Michael Shanks | Film Festival Today

Films to See at Fantasia 2025

July 15, 2025

Sundance Review: “Together”

February 10, 2025

“Solvent” Has Splatter and Guts
By Patrick Howard
October 9, 2025
Solvent (Johannes Grenzfurthner, 2024) 4 out of 5 stars While searching for Nazi documents in an Austrian farmhouse, a team of experts uncovers a hidden secret buried in its bowels. American expatriate Gunner S. Holbrook becomes obsessed with solving the mystery, and as his sanity wanes, he must confront an insatiable evil. Can he find redemption before it drains the life out of him? ... >>
New/Next Review: “OBEX”
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
October 5, 2025
OBEX (Albert Birney, 2025) 4 out of 5 stars The films of director Albert Birney—be they of the live action variety (Strawberry Mansion) or animated (Tux and Fanny)—are always loving tributes to the meticulous process of artistic creation. Each shot within each scene is composed with great consideration, the visual components beautifully coming together while also advancing the story. Such is very much the case with his latest, OBEX, in which ... >>
Heartfelt Spirit Elevates “Good Boy”
By Adam Vaughn
October 3, 2025
Good Boy (Ben Leonberg, 2025) 3 out of 5 stars October launches with a unique horror film centered around one of the most original and adorable lead characters of the genre: a dog! Good Boy (not to be confused with the TIFF 2025-premiering Good Boy reviewed recently by FFT Editor Chris Reed) follows Indy (playing himself), a loving pup who follows human Todd (Shane Jensen) to his grandfather’s secluded—and somewhat ... >>
Marc Maron Moves Forward in “Are We Good?”
By George W. Campbell
October 2, 2025
Are We Good? (Steven Feinartz, 2025) 3½ out of 5 stars In the world of modern comedy, few folks have carved out a niche like Marc Maron. Over the last three decades, he’s built a reputation for being an irascible curmudgeon with good taste. It may seem rude, at first, but after enough time listening to him, you realize it’s all just a form of anxiety. The kind that’s kept people at a distance for years. However, Maron’s willing to make an ... >>
“Boorman and the Devil” Compels You
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
September 26, 2025
Boorman and the Devil (David Kittredge, 2025) 4 out of 5 stars Of this I am certain: one need not be a fan of a movie to enjoy its making-of tale. Especially when that documentary is more than a compendium of trivia, becoming instead a rumination on art and its place in the world. Such is David Kittredge’s Boorman and the Devil, which chronicles the production of one of the worst films I have ever seen, Exorcist II: The Heretic. ... >>

5 Films to See at New/Next 2025
October 2, 2025
The New/Next Film Fest is back for its third ...>>
10 Picks for TIFF 2025
September 1, 2025
The 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (or TIFF) ...>>
Films to See at Fantasia 2025
July 15, 2025
For fans of the weird, wild, and wonderful, the 29th ...>>
“Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” Interview with Director and Star
June 12, 2025
Director Shoshannah Stern makes her feature debut with ...>>
Five Films to See at Tribeca 2025
June 4, 2025
This year, as always at the Tribeca Festival (formerly ...>>