boston underground 2024

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Boston Underground 2024 Review: In FEMME, Lessons In Pain And Purgation

“…By putting a queer protagonist at the heart of our revenge story, we aimed to put our own stamp on a genre that we love but from which we have often felt excluded.” Per the partial directors’ statement, Sam Freeman and Ng Choon-Ping have a point. Queer protagonists are a rarity when it comes to certain genres, particularly regarding the kinds of films that sites like mine usually cover. I’ve even had conversations with mutuals about films like these over the years and some ideas they’ve had which sort of just sat on the shelf and were never fully realized. With circumstances like these, a film like Femme feels like a breath of fresh air. I was keen to start this review by exclaiming how on the edge of my seat I was for the better half of this movie. It’s a very different kind of film that tackles the […]

Boston Underground 2024 Review: FATAL TERMINATION, Andrew Kam’s Formulaic Crime Flick Underscores The Bygone Perils Of Hong Kong Action

Lee B. Golden III

The heydays of Hong Kong cinema are no more. Instead, it is through physical media and receptive film festivals that the renowned genre will stand the test of time, recounting the surmounting efforts of directors capturing the industry’s envelope-pushing style of action and stunts, oftentimes to degrees that would never be accepted today. 1990 action thriller Fatal Termination is no exception, marking director Andrew Kam’s solo directorial outing after sharing the helm twice prior with The Enigmatic Case, and 1988’s The Big Heat. Kam directs from a script by Jimmy Pang, with a relatively simple story that pales about halfway. Simon Yam plays Jimmy, an inspector tasked with looking into a what he suspects is a potential haul of weapons and ammunition heading to the Middle East via Hong Kong. Front and center is co-star Robin Shou in the role of Wai, the corrupt head of customs sought by elusive […]

Boston Underground XXIV: Five Titles To Spotlight At This Year’s Festival!

Lee B. Golden III

Just a few days ago I learned I was approved for covering the 24th edition of the Boston Underground Film Festival. Indeed this will be more ground to cover as the year advances into another summer loaded with festival goings-on, but I’m especially excited with the prospects. BUFF 2024 kicks off next week March 20, and I’m here to help underscore a small selection of titles for anyone curious and interested in attending. Mortiz Mohr’s Boy Kills World is one. Bill Skarsgård tackling the tale of a mute maverick avenger trained by a master played by Indonesian action stalwart Yayan Ruhian is something I will never say ‘no’ to. Immaculate is another, an upcoming horror endeavor from distributor Neon, directed by Michael Mohan and starring Sydney Sweeney in a role that’s easily helping her recover from her brief stint in the superhero genre of late. There’s also dramatic revenge thriller […]

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Boston Underground XXIV: Horror IMMACULATE To Open, BOY KILLS WORLD To Close Festival For Newly Announced Line-Up

Lee B. Golden III

The 24th annual Boston Underground Film Festival is returning to Cambridge in two weeks, and with a nifty line-up of thirteen titles for attendees to enjoy. Upcoming NEON release, Immaculate, starring Syndey Sweeney will open the festival on March 20 with Moritz Mohr’s new action adventure, Boy Kills World set to bookend things on March 24. Between that period will be a bevy of scintillating thrillers including Chris Nash’s In A Violent Nature starring Ry Barrett, revenge thriller Femme from directors Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping, and Sébastien Vaniček’s upcoming Shudder release, Infested to name a few. This could be my first run with Boston Underground as I just put in my application for review coverage, so fingers crossed until it’s decided. Tickets and badges will be made available here and here, with Badge holders eligible to make festival selections on March 8. Tickets will be made available […]