Rebecca Rosén

Still showing Moses Storm (Trash White) from a distance, as he is standing on his stage that is surrounded by various objects and junk painted white. He is wearing all white, and the spotlights highlight both him and his stage. Image courtesy of HBO Max.

The Best Comedy Specials of 2022

By: Rebecca Rosén 31st Dec 202231st Dec 2022

Featured, List, TV2022, A League of Their Own, Ali Siddiq, ali wong, Almost, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Atsuko Okatsuka, best of, best of 2022, cabaret, Cinnamon in the Wind, Class, Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999, Comedy, Comedy Special, Daniel Sloss, David A. Arnold, Debut, Don Wong, don't worry darling, Fire Island, Fortune Feimster, french, Good Fortune, hbo, HBO Max, Henry Koperski, hulu, Intimate, It Ain't for the Weak, James acaster, Jerrod Carmichael, Joel Kim Booster, KATE, Kate Berlant, List, Look at You, Mitch Hedberg, Moses Storm, Mr Bean, Ms Pat, netflix, Panayotis Pascot, Personal, Presque, Psychosexual, Reflection, Ronny Chieng, Rothaniel, Self-reflective, Sheng Wang, Socio, Speakeasy, Stand up, Stand-up, Storytelling, Streaming, Sweet & Juicy, Sweet & Salty, Sweet and Juicy, Sweet and Salty, Taylor Tomlinson, TED Talk, The Domino Effect, The Intruder, The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous, Trash White, TV, TV Special, Would it Kill You to Laugh?, Y'all Wanna Hear Something Crazy?, youtubeLeave a Comment

Even if one can’t heal the world with comedy, one certainly can try. From the radically intimate and laidback to the extravagantly oversized, this article lists twelve of the best comedy specials released in 2022 that undoubtedly try to provide some comfort through the darkness.

Character Moraldo from I Vitelloni lying down on a sofa, resting his head on his left arm, looking up towards the ceiling, contemplating. His facial expression is neutral.

An Ageless Portrayal of Time Lost, ‘I Vitelloni’ (1953) Captures Ennui That Feels All Too Familiar

Federico Fellini’s second outing as a solo director follows five men as they dream of different lives whilst drifting lazily through an Italian seaside town. Successfully capturing the equally profound aimlessness and longing within its protagonists, ‘I Vitelloni’ poignantly depicts both characters and places that feel familiar.

Jim Halsey (from The Hitcher) collapsed on his knees out of distress by the side of the road. With a rural landscape of sand, slight greenery and mountains behind him, he looks ahead with some blood on his face and a handgun in his hand, as if just contemplated suicide but decided against it.

In ‘The Hitcher’ (1986), an Act of Kindness Results in a Claustrophobic Highway Nightmare

Derived from an act of kindness, ‘The Hitcher’ is pure chaos unravelling on the American highways as a young man has his life turned into a nightmare by the hitchhiker he was naive enough to pick up.

Still showing Hoaggie on his knees outside on the ground in front of the vehicle used to kidnap the family. He holds his arm close to himself, against his stomach, as it is hurt. He has a concerned facial expression, as he looks at someone outside of frame. Behind him, stands Tubs, only visible from his knees up to his upper stomach.

In ‘Coming Home in the Dark’ (2021), Revenge Is Nothing More Than a Continuation of Violence

A film less concerned with trying to force viewers to sympathise with its characters than simply presenting them, Coming Home in the Dark is a brutal film about institutional abuse and the part its subsequent lifelong pain plays in the cycle of violence.

Brady (Brady Jandreau) from The Rider standing out in the Badlands of South Dakota looking out ahead of himself. In the distance, there's a smaller mountain and the sky is filled with a mixture of dark and light hues amongst the heavy clouds. Brady is centered in the middle of the frame, with his back towards the camera, wearing his signature cowboy hat.

Autumnal Poetry in Motion and Its Subsequent Feelings as Seen in Film

From familial relationships and the underlying meaning of garments to making the most of life while still alive, these films convey the whole spectrum of arguably the most poetic season of all.

Still from The Retreat taken from above showing a bench filled with various instruments and tools including a hammer, scissors, and various kinds of knives. A person is seen reaching out into the frame, holding a firm hand on the hammer as if contemplating using it out of the big selection available.

