Bulgarian queer artist and songwriter Ivo Dimchev transforms personal and social hardship into provocative public and intimate spectacles, boldly exploring sexuality, identity, faith, and activism in a liberating celebration of queer visibility.
Score: 7.5/10
Director / Writer:Kristina Nikolova
Starring:Ivo Dimchev
Genre:documentary, queer film
Runtime:78
Release:2025
Excerpt
Ivo isn’t trying to find a place for himself, he’s creating and taking space wherever he goes. As the star of "In Hell with Ivo", Ivo takes up even more space, this time on the international stage.
“Love should be unconditional” – Ivo
The opening line in Kristina Nikolova’s new documentary is uttered by the subject himself. Bulgarian artist Ivo Dimchev smirks into the audience and says, “This is a question along the lines of To be or not to be? – Coming in the *ss or coming in the mouth?” He jokes there’s no way Nikolova will use that in the documentary, but Ivo gives the impression that what he wants, he gets?
It can be jarring to see someone who is fully themselves in a place that doesn’t fully appreciate who they are. Especially when those people are equal parts strong independence and sincere vulnerability. It can be difficult to see someone operating in their truth, especially when the community around you rejects that truth. Ivo (pronounced “EYE-voh” which he prefers because the other way makes it sound like “evil”) isn’t trying to find a place for himself, he’s creating and taking space wherever he goes. As the star of In Hell with Ivo, Ivo takes up even more space, this time on the international stage.
After receiving a devastating diagnosis, a severely depressed veteran who hides his pain through self-isolation and alcohol must accept the help of his famous cousin or risk becoming just another statistic.
Score: 6.5/10
Director / Writer:Ammie Masterson, Kevin Machate, Todd Rodgers
Starring:Kevin Machate, Beth Shea, Ammie Masterson, Barry Corbin, Gayland Williams
Genre:drama
Runtime:23
Release:2026
Excerpt
In a world plagued by social injustice, medical inequity and community initiatives that are less and less about actual community, movie watchers are learning towards escapism. So why is that Kevin Machate’s moody drama Worst Enemy (2026) works so well in a moment that’s made to resist it?
I’m a Hazard to Myself
Kevin Machate as “Shane” in Worst Enemy
In a world plagued by social injustice, medical inequity and community initiatives that are less and less about actual community, movie watchers are learning towards escapism. Many would rather ignore the harsh truths of life to settle into the blessed freedom of fantasy. So why is that Kevin Machate’s moody drama Worst Enemy (2026) works so well in a moment that’s made to resist it?
When Patricia approaches Ashley with a tailor-made project and is rejected, she gets a gun. Patricia breaks into Ashley’s home and takes her hostage. What ensues is a psychological cat-and-mouse game that culminates in a surprising and bloody climax.
Score: 7.5/10
Director / Writer:Ryan Moore
Starring:Cheyenne Perez, Grace Kaufman, Emily Hall, David Lengel
Genre:indie, psychological thriller
Runtime:84
Release:2023
Excerpt
At one point Ashley says, "You can’t just put a gun to someone’s head and force them to give up social media!" and while I laughed, I found myself feeling genuine concern. Her posting schedule is going to be really behind!
Why Don’t You Love Me?
“Grace Kaufman stars as Ashley in Ryan Moore’s Influence“
It’s unusual to have Béla Tarr’s 7.5 hour Criterion Collection epic Sátántangó feature as a set piece in an abduction thriller, but Ryan Moore’s Influence (2023) said, hold my beer! It’s a bold move from the young director, and one that has interesting dividends.
We follow writer/director Patricia (Cheyenne Perez) as she tries to sell her script in Hollywood. She’s hit with lovely rejection letters and promises of nothing. By day she edits footage for her boss – a jaded wellness ambassador named Melissa (Emily Hall), and by night she doom scrolls wellness influencers on Instagram. It’s a vicious cycle of faux inspiration and toxic positivity that sends Ashley even further into a depressive spiral.
