SF51 - Boston Science Fiction Film Festival
February 11th-February 16th, 2026
Reviews are posted alphabetically by film.
Click on the poster for the review!!! More coming as we near the festival!!!
Feature Film Reviews
After Us, The Flood
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feature Film (Narrative)
Film Production Companies: HiPhi Productions
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Danny Dones
Writer: Phillip Cordell and Danny Dones
Starring: Schyler Tillett, Quinnlan Ashe, Laura Halloway,
Allison Shrum, Ted Welch, Henry Haggerty, Ravi Patel, and Phillip Cordell
“You’re not in a fair fight. I rigged the system.”
In a probably not too distant future, cloning technology has become the norm to keep society as dumbed down as possible. At the center of this is Nefaricorp, the cloning factory created by Robert Nefari (Ravi Patel) and his right hand Murphy (Dean Shortland). They oversee the work of Frank (Henry Haggerty) who sends the clones out into the world, and not only are they used to fulfill various jobs within society, even the police force. The clones, a bit underdeveloped, are easily controlled and sent out as needed, and in this next “need” they are sent to stop a group of criminals who are holed up in an abandoned warehouse planning their next heist. Amongst the group, you have all the usual suspects, the leader, Porter (Laura Halloway), the weapons expert, Brick (Ted Welch), the hacker, Cipher (Allison Shrum) and the assassin, Fera (Quinnlan Ashe). They are a bit nonplussed when they learn they have a new team member to train, Kinder (Schyler Tillett), and they begrudgingly take him in. Eventually, they are interrupted by the Clone Cops, a group of clones played in all its variants by co-screenwriter Phillip Cordell, and they need to fight their way out to survive. However, as our gang picks off the clones one by one, we will see that not all is as it seems, and there is a darker truth at play.
In Clone Cops, which you can tell from the opening that it pays homage to the great satirical, cult comedies of a certain time, such as early Paul Verhoeven. Co-writer and director Danny Dones and Cordell know exactly what they set out to do. They have created a society where humanity isn’t worried about the ethical implications of something as tenuous as cloning, but will enjoy watching these exploits on a streaming television show and as we see something akin to the Hunger Games (including colorful commentary provided by TV hosts Persephone (Victoria Keum Jee) and Thongdaddy420 (Justin Tarrents).
The performances are a bit of a mixed bag. Some shine more than others as we follow this battle of criminal vs. clone. As the clones, Cordell is a standout demonstrating comedic chops like the missing member of a Broken Lizards film. Also, Patel and Welch make their mark providing genuinely funny moments. They understood the assignment, while some others are less engaging. This is a bit unfortunate because while this is a comedy first and foremost, there are certain moments of depth when we look at themes of friendship and trust that don’t land as we would like them to.
All in all, the film is a lot of fun and you can tell from the trailer that while Clone Cops lacks the mainstream bam and pow of a major blockbuster, the simplicity of its setting and commitment of the cast works to entertain. These are the types of films that don’t often get the attention they deserve because almost as Cordell and Dones posit, we go for the big bang, but sometimes a loud pop is good enough. If this film were to have a second chapter (and there is some suggestion it could based on its ending) I would be game to tune in once more.
Review by Cinephile Mike
Dream Theatre
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feature Film (Narrative)
Film Production Companies: Dirty Toe Productions
Rating: NR
Language: Finnish
Director: Daniel Limmer
Writer: Daniel Limmer
Starring: Isabella Händler, Violetta Zupancic and Christian Schönleitner
“Time waits for no one.”
Margot (Händler), a graphic designer, is struggling with severe insomnia brought on by recurring nightmares. In these dreams, she encounters a suffering man, and each time she attempts to help him, she is killed—jerking awake and unable to return to sleep. Desperate for relief, Margot cycles through every possible solution: sleep specialists, breathing exercises, hypnosis, sound baths, and various forms of therapy. Nothing works. Feeling like a lab rat trapped on a hamster wheel, she takes a suggestion from one of her doctors, whose daughter is a psychology student specializing in dream interpretation. Her team is developing a new technology called Dream Theatre, an AI-assisted system that visualizes and records dreams for study. Hesitant but exhausted, Margot decides this may be her best—and last—option.
