2019 Hawaii International Film Festival Presented by Halekulani - Lineup Announcement

Hard to believe this will be my fifth year covering the Hawaii International Film Festival and yet here I am perusing the press release for the 2019 rendition of one of my favorite film festivals of the year. This might be the best year yet as the curators of this cinematic extravaganza have put together a roster of films that make me wish I could be there for all of it.

Opening night will feature Taika Waititi's latest offering Jojo Rabbit which is a great way to kick things off and then the festivities will come to a glorious conclusion as Weathering with You, Makoto Shinkai’s follow up to the crazy popular Your Name, hits the screen. Keep on reading to get the full lowdown from the recently unveiled press release.

1BR - 2019 BHFF Movie Review

The Movie: 1BR

The Director: David Marmor

The Cast: Naomi Grossman, Taylor Nichols, Alan Blumenfeld, Giles Matthey, Andrea Gabriel, Curtis Webster, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Celeste Sully, Jerry Ying, Hailey Giles, Jay Pennick, Clayton Hoff

The Story: Young woman moves into apartment building to escape her family only to find another, more dangerous one hiding in plain sight.

The Shed - 2019 BHFF Movie Review

The Movie: The Shed

The Director: Frank Sabatella

The Cast: Jay Jay Warren, Cody Kostro, Sofia Happonen, Frank Whaley, Timothy Bottoms, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Chris Petrovski, Francisco Burgos, Uly Schlesinger, Mu-Shaka Benson

The Story: A group of bullied teenagers turn the tide when they discover a a sinister secret hidden away inside a backyard shed.

Gemini Man (2019) - Movie Review

The Movie: Gemini Man

The Director: Ang Lee

The Cast: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen

The Story: An over-the-hill hitman faces off against a younger clone of himself.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2019 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

Horror fans! If you're in New York between October 17th and 24th, this is where you want to be. Year four of the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival looks like it is going to be the best one yet and The TwoOhSix has uncovered the scariest, bloodiest, creepiest, and most scream inducing-est movies that you will be able to see. Without further ado, here are my TwoOhSix Picks for this year's festivities.

Line Walker 2: Invisible Spy (使徒行者2: 谍影行动) - Movie Review

The Movie: Line Walker 2: Invisible Spy (使徒行者2: 谍影行动)

The Director: Jazz Boon

The Cast: Louis Koo, Nick Cheung, Francis Ng, Peiyao Jiang, Yichi Zhang, Zhi-zhong Huang, Jacky Cai, Joe Tak-Chung Ma

The Story: After they uncover evidence that there is corruption in the police force, three police officers in Hong Kong try to discover which of them can be trusted.

Joker - Movie Review

The Movie: Joker

The Director: Todd Phillips

The Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Brett Cullen, Frances Conroy, Shea Whigham, Bill Camp,

The Story: Super serious and super artistic super villain origin story.

Tazza: One Eyed Jack (타짜: 원 아이드 잭) - Movie Review

The Movie: Tazza: One Eyed Jack (타짜: 원 아이드 잭)

The Director: Kwon Oh-kwang

The Cast: Park Jung-min, Ryoo Seung-bum and Choi Yu-hwa

The Story: After losing everything, a young expert poker player raises the stakes by joining a crew for a job that may be a bigger gamble than any of them are ready for.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2019 Tacoma Film Festival

The TwoOhSix is heading back to the 253 to give you the 411 on the 2019 Tacoma Film Festival. This eight day extravaganza runs from October 3rd through the 10th and includes so many feature films, short films, special events, and industry workshops, I'm amazed at how much there is to see and do. Check out my "TwoOhSix Picks" which includes eight movies and one special event.

Ad Astra - Movie Review

The Movie: Ad Astra

The Director: James Gray

The Cast: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, Donald Sutherland, Kimberly Elise, Loren Dean, Donnie Keshawarz, John Ortiz, John Finn

The Story: Astronaut Roy McBride undertakes a mission across an unforgiving solar system to uncover the truth about his missing father and his doomed expedition that now, 30 years later, threatens the universe.

Hustlers - Movie Review

The Movie: Hustlers

The Director: Lorene Scafaria

The Cast: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Lili Reinhart, Keke Palmer, Wai Ching Ho, Mette Towley, Trace Lysette, Mercedes Ruehl, Cardi B, Lizzo

The Story: Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.

Le Chocolat de H - Movie Review

The Movie: Le Chocolat de H

The Director: Takashi Watanabe

The Story: Explore the world of Hironobu Tsujiguchi and his award-winning artisanal chocolates.