One influencer catches her eye. A young woman named Ashley (Grace Kaufman) who has 4M dollars and what seems to be a more measured view on depression . She’s all about embracing the bad feelings and taking time to sit with yourself. This resonates with Patricia, particularly when they run into each other in a chance encounter.
The interaction between them sets the stage for the film. Patricia starts following Ashley around town trying to initiate meet-cutes. She’s trying to entice Ashley to work with her, she gets a gun, she holds Ashley hostage. As one does. As a thinly veiled metaphor for how creatives and companies butt heads, Influence is smartly done. Instead of waving away or dismissing the more extraordinary parts of the plot, the viewer simply files Patricia’s actions (and Ashley’s acquiescence) under “It’s Possible!”.
When I Make Me
“Cheyenne Perez stars as Patricia in Ryan Moore’s Influence, but now she’s got a piece.”
In a world where discussion of mental health is rampant, it can be seen as okay to root for a person who eschews social graces (like, not holding someone in their own home) in favor of self determination. At the end of the day who is the real villain? The person lying on social media to sell $40 lip balms and $120 face masks, or the person who abducts them until they agree to live in their truth?
It’s the abductor, they’re the villain. But since this is also our protagonist, Moore creates an atmosphere where we try to understand Patricia’s motivations. And the wild part is that we do. Any audience can understand the pressure Patricia is under to make her mark in a fast-paced industry. Every person in LA understands that the rent must be paid. It’s easy to understand why, when powerless, Patricia wants a gun. When filled with self-doubt she decides to accomplish her goals regardless of the consequences. It’s all perfectly understandable with the key difference being… but we don’t do it.
Patricia asks out loud if she’s crazy and I believe the fact she’s planted on the reality side of the fantasy line points to yes. Even Patricia’s search for truth is done from a commode. There exists an artifice that if Patricia could really see it, it may change the trajectory of her life.
Each minute of the film becomes more and more rife with delusion. And it all climaxes in an enjoyably predictable way. The seriousness of the situation is often undercut by something that would only make sense in Los Angeles. At one point Ashley says, “You can’t just put a gun to someone’s head and force them to give up social media!” and while I laughed, I found myself feeling genuine concern. Her posting schedule is going to be really behind!
So Easy to Love
“Cheyenne Perez stars as Patricia in Ryan Moore’s Influence“
Perez is a wonderful actor who you may recognize from her stint as Jo in HBO’s The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021). She’s well matched with Kaufman whose longest stint was as Kate Burns in Matt LeBlanc’s Man with a Plan (2016). Both actresses have appeared in many roles since then, and always have time for an indie film. Despite the lower budget, both women give their all delivering tense and thrilling performances.
Another notable mention goes to Emily Hall whose vapid, outtouch influencer (and also Patricia’s sleep paralysis demon) manages to play someone truly awful yet completely recognizable. Again, it makes sense when Patricia is coaxed into this world of bad because it seems as though the bad people are rewarded. The difference is that Melissa knows she’s terrible. She accepts her own selfishness which removes the blinders blocking her consequences. Patricia on the other hand, tries to imbue morality in a situation that is anything but, and in crafting that lie, expends the energy needed to see the truth.
The role of Taylor (KT Kent) – Ashley’s manager- is especially important as it’s only on the phone but Kent’s performance makes Nicole a huge part of the narrative. She’s also not beholden to morality. And while she acknowledges her selfishness, she’s also great at her job, and that job is caring about Ashley.
There are lots of thought pieces presented in the film in a way where it’s clear they are for introspection later. The film doesn’t leave loose ends necessarily, it simply draws this “day in the life” bon mot to its logical conclusion. Indie films are getting more and more creative with the look of their films and director Moore along with cinematographer Alice Miller deserve all of the recognition. The film looks great, it’s shot and acted well and leaves the audience with plenty to sit with as the credits roll.
