Review: A.T. White’s ‘Starfish’
“This is a moody, thoughtful and impressively weird debut feature from White.”
Joey Keogh
IFFR 2019 Bright Future Review: Miko Revereza’s ‘No Data Plan’
“‘No Data Plan’ is a story for our times. More importantly, it’s a snapshot of a way of life that’s already become commonplace for untold numbers of people in the U.S. and worldwide.”
Review: Jonas Åkerlund’s ‘Lords of Chaos’
“‘Lords of Chaos’ is a nasty little treat: involving, fascinating and often shocking.”
Hell Hath No Fury: How Women Dominated Horror in 2018
“The future of horror isn’t female, it’s the present. And it’s about bloody time.”
Sweet, Satisfying and Sex-Positive: ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ at 10
“‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ is a lot like a modern ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ for broke 30-somethings rather than wealthy, super-hot business types.”
Review: Rebekah and David Ian McKendry’s ‘All the Creatures Were Stirring’
“Whether ‘All the Creatures Were Stirring’ becomes a festive must-watch remains to be seen, but there’s enough to enjoy for it to be a part of horror fans’ yearly rotation.”
ArteKino Festival 2018 Review: Peter Monsaert’s ‘Flemish Heaven’
“If ‘Flemish Heaven’ isn’t exactly positive about sex work, the flick at least isn’t negative either or, crucially, judgmental about the reasons a woman might decide to sleep with men for money. It’s still a step in the right direction for representation.”
ArteKino Festival 2018 Review: Anne Zohra Berrached’s ‘24 Weeks’
“‘24 Weeks’ is a woman’s film through and through, from the focus on Astrid’s inner struggle to the often stomach-churning realities of pregnancy and motherhood.”
Review: Paul Hyett’s ‘Peripheral’
“Even when too much stuff is being thrown at the screen, it’s hard not to admire ‘Peripheral’ for trying.”
Review: David Gordon Green’s ‘Halloween’
“‘Halloween’ might be funny, but it’s also the nastiest, most violent entry in the series yet.”
Review: Josh Appignanesi’s ‘Female Human Animal’
“It’s a confusing enterprise all around, but — at the very least — ‘Female Human Animal’ is unlike anything else out there, for better or worse.”
Review: Joseph Kahn’s ‘Bodied’
“‘Bodied’ is a blisteringly urgent and inescapably topical meditation on race, class and identity; the kind of movie that could only be told with the panache and in-your-face directness of Kahn.”
VV Shudder Selects: ‘Heathers’ Is Timelier Than Ever Before
“Times have changed — Time’s Up, in fact — so why try to redo, or outdo, something that still resonates a whopping 30 years after its release, something that still feels timely and relevant? Jughead can keep the coat. ‘Heathers’ lives on.”
‘Deep Blue Sea’ Is Still the Biggest, Baddest Shark Movie Since ‘Jaws’
“Unlike its modern genre contemporaries, ‘Deep Blue Sea’ takes itself seriously, creating genuine fear and tension from the characters’ perilous situation.”
Review: Debra Granik’s ‘Leave No Trace’
“‘Leave No Trace’ finds its tension in the growing gap between father and daughter as Tom’s worldview widens while Will’s closes in.”
Review: Claire Scanlon’s ‘Set It Up’
“As a showcase for two actors who more than deserve their moment to shine, ‘Set It Up’ is hugely satisfying. As a modern romantic comedy, it’s glorious.”
Review: Coralie Fargeat’s ‘Revenge’
“‘Revenge’ is not quietly revolutionary. It makes its message quite clear. Loud, brash, neon-colored and shot like a music video, the flick is unabashedly cool.”
Review: Lynne Ramsay’s ‘You Were Never Really Here’
“Ramsay and Phoenix eloquently communicate the trappings of depression, and how it grips the sufferer.”
Review: Paco Plaza’s ‘Verónica’
“The shrieking masses are right on the money for once. Plaza’s tale of teen possession is powerfully scary.”
Review: Joachim Trier’s ‘Thelma’
“It’s an odd little film, more melancholy and plaintive than outright scary or troubling, that slowly crawls under your skin.”