“Johnson loves whodunits so much that he racked his brain to think 10 steps ahead of the audience so that he could hoodwink them to serve the goal of establishing the genre’s viability in the present day, all while staying true to its classic roots.”
“For a story that engages with tough, thorny questions of redemption and reconciliation, it’s a welcome development to have a filmmaker look upwards, not inwards.”
“Esterhazy’s direction is consistently flat and uninspired given the nonstop opportunities for twisted weirdness, but the failure of ‘The Banana Splits Movie’ can be pinned almost entirely on the sawdust-packed script…”
Bait Movie Interview: Vague Visages’ Jim Ross discusses the 2019 drama film with writer-director Mark Jenkin.
“While ‘High Flying Bird’ may seem uneven at first glance, one has to appreciate that Soderbergh directly addresses controversial societal topics that always touch a nerve in America.”
“In Malick’s effort to capture the alienation that accompanies modernity, in his contemporary-set films, he ultimately achieves a similar alienation cinematically.”
“As a kind of grown-up ‘Clue’ in reverse, complete with the tribute appearance of a pepper-box revolver, ‘Ready or Not’ also lays out a motley assortment of Colonel Mustard and Mrs. Peacock-worthy opponents hell-bent on dispatching Grace prior to sun-up.”
“An efficient script and commanding central performance from Sarah Bolger produce a memorable film with mostly intelligently drawn characters.”
“From a technical perspective, ‘Feedback’ is extremely potent for long stretches. However, in aspiring to be relevant to current affairs, the film eschews effective simplicity for confused complexity.”
“‘Animals’ doesn’t definitively answer it’s feminist question. I’m glad it doesn’t. Rather than making a film about the merits of giving up drink or ditching the guy, Hyde navigates somewhere far more raw.”
“What is most harmful here is attaching the concept of re-gained femininity to makeup and fancy earrings. There shouldn’t be any need for a knight in shining armour to come to the heroine’s rescue.”
“Redd Kross remains the greatest American band most people have never heard of, much less heard. Don’t be like ‘most people.’ Join the party underground of Redd Kross fandom. You won’t regret it.”
Romantic Comedy Interview: Vague Visages’ Pablo Staricco Cadenazzi discusses the 2019 documentary with filmmaker Elizabeth Sankey.
“The Kitchen fares so much better when read as a kind of self-aware meta-narrative of the gangster film, and an examination of Berloff’s construction of the men is one argument for why this rare, female-helmed genre piece deserves a second look.”
“Refusing to look down on their characters, Kazakova and Mileva effectively portray disillusion by relying on familiarity and recognition to bring the marginalised closer.”
“‘Parents – Wir Eltern’ is an imminently likeable movie, but frustrating for the insurmountable reach of its ambition.”
“While some metaphors seem rather self-explanatory, Fukada effectively develops a multifaceted character by transforming Ichiko from a collateral victim into an accomplice. ‘A Girl Missing’ highlights the importance of knowing when to speak up and when to stay silent.”
“‘Ham on Rye’ has an inescapably student film-y vibe, a bit like a wannabe Richard Linklater joint but without any of the ambition, grit or intelligence.”
“Writer-director Lulu Wang finds inventive ways to freshen up the terminal cancer tale in ‘The Farewell,’ a worthwhile diversion to so much summer blockbuster fare.”
“What ‘Tigers Are Not Afraid’ doesn’t contain in terms of deep characters and real-world specificity, it makes up for with its supernatural elements, allowing its allegory to resonate.”