It’s rare to get a sequel that finds a balance between blatant fan-service and engaging storytelling, but The Devil Wears Prada 2 has found the perfect fit. When we last left our Runway crew, it was being helmed by Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) with Stanley Tucci’s Nigel in tow and Emily Blunt as “Head Emily” Emily Charlton. Andie (Anne Hathaway) was off to more journalistic pursuits and for 20 years, the wheels turned at the magazine. Time flies when you’re having fun and with it comes the future comes gifts (or curses depending on who you ask) of change, technological innovation and challenge.
Led by returning screenplay writer Aline Brosh McKenna (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) and director David Frankel (Jerry & Marge Go Large), The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a fun mix of humor and nostalgia, with optimistic views of the issues of today thrown in to keep things current. While there is an indictment about those who should have retired years ago and are grasping to the last vestiges of relevance, it’s handled in a way that invokes empathy. Miranda is 76 in this film and upset about the idea of once again possibly losing control. It brings up a very interesting conundrum about staying even when you know it’s time to bow out, and trying to make room for new and upcoming faces.
Andy is a journalist in a world where TikTok has shortened attention spans and listicles have taken the place of multipage articles. She receives a prestigious award and learns her paper has folded the same day and she no longer has a job. After a passionate and well-received impromptu take about the state of Journalism, Andy returns home to a less than luxurious life. She lives in a tiny New York apartment where the water runs brown and the view is nonexistent. Then.one day, Andy receives a call from an unexpected ally – Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman), head of the Elias-Clarke publishing house which owns Runway..
Miranda has been resistant to today’s new, more socially conscious world, and lands herself in hot water after a scandal is exposed involving one of her “Speed Fashion” pursuits. She pretends to be unbothered until word spreads that one of their largest advertising clients is upset with the negative news surrounding Miranda and the magazine. Concurrently, Andy has been asked to write a defensive piece for Miranda and is able to waylay that into a more secure (and better paying) position. She goes with Miranda and Nigel to the sponsor who just so happens to be Dior and happens to be run by the original Emily!
Initially, Emily doesn’t return the excitement that Andy has when they reunite, but we’ve learned a lot of time has passed and there’s mystery surrounding why Emily left Miranda and Runway. Although Andy’s “Miranda Mea Culpa” is lauded by inner industry types, it’s seen by far less than were impacted by the initial scandal. After some criticism from Miranda, Andy works to prove herself and ends up landing an important feature highlighting Sasha Barnes (Lucy Lui). This also introduces Benji Barnes played by a nearly unrecognizable Justin Theroux.
When it comes to things that have changed in the production, I must say, I love the addition of the tangled threads that get woven throughout this world. In the world of interpersonal relationships, if “Los Angeles is big, but Hollywood is small”, then “New York is huge, but fashion runs on cannibalistic nepotism”. Everyone knows everyone, everyone is connected and currency includes favors and borrowing high end couture. It’s a world with its own pace and it’s given equal parts reverence and a satirical poke in the film.
Meryl Streep and Simone Ashley for The Devil Wears Prada 2
Andy, Nigel and Miranda are characters that feel lived in and Brosh-McKenna and Frankel use the leeway to introduce several new characters. It makes sense that Andy would have new friends while hanging on to a choice few from her past. It also makes sense that the staff at Run would be an ever revolving door of young, hungry talent searching for new opportunities. Given the number of characters and the small amount of time allotted, it’s no wonder that some of the additions are great, but underused. While I absolutely adored Tracie Thoms’ cameo, the addition of Rachel Bloom presented an unresolved plot point. It was fun, and I’m always happy to see Bloom pop up, but it was ultimately a bit unnecessary. I almost wonder if her scenes were part of a conflict that was then cut from the film. Caleb Herndon is reserved and charming as Charlie and Helen J. Shen is adorable as Andy’s assistant, Jin, but unfortunately, both are pretty one-note. While we did see a lot more of Simone Ashley as Amari, it could also be said they just hired her to look fantastic in haute couture and I’m not mad about it.
