TIFF ’25 Review: “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’

By: Amanda Guarragi In 2019, Rian Johnson brought back the whodunit with Knives Out. It became a staple for annual Thanksgiving watching. Johnson crafted his own unique style while fusing similar conventions from the genre. He tackled family dysfunction and deceit in the first film and then a very secretive group of friends in the sequel, Glass Onion. Now with Wake Up Dead Man, he takes … Continue reading TIFF ’25 Review: “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’

Hillbilly Elegy Review

By: Amanda Guarragi Hillbilly Elegy is a film about generational differences, family dysfunction and psychological trauma that all stems from childhood. The film is adapted from the memoir Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance. There is a different way of life in Middletown, Ohio and the memoir explored how he was personally affected by his family. Ron Howard … Continue reading Hillbilly Elegy Review