MISPER "may be director Harry Sherriff’s feature debut, but it feels like the work of a very confident filmmaker" says Chris Reed of the comedy-drama peppered with great performances. Review fresh from the Maryland Film Fest... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/misp... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Writer/director Taratoa Stappard didn’t set out to make a horror film, but in researching Māori history, it became clear the atrocities visited upon the Māori people left no choice. Jessica Baxter has this review out of #SIFF26 www.hammertonail.com/reviews/mara... @thebaxter.bsky.social

Lauren Wissot had a great chat with Nicole Bazuin & Andrea Werhun, co-directors of the doc MODERN WHORE which is a campy look at sex work in this modern age. The film is available on VOD via Quiver Distribution.... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/b...

J.J. Gerber’s directorial debut documentary THE LIFE WE LEAVE, examines the new trend of human composting post-death. Jessica Baxter has this review from the Seattle International Film Fest www.hammertonail.com/reviews/the-... @thebaxter.bsky.social

Italian director Francesco Sossai's tipsy road movie THE LAST ONE FOR THE ROAD is in theaters now. Chris Reed pops the cork in this movie review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/last... #ItalianCinema, #RoadTripMovie, #CarpeDiem, #FrancescoSossai, #MovieReview, #IndieFilm, #DriftingJoyride

Academy Award winner Andrew Stanton won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at #Sundance for his sci-fi film IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. Jack Schenker spoke with him and cast and crew members about the film... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/b...

German director Stella Marie Markert's feature film debut THANKS FOR NOTHING had its premiere at #SXSW. Chris Reed says "a vibrant narrative about the pain and joy of growing up, pros and cons alike..." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/than... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Jonathan Marlow says Angelo Madsen's A BODY TO LIVE IN "is an overdue and much-anticipated documentary on the life of performance artist Fakir Musafar." Check it out at #NWFF May 2 or on Blu-ray starting May 26... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/a-bo...

The 69th San Francisco International Film Festival starts TODAY and runs through May 4. As part of the festivities, the great Lynn Sachs will be given the Persistence of Vision (POV) award! Revisit Jonathan Marlow's conversation with her from earlier this year... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/l...

Museum of the Moving Image's First Look Festival returns for its 13th edition, taking place April 23 - May 3. Here are 7 titles worth checking out... www.hammertonail.com/film-festiva...

Three disparate places all named for Alexander von Humboldt (often called the grandfather of ecology) are artfully examined in G. Anthony Svatek's HUMBOLDT USA premieres at First Look 2026 at MoMi on May 2nd. Jonathan Marlow spoke with Svatek about the film... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/s...

Charlie XCX continues her foray into indie film, this time, co-starring in Pete Ohs' free spirited ERUPCJA which Chris Reed calls "delightful, an eruption of cinematic creativity worthy of the new-wave movements it channels." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/erup... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Director Dawn Porter turns her documentary lens towards a 1983 criminal case surrounding Baltimore's “Harlem Park Three," highlighting myriad issues within the justice system. Chris Reed calls it a "compelling must watch." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/when... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Filmmaker Radu Jude has just put out his second film in 6 months with KONTINENTAL '25. Jack Schenker spoke with Jude about his current output and more.... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/r...

Filmmaker Nadav Lapid's films have long sought to hold Israel accountable for....many things. However his latest, YES, seeks to do so using biting comedy and satire. Jack Schenker spoke to him about the film which is in theaters now... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/n...

This week on our Curbside #Criterion feature, Brad Cook takes the journey into the new 4K Blu-ray release of Martin Scorsese's KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON www.hammertonail.com/blu-ray/curb...

Back at #SXSW Chris Reed was taken with Fergus Campbell's surrealist French New Wave time travel movie SPARKS, starring Elsie Fisher. The 3 had a great conversation about the film and its influences.... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/c... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Gloria Mercer put a unique spin on the "person lost in the woods" subgenre in A SAFE DISTANCE. The film premiered at #SXSW which is where Chris Reed spoke with her about the film and its influences.... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/g... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Adam Meeks' UNION COUNTY starring Will Poulter, Emily Meade & Noah Centineo wowed audiences at Sundance where Jack Schenker spoke to them and more.... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/u...

Writer/director Annemarie Jacir's PALESTINE '36 looks at the negative legacy of colonizers. This film is in theaters now and Chris Reed has this review: www.hammertonail.com/reviews/pale... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Julie Forrest Wyman's insightful doc THE TALLEST DWARF premieres Monday, April 6 on #PBS. Chris Reed has this review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/the-... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Winner of the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, Huo Meng’s third feature LIVING THE LAND is in theaters now. Frank Yan calls it "at once intimate and expansive." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/livi...

Brea Grant, Ed Dougherty & Chelsea Stardust's GRIND anthology film is a scathing takedown of gig economy...just don't call it a horror comedy!! Grant & Dougherty explained why when they spoke to Chris Reed at #SXSW... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/g... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

ALPHA, Julia Ducournau's follow up to her striking features RAW & TITANE is leaving audiences shaken. HtN welcomes Anders Ljung to the site who saw the film with Ducournau in attendance. The film is in theaters now... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/alph...

UGLY CRY, Emily Robinson's first feature after 2 shorts, had a buzz after it premiered at #SXSW. Chris Reed spoke to the former child actor about how elements of the film were taken from her life... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/e... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Copenhagen's famed CPH:DOX wrapped up last week and HtN contributor Lauren Wissot was there to capture all the excitement and winners from the doc fest... www.hammertonail.com/film-festiva...

