Tanya Reynolds – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

THE ACTOR – Review by Diane Carson

April 21, 2025April 20, 2025 Diane Carson amnesia, Andre Holland, Duke Johnson, gemma chan, Joe Passarelli, Paul Cole, St. Louis, Tanya Reynolds, The Actor, Toby Jones, Tracey Ullman

Amnesia has proved to be quite popular cinematically over decades and across genres. Using this mental dilemma as the catalyst for story, director Duke Johnson places veteran actor Paul Cole in a perplexing, confounding predicament in The Actor. Cole awakens after an accident (hit over the head with a chair by the unexpected arrival of a would-be lover’s husband) in an unnamed town somewhere in 1950s Ohio. With no idea of his identity, Cole must follow nominal clues to rediscover his life. Not entirely successful in probing the challenge of memory and depth of identity, nevertheless The Actor offers a thought-provoking diversion.

Movie of the Week

MOVIE OF THE WEEK February 14, 2025: TIMESTALKER

February 9, 2025February 9, 2025 Jennifer Merin Alice Lowe, Aneurin Barnard, betsy bozdech, Cate Marquis, jennifer merin, leslie combemale, Level 33 Entertainment, liz whittemore, loren king, nell minow, Pam Grady, sandie angulo chen, scifi, sherin nicole, Tanya Reynolds, Timestalker

Writer/director/star Alice Lowe explores the intersection of love, obsession, desire, and destiny in the beguilingly quirky Timestalker. Incorporating elements of comedy, drama, romance, and sci-fi, Lowe bends genres with glee as she follows main character Agnes (whom she plays herself) through the centuries as she tries to connect with her beloved … and dodge her own violent death, succeeding at neither until she’s ready for some genuine introspection.

Festivals Reviews

TIMESTALKER (Melbourne IFF 2024) – Review by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

August 20, 2024August 19, 2024 Alexandra Heller-Nicholas Alice Lowe, Aneurin Barnard, british films, Jacob Anderson, Melbourne IFF 2024, Nick Frost, Tanya Reynolds, Timestalker

Returning with her highly anticipated follow-up to 2016’s Prevenge, Alice Lowe’s sophomore effort Timestalker proves to be well worth the wait. Consolidating her position as surely one of the most original and hardworking British indie filmmakers of her generation, what Lowe lacks in hype she makes up in pure fucking moxie. And while the pregnancy horror of Prevenge provided a rich space for her as both actor, writer and director to learn ropes of genre filmmaking, the scifi/fantasy anti-romcom terrain of Timestalker sees her veritably flourish in all three capacities.