When people find something they love, they devour it and cannot wait for the next version/iteration of whatever it is. Be it the iPhone, a Porsche 911, or opening day for MLB, fans will show up in droves for the new hotness. In this case we’d like to highlight a trifecta of pop culture fans who should rejoice in similar fashion. This year we get the big screen adaptation of Street Fighter that is sure to please video game aficionados, cinephiles and film score fans. In this stylistically hybridized film, the punches on screen would lack something if they weren’t propelled by nostalgia and a rocking soundtrack which makes you…
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Interview…Tiffany Kimmel on Stop Motion, Building Creative Communities, and Unique Storytelling
We like storytellers who are true to themselves. Further, we applaud those who set out to make the things they want to see…even if they aren’t sure the world is ready for their vision. That, in short, is commitment and is really what the arts are all about. So it is with great joy that we get to catch up with writer/director Tiffany Kimmel about her interests, her ambition and the stories and themes she wants to bring into existence. A chance encounter at Fantastic Fest years ago allowed us to meet. She was there with Everybody Goes to the Hospital which was her first short film and directing credit.…
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[Tribeca FF Interview]…Rob Arthur’s ‘Frampton’ Is A Crowd-Pleasing Tribute To A Rare Rock Legend
Editor’s note: This interview piece originally ran on May 29. It is being republished to coincide with a special event at the Newport Beach Film Festival on Thursday, October 15. The film has the honor of being the Opening Night Feature Documentary. Additionally, there’s also a special Q&A with Rob Arthur and Peter Frampton and Gala to follow. Tickets Available HERE Ahead of its premiere at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, we had a rocking good time with director Rob Arthur about Frampton. This insightful and crowd-pleasing doc about the one-and-only UK rock legend shows us the fun, fame, friendship, frailty and legacy of being Peter Frampton. The exceptional doc will…
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Interview…Vladimir Djukanovic on Rogue AI and Global Conspiracies in ‘Glitter’
Technology can be fun, but it can also be scary. In Glitter, a fascinating and sobering techo-thriller from Vladimir Djukanovic and Meridia Books, a genius engineer battles rogue AI and global powers to save humanity. Djukanovic is a novelist who blends philosophical depth with high-stakes technological thriller narratives. With a keen understanding of emerging technologies and their societal impact, he crafts stories that are as intellectually engaging as they are thrilling. His narratives challenge readers to consider the implications of our technological trajectory. Drawing from a background that spans finance, philosophy, and creative writing, Djukanovic creates fictional worlds that feel eerily possible, where the line between innovation and catastrophe is…
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Interview…Producer Natalie Lauren on School Distress & Attendance Fines in ‘Unauthorised Absence’
People can easily get behind an idea or subject matter that moves them. And, as a parent, what moves us more than our children? I’m not talking about the running around of daily life, pick ups from soccer or band practice, and all that. Today, we’re diving into something that affects everyone in the educational ecosystem – students, teachers, caregivers, administrators and, finally, the parents. Rather than approaching the story through statistics or policy, Unauthorised Absence places audiences directly inside Anna and Thea’s world. Fragmented storytelling, intimate handheld camerawork and immersive sound design reveal their experience through gesture, silence and tone. Everyday sounds, from fluorescent lights and traffic signals to…
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Interview…Sean Gunn on the Shock and Awesomeness of ‘Appofeniacs’
Ever since we saw Appofeniacs at Fantastic Fest last year, the themes and characters have been living in my head rent-free. While some have called this Tarantino-esqe (which isn’t wrong), it does make me think of the beginning of Pulp Fiction. You remember, that captivating scene where Sam Jackson’s Jules asks Yolanda “what’s Fonzie like?” The answer is “he’s cool” which perfectly sums up Sean Gunn‘s Clinto Binto. Now if you were to ask if we have a galactically fun time chatting with Mr. Gunn about his career, the universes he’s visited and playing everything from raccoons to weasels, answer there would be “Correctamundo!“ The man is an actor, a…
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Interview…Aaron Holliday and Jermaine Fowler on the Fun and Prophetic Realism of ‘Appofeniacs’
To some people, movies are not just entertainment. Whether it’s the themes or characters, a great many fans wish that what they are seeing was real. But be careful what you wish for, as some films get closer to being true than we’d want to believe. In the case of Appofeniacs, things get too real thanks to the nefarious use of deep-fake AI. Like a digital pebble in a pond, the ripples created by one person’s actions will never stop spreading. Suffice to say, this prophetic narrative from Chris Marrs Piliero is as serious as cancer. But to keep this from being a heavy-handed tale (think Requiem For A Dream…
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Interview…Jared Michael Fry Combines Classical Compositions and Indigenous Voices for ‘Heart of the Beast’
A film is far more than the sum of its parts. When images and sound combine, the results echo in eternity. We had the absolute thrill speaking with composer Jared Michael Fry about his score to David Ayer’s Heart of the Beast. This film is their third time working together and the duo hit this one way out of the part. To provide an authentic, culturally specific foundation for the score, Fry brought in the award-winning Alaskan Inuit group Pamyua, whose vocalizations, Yup’ik-language singing, chanting, humming and drumming were recorded remotely. He merged these elements with ethereal vocals from the London-based choral ensemble London Voices. “With the music, I was…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…James Cullen Bressack Pivots From Action to Anxiety in ‘I Have Proof’
James Cullen Bressack (alias JCB) is a filmmaker full of surprises. His latest effort is one of the many anticipated flicks hitting screens at Fantastic Fest 2026. Whether he’s making a bare-bones thriller staring your favorite ‘80s icons, helping introduce the next generation of action talent, to subverting expectations with a retro-styled psychological horror, Bressack proves he’s a creative Swiss Army knife. In this retro-styled story, we follow Alex, a mentally and spiritually traumatized sibling who faces frightening uncertainty as to whether the monsters and demons he’s hiding from are real or imagined. Let’s just say when this gets real, it gets really real! We have proof this will raise…
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Interview…Composer Stephanie Economou Shines A Light For ‘Lanterns’ on HBOMax
Emotion comes in all forms, and when music is doing what it does best, it can really move you. Even the most obscure sound palette can start the water works. As DC Studios’ Lanterns is not your typical detective procedural, the sound needed to take a similarly unconventional approach. Spoiler: it was the right choice. Stephanie Economou has had her fair share of exciting projects, and ones where adventure and danger abound. The approach on this show is different from past works, and speaks more to the kind of music she loves. Herein, Stephanie dives into some ‘90s and ‘00s era guitar rock and the driving bass riffs literally propel…
