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A life long cinephile from the Bay Area in Northern California. Aside from having written for various outlets since 2019, I've been podcasting since 2020.
(Currently Co-Hosting the Geekly Goods Roundup)
When I'm not indulged in a ridiculous amount of media consumption or losing track of days working 2 jobs, I can be found at concerts, playing basketball, or training in Mixed Martial Arts.
Based out of the Silicon Valley in Northern California, the Cinequest Film Festival has been thriving and rewarding its attendees since 2002. Its top award, the Maverick Spirit Award, has been bestowed upon legendary actors such as Harrison Ford, Nicolas Cage, Tatiana Maslany, and Rosario Dawson, to name a few.
This year’s Maverick Spirit recipient will be presented to Gillian Anderson. Other festival highlights this year include a 35mm screening of the original silent classic, Nosferatu, as well as world premieres of several indie films, documentaries, and shorts. Much to my surprise, Cinequest’s opening night ceremony kicked off with an AI short film showcase.
More Than Meets The Eye
On March 11th, 2025, this year’s Cinequest Film Festival kicked off to a packed house at the California Theater in downtown San Jose, CA. After a brief introduction from Cinequest CEO, Halfdan Hussey, we were then presented with 6 short films created using AI software:
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) hosted an AI Film Hackathon to showcase the practical use of AI in filmmaking. Five shorts presented at this year’s Cinequest were some of the winners. While they all had interesting narratives and gorgeous visuals, my favorite of the group was Sacred Dance. The film was literally a painting come to life. Another one of note was Dance of E-Spark, which did a remarkable and entertaining job of replicating classic film moments with robots.
Personally, I am very much skeptical and nervous about the applications of AI in creating art…so I am very proud to say that the message being delivered by these talented filmmakers was well received. Being given the chance to speak, they all had a unified outlook on displaying the benefits of AI tools in the creative process. They aimed to emphasize that their AI software isn’t meant to replace hardworking people. Its intention is to help visualize and create images at a lower cost. While I do see the practicality of the process, I hope that upcoming filmmakers aren’t over-reliant on this technology. In an ever-changing and exciting world, technological advancements cannot be ignored, even in the world of cinema.
The Luckiest Man in America
Closing the night, we were then presented with director Samir Oliveros’s The Luckiest Man in America. The film made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September of last year. Based on true events, the story dives deep into one of the most incredible game show winners in television history. Off the bat, I was hooked by its impressively talented cast that includes Paul Walter Hauser (Cobra Kai), Walton Goggins (The Hateful 8, Ant-Man & The Wasp), Shamier Anderson (John Wick: Chapter 4), Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones), Johnny Knoxville (Jackass), and David Strathairn (Lincoln, Godzilla).
All of the ’70s details were captured well from the game show’s set design to the costumes. The narrative itself took longer than I would have liked to find its way. Yet, once the behind-the-scenes drama of the actual show started, the film truly started getting fun. Overall, I found the film very funny and well-acted. My only gripe is that I can’t help but wonder if someone like David Harbour couldn’t have elevated the lead role a little more. I have nothing against Paul Walter Hauser, who had some fine moments. However, I didn’t find him captivating or likable enough as the protagonist.
Just Getting Started
Cinequest’s opening night was a rousing success. I can’t wait to see the rest of the films in the lineup, most especially for Freaky Tales, written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Captain Marvel, Mississippi Grind). A “grindhouse-esque” anthology film set in Oakland, CA, Freaky Tales boasts an all-star cast that includes Pedro Pascual, Ben Mendelsohn, Dominique Thorne, Normani, and Jay Ellis. The trailer was outstanding and definitely had a horror-comedy vibe that I absolutely love. Stay tuned!
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A life long cinephile from the Bay Area in Northern California. Aside from having written for various outlets since 2019, I've been podcasting since 2020.
(Currently Co-Hosting the Geekly Goods Roundup)
When I'm not indulged in a ridiculous amount of media consumption or losing track of days working 2 jobs, I can be found at concerts, playing basketball, or training in Mixed Martial Arts.
