Boston Underground Film Festival 2025 Wrap-Up

My second year attending the Boston Underground Film Festival (BUFF) has solidified my intention to return as long as I'm in the area. Although its single-stream nature means I don't get to choose what to watch, there are some distinct benefits. It requires less pre-festival effort:

Ash

There's a certain type of low-budget sci-fi I will always show up for. They lack the money to pull off a grand epic. They feature limited action, although a clever director can disguise that with filmmaking tricks and careful planning. They never feature current stars, although rising actors

The Rule of Jenny Pen

My whole life I've been bored. I look back and see an empty bin.

Black Bag

"When it's so easy to lie about everything, how do you tell the truth about anything?"

Warfare

How do you review a dramatic re-enactment? Accuracy isn't an option, as the story being told is based on co-director Ray Mendoza's experience as a Navy SEAL during the Iraq War. I've no reason to doubt his recollection, but I can't comment

Mickey 17

"Have a nice death! See you tomorrow!"

Eephus

"Why do they care so much? Don't they have anything better to do?" This comment from a young girl to her brother echoes throughout the film, a call for you to meditate on that very topic yourself. On the surface, we're watching a recreational

The 2025 Oscars

What an exciting year for the Academy Awards! I haven't been paying close attention to the Oscars for all that long. But the years I have featured an early consensus regarding the major awards, be it the winner or a head-to-head matchup. While that's basically true

The Monkey

"Everybody dies."

Cleaner

Cleaner feels like a relic from a bygone era. The many comparisons it's received to Die Hard are debatable, although the marketing is certainly inviting them. To be fair, their cores are the same: an action-thriller in the style of an airport novel about an unassuming person thrust

Armand

A new Renate Reinsve movie is always a reason to celebrate, especially one like this which lets her fully utilize her wonderful range.

Captain America: Brave New World

Julius Onah throws The Winter Soldier into the microwave a decade later, and expects us to applaud.