31 Short Horror Films Available Online Right Now

By: Rebecca Rosén 24th Oct 202224th Oct 2022

Featured, Film, List#chadgetstheaxe, 100.000 Acres of Pine, Aaron Glenane, adolescence, Amélie Hoeferle, Amelia Moses, ari aster, Barbie Robertson, Body Horror, bullying, Camp Calypso, Carlota Martínez Pereda, Carlyn Hudson, Chad Gets the Axe, Chelsea Jordan, Children of Satan, Chloe Okuno, Claude Miller, Connor O. McIntyre, Craig D. Foster, dark comedy, Dean Puckett, Deborah Ann Woll, Dudecreeps, Dylan Hamilton-Smith, Dylan Kenin, Emily Green, emma mackey, epidemic, Erica Scoggins, family, Femke de Booys, Film, folk horror, Fry Day, Game Night, Garance Marillier, gaslighting, Halloween, Halyna Hutchins, Hannah May Cumming, Hannah van Lunteren, Hideous, Hideous Bastard, Horror, horror comedy, horrror list, I am Normal, Iben Amalie Valås, Iniki Mariano, Jan van Gorkum, Jan Verdijk, Jason Gudasz, Jennifer Alice Wright, Jordyn DiNatale, Josef Bates, Julia Ducournau, Juliet Berto, Juliet dans Paris, Junior, Karlee Boon, Katie Marovitch, Kerry Barker, Kris Carr, Laura Beckner, Laura Galán, Laura Moss, Lee Marshall, List, Marcus Anthony Thomas, martin scorsese, Mary Dauterman, Material Girl, Matthew Black, menstruation, mirror, Molly McIntyre, Monitor, Monster, Monstrous Femme Films, Nathan Hollis, Nick Hurley, Nola Kemper, Nora-Jane Noone, Olia Oparina, Overtime, Pantser, period, Peter Bernuth, Piggy, Place, psychological horror, puberty, queer, Rosenhan, Ryan Polly, Sam Evenson, Sarah Airriess, Satans Barn, Shielded, Short film, short films, Simone Stewart, Slasher, Slut, social media, Sofie Porro, Sol Vinken, Spelletjesavond, Spencer Harrison Levin, Stella Edwards, Stella Valpuri Nilsen, Tatjana Anders, The Animation Workshop, The Big Shave, The Boogeywoman, The Changing Room, The Itch, The Retreat, The Sermon, The xx, Thea Hvistendahl, Thijmen Doornik, Tia Schjølberg-Olavsen, Tic, Top Tarasin, Tourettes, Travis Bible, Undress Me, Unfinished Business, Vietnam War, Vimeo, Waffle, werewolf, Wild, Will Merrick, Willing to Go There, Wouter Hendrickx, Yann Gonzalez, Yorgos Lanthimos, Your Reality, youtubeLeave a Comment

Even though they can easily be viewed as appetizers, short films are very much the whole meal when executed well. This list containing 31 film titles, all available online, presents various elements of horror to satisfy the entire spectrum of viewers’ appetites.

Taking part in New York City's Pride March, Leo Baker is shown from behind, lightly turning his head to smile towards someone outside the frame. He's wearing a white tank top, a black harness and a short haircut. Out of focus in front of him is many people and buildings seen, as well as several rainbow flags.

REVIEW: ‘Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story’ (2022) Is Intimate and Powerful All at Once

Caught between the pain of being celebrated under a persona that solely elicits pain and being terrified of what might transpire with honesty, Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story ultimately illustrates how much richer the world is when people are free to be who they are.

Still from the fictional sitcom "He's Gay, She's Half-Jewish." Berlant is seen to the left, wearing heels, a skit with printed covers from fashion magazines and a black sleeveless top. She has neutral yet slightly annoyed facial expression, as she is caught in colourful christmas lights that are twirled around her body, making her arms unmovable. Early, wearing black boots, light blue jeans and a black t-shirt with printed abs on it, is caught in movement, as he looks at her and laughs with a surprised expression on his face.

‘Would It Kill You to Laugh?’ (2022) Leaves Viewers Both Satisfied and Hungry for More

With possibly the best title within its category, the comedy special ‘Would It Kill You to Laugh?’ allows Kate Berlant and John Early to shine doing what they do best ⁠— all while simultaneously tempting viewers about what they might create in the future.

A still showing Debra (Honig) in the foreground wearing a white headband, a white sleeveless dress and white gloves. She's rubbing her hands together with a smug look on her face, as if she's a villainous character coming up with a plan. Behind her, inside of a boxing ring, are the other two Debras out of focus. They're both wearing white, embracing each other as they're making out - something that is clearly in relation to Honig's Debra and her plan.

‘Three Busy Debras’ and Its Exhilarating Celebration of the Absurd

An analysis of the nuanced layers found throughout ‘Three Busy Debras,’ a comedy series where the surreal feels grounded and the ugly is hiding out in the (whimsical) open.

Close-up of Oski's face as he's on the floor doing his breathing exercises. Underneath him is a red carpet. His eyes are closed and he's concentrated.

REVIEW: ‘Oski’ (2022) Is an Intimate Portrayal of One of Skateboarding’s Finest

“Besides a genuine representation of skateboarding, ‘Oski’ is a heartfelt portrayal of a young man trying to find his path in life.”