(via Shutterstock)
Eclectism is the stuff of a rich and full life.
Well, for this reviewer anyway; while I do have my favourite genres, I also loving mixing it up whenever I can with my movie consumption leaping from rom-coms to animation to serious drama to sci-fi, sometimes in the space of a week.
So, it make sense that this post goes everywhere and anywhere genre-wise because when the stories are good, you have to watch them no matter now they choose to tell their tale.
(courtesy First Showing)
SNAPSHOT
When Gina, a schoolteacher, is killed in a school shooting, Sol (starring Michael Flores) takes to the open road in their vintage RV along with their little Yorkie dog, Rosie, in a desperate attempt to keep his wife’s memory alive by helping others and rediscovering his Mestizo heritage. Dogs on The Sendero, also known as just Sendero, is both written and directed by actor / filmmaker Michael Flores, now making his feature directorial debut after working as an associate producer and also as a grip for many other indie projects. The film is executive produced by J.T. Boone, Michael Flores, Thomas Haring, Jon McGinty, Mario Restive. This initially premiered at the 2024 Carmarthen Bay Film Festival in the UK last year. (courtesy First Showing)
Dogs on the Sendero opens in U.S. in August; no Australia release date as yet.
(courtesy IMP Awards)
SNAPSHOT
“Dazzlingly inventive…” When 10-year-old Amber’s (starring Bianca Belle) comically dark drawings start coming to life, her small town descends into chaos. Now, her family must face Amber’s living nightmares head-on before her creations end up destroying everything. Sketch is written & directed by American indie filmmaker Seth Worley, making his feature directorial debut after many short films and other projects previously. Produced by Steve Taylor, Tony Hale, Dusty Brown. This initially premiered at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival last year, but it didn’t show up anywhere else. (courtesy First Showing)
Sketch opens in U.S. on 6 August in U.S. and in Australia on 11 September.
(courtesy IMDb)
SNAPSHOT
British actress Ella Balinska is Abby, a desperate geologist who takes a high-paying, high-risk mining job in the remote wilds of Northern Georgia to fund her sister’s experimental cancer treatment. But when her chopper goes down and her radio becomes her only lifeline, Abby finds herself in a survival scenario that’s equal parts icy terrain & psychological warfare. Enter John (Rob Delaney), a mysterious voice on the other end. He’s charming, he’s helpful… and he might not be real. As Abby’s oxygen thins and her doubts rise, the real question isn’t how she’ll get out, but who she’s talking to… and what he wants. Is she really talking to someone who can help, someone who claims to “know exactly how she feels right now”? Scared, alone, and no idea how to get to safety. The Occupant is directed by the indie filmmaker Hugo Keijzer, making his feature directorial debut after many other short films previously. The screenplay is written by Philip Michael Howe, Hugo Keijzer, Roelof Jan Minneboo, Xiao Tang. Produced by Kwesi Dickson, Isabel Freer, Jay Taylor, Raymond van der Kaaij. This premiered at the 2025 SXSW London Film Festival recently. (courtesy First Showing)
The Occupant premieres in the U.S. on 8 August in select cinemas and on VOD; no Australian releases date assigned as yet.