Kristy Strouse
Tomatometer-approved critic
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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The Wrath of Becky (2023) |
Not without its missteps, The Wrath of Becky still aims and hits the mark for a playful but brutal good time. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Jun 01, 2023
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The Crazies (2010) |
The Crazies is a visually attuned reimagining that doesn’t slack on lunacy or acting chops. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted May 18, 2023
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Dawn of the Dead (2004) |
Dawn of the Dead provides new digs for the Romero classic, with heightened energy and wonderfully gory thrills. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted May 18, 2023
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Night of the Living Dead (1990) |
Night of the Living Dead is a remake that may have not been necessary but is an enjoyable revisit to what makes the living dead frightening, and endlessly reanimated. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted May 18, 2023
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The Match Factory Girl (1990) |
The Match Factory Girl is a carefully curated picture with a stark and delightfully sharp edge. - Cinematic Lovelies
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| Posted May 18, 2023
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The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future (2022) |
The Cow Who Sang A Song Into The Future is a meditative and inventive addition that is as wistful as it is optimistic. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Apr 08, 2023
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Monolith (2023) |
It occasionally relies too much on the red herrings and will push your patience with its pacing, but through its eerie central theme and the driving performance from Lily Sullivan, Monolith takes a unique shape. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Apr 08, 2023
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Late Night With the Devil (2023) |
A hilarious, macabre throwback that’s chaotic and bizarre and a hell of a lot of fun. David Dastmalchian is fantastic. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 26, 2023
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Frybread Face and Me (2023) |
Frybread Face and Me is a touching coming-of-age story brimming with authenticity and the passion of its creator. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 26, 2023
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Furies (2023) |
Full of bloodshed and female ferocity, Furies slays. Veronica Ngo creates a vengeance-fueled ride that is one of the best actions of 2023. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 26, 2023
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Art for Everybody (2023) |
Art for Everybody focuses on the life and legacy of the Painter of Light: Thomas Kinkade, but it is also an intimate and compelling look at the dark parts we sometimes keep from the world. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 19, 2023
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Hung Up on a Dream (2023) |
It’s the time and season of the resurgence of The Zombies. I thought this was a wonderfully illuminating look at the talented 60s rock band, that any fan or lover of music should visit. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 19, 2023
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Caterpillar (2023) |
Caterpillar is an impressive documentary that touches on the journey of finding fulfillment in life, before transitioning into the dangers some cosmetic procedures might pose. Riveting. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 19, 2023
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Brooklyn 45 (2023) |
I really wanted to love this film- the setup is intelligent and ripe for an interesting singular-setting thematic experience. With a concept like that and some stirring dialogue, Brooklyn 45 could have had the makings to be a really compelling watch. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 19, 2023
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My Drywall Cocoon (2023) |
Caroline Fioratti paints a harsh but vivid picture. While the narrative may not always feel cohesive, through a unique visual style and a terrific lead performance, it has a devastating young adult presence that creates a large, looming chasm. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 19, 2023
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With Love and a Major Organ (2023) |
A creative and vibrant approach to storytelling that bursts with originality. With Love and a Major Organ examines the highs and lows of human emotion; though the film sometimes loses control, when it grabs us, it really takes hold. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 19, 2023
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Sister & Sister (2023) |
This coming of age tale is vibrant, sun soaked; a confident debut by Kattia G. Zúñiga that boasts sisterly bonds, individual growth and femininity with a youthful energy. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 15, 2023
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Chronicles of a Wandering Saint (2023) |
Chronicles of a Wandering Saint is a touching, idiosyncratic voyage that I was delighted to experience. Tomás Gómez Bustillo enchants us. He’s a director to watch. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 15, 2023
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Raging Grace (2023) |
The film feels like it resides in its own space, and that expanse…gets creepy. Raging Grace is a pearl of a horror; inventive and compelling. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 15, 2023
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Requiem for a Dream (2000) |
I think it’s a masterpiece; gut-wrenching and soaked in a hellscape of realistic proportions. Requiem for a Dream is a tough watch, but an essential one. - Cinematic Lovelies
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| Posted Mar 12, 2023
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The Pod Generation (2023) |
Tender and imaginative, it may teeter, but The Pod Generation is elevated by strong performances, humor, and unique world-building. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Mar 04, 2023
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Almost Famous (2000) |
Almost Famous is a time capsule, a vessel into the past that beams with life. A coming of age jewel with fantastic performances and a nurturing musical embrace. It’ll never stop singing. - Cinematic Lovelies
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| Posted Mar 04, 2023
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring (2003) |
An odyssey of the human experience fraught with tragedy and inspired with hope, we should all discover the insightful and exquisitely sublime: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring. - Cinematic Lovelies
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| Posted Mar 02, 2023
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Somebody I Used To Know (2023) |
A more mature rom-com, Somebody I used to Know doesn’t quite refreshen the genre but it brings some hope that it still has a pulse, in big part because of the lovely Alison Brie. - Cinematic Lovelies
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| Posted Mar 01, 2023
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Shotgun Wedding (2023) |
At the end of the day you’re watching two stars that have chemistry and commit to the physicality and hilarity needed for this to be fun. And it is. For better or worse. - Cinematic Lovelies
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| Posted Mar 01, 2023
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Your Place or Mine (2023) |
