. Putting any of this film into words is almost doing it a disservice. Beyond “holy crap” or similar gasps of disbelief, can we really sum up what …
Saint Bernard Syndicate Movie Review Played July 26th – Directed by Mads Brugger, Denmark An odd-couple comedy about the pitfalls of striking out into the economic frontier; it charts two hapless Danes’ scheme to sell Saint Bernards to China’s middle class. This is not a “laugh out loud” odd couple movie, but more subtle in …
SAINT BERNARD SYNDICATE (2018) Review, Fantasia 2018 Read More »
Hurt Movie Review Played July 26th – Directed by Sonny Mallhi, Canada Plot: Rose (Emily van Raay) moves into a house in the woods close to her sister after her boyfriend gets deployed and things don’t go right when Halloween night arrives. Writer-director Sonny Mallhi has previously given us ANGUISH and FAMILY BLOOD, but it’s …
