Review by Sean Boelman

Robert Hloz’s dystopian science fiction noir Restore Point recently debuted at Karlovy Vary, where it was one of the biggest breakouts of the lineup. The film is one of the most impressively grand indies of the year, with amazing production values that would stack up against most bigger-budget Hollywood movies that are released these days.

Restore Point is set in a futuristic dystopia where people can be “restored” after they die thanks to a system in which their consciousness is backed up. A detective investigates the case of a murdered couple whose deaths might have connections to a scandal involving the company behind the restoration process.

The most impressive aspect of the film is without a doubt its world-building. Tomislav Cecka and Zdenek Jecelin take this somewhat simple concept and expand it into a sci-fi world that feels massive. Beyond the main story, the movie also allows us to explore some of this world in which violence has become almost meaningless.

The production value on Restore Point is truly insane. Comparisons to epic sci-fi movies like Blade Runner and Minority Report are certainly earned because of its great production design and visual effects. Considering that this is the first Czech sci-fi in 40 years, per the Fantasia description, it’s impressive the scale at which this was made.

Cecka and Zdenek’s script asks what are pretty much the expected questions about mortality when you have a premise like this. However, there are also some really provocative themes in the film about the commercialization of healthcare and how Big Pharma companies have become extremely corrupt to make money. 

The mystery that unfolds hits a lot of familiar beats, but it’s engaging enough to keep viewers interested. Admittedly, it would have been nice to see this concept used on a story that is more original, but as far as sci-fi noirs go, this has everything it needs to work: plenty of twists and turns, a compellingly disillusioned heroine, and plenty of wild supporting characters to be investigated.

Andrea Mohylová’s performance in the leading role is fantastic, perfectly capturing the gruffness of a noir protagonist — and she only has a few television credits before this, making it even more impressive. In the supporting cast, Matej Hádek gives a strong turn as the protagonist’s amnesiac sidekick, bringing a surprising amount of emotion to a role that is complex and purposefully distant.

Restore Point is a solid sci-fi flick elevated to excellent level thanks to above-average production qualities and excellent world-building. The fact that this is playing at a genre-specific festival like Fantasia, and not a broader showcase — something on the level of TIFF — is frankly shocking.

Restore Point screened at the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival, which runs from July 20 to August 9.

Rating: 4/5

Review by Sean Boelman

The Malaysian film Tiger Stripes debuted at the 2023 Cannes Semaine de la Critique, where it was met with a mostly warm reception. Although the coming-of-age horror story hits many familiar beats, it manages to be mostly effective thanks to a strong lead performance and assured direction.

The movie follows a girl who is the first among her friends in a tight-knit Muslim community to hit puberty, which causes her to experience unexpected — perhaps even horrifying — changes to her body. In a way, this is a body horror film, but that story almost feels secondary to the story of the protagonist attempting to cope with a community that is unfairly hostile towards her.

We’ve seen many horror and horror-adjacent movies where the thematic focus is on a girl’s coming-of-age — the most recognized of which is likely Carrie. However, what allows Tiger Stripes to stand out, even among a crowd of similarly-themed genre pictures, is its focus on cultural specificity and exploring these familiar and universal ideas in a way that is more distinctive. 

There is a lot happening in this film, from the exploration of womanhood to the dissection of a society that can be somewhat misogynistic in its overzealous approach to tradition. Ultimately, the movie refuses to give the viewer any easy answers, which can be as frustrating as it is perplexing.

Although the protagonist of the film is compelling because of the way in which she is constantly mistreated by her community, this has some unfortunate side consequences. Although it seems clear that the movie is designed to comment on the “mob mentality” associated with religious communities such as the one in which it is set, this also makes the threat feel arguably non-specific.

Zafreen Zairizal’s performance in the leading role is superb, especially considering that this is her first ever on-screen turn. It’s a role that is demanding — both physically and emotionally — yet Zairizal manages to make everything feel entirely authentic. Even with sounds and expressions, not just dialogue, Zairizal is able to get an extraordinary level of emotion.

Visually, the film is somewhat restrained until the final act, which leans a bit more heavily into the fantasy elements. The pacing for the first two thirds is somewhat relaxed, only for the final act to kick things into overdrive and become truly unsettling and provocative. The final image of the movie creates a fascinating and effective parallelism that will stick with viewers long after the credits roll.

Although Tiger Stripes might be off-putting to some due to its pacing, it sticks the landing in a way that makes it stand out in a familiar genre. It would have been nice to see Amanda Nell Eu’s film cut a bit deeper, but it’s still a fascinating take on this story and themes.

Tiger Stripes screened at the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival, which runs from July 20 to August 9.

Rating: 3.5/5

Review by Camden Ferrell

DC’s animated series, Harley Quinn, stands out among a sea of comic book content by being unapologetically raunchy and goofy. Since 2019, audiences have watched the explicit, gory, and crass antics of one of DC’s most beloved characters. Season 4, which comes out imminently, is no different. Thanks to another round of outrageous and hilarious episodes, paired with more great voice acting, this newest season proves that the show is not running out of steam anytime soon.
 
