Fantastic Fest 2025 is taking place in Austin, Texas right now, and the yearly indie/genre film fest has a bunch of cool, killer premieres. These films are either headed to theaters soon or are looking for distribution. Our film writer, Adrian Torres, is covering the new releases. Catch up on all these previews right here. We’re deep in an IP sinkhole…
Benny Safdie was never going to make a conventional sports biopic. If you’re familiar with his work with his brother Josh — or at the very least, if you’ve seen Uncut Gems — you know his work is observational, scrappy and grimy. The Safdies’ films together owe more to the raw, performance-centric work of filmmakers like John Cassavetes and the…
Photo Courtesy of Kasim Hardaway Kasim Hardaway has never been content with just one lane. For nearly a decade, he made his mark as a nationally recognized food-fluencer and brand consultant, telling stories through flavors and visuals that resonated far beyond Kansas City. But over time, the camera shifted from capturing dishes to exploring something deeper: identity, community, and transformation. That…
Laila Lounge // Photo by Tiffany Watts Kansas City’s nightlife just got a major glow-up with the arrival of Laila Lounge in the West Bottoms. This new spot blends the high energy of a nightclub with the sophistication of a craft cocktail bar, and the results are nothing short of stunning. On my introductory visit, I started with the Ishtar…
This weekend, the Kansas City Blues & Jazz Festival returns after nearly 25 years’ absence from the scene. After an 11-year run from 1991-2001 at the National WWI Museum and Memorial, the festival disbanded due to money woes, but now, the return of a top-flight showcase of the music that made KC famous is back for two days at Legends…
