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KUNG FU ROOKIE is a delightful surprise from Kazakhstan's burgeoning film scene. Directed by Aman Ergaziyev, this action comedy introduces us to Timuchin (also what the film is known as in most regions,) a village youth portrayed by Timur Baktybayev who dreams of joining the police force. His journey into the city leads him to unexpected encounters with local gangsters, setting the stage for a series of energetic confrontations.

Some stories refuse to be confined to the page, demanding instead to be spoken, examined, and reshaped through the voices of their creators. This is the essence of FIRST WORD ON HORROR, a series that combines some of the most influential voices in contemporary horror and fiction. Across multiple episodes, celebrated authors share their work and untangle the inspirations, experiences, and philosophies that shape their writing. More than just a literary showcase, this series peels back the layers of craft, offering an intimate look at how personal history, cultural forces, and artistic vision coalesce into something powerful.

No punches are pulled, no lines are left uncrossed, and no taboo is too extreme—EATING MISS CAMPBELL is not interested in playing it safe. It tears through the horror-comedy genre like a wrecking ball, stuffing every concept imaginable into a chaotic, blood-drenched satire of high school life. Troma Entertainment has long been known for its fearless, no-holds-barred filmmaking, and this latest entry takes that philosophy to the extreme. Cannibalism, school shootings, suicide, and predatory teachers—nothing is off-limits, and the film treats it all with a level of irreverence that dares audiences to either recoil in horror or laugh at the sheer absurdity of it all.

BAGGAGE, a stop-motion animated short directed by Lucy Davidson, transforms a routine airport experience into a heartfelt narrative about our unseen ‘baggage.’ This five-minute film cleverly uses animation to explore themes of friendship, vulnerability, and self-acceptance, all without a single line of dialogue.

Stepping into a video store feels like stepping into another time—rows of worn VHS tapes, the hum of fluorescent lights, and the faint echoes of forgotten films. There’s an eerie charm to these relics of the past, a mix of nostalgia and quiet unease that makes them the perfect setting for horror. This film understands that atmosphere well, crafting a story that thrives on sentimentality and the fear of what lurks just out of sight. The film brings a sharp, striking take on old-school horror while exploring the unsettling relationship between media and reality.

There's nothing like a clown with a giant cleaver to spark an audience’s nightmares—or at least raise some eyebrows. Director Marcus Koch taps directly into that primal fear in his brutally messy slasher, 100 TEARS. This independent horror flick dives straight into the thick of things, piling on the gore while serving up a plot that feels amusingly outrageous. The result is messy yet oddly watchable; audiences who prefer their horror drenched in practical effects and dripping with irony will find themselves grinning through the bloodshed, while others might simply wonder what exactly they've gotten themselves into.

LAST TAKE: RUST AND THE STORY OF HALYNA is a documentary that caused me more internal conflict than I thought it would. On the one hand, it offers a moving and deeply personal tribute to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, ensuring that her legacy isn’t reduced to a headline in a tragic news cycle. Conversely, it sometimes feels like the film serves as both judge and jury, making decisive calls about responsibility while selectively choosing who to question. The depth is undeniable due to director Rachel Mason’s close friendship with Hutchins. Still, that same intimacy may have contributed to a slight imbalance in framing the tragedy. There’s no question that the film industry must reckon with the safety failures that led to Hutchins’s death.

CONTROL FREAK sneaks up like that creepy feeling you get when walking alone at night, capturing your attention with its unsettling vibe. Produced by WorthenBrooks and premiering exclusively on Hulu, this psychological thriller twists familiar horror elements into something fresh and engaging. Director Shal Ngo turns his earlier short, CONTROL, into a full-length nightmare, exploring identity, heritage, and the emotional chaos of losing control of one's reality. While it might not completely redefine horror, it succeeds in delivering tension-filled entertainment anchored by standout acting and carefully executed scares.

Screening this on International Women’s Day may have been unintentional initially, but it was a wonderful way to celebrate women in film, past, present, and future! Hollywood’s legacy is often narrated through a familiar script: men in suits, big egos, and bigger stories. But now and then, a collection emerges that rewrites the rules, placing the real stars—the women who've revolutionized cinema—front and center. WOMEN WHO RUN HOLLYWOOD is a groundbreaking anthology that recognizes influential women whose daring creativity, uncompromising vision, and rebellious spirits shaped Hollywood. Offering an insightful and surprisingly deep exploration of overlooked cinema pioneers, this series highlights how these female filmmakers didn't just sneak into Hollywood’s boys' club; they transformed it entirely.

Life rarely moves in a straight line, and neither does this story. What starts as a simple bet—one older man, one aging tractor, and one impossible deadline—slowly unearths years of unspoken tension, regret, and humor buried beneath stubborn pride. There’s no rush to the finish line here, and that’s exactly the point.

Dark comedy and real life collide in an eerily familiar and refreshingly original way. This film takes a subject often shrouded in sorrow and spins it into something humorous yet profoundly insightful. It dissects the bureaucratic inefficiencies that plague modern systems, reminding us that even in our most important moments, we are still at the mercy of lost packages and unhelpful customer service representatives. At its core, this is an exploration of control—of life, of death, and of the things that slip through the cracks no matter how much we try to plan.

A life spent in exile, a century of resilience, and one final wish MOLA - A TIBETAN TALE OF LOVE AND LOSS delivers an intimate and deeply human exploration of what it means to belong. Directed by Yangzom Brauen and Martin Brauen, this documentary follows Mola, a 100-year-old Tibetan Buddhist nun whose greatest wish is to return to her homeland before she dies. She fled Tibet in 1959 and built a life in Switzerland with her daughter Sonam and son-in-law Martin. But after decades away, the pull of her birthplace is stronger than ever. What unfolds is a bureaucratic challenge and an emotional reckoning as her family works to secure a visa and faces the reality that granting Mola’s wish may mean saying goodbye forever.

There’s something to be said for a movie that commits so fully to its madness, but commitment alone doesn’t always guarantee a great experience. RATS! operates in its chaotic universe, a whirlwind of absurdity where the jokes never stop, and the logic never starts. With its aggressive approach to humor and relentless pacing, it feels designed to overwhelm, making it the kind of film that will either delight those who crave non-stop insanity or leave others exhausted before the halfway mark.

Adapting a beloved sitcom into a feature-length film is never simple. The challenge lies in stretching its fast-paced humor, dialogue, and situational comedy into a story that justifies its runtime. This film attempts to retain the charm of its television counterpart by bringing back the original cast and comedic style. While there are glimmers of what made the show a success, the transition to the big screen exposes weaknesses in structure, pacing, and overall execution. Fans of the series may find moments of nostalgic enjoyment, but as a standalone comedy, it struggles to make an impact.