Matt Oakes, Author at Silver Screen Riot

INTERVIEW

Maria Bakalova On SXSW Debuts ‘WOMEN DO CRY’, ‘BODIES BODIES BODIES’, Fame, Fear, and the Patriarchy

Maria Bakalova is a star. The Borat Subsequent Moviefilm breakout not only captured national attention as Borat’s fictional daughter Tutar Sagdiyev in the 2020 mockumentary but she earned an Academy Award nomination for her efforts. Complete with uncomplimentary prosthetics and raggedy apparel, Bakalova fearlessly faced down judgmental southern debutants and, later, Rudy Giuliani’s roaming hands. But...

Matt Oakes · Mar 10, 2022

REVIEW

Noirish ‘THE BATMAN’ Reveals Man Swallowed By Mask

We’ve seen the man become the bat plenty of times. In Matt Reeves’ The Batman, we see the bat become a man again. The Batman, a singularly gloomy noir caper that feels stylistically more akin to Se7en than The Dark Knight, presents one of the most distinctive versions of the iconic “superhero” (that term is...

Matt Oakes · Mar 1, 2022

REVIEW

Soulless Video Game Adaptation ‘UNCHARTED’ A Cash Grab With Zero Charm

This tame adaptation of the popular Playstation game series manages to strip the charm out of the franchise, due partially to poorly cast leads in Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg,…

Matt Oakes · Feb 17, 2022

REVIEW

Handsome, Dull ‘DEATH ON THE NILE’ Paddles Towards Predictability

Kenneth Branagh's latest ho-hum potboiler benefits from an impressive cast - though he doesn't quite know what to do with them all - while unwinding a murder mystery that lacks…

Matt Oakes · Feb 10, 2022

REVIEW

‘MOONFALL’ A Crash Course on Big Dumb Havoc Wreaking

A chaotic disaster epic marked by an impressive cast, laughable dialogue, and sometimes stellar special effects, 'Moonfall' is typical Roland Emmerich fare but lacking the consistent madness to make the…

Matt Oakes · Feb 3, 2022

REVIEW

‘JACKASS FOREVER’: A Confederacy of Dunces

'Jackass Forever' is the same stupid buffoonery that it's always been - and it's still just as scatologically funny.

Matt Oakes · Feb 2, 2022

FESTIVAL

Sundance ’22: Finnish Horror ‘HATCHING’ Gives Birth to Fowl Play

An ooey, gooey suburban creature feature about motherhood and maintaining the illusion of perfection, Hatching expertly blends the weirder side of horror with a deeper message. Motherhood – at any age – requires great sacrifice. It’s often nasty, inglorious business. Hatching is not elevated horror. Nor is it shlock. Instead, this Finnish import about a...

Matt Oakes · Jan 24, 2022

REVIEW

SUNDANCE ’22: Carla Juri Shines in Understated Romance ‘BLOOD’

Bradley Rust Gray’s unhurried drama may move too slowly for some viewers but richly-layered performances and tender direction yield a thoughtful and emotionally evocative study of the human heart. Carla…

Matt Oakes · Jan 24, 2022

FESTIVAL

SUNDANCE ’22: Love and Lust Challenges High School Girls in Thoughtful ‘GIRL PICTURE’

Mimmi (Aamu Milonoff) and Rönkkö (Eleonoora Kauhanen) are Finnish High School students and ride-or-die best friends. In Alli Haapasalo’s Girl Picture, the inseparable duo attend school before working together at the mall where they hawk smoothies with names like “It Takes Two to Mango” or “Just Breathe”. On the clock, they dish about romantic trysts...

Matt Oakes · Jan 24, 2022

REVIEW

Sundance ’22: Existential Sci-Fi ‘AFTER YANG’ Grapples With the Great A.I. Beyond

‘After Yang’ is a stunningly beautiful, emotionally yearning science-fiction drama about what it means to be family; and what it means to lose family. Grounded in emotional depth and philosophical…

Matt Oakes · Jan 24, 2022

AUTHOR: <SPAN>MATT OAKES</SPAN>