Greetings again from the darkness. Solitude and uncertainty are poor bedfellows, leading to issues with rational thought and behavior patterns. Writer-director Scott Tinkham and co-director Michael Woloson explore this through a setting that may or may not be apocalyptic. An unspecified conflict is occurring ‘out there’, and whatever it is, it leaves a couple of folks disoriented and compromised … unsure of who they are and how they arrived.
Chester (Oliver Woolf) is set up in a home in the English countryside. The perimeter is fenced and he has a well-stocked shelter … a hint of how bad things might get. When a young man (Joey Bader) shows up, Chester looks to help him. The man is injured and dazed, unaware of who he is, how he was injured, or how he got to this spot. He can barely communicate at all. Chester nurses him back to help and rehabs his clarity by teaching his name as Liam. Rewards (hot tub and karaoke) are provided through tokens known as ‘nifties’. As Liam heals, he and Chester have a structure that seems to work … although as the viewer, we still aren’t sure whether to trust Chester or what to make of Liam.
Once Mel (Kaylee McGregor) arrives – in basically the same condition Liam was when he showed up, Chester reacts accordingly and puts her through the same rehabilitation that worked for Liam. In fact, Liam takes pride in teaching Mel some of the guidelines and rituals, while trying to provide her the counsel that has worked for him. However, while Liam settles in nicely to this new quasi-family, Mel begins to push the envelope and express curiosity about the outside world … a world in which we periodically hear sounds of war.
Chester’s theory is that by sticking together, their odds of survival and thriving are significantly better than what awaits beyond the gate and fence. The budget here is miniscule, but the message is certainly worthy of discussion.
Opening in theaters on November 6, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. With his first feature film in eight years, award-winning filmmaker (and novelist) Lee Chang-Dong and co-writer Jungmi Oh have delivered an excellent character study that is South Korea’s official submission for the Best International Film Oscar. If the rom-com sounding title doesn’t deter some viewers, it’s likely the complexity, along with a runtime pushing three hours, may keep some folks away … which would be a shame since so many human emotions and traits are on display.
Greetings again from the darkness. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act guaranteed certain rights for those with disabilities. It fell under the purview of the Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) department, later renamed Health and Human Services. In 1977, HEW was led by Joseph Califano, and his initial refusal to sign off inspired a group headed by activist Judy Heumann (polio put her in a wheelchair) to begin what’s now known as the ‘504 sit-in’. The film comes from writer-director Sian Heder (Oscar winner for CODA, 2021) and co-writer Rebekah Taussig, and is based on “Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist” (2020), written by Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner.
Greetings again from the darkness. Residents of the senior center in Aurora, Ontario can now provide quite an answer if they are ever asked the question, “What’s better than Bingo?”. Seriously, when filmmaker Sean Cisterna (THE LONG RIDER doc, 2022) pitches the idea of forming a film crew from this group in order to produce a short horror film entitled, “The Rug”, we are as skeptical as the residents. Most readily admit they aren’t fans of horror films, but something magical happens when they begin taking on the roles of production design, sound, practical effects, props, wardrobe, camera operator, and first assistant director.
Greetings again from the darkness. For anyone who grew up watching the gritty, street-smart films of the 1970’s, this one from actor-turned-writer/director Noah Segan will feel like it’s one you missed back in the day. From the characters to the plot to the music to the ending, this one feels so familiar, while also taking us on a tour of the boroughs that make up New York.
Greetings again from the darkness. Most everyone has experienced the traumatic signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia in a loved one or friend. It’s heartbreaking to watch someone you care about fade away in front of you. Writer-director Lance Hammer (BALLAST, 2008) finds a new way to open our eyes to these situations. It’s still heartbreaking, yet he’s also managed to make it thought-provoking in a ‘what would you do’ kind of way.
Greetings again from the darkness. Every family has a history, and some families are part of history. Such is the case for writer Thomas Mann, who along with his daughter Erika and son Klaus, are the subjects for this latest from the amazing writer-director Pawel Pawlikowski (COLD WAR, 2018; IDA, 2013) and co-writer Henk Handloegten (GOOD BYE LENIN!, 2003). In my movie viewing experience over the years, I’ve found most movies from Poland to be well made and a bit of a downer. This one fits both descriptions, and I’d add well-acted.
When a biographer assumes the weight of researching and writing about a legend within a particular industry, few undertake a man so complex, or with a career so relevant, or a life so intertwined with history as filmmaker Frank Capra. But then, few writers are as accomplished as Sam Wasson, known for numerous movie industry-based books, including my personal favorite, “The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood”. With access to Capra’s personal archives, Wasson goes deep on multiple aspects of Capra’s fascinating life … a life of ups and downs; and one that certainly proves the adage: “Each man’s life touches so many other lives.”
Greetings again from the darkness. She wasn’t yet 30 years old when her first novel, “Strangers on a Train” was published. A year later, Alfred Hitchcock directed the film version, an opportunity many writers would kill for. Patricia Highsmith then crafted a career writing about murder, or the threat of it. Her most famous character, Tom Ripley, was central to five of her novels, or what’s been called “The Ripliad”. On screen, the Ripley role has been played by Alain Delon, Dennis Hopper, Matt Damon, John Malkovich, Barry Pepper, and Adam Scott (in the recent terrific mini-series, “Ripley”).
Greetings again from the darkness. The husband and wife co-directing and co-writing team of Alex Huston-Fischer and Eleanor Wilson have delivered the pleasant surprise film of the year. It’s based on the 2008 short story, “The Wicker Husband”, written by Ursula Willis-Jones and it manages to be thoroughly entertaining while poking around into human psychology.