America's quickening descent into fascist reign is shown clearly in Patrick Bresnan & Amy Reid's #SXSW doc FIRST THEY CAME FOR MY COLLEGE. Chris Reed spoke with them about the startling film... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/b... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

"The newest addition to the toxic female friendship cinema pantheon is here and it’s called FORBIDDEN FRUITS" says Jessica Baxter. The film opens Friday nationwide... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/forb... @thebaxter.bsky.social

Back at #SXSW, lead critic Chris Reed had a lively chat with filmmaker Maya Annik Bedward about her engaging and exhaustively researched film BLACK ZOMBIE www.hammertonail.com/interviews/m... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Christian Petzold's buzzed about MIROIRS NO. 3 is in theaters now and Jack Schenker spoke with him about the film... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/c...

Filmmaker Alexandre Koberidze's DRY LEAF premiered at the '25 Locarno Film Festival and his brother, Giorgi Koberidze created the score/soundscape for the film. HtN welcomes Frank Yan who spoke with Giorgi about crafting the aural elements... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/g...

Real life storm chasers are the subjects of #SXSW doc STORMBOUND. Chris Reed says the film is a thrill ride highlighted by amazing cinematography and an stirring score... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/stor... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

The #SXSW Film Fest may have wrapped but our reviews are still rolling in! Chris Reed goes up up and away in his review of Bayan Joonam’s doc PHOENIX JONES: THE RISE AND FALL OF A REAL LIFE SUPERHERO... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/phoe... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Everyone's raving about PROJECT HAIL MARY so why not roll it back to Ryan Gosling's breakout performance in HALF NELSON? Jack Schenker spoke to that films writers/directors Anna Fleck and Ryan Boden about the film which just turned 20! www.hammertonail.com/interviews/b...

The late, great cultural icon Rod Serling gets a thorough doc treatment in director Jonah Tulis’ SERLING. Chris Reed enters another dimension in his review, fresh from #SXSW... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/serl... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Maya Annik Bedward's feature debut BLACK ZOMBIE digs deep into the lore of zombies. Chris Reed checked it out at #SXSW and says... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/blac... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Written by Aidan West and directed by Gloria Mercer—both making their feature debut – A SAFE DISTANCE premiered at #SXSW. Chris Reed takes the journey in this review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/a-sa... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

On the final day of the #SXSW film fest, Chris Reed praises writer/director Emily Robinson's ambitiousness in UGLY CRY, a "compelling meditation on how the harsh gaze—male, female, and even one’s own." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/ugly...

Our SXSW reviews just won't stop, much like the U.S. government. Patrick Bresnan's doc FIRST THEY CAME FOR MY COLLEGE tells the sad tale of what happened to the New College of Florida, a victim of fighting "wokeness." Chris Reed has this review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/firs...

After breaking hearts and causing laughs at Sundance, Jay Duplass's SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU hit #SXSW this week. Jack Schenker spoke with Duplas as well as Adam Cayton-Holland, Cooper Raiff, David Duchovny, Kumail Nanjiani & Emily V. Gordon about the film... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/s...

At #SXSW, Chris Reed discovers everything he ever wanted to know about Sea Monkeys and then some via Mark Becker & Aaron Schock's doc AMAZING LIVE SEA MONKEYS. You'll love his review or your money back! www.hammertonail.com/reviews/amaz... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

SPARKS, the debut feature from Fergus Campbell that stars Elsie Fisher just had its premiere at #SXSW. Chris Reed celebrates "the careful construction of this visual gem of an indie film." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/spar... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Chris Reed says GRIND is "a well-constructed anthology film that ably mixes horror and comedy" with vignettes from Brea Grant, Ed Dougherty & Chelsea Stardust plus starring Barbara Crampton & Rob Huebel! From #SXSW www.hammertonail.com/reviews/grind/ @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Jonathan Marlow has an in-depth talk with friend and BEYOND THE DUPLEX PLANET director Beth Harrington. The doc just premiered at #SXSW! www.hammertonail.com/interviews/b...

The 2026 #SXSW Film Fest kicked off last night and HtN has tons of reviews coming your way like this one! Chris Reed moves in with Beth Harrington's touching doc, BEYOND THE DUPLEX PLANET which details an iconic zine from the early 80s www.hammertonail.com/reviews/beyo... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

The 2026 #SXSW film festival starts TOMORROW and HtNers Chris Reed and Matt Delman have their picks for what you might keep an eye out for... www.hammertonail.com/film-festiva... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Jack Schenker spoke with #Oscar nominated director Sara Dosa as well as Icelandic poet and author Andri Snær Magnason who, along with climate change, are the subjects of her #Sundance doc TIME AND WATER www.hammertonail.com/interviews/t...

Sony Pictures Classics has picked up distro rights to Noah Segan's #Sundance drama THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK. Jack Schenker spoke with Segan, Rian Johnson, John Turturro, Giancarlo Esposito & Tatiana Maslany about the film... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/o...

Oliver Laxe's Spanish drama SIRĀT is nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound at this years #Oscars. Jack Schenker spoke with Laxe about crafting the film... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/o...

Satyajit Ray's somewhat underseen DAYS AND NIGHT IN THE FOREST has received the 4k treatment it so richly deserves. Matt Delman goes along for the ride in this review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/days...