Joe Lipsett interviewed me, in honor of pride month! Of course, I had to give Below the Trees a shout-out: www.queerhorrormovies.com/queer-horror-director-showcase-parker-brennon-carnival-of-souls-and-can-kill-horror

An ultra stylish French film with a strong giallo vibe. I’ve never see so much queer representation in one movie before.

Most interesting aspect for me is the depiction of an emotionally and physically damaged person in the spotlight. She seems ready to fall apart at any moment, and yet, she pulls it all together when she takes the stage. There’s something truthful about that, and Natalie Portman knows how to play it.

The direction and cinematography are easily worth five stars, but this testosterone-soaked script had me rolling my eyes and bored more often than I care to admit. Morgan Freeman’s character makes viewing more palatable, but at the end of the day, I feel alienated. 

I wish I were more into male-dominated stories, but they’re so ubiquitous! I calculated my use of the #muchtestosterone tag and found that I apply it to 30% of the movies I watch. That’s three out of ten movies that feel like sausage fests.

Us is a creative reflection of our divided America that feels like a nightmare, constantly switching between creepy and humorous. I’m so glad Lupita was cast in the lead role. Some shots are so well executed that I’ll never forget them. Also loved the amusement park scenes.