Following her first session, the team is able to capture an image of the man haunting her dreams, including a striking tattoo on his arm: an hourglass with a skull and the phrase “Time waits for no one.” What initially feels like a breakthrough quickly deepens the mystery, pushing Margot to return for additional Dream Theatre sessions. These lead her to a name—Viktor (Schönleitner)—and eventually to Valea (Zupancic), whom Margot becomes convinced can help unlock what is happening to her. As Margot’s sessions intensify, both within the Dream Theatre and alongside Valea, the boundaries between dream and reality begin to blur. Before long, she must confront not only what is real, but whether that distinction still matters.
There is an unmistakable Inception quality to the film’s premise, and it’s an intriguing one. The concept of recording dreams in order to understand them is not only compelling but rooted in real, emerging research, making director Limmer’s exploration of this territory especially engaging. Händler delivers a strong performance as Margot, her exhaustion etched into every glance and posture. She captures the quiet desperation of someone simply trying to make it through the day, creating a character the audience can easily empathize with as her mental and emotional state deteriorates.
Visually, the film makes a strong impression. Cinematographer Thomas Diezl renders the nightmare sequences with a heightened, almost operatic intensity—imagery that wouldn’t feel out of place in a season of American Horror Story. These sequences contrast sharply with the grounded reality Margot inhabits, intentionally keeping the viewer off balance as to what is dream and what is waking life. Thomas Mertlseder’s score underscores this unease, remaining subtle but effective as it follows Margot deeper into psychological uncertainty.
Where the film stumbles is in the structure of its second half. The opening portion is engaging and thought-provoking, carefully building its mystery and thematic weight. However, the back end begins to feel rushed, with certain narrative threads introduced only to be left unresolved. Plot elements that seem poised to return never quite do, creating the sense that the story may be incomplete. It almost feels as though this is a first chapter, with a second part intended to arrive later to address the lingering questions. While this doesn’t entirely disengage the viewer, it does leave you wanting a bit more clarity and cohesion by the time the film reaches its conclusion.
All in all, this exploration of dream technology is a fascinating one, anchored by a strong central performance and striking visuals. Still, the film’s abrupt narrative closure—if it can be called that—may leave some viewers unsure of the world they’ve just experienced, though perhaps that lingering disorientation is part of the intent.
Review by Cinephile Mike
Orfeo
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feature Film (Narrative)
Film Production Companies: Fantasmagoria
Rating: NR
Language: Italian
Director: Virgilio Villoresi
Writer: Virgilio Villoresi and Alberto Fornari with Marco Missiroli
based on the graphic novel by Dino Buzzati
Starring: Luca Vergoni, Giulia Maenza, Aomi Muyock and Vinicio Marchioni
“You don’t belong here. This is not your world.”
On Via Saterno, there was once a villa said to be the residence of a misanthropic and dissolute gentleman who would invite women in with promises of jewels and gold—only for them to vanish within its walls. Across the street lived Orfeo. As a child, he dreamed of what might exist beyond those doors. Years later, he grows into a well-known pianist, frequently performing at the Polypus, a candlelit nightspot draped in red curtains, filling the room with intoxicatingly smooth compositions. One night, after a performance, he catches sight of Eura (Maenza), and the two quickly become infatuated. Walking her home, Orfeo learns that she lives behind the door in the wall outside the villa. They hope to see one another again. After another meeting, they go away on holiday, where he gifts her a stunning ring. Before he knows it, she is gone, or is she?
Some time later, Orfeo stands at his window and sees Eura—or what he believes to be her—pass through the door across the street. He runs after her, only to be accosted by the Green Man (Marchioni), who informs him that he can cross to the other side. When he does, Orfeo finds himself in the Afterworld. Unsure how to proceed, he is transported deeper into this strange realm, determined to find Eura. Along the way, he encounters a bizarre landscape populated by wizards, spirits, and even a living jacket—figures that challenge him while warning that his search comes with a strict time limit. He must find Eura by the appointed hour and return to the doorway before he is doomed to remain there forever. In a race against time, much like Alice racing through Wonderland, Orfeo does all he can to find Eura and return to the natural world.
Unfolding in four chapters, Orfeo carries us from the real world to the Afterworld and back again in a quest for true love. Each misadventure introduces Orfeo to another being that represents an emotion or symbol mirroring his experiences in the real world. Given that much of this journey unfolds within a stop-motion environment, Luca Vergoni delivers an impressive performance, filling the screen with wide, expressive eyes that make you feel every challenge his Orfeo faces. As Eura, Giulia Maenza has moments to shine, though she primarily serves as the catalyst for Orfeo’s journey. Still, her fleeting appearances land, and you can easily understand why Orfeo would go to such lengths for her.
Visually, Villoresi channels the aesthetic of Dario Argento through highly stylized compositions and grainy cinematography. Shot on 16mm by Marco de Pasquale, the film evokes the texture and mood of Argento’s 1970s work. Orfeo offers something for everyone, blending stop-motion animation, 2D animation, live action, and even a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment of personal archival footage into a fluid retelling of the myth of Orpheus. The transitions are so seamless you may not even notice them, as the story moves briskly through its tight 70-minute runtime. Stark black-and-white sequences contrast with warmer hues of tan, brown, and rust, lending warmth to the natural world and chill to the Afterworld. Angelo Trabace’s score is an aural treat, knowing precisely when to ratchet up the stakes and when to settle into a classically composed lull.
All in all, this retelling of the myth of Orpheus will delight the senses while it challenges you to consider memory, what we hold on to, and the power of love.
Review by Cinephile Mike
Thinestra
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feature Film (Narrative)
Film Production Company: Mary Ellen Moffat, Hitmakers Media,
Dogplayer Productions, Stay Lucky Studios
Rating: NR / Run Time: 87 minutes
Language: English
Director: Nathan Hertz
Writer: Avra Fox-Lerner
Starring: Michelle Macedo, Melissa Macedo, Shannon Dang,
Gavin Stenhouse, Brian Huskey, Mary Beth Barone, Annie Ilonzeh and Norma Maldonado
“Crazy question. What’s it like? To just be so perfect?”
Reflecting a society where so many people struggle with body image and their relationship with food, we meet Penny (Michelle Macedo). Like many, Penny is trying everything she can to become the “socially accepted” version of herself. She diets, uses apps, attends constant spin classes, listens to affirmations, drinks her diet shakes—and no matter what, she can’t quite reach her goal. Working as a photo retoucher, constantly surrounded by models, only heightens her unease. She avoids telling her cute neighbor Josh (Stenhouse) how she feels, while her mother Amanda (Maldonado) continually comments on her eating habits. Penny is desperate to find the “right” way forward.
On a shoot, Penny fixates on model Mariah (Barone), who embodies everything she wants to be. When she asks Mariah what it feels like, Mariah tells her it’s wonderful—and slips her a new drug, Thinestra, not yet on the market. Penny hesitates, pockets the pill, but soon gives in to temptation. The first dose changes everything: the weight begins to ooze away through vomiting and sweating, creating a Hyde to Penny’s Jekyll—Penelope (Melissa Macedo). Penelope embodies the uninhibited id Penny never dares to express, though her cravings stretch beyond the glazed donuts that tempt her at craft services tables and Christmas parties alike. Holiday cheer becomes another layer of torture, as Penny’s world fills with sweets she can’t allow herself to touch. As she descends deeper into her Thinestra spiral, parts of her life appear to improve—but the threat of Penelope looms, with devastating consequences.
It’s easy to compare this film to Coralie Fargeat’s Oscar-nominated The Substance. While some of the same body-horror elements are present, Fox-Lerner’s script feels more grounded, reflecting our current fixation on weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Setting the story at Christmas is particularly poignant: a time of year when food, indulgence, and family pressures collide, amplifying Penny’s struggles in ways many viewers will recognize. Penny’s journey is painfully relatable—including, for this reviewer. Fox-Lerner smartly balances horror with humanity, and Hertz’s direction heightens the shocks while maintaining empathy for the characters.
Casting the Macedo twins proves inspired. Michelle leads us through Penny’s emotional turmoil with nuance and vulnerability, while Melissa brings Penelope to life in shocking, unforgettable bursts. Their dual presence allows Hertz to stage some very clever, disturbing sequences.
Relying on practical effects, the team behind Thinestra creates images that are both grotesque and thematically potent. As a first feature, Nathan Hertz proves a fascinating new voice in horror, crafting a story that mirrors a metaphor all too many experience.
All in all, Hertz and Fox-Lerner deliver a unique horror film that is far more relatable than we’d like to admit—a cautionary tale about obsession with body image, sharpened all the more by its Christmas setting. At a time of year when food, temptation, and self-image are inescapable, Thinestra reminds us that while change is possible, it should never come at the cost of who we are.
For an exclusive discussion with Director Nathan Hertz, click HERE.
Review by Cinephile Mike
Time Helmet
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feature Film (Narrative)
Film Production Companies: Steam Powered Films and Alanson Creative
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Mike Jackson
Writer: Mike Jackson
Starring: Peter New, Lou Ticzon, Camryn Macdonald, Paula Burrows,
Rhona Rees, Bronwen Smith and Amber Taylor
“Let’s party like it’s the early 21st century!”
In 2021, Donald Voltmann (New), a former 1990s boy genius—as evidenced by a Scientific Millennium magazine proudly displayed on his wall—is hard at work on his latest invention: the Time Helmet. Surrounded by a chaotic table littered with trash and overdue bills, Donald puts the finishing touches on the device and prepares for what he believes will be the next phase of his life. He convinces his neighbor, Ferris (Ticzon), a former film student, to document the invention and its first test run. When the helmet is activated, Donald unexpectedly swaps places with a future version of himself from 2051. This future Donald has traveled back thirty years with revenge on his mind—specifically against his ex-wife Patricia (Rees). His plan? Patent-troll her by stealing credit for a device called the Tube Monkey, an invention that will make her wildly successful in the future.
At the same time, in the year 3000, Time Command—represented by a pair of brains floating in glass tubes—monitors the growing number of time crimes occurring in 2021. To stop the damage, they deploy their best-trained time cop, Officer Prudence Slaughter (Macdonald), who, unfortunately for everyone involved, exists in 2021 as a teenage girl. What follows is a series of escalating misadventures as Future Donald assembles a team that includes Ferris and an accident-prone, pet-loving patent lawyer named Melissa (Burrows). As Donald’s scheme grows more elaborate, Prudence remains hot on their trail, bringing with her a level of physical aggression and profanity that feels wildly out of proportion—and that’s very much the point.
The film features a collection of entertaining performances, anchored by Peter New, who gives Donald an easygoing everyman quality, complete with a snarky smile and a knowing wink. He leans fully into the absurdity, grounding the film even as it veers into increasingly ridiculous territory. Paula Burrows delivers some of the film’s biggest laughs as Melissa, generating more than a few “Wait, did she really just say that?” moments. Still, among this game ensemble, Camryn Macdonald steals the show. As Prudence, she plays a beer-swigging, cigarette-smoking smart mouth whose energy is already dialed up—only to crank it to eleven when the character’s adult consciousness is trapped inside a teenage body.
There’s a distinctly quirky energy running throughout Time Helmet, fueled by Mike Jackson’s comic sensibility. At times, the script feels like an extended SNL sketch stretched to feature length, but it works largely because the cast is fully committed to the bit. While the film drags slightly in the middle and leans into repetition, the humor is strong enough to carry it through. Cameron Belseth’s cinematography embraces the lo-fi aesthetic, making the practical effects charming rather than distracting, and Jeff Tymoschuk’s score adds an extra layer of playfulness to the proceedings. While some effects could be more polished, the love poured into every frame is undeniable, and that enthusiasm makes this a fun and engaging ride for sci-fi fans willing to go along with its very specific brand of chaos.
All in all, Time Helmet is delightful in its absurdity—a scrappy, genre-loving time-travel comedy that wears its influences proudly.
Review by Cinephile Mike
Tired of Being a Nerd
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feature Film (Narrative)
Film Production Companies: H2O Films, Na Paralela Filmes,
Paramount Pictures, Telecine and Hungry Man
Rating: NR
Language: Portuguese
Director: Gualter Pupo
Writer: Renato Fagundes, Luiz Noronha, Thaisa Damous
and Gualter Pupo
Starring: Fernando Caruso, Bia Guedes, Pedro Benevides and João Velho
“I hope we have a great time tonight, Airton.”
In the grand tradition of nerdy best-friend duos—Leonard and Sheldon, Dante and Randall, Shaun and Ed—we are now introduced to Airton (Caruso) and Ulisses (Benevides). When Airton notices that the moon is about to enter a retrograde eclipse, he becomes convinced that this is the perfect night to attend their twenty-year college reunion. During their school years, Airton was frequently picked on, particularly by Charles (Velho), and he sees the reunion as a chance to clear his name over a long-ago incident that will inevitably resurface. More importantly, he hopes to reconnect with his long-lost love, Juliana (Guedes). Ulisses, far less enthusiastic, eventually agrees after a heated argument and a carefully negotiated deal that includes a Magic card, a 007 cartridge, and the opportunity to take Airton’s mother to Pilates—something he is more than happy to do.
Upon arrival, the reunion resembles something closer to a rave than a class gathering, populated by club kids dressed as if they are desperately trying to recapture their youth. The night’s entertainment is provided by a band fronted by Charles, whose presence suggests there may be more going on than simple nostalgia. Despite Airton’s anxiety about how he will be received, he is quickly welcomed by nearly everyone in attendance—including Charles, the band, and even a former professor. As the night unfolds, Airton reconnects with Juliana and discovers that while some are willing to let the past remain in the past, others appear to have a much more vested interest in his presence—an interest tied to the moon’s alignment and something far more unsettling.
As events escalate, it becomes clear that several attendees are not what they seem, revealing darker intentions and a connection to an alien cult Airton recognizes from his beloved comics. After discovering a mysterious cube hidden in the building’s basement, the pieces begin to fall into place. Soon, it is up to Juliana and Ulisses to save Airton from a sinister plot that has been quietly simmering beneath the surface—one that traces back to a fateful night twenty years earlier.
Co-writer and director Gualter Pupo crafts a lively genre piece that recalls the early work of Edgar Wright. In many ways, Tired of Being a Nerd feels like it could be a lost entry in the Cornetto Trilogy. The film is filled with just enough in-jokes to reward fellow nerds, while its shift from everyday awkwardness to full-blown paranormal chaos is an entertaining ride. Caruso and Benevides share strong chemistry, making it easy to believe this pair would go to absurd lengths for one another. The sharp writing allows both actors to shine, whether together or navigating their own romantic detours, and the film manages to honor its genre roots while gently poking fun at them—without tipping into outright satire.
Visually, the film embraces a bold stylistic approach through cinematographer Gustavo Hadba’s inventive use of angles and color. The neon glow of the club-like reunion blends seamlessly with the film’s more extraterrestrial elements, while occasional shifts into stark black and white add visual contrast. Clocking in at a tight 80 minutes, the film gives its central characters satisfying arcs, delivers an engaging climactic confrontation, and wraps everything up in a way that echoes the genre films it so clearly admires.
All in all, this affectionate homage to pulpy genre storytelling is sure to delight, thanks to its entertaining characters, energetic pacing, and delightfully quirky plot.
Review by Cinephile Mike