Depraved - Movie Review

The Movie: Depraved

The Director: Larry Fessenden

The Cast: David Call, Joshua Leonard, Alex Breaux

The Story: A disillusioned field surgeon suffering from PTSD makes a man out of body parts and brings him to life in a Brooklyn loft.

One Cut of the Dead (カメラを止めるな！) - Movie Review

The Movie: One Cut of the Dead (カメラを止めるな！)

The Director: Shin'ichirô Ueda

The Cast: Hamatsu Takayuki, Harumi Shuhama, Nagaya Kazuaki, Yuzuki Akiyama, Takuya Fujimura, Ayana Gôda

The Story: A film crew gets attacked by zombies while making a zombie movie in a 37 minute single shot sequence. The rest of the movie just gets crazier and more fun all the way to the very end.

It Chapter Two - Movie Review

The Movie: It Chapter Two

The Director: Andy Muschietti

The Cast: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Bill Skarsgård, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean

The Story: Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.

Pokemon Detective Pikachu - Movie Review

The Movie: Pokemon Detective Pikachu

The Director: Rob Letterman

The Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Bill Nighy, Ken Watanabe, Chris Geere, Suki Waterhouse, Josette Simon, Rita Ora, Karan Soni

The Story: In a world where people collect Pokémon to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent talking Pikachu who seeks to be a detective.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum - Movie Review

The Movie: John Wick 3 - Parabellum

The Director: Chad Stahelski

The Cast: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Saïd Taghmaoui, Jerome Flynn, Randall Duk Kim, Margaret Daly, Jason Mantzoukas,

The Story: Super-assassin John Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassin's guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head - he is the target of hit men and women everywhere.

Happy Face - FrightFest 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Happy Face

The Director: Alexandre Franchi

The Cast: E.R. Ruiz, Cindy Nicholsen, David Roche, Dawn Shaw

The Story: Desperate to become less shallow, a handsome teenage boy deforms his face with bandages and attends a support group for disfigured people.

Freaks - FrightFest 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Freaks

The Directors: Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein

The Cast: Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Lexy Kolker, Amanda Crew, Grace Park

The Story: A bold girl discovers a bizarre, threatening, and mysterious new world beyond her front door after she escapes her father's protective and paranoid control.

To Your Last Death - FrightFest 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: To Your Last Death

The Director: Jason Axinn

The Cast: Morena Baccarin, Ray Wise, Bill Moseley, William Shatner

The Story: In order to save her siblings, a young woman takes on her father and the powerful entity known as Gamemaster, who ensnares humans into diabolical plots while her species gambles on the outcome.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2019 Frightfest

The Arrow Video FrightFest Film Festival is one of the premiere horror festivals in the entire world and I am here to cover as many of the films as I can. Now when I saw I am here I mean I am at home tapping away at my laptop and not actually in the UK where the festival is taking place, but thanks to the wonders of the internet and social media, I am able to provide you with my TwoOhSix Picks, the absolute must watch films of the entire festival.

Ready or Not - Movie Review

The Movie: Ready or Not

The Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

The Cast: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’Brien, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell

The Story: A bride's wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.

Angel Has Fallen - Movie Review

The Movie: Angel Has Fallen

The Director: Ric Roman Waugh

The Cast: Gerard Butler, Piper Perabo, Morgan Freeman, Jada Pinkett Smith, Danny Huston, Nick Nolte, Lance Reddick, Tim Blake Nelson, Michael Landes,

The Story: Secret Service Agent Mike Banning is framed for the attempted assassination of the President and must evade his own agency and the FBI as he tries to uncover the real threat.

Bliss - 2019 NBFF Movie Review

The Movie: Bliss

The Director: Joe Begos

The Cast: Dora Madison, Tru Collins, Rhys Wakefield, Jeremy Gardner, Graham Skipper, Chris McKenna, Rachel Avery, George Wendt

The Story: A brilliant painter facing the worst creative block of her life turns to anything she can to complete her masterpiece, spiraling into a hallucinatory hellscape of drugs, sex, and murder in the sleazy underbelly of Los Angeles.

Villains - 2019 NBFF Movie Review

The Movie: Villains

The Directors: Dan Berk and Robert Olsen

The Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Maika Monroe, Jeffrey Donovan, Kyra Sedgwick, Blake Baumgartner

The Story: After a pair of amateur criminals break into a suburban home, they stumble upon a dark secret that two sadistic homeowners will do anything to keep from getting out.

