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New Mockumentary Lampoons Ponzi Scheme & Pyramid Rip-Offs

June 16, 2009

“Freaky Tales” Is a Fun Bay Area Cult Film
By George W. Campbell
April 4, 2025
Freaky Tales (Anna Boden/Ryan Fleck, 2024) 3½ out of 5 stars Full disclosure: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s new feature Freaky Tales feels made for me, as someone who grew up watching 1980s movies. Narrated by Bay Area rapper Too $hort, Freaky Tales is an anthology film set in Oakland, California, during the summer of 1987. It follows four different stories occurring on the same day: teenage punks Tina (Ji-young Yoo, Smoking Tigers) and Lucid ... >>
“Cannibal Mukbang” Appetizes
By Matt Patti
March 24, 2025
Cannibal Mukbang (Aimee Kuge, 2023) 3 out of 5 stars The “mukbang”—also known as an “eating broadcast”—originated in South Korea in the late 2000s. The concept features a host eating large quantities of food on video and chatting with their audience at the same time. Most of these are live-streamed, with the viewer watching the content creator eat in real time. ... >>
Interview with “Who by Fire” Director Philippe Lesage
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
March 13, 2025
Québécois director Philippe Lesage’s Who by Fire offers a “coming-of-age tale in which the adults are as much in need of growth as the youth (if not more so),” as I write in my review. Set in the northern wilderness, the film features as much hiking, hunting, and canoeing through rapids as it does conversation and wine. Starring an engaging ensemble of francophone actors, it never fails to hold interest I had a chance to speak with Lesage ... >>
“Who by Fire” Offers Urgent Truths
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
March 13, 2025
Who by Fire (Philippe Lesage, 2024) 4 out of 5 stars A sprawling (but almost never excessive) coming-of-age tale in which the adults are as much in need of growth as the youth (if not more so), Who by Fire, from Québécois director Philippe Lesage (Genesis), examines inter- and intragenerational relationships with sensitivity and not a little panache. Set on a remote lake in the vast northern wilderness, the film offers stunning scenery on top of ... >>
“Control Freak” Doesn’t Quite Scratch Its Horror Itch
By George W. Campbell
March 11, 2025
Control Freak (Shal Ngo, 2025) 3 out of 5 stars Negative self-talk is one of the most common feelings in the world. It can be a constant weight around people’s necks, holding them back from accomplishing their goals. But in writer/director Shal Ngo’s new film Control Freak, it’s much more literal. In his world, we learn that the evil voice in your head is not only real, but may be actively trying to devour you from the inside. Ngo (The Park) has ... >>

Our Coverage of 2025 Oscar Nominees
January 25, 2025
Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and ...>>
10 Films to Watch at Sundance 2025
January 21, 2025
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival runs in-person January ...>>
Chris Reed’s Top 10 Films of 2024
December 31, 2024
This was another good year for movies, though perhaps ...>>
Matt Patti’s Top 10 Films of 2024
December 30, 2024
2024 will be a year remembered for many reasons. There ...>>
Hannah Tran’s Top 10 Films of 2024
December 29, 2024
I have never wrestled so much over what was going to ...>>