A Chinese-American high school student undergoes a hypothetical race-changing procedure that allows her to experience life as a white girl in Amy Wang’s SXSW-winning comedy. If high school is a popularity contest—the premise of misplaced priorities driving screenwriter-director Amy Wang’s SXSW-winning satire on assimilation, titled *Slanted*—then Chinese-American senior Joan Huang (Shirley Chen) might be justified in renouncing her cultural heritage for a shot at being crowned prom queen. That is the Faustian bargain Wang posits in a provocative comedy—which doubles as a thought experiment—that veers squarely into *The Substance* territory when Joan agrees to a racial transformation so radical and thorough that Wang replaces the original actress with another (Mckenna Grace) to embody her new identity for the remainder of the film. Director: Amy Wang Writer: Amy Wang Stars: Shirley Chen, Mckenna Grace, Amelie Zilber Tackling complex questions of identity head-on, *Slanted* draws on Wang...
*Scared to Death* follows a group of filmmakers who attend a seance at an abandoned orphanage to conduct research for a movie. Every character in *Scared to Death* is based on a stereotype: the grumpy director, the disgruntled assistant, the drunken actors... The list goes on. While these exaggerated clichés fall flat in other films, here they work. The script and performances succeed in making these personalities feel intentional. Thanks to this, the parodic approach feels convincing. Director: Paul Boyd Writer: Paul Boyd Stars: Lin Shaye, Bill Moseley, Olivier Paris The entire cast is at the top of their game, though Lin Shaye (Max) and Bill Moseley (Felix) are likely the most recognizable faces. Shaye brings a consistently bitter and furious energy, while infusing her character with wit through exaggerated reactions. Moseley, for his part, offers an affable and subtly hilarious presence. Both are additions that fans of the genre will surely appreciate. "I’m not sure what else ...