American Sweatshop (dir. Uta Briesewitz) x SXSW 2025.
There sure are a lot of good-looking people working as demeaning content moderators at this fictional tech corporation. Two of them, Lili Reinhart and Daniela Melchior, struggle to navigate their truly awful jobs moderating graphic content posted online by anonymous users. Reinhart shows her emotional range as an actress and able protagonist, but the film cannot decide what lane to go down. From a vigilante subplot to other detours commenting on the doom of our social media age, audiences follow a mishmash of ideas about regulating what we see online and violence against women.
Premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival (Austin, Texas) as part of the Narrative Spotlight section.
Inspired by '90s stalker thrillers, the film follows Abi (Georgina Campbell), a prosthetics engineer, and her husband Paul (Mark Rowley). As they adapt to a new life outside the city, Abi's latest project, the A.I. humanoid T.I.M. (Eamon Farren), initially appears as the perfect aid. Programmed to serve only her, it transforms into a perilous obsession, determined to replace Paul.
T.I.M, is the debut film from British filmmaker Spencer Brown, screenplay by Spencer Brown & Sarah Govett, and starring Georgina Campbell, Eamon Farren, Mark Rowley, Amara Karan, and Nathaniel Parker.
From Brainstorm Media, T.I.M. in Theaters & On Demand January 12th, 2024.
SYNOPSIS: Vegan singer-songwriter Grey is looking for a producer for her second album. She is approached and decides to work with notorious music producer Vaughn Daniels. As the album progresses, Vaughn begins to influence more than just her music. Grey starts to make compromises one her beliefs, nutrition, and her lyrics take on a darker theme as she embraces her internal beast.
REVIEW: Forty years ago, 1981, was a banner year for werewolf movies. That year gave us “An American Werewolf in London,” “The Howling” that was based on the novel by Gary Brandner, and the adaptation of the Whitley Strieber novel “Wolfen.” Over the last forty years I would be hard pressed to name other films in the genre that have reset the part of the werewolf film genre. This year so far there have been a few films that play with the genre, but none that feel as fresh and as memorable as filmmaker Amelia Moses’ BLOODTHIRSTY.
The screenplay is by the mother daughter team Wendy Hill-Tout and Lowell, a Canadian singer/songwriter who also provides some music for the film. What makes the narrative so engaging is the complex character arch of Grey. While she is coming off of the critical success of her first album there are aspects of her life that are nowhere near as perfect. Once she leaves the city and begins work on her new album at Daniels’ home and studio in the woods things begin to awaken within her that contradict her chosen lifestyle. Daniels, who has a dark past, questions Grey’s choices and offers her alternatives. As she begins to try some of his suggestions her music begins to blossom, but inspired by the darker muses she has embraced. The story, set in a remote location, focuses on three characters; Grey, Daniels, and Grey’s girlfriend Charlie. Daniels clearly represents Grey’s future, and Charlie her past. Grey is in the eye of the storm as she struggles to find her path through this storm.
Director Amelia Moses and her cast do an excellent job of creating engaging characters that invest the viewer in the drama. Greg Bryk, who plays Daniels, creates a predatory screen presence that also has a component to it of a demanding mentor. Until the film’s climax we’re never certain of is actual motives or intentions. This is the second film where actress Lauren Beatty has worked with Moses. Beatty’s performance adds this fairytale element to the film. What initially might seem like a princess who is lost in the woods and in need of rescuing, Beatty slowly brings forth an inner strength to the character as she makes a startling transformation. Also, Beatty has a solid singing voice as the role requires her to sing several of the film’s songs.
Moses has a great location for Daniels’ home/studio. Working with cinematographer Charles Hamilton they capture some beautiful panoramic shots of the outdoors and do an effective job with the light and shadows of the interiors to enhance the tension and suspense. Clearly Moses is a fan of the horror genre as she slowly doles out the blood and gore as she builds each terrifying moment in the film. Working on an independent film budget she mounts an impressive transformation sequence through different camera angles and editing.
Composer Michelle Osis delivers an impressive score that not only has to serve the film’s tension and horror, but enhance the quieter moments. She also provides a seamless transition between the original songs created by Lowell. Lowell’s theme for the film is a song titled “Bloodthirsty.” With its dark lyrics and a pop/country sound it feels like a Billie Eilish hit, and a piece my teenage daughter enjoyed.
Director Amelia Moses is Canadian, as are many of the people behind and in front of the camera. There is an aspect to BLOODTHIRSTY that is reminiscent of the early films of David Cronenberg. Still, Amelia Moses is a fresh visionary filmmaker that adds some new energy into this often overly exploited and cliched werewolf genre. Her first feature film, which she wrote, directed, and stars Lauren Beatty, is another genre film and is due out sometime this year. I eagerly await its release based on her work on this film.
CAST: Lauren Beatty, Greg Bryk, Katharine King, and Michael Ironside.
CREW: Director - Amelia Moses; Screenplay - Wendy Hill-Tout & Lowell; Producers - Wendy Hill-Tout & Michael Peterson; Cinematographer - Charles Hamilton; Editor - David Hiatt; Score - Michelle Osis & Lowell Boland; Production Designer - Mike Kasper; Costume Designer - Tracey Graham; Special Makeup Effects Designer - David Trainor; Visual Effects - Brendon Rathbone.
OFFICIAL: N.A.
FACEBOOK: N.A.
TWITTER: N.A.
TRAILER: https://youtu.be/OZxt2GNrL6o
RELEASE DATE: In theaters and VOD on April 23, 2021.
**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)
Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri
