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Movie Reviews

‘The Rivals of Amziah King’ is Absolutely Buzz Worthy – Review

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Written and directed by Andrew Patterson, The Rivals of Amziah King had its world premiere in Austin, Texas during the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, which received a standing ovation. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague, Tony Revolori, and a special appearance from Kurt Russell.

This crime, thriller film has a well written storyline by Patterson, with plenty of comedic scenes that is set in a beautiful country backdrop. The film revolves around a group of country folks that are a fondly close community and have each other’s back not just only in a time of need, but as a way of life – like gathering up to play some music, sing and enjoy some cold drinks – a unique form of relationship.

Despite McConaughey’s 6 year acting absence, he delivered an exceptional performance as Amziah King, the beekeeper that operates the family honey farm and the former foster parent to Kateri. McConaughey did not miss a beat sharing his musical talents with the other cast members, turning up the jam sessions with catchy tunes.

Newcomer Angelina LookingGlass was a natural portraying the part of Kateri – the orphaned young lady who takes over her foster’s struggling business and encounters some nasty rivals that want to control the honey market. Kateri finds that inner queen bee and takes action to protect the family honey business. Kateri can be sweet as honey but will not hesitate to lash out a lethal sting if you do her and/or to her beloved community harm.

I was impressed with the overall performance. The connection between the cast was visible throughout the film, which kept the audience engaged. I did want to see more of Kurt Russell’s character, however the choice of limiting his screen time did allow to focus on Kateri’s story. I believe this wonderful independent film sets the tone for 2025 film makers and will truly be a buzz worthy of an Oscar nomination.

The release date for The Rivals of Amziah King is TBD.

Sabrina "Kiddo" is the newest member of Countdown City Geeks and is a contributor of movie and television show reviews. Her passion for film derived from her college days where her rhetoric-writing professor focused on the aspects of screenwriting and music lyrics. She also has a knack for memorizing and repeating movie quotes, catchphrases.

Movie Reviews

Into the Unknown: Reviewing ‘From the Beyond: High Strangeness in the Bennington Triangle’

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In this video, we take a deep dive into the mysterious and unsettling documentary ‘From the Beyond: High Strangeness in the Bennington Triangle’.

Exploring one of America’s most infamous paranormal hotspots, this film examines eerie disappearances, strange sightings, and the chilling folklore surrounding Vermont’s Bennington Triangle. We break down the documentary’s storytelling, evidence, interviews, and overall atmosphere—does it truly uncover something unexplainable, or does it leave more questions than answers?

If you’re into unsolved mysteries, paranormal phenomena, and high strangeness, this one’s for you.


Synopsis: Since the mid twentieth century, a mysterious section of land in rural Vermont has been the home of untold strangeness. Rumors of UFOs, ghosts, phantom lights and mysterious creatures can all be found there in abundance, while verified reports of odd disappearances – many still unsolved – cast a shadow over Glastenbury Mountain. From the Beyond: High Strangeness in the Bennington Triangle goes beyond the rumors and campfire stories, while daring to ask what may be the most frightening question of all – why is Glastenbury Mountain so inexplicable, and what happened to those who have gone missing?

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Movie Reviews

THE SHITHEADS aka IDIOTS – Sticky, Icky, and Out of Control

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The Shitheads, now renamed Idiots, was showcased during the 2026 SXSW festival and is scheduled for a theatrical release in August of this year. The film is directed by Macon Blair which he co-wrote with Alex Orr, starring Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Mason Thames. The plot is driven by a couple of underachievers taking on what should be an effortless task of transporting an affluent teen to a rehab center, but this intellectually predatory teen throws them off course.

It didn’t quite reach the heights it aimed for. I was anticipating this dark comedy to be an exciting adventure, bursting with laughs, but it was frustrating like your car getting a flat tire. The characters are defined by basic emotions-anger and confusion-but nothing beyond that. The movie never explores them, so it’s difficult to empathize. When faced with several misfortunes, they lack impact because the audience has no emotional connection.  The weak characters are just along for the ride, dictated by the script rather than the narrative cohesion, making that “road to nowhere” feel long and exhausting. It spends a lot of time lingering on repulsive comedy scenes that not even a jumbo roll of toilet paper could wipe up this mess. It can get sticky, icky and out of control.

Mason Thames, however, made chicken salad out of… well, you know. He impressed me with his performance, a revelation role of a charismatic irritant-sociopathic, spoiled, privileged brat. Thames could have elevated his character to higher levels and carry the film to the finish line. While critically acclaimed renowned actor Peter Dinklage had a brief cameo, it served as a tantalizing preview of the chemistry he might share with Mason Thames for a future team-up.

There is a much better movie buried somewhere inside the pile of Idiots. The underlying premise has potential, but the film eventually stalls under the coherent thematic arc and inconsistent pacing. It’s not a disaster by any means, but it is a disappointing work of inspired fragments rather than a cohesive narrative that falls short of being essential cinema.

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Movie Reviews

THE SEEING EYE DOG WHO SAW TOO MUCH – A Fun Hidden Short Mystery Gem

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A 1975 film by Enrico Januzzi The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much has been exhumed by Eric Jackowitz who wrote, directed and stars as the Dog Scientist that brings a quirky invention to extract clues from the memory of the victim’s seeing eye dog to solve the mystery of the black-gloved killer at the Rome Symphony. The dog’s facial expression says it all… what the heck is happening here! It’s a short film that gives a fun experience to keep you guessing through the laughs and exaggerated slashing to the whodunit murder mystery.

Jackowitz used the limited time effectively giving it a similar resemblance to a grownup version of a Scooby Doo episode, but with classic cinematic style that blends sharp comedy with serious, dark themes, focusing on eccentric characters. This haunting film is all character driven with the intriguing, unusual suspects and victims compiling the pieces of the puzzle for the grand ruh-roh reveal.

The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much had its world premiere at the 2026 SXSW Festival, and to no surprise it won the Audience Award. The small ensemble includes Ethan Edenburg (Maestro), Anna Garcia (Daria), Colton Eschief Mastro (Stelvio), Gabrielle Montes de Oca (Anne), Melissa Villaseñor (Cesar Salad Lady) and Tom Mcgovern (Angelo). Each actor was empowered to explore their roles freely, allowing them to immerse themselves in the joy of character creation making this an outrageously entertaining short film that I consider a fun hidden short mystery gem.

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