I think that the film expected to lean on its stars more and, to no fault of any one area of this production, the adhesion wasn’t there. It sadly felt more rigid than real. - Cinematic Lovelies
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| Posted Mar 01, 2023
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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) |
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is a spellbinding foray that reminds us of human compassion and the eternal joy of cinema. - Cinematic Lovelies
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| Posted Mar 01, 2023
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A Judgment in Stone (1995) |
Stealthily clever, La Cérémonie revels in its peculiarity with a sharp edge. - Cinematic Lovelies
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| Posted Mar 01, 2023
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M3GAN (2022) |
M3gan is definitely fun, but it succumbs to tropes and familiarity in a way that makes it feel reductive. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted Feb 24, 2023
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Skinamarink (2022) |
While inventive and a great opportunity for experimental low-budget to be spotlighted, Skinamarink left me in the dark, yearning for much more. The prominent static became just that, a disconnect. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted Feb 24, 2023
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My Animal (2023) |
With a haunting, moody feel and an innovative premise, My Animal keeps the bloody werewolf genre fresh and alive. A coming-of-age queer lycanthropy story? I’m here for it. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted Feb 07, 2023
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Talk to Me (2023) |
An energetic debut, this supernatural showing takes a new spin on an old concept making it both creative and creepy when needed. A potent and tense 95 minutes of entertainment. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted Feb 07, 2023
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Sorcery (2023) |
While not without its issues, its atmospheric, bone-chillingly cold, and compelling character story makes Sorcery mostly mesmerizing. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 07, 2023
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Slow (2023) |
A film that emphasizes on the vulnerability of its characters from a deft vision by Marija Kavtaradze, Slow is a subtle but impactful film. Moving and beautiful. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 07, 2023
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Animalia (2023) |
Eerie yet beautiful, thought-provoking, and rich. It’s ambiguous but you feel the enormity of its narrative, especially through Oumaïma Barid’s hypnotic performance. This feature debut from Sofia Alaoui is a stunner. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 07, 2023
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Divinity (2023) |
Despite the technical prowess at play (be it sound, makeup, or production) I still admired its boldness more than I enjoyed the finished product. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 07, 2023
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Unicorn Boy (2023) |
Unicorn Boy is a beautifully animated, exploratory odyssey that beams with heart and is written with natural warmth. This a really wonderful example of a first-time director expressing themselves. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 05, 2023
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The Starling Girl (2023) |
The wonderful Eliza Scanlen drives this compelling coming-of-age story that is a heartbreakingly earnest look at religion, desire, and connection to oneself. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 05, 2023
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Shayda (2023) |
A powerful debut with an especially striking performance from Zar Amir Ebrahimi that stands as one of my favorites of 2023 so far. A harmonious balance of somberness and tenderness that resonates. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 05, 2023
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Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis) (2022) |
This was a treat, a fun dive into the origins behind some of the most iconic rock album covers. With great stories and interviews, it is a music lover's delight. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 05, 2023
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In My Mother's Skin (2023) |
In My Mother’s Skin boasts a fantastic child performance that takes us through this challenging but intoxicating world where magic is real, and darkness permeates. It’s gorgeous to behold, and intriguing to ponder. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 05, 2023
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birth/rebirth (2023) |
It’s an intriguing rumination on grief and motherhood through a new horror lens with lovely flourishes of clever humor and stellar performances. A must-see. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 05, 2023
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Infinity Pool (2023) |
Gloriously unhinged, Infinity Pool is a visceral and chaotic dive into depravity cementing Mia Goth as our newest horror queen. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Feb 05, 2023
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The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) |
It is delightful enough to deliver some levity and warmth without relying too much on tired tropes. It’s easy-going comfort food with some characters that make you smile, and it reminds us that there is still some magic in the MCU. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Jan 02, 2023
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Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery (2022) |
Everyone is game, and it proves once again that it knows how to utilize some of the most intelligent and hilarious comedians working in Hollywood. It’ll warm you up during the holidays with some much-needed belly laughs. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Dec 24, 2022
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Dark City (1998) |
Dark City is nearly a nightmare-fueled neo-noir masterpiece. It’s surreal, it’s odd, but it’s also remarkably creative and deserves to be seen. - Film Inquiry
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| Posted Dec 10, 2022
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Two Witches (2021) |
With a stellar performance from Rebekah Kennedy and an intriguing supernatural take from Pierre Tsigaridis, Two Witches is worth seeking out. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted Dec 09, 2022
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Pearl (2022) |
Pearl is a compelling and sinister intro to the character established earlier in the year, taken to new heights by Mia Goth’s striking performance. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted Nov 09, 2022
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The Night Eats the World (2018) |
The Night Ate the World is unhurried, thought-provoking, and features an absorbing performance from Anders Danielsen Lie to make something new out of an aged premise. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted Nov 09, 2022
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Barbarian (2022) |
It is one of our best treats with ample mystery and pure entertainment value. It’s what you’re looking for, even if you don’t know quite what that entails, but the set design, acting, and perverse, disturbing twists, make it a worthwhile discovery. - Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
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| Posted Nov 09, 2022
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