Knives and Skin - 2019 NBFF Movie Review

The Movie: Knives and Skin

The Director: Jennifer Reeder

The Cast: Kate Arrington; Marika Engelhardt; Tim Hopper; Tony Fitzpatrick; James Vincent Meredith

The Story: A mystical teen noir that follows a young girl's disappearance in the rural Midwest and its effect on teens and parents.

Koko-di Koko-da - 2019 NBFF Movie Review

The Movie: Koko-di Koko-da

The Directors: Johannes Nyholm

The Cast:  Peter Belli, Leif Edlund, Ylva Gallon, Katarina Jakobson, Morad Baloo Khatchadorian, Brandy Litmanen

The Story: As a couple goes on a trip to find their way back to each other, a sideshow artist and his shady entourage emerge from the woods, terrorizing them, luring them deeper into a maelstrom of psychological terror and humiliating slapstick.

TwoOhSix Recap - Ten Must Watch Movies from the 2019 Fantasia International Film Festival.

First let me just say this. I am now officially declaring the Fantasia International Film Festival to be my favorite film festival that I have had the opportunity to cover over the last eight years. The selection of genre films suits my tastes perfectly and the only thing that could have been better is if I could have watched more than the twenty six movies I watched during the festival. All other festivals are on notice. It's time to step up your game.

Blinded by the Light - Movie Review

The Movie: Blinded by the Light

The Director: Gurinder Chadha

The Cast: Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Ganatra, Aaron Phagura, Dean-Charles Chapman, Nikita Mehta, Rob Brydon, Hayley Atwell

The Story: In 1987 during the austere days of Thatcher's Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Kingdom 『キングダム』 - Fantasia 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Kingdom 『キングダム』

The Director: Shinsuke Sato

The Cast: Kento Yamazaki, Ryo Yoshizawa, Masami Nagasawa, Kanna Hashimoto, Kanata Hongo

The Story: In ancient China, a young boy dreams of becoming the greatest general of the Qin Kingdom.

The Farewell - Movie Review

The Movie: The Farewell

The Director: Lulu Wang

The Cast: Awkwafina, Diane Dehn, Ines Laimins, Jim Liu, Tzi Ma

The Story: A Chinese family discovers their grandmother has only a short while left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding to gather before she dies.

ECCO - Indie Film Spotlight

The Movie: ECCO

The Director: Ben Medina

The Cast: Lathrop Walker, Tabitha Bastien, Helena Grace Donald

The Story: A former assassin living a new life in the shadows with his family emerges from hiding to discover the origin of his lethal beginnings.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2019 North Bend Film Festival

Yes, I am excited to be back for the second annual North Bend Film Festival, an event that focuses on films that are different, unique, and strange. Read on to see which festival selection have been chosen to be this year's TwoOhSix Picks, the films you do not want to miss.

Dora and the Lost City of Gold - Movie Review

The Movie: Dora and the Lost City of Gold

The Director: James Bobin

The Cast: Isabela Moner, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña, Benicio Del Toro, Eva Longoria, Jeff Wahlberg, Madeleine Madden, Nicholas Coombe, Temuera Morrison, Eugenio Derbez

The Story: Dora, a teenage explorer, leads her friends on an adventure to save her parents and solve the mystery behind a lost city of gold.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Movie Review

The Movie: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

The Director: Quentin Tarantino

The Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Luke Perry, Al Pacino, Julia Butters, Lena Dunham, Kurt Russell, Zoë Bell

The Story: A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark - Movie Review

The Movie: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

The Director: André Øvredal

The Cast: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint, Austin Zajur, Natalie Ganzhorn, Austin Abrams, Kathleen Pollard

The Story: A group of teens face their fears in order to save their lives.

The Father's Shadow - Fantasia 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: The Father's Shadow

The Director: Gabriela Amaral Almeida

The Cast: Eduardo Gomes, Dinho Lima Flor, Julio Machado, Nina Medeiros, Clara Moura, Luciana Paes, Rafael Raposo

The Story: Girl attempts to resurrect her mother from the dead as father begins to fall apart.

The Divine Fury (사자) - Fantasia 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: The Divine Fury (사자)

The Director: Kim Joo-hwan

The Cast: Park Seo-jun, Ahn Sung-ki, Woo Do-hwan, Choi Woo-sik

The Story: The film tells the story of a martial arts champion who gains divine powers to fight with a powerful evil force.