It’s just that one of the reasons Emily was such a great character is because we got to understand who she is and why she loves fashion and Miranda. Amari is capable, competent, confident and absolutely stunning, but we don’t really know anything about her outside of that. It makes sense, because it’s not really her story, but this is a trap I’ve seen a lot of remakes and reboots fall into. The addition of these characters are supposed to get you invested in the world so you can feel the change and passage of time once our known characters return. The new characters have potential and if there was a 3 in the mix, I’d love to see them again, only this time as family members and not just catering waiters at the family reunion.
Emily Blunt for The Devil Wears Prada 2
However, the updates we receive about our main cast are insightful. Miranda is now dating composer and violinist Eric (Kenneth Braughnagh) while Andy flirts with a new possible love interest in Peter (Patrick Brammall). We learn that Emily has an ex-husband and 2 kids, but still no word on Nigel or any of our newbies. It remains a good sign of a project that I wanted more and the skilled hand and focus that crafted the film makes it so this is a very small gripe and didn’t lessen my enjoyment.
Miranda is still methodical and calculating, Emily is still desperate to please and Andy still hasn’t found someone else’s business that she couldn’t mind. Themes in the film talk about the war between AI and artistry, the monopolization of small businesses that help our economy thrive and the slow death of traditional journalism. With heady topics like these, you’d think it would be hard for the humor to shine through, but it’s not.
Even the times I was annoyed at Andy for sometimes cloying naivety and optimism, or at Miranda for hiding her true intentions unnecessarily, the smile never left my face. There are a lot of easter eggs and fashion cameos. I highly suggest rewatching The Devil Wears Prada (2006) before to get the full experience. The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a love letter to fashion, print media and the idea of preserving humanity in the face of technological takeover. And the movie tie-in popcorn bucket is the cutest one yet!
The Devil Wears Prada 2 will open exclusively in theaters May 1.
On your wedding day, the vows are promises you make to each other. Normally they’re of the “love and hold and cherish until death do we part” variety, but some couples like to get even more personal. That’s the case with our two lovebirds Chance (Chris Chalk) and Grace (K.D. Chalk). We open on the happy couple getting married and then fast forward a year later as they head to a friend’s country house to celebrate their anniversary and also say goodbye as they plan to move across the country.
Who Invited Charlie? feels like the pandemic version of Uncle Buck and that’s not a bad thing. familiar with the trope, an unsuspecting family gets an unwanted visitor who they can’t stand but slowly teaches them to loosen up and laugh and love. It’s well honed territory, and can provide a good base but there’s some character building that’s sacrificed in the narrative.
By Stacey Yvonne Originally published on BlackGirlNerds Jan, 23, 2023
While watching Teen Wolf: The Movie, I found myself asking the question: Who is this for?
I was watching characters that I mostly knew, in a setting I knew all too well, fighting a demon that was instantly familiar, and yet I felt out of place. The plot holes were nonsense and the timeline was wildly inaccurate. So if this movie wasn’t for me, then who was it for?
Let’s talk about Bros, The new comedy written by and starring Billy Eichner and directed by longtime collaborator Nick Stoller. The film was also produced by Judd Apatow giving it a chance at distribution from a major studio – a first for a primarily LGBTQ film especially in the rom-com space. It’s a triumphant feat for Eichner and hopefully we’ll see more films get the chance.
Caption: (L-R) FLORENCE PUGH, HARRY STYLES and director/producer/actor OLIVIA WILDE (blue dress) on the set of New Line Cinema’s “DON’T WORRY DARLING,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
I wanted so badly to be able to say “despite on-set messiness and the PR tour disaster (that was entertaining for all of the wrong reasons)Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling is a triumph! And it almost was!
The film revolves around an unlikely pair of brothers thrown together by the foster system. Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is fresh from the military and trying to find stability and financial security for his new son and ailing wife. Danny Sharp (Jake Gyllenhaal) stayed home and picked up the family business of robbing banks and vandalism.
Michael Bay’s Ambulance is a thrill per minute! Too bad there are 135 of them. Excepting about 15 minutes of setup, the action gets going and never stops until about 20 minutes before the end. That’s when there’s a ton of slow motion. While this hectic action can be maintained in a 90-minute property, 2 hours and 15 minutes is a lot of adrenaline to spend.
