Appleton

6/25/2026

**_Glum thriller about a cache of millions buried in the snowy woods of Wisconsin_** This comes in the tradition of films like “Affliction,” “A Simple Plan,” “Frozen River” and “Deadfall.” I’d cite “Fargo” as well, but that film had a sense of humor whereas there’s zero levity in “Appleton,” aka “Winter Killer.” It had the lowest budget of all of these (although it might’ve been in the same ballpark as “Frozen Ground”), but you wouldn’t know it by the proficiency of the filmmaking, such as the cinematography and acting. Yet it’s the least of these due to its somewhat incoherent storytelling, not to mention the lack of a ray of light. There might be a flicker of light, but it’s pretty much doused by the downbeat tone. Still, there’s enough good in the flick to give it a marginal ‘thum