Magical realism isn’t my speed; regardless, this film excelled in being visually captivating and the acting felt like it straight up conjured up demons from hell.

I didn’t, love, however that it felt a bit like a Disney channel series or Cobra Kai at times with its cheesy fighting scenes and speedy character movements.

My least favorite of Hailey Gates’ films. While Atropia received several chuckles here and there due to the outrageous nature of some characters, the satire felt too on the nose while the plot seemed watered down… leading to a film that felt lost.

Kiss of the Spider Woman shines a light on how love is a feeling of being out of danger in the midst of much pain, loneliness, and hate.

It also bolsters media as a form of not only escape but also healing and exploration. It pulls off a complex way of storytelling by incorporating musical theater as an extension of reality when reality in the film is most entirely in prison.

This film is tragic and yet hopeful, as it eternalizes the marginalized. And you can’t help but fall in love with the main characters.

“I see you. I see someone who can be something.”