Spoilers for season 3, but Harley is a good guy now, and she is the newest member of the Bat-family. However, this major life change doesn’t come without some adjustments. Harley and Poison Ivy are still madly in love, but their individual paths of life lead to complications both serious and comedic. Fans can expect more engaging storylines for this ensemble to embark on with enjoyable results.
 
This is a show that I believe excels due to its consistency. From its very first episode, this show has had reliable humor and dialogue that made it fun to watch. This season doesn’t stray from that tried and tested format, and it doesn’t need to. These characters are still hilarious to watch, and this season provides more raunchy jokes and dialogue to help push its narrative along. Obviously, there are some swings and misses, but you can always rely on each episode to have its fair share of laughs.

The voice cast has always been one of the most appealing aspects of the show, and they’re all still delivering immensely with this. Kaye Cuoco reprises her role as Harley Quinn, and I still can’t imagine anybody else playing her in an animated show. She embodies her perfectly, and really brings the character to life. Lake Bell also excels as Poison Ivy as usual, and she always plays well off Cuoco’s performance. As usual, this show features an extensive cast, all of whom bring their own personality into this unique group of DC characters.
 
These episodes have some great narrative choices to keep viewers guessing, and it’s great to see Harley adjust to her new role and new life. The Bat-family is an interesting new change to the status quo of the show, and it gives the show plenty of new material to explore. In addition to the fun stories being told, fans can also look forward to the usual helping of sex and blood galore, and I’d even say this might be their raunchiest season thus far.
 
Harley Quinn continues its hot streak with a quickly paced fourth season that is as reliable as ever. Never amazing but never bad, this season will please its fans and hopefully encourage newcomers to start the series. You can expect plenty of adult-oriented entertainment to accompany your helping of comic book adjacent media with this show.
 
Harley Quinn season 4 is streaming July 27 on Max. Nine out of ten episodes have been reviewed.
 
Rating: 4/5

Review by Sean Boelman

Nicolas Cage is the rare actor where, regardless of the caliber of the film he’s acting in, he almost always gives 110%. Sympathy for the Devil is not the greatest movie in Cage’s filmography by any matter, but Cage gives such an impassioned turn that the result ends up being thoroughly watchable.

The movie follows a driver who picks up a mysterious passenger who begins to hold him at gunpoint, only for the driver to realize that there is more to this situation than he may realize. It’s an extremely minimalistic film and story, and while it’s not “good” in a traditional sense, it’s sure to be enjoyable by the niche audience of those who enjoy Cage’s B-movie efforts.

With a runtime under 90 minutes, the movie is pretty tight with its pacing. However, as much of this is owed to the bare-bones nature of Luke Paradise’s script as Yuval Adler’s direction. Viewers might be surprised to see just how little violence and action there is in this film, but the movie manages to keep viewers engaged nonetheless.

One of the most frustrating things about Sympathy for the Devil is that it is overly ambiguous. The film’s aspirations are never to be more than a standard B-movie, so why does it play so coy with its themes? Viewers might even spend the first act of the film wondering if there is a supernatural angle before realizing how straightforward it is.

​The character development in the movie also doesn’t make a ton of sense. There’s an ominous connection between the characters teased throughout the film, and it is eventually explained through some heavy-handed exposition around the one hour mark. By that time, viewers will either be checked out of the movie or along for the ride.

As is often the case with many of the films he is in, Nicolas Cage manages to single-handedly elevate Sympathy for the Devil from a rudimentary thriller into something legitimately fun. His line delivery, even when the dialogue is less than impressive, is fully committed and over-the-top in a way that’s quite enjoyable. The movie contains what might be one of the Cage-iest Nic Cage moments in recent memory in an inspired rendition of disco classic “I Love the Nightlife.”

Joel Kinnaman’s performance isn’t terrible, but when put up against Cage’s unhinged turn, it feels uncharacteristically dull for the usually talented actor. To be fair, the role doesn’t give him a whole lot to do other than react to Cage’s lunacy for a little over 80 minutes, but it too often feels like the two actors are on entirely different levels.

Sympathy for the Devil hopes to take minimalism to the extreme and deliver simple thrills, and the only reason it is able to do so is the characteristically committed performance by Nicolas Cage. Genre cinephiles who check out everything Cage is in will see this when it hits theaters and VOD in the US this week, July 28 — but it’s unlikely to win over anyone outside of the actor’s cult following.

Sympathy for the Devil screened at the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival, which runs from July 20 to August 9.

Review: 3/5

Reviewed by Jonathan Berk

Smith said, “I wanted those walls down. In this film, I was able to share the private lives of four transgender sex workers who are never represented publicly. I offered the girls freedom. Freedom to talk like us. Look like us. Don’t worry about politics. Forget about makeup. Don’t worry about calling your glam squad today. Just tell your story. I wanted to humanize the transgender experience.” This idea is present in every moment of the film, and it is executed to great impact. 
​
Kokomo City touches on many hot-button topics in our world right now. While many stories are comedic, Smith’s film slowly turns towards many of the struggles faced by black transgender women. The focus of finding ones place and our desire to find acceptance rings true and loud. This film emphasizes how sad it is that our society makes people feel unable to exist openly and freely. The final shot of the film is a powerful one that stamps Smith’s statement completely. 

Kokomo City is out in theaters on July 28.

Rating: 4.5/5​