“After viewing ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’ for the first time, I wondered, ‘Doesn’t a woman have to be at least a little bit monstrous to survive?'”
“Like a lot of reality television, ‘Christian Mingle’ is funny for hateful reasoning that displays damaging, scary facets of our culture.”
“A fever dream of marital discontent, Charlie McDowell’s ‘The One I Love’ tackles a failing marriage with sci-fi panache.”
Jaime Grijalba on Santiago Festival Internacional de Cine
“A somewhat uneven protest of English nobility and a denouncement of nepotic privilege, The Riot Club’s message is a redundant one: unchecked, inherited wealth leads to problems.”
“Surprisingly, director Stearns spends little time navigating the physical world of ‘Faults’; he takes a minimalist approach and produces a game of psychological chess.”
“‘Gurov and Anna’ toys with perceptions and ultimately gives into both cynicism and brutality. While not for the faint of heart, Ouellet’s film offers a pointed portrait of obsession and ego…”
“Heart-warming and often hilarious, ‘Kumiko the Treasure Hunter’ reminds that individuality may take one a long way given the right conditions. Chase your treasures with confidence and be prepared.”
“Almost violently textured, ‘Chorus’ evokes the works of Ingmar Bergman as it contrasts the spiritual qualities of the mind and the body.”
“By excluding grown ups from the narrative, ‘It Follows’ highlights the perseverance of young adults and their reliance on each other for a shared vision.”
“Incredibly polished and finely acted, ‘The House on Pine Street’ will surely become a hit on the film festival circuit.”
“Moss highlights the personal struggles of many who find themselves re-awakened in northwestern North Dakota, and others who simply fade in and fade out.”
“Cisterne poses important questions about adolescent identity and touches on the blossoming of artistic expression in ‘Vandal,’ but the concealed fury of each character ultimately remains an enigma (along with their understanding of the real world).”
“‘Miss and the Doctors’ reminds of François Truffaut with a shade of Demy; ‘Jules et Jim’ holding ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.'”
“‘Breathe’ works on various levels thanks to Arnaud Potier’s cinematography, Laurent’s polished direction and the magnetic charisma of the leads.”
“Bencherif exudes that rare type of charisma one can’t teach.”
“‘The World Made Straight’ is essentially a poor man’s ‘Out of the Furnace’… Still, it’s a memorable spotlight for the always-mesmerizing Minka Kelly.”
“A Hendrix biopic can be tackled in a variety of ways, but a director should either commit to gonzo audio/visual techniques or simply let the performances take over.”
“Joaquin Phoenix delivers yet another iconic performance in ‘Inherent Vice’ and has now become one the most charismatic actors of the last 20 years.”
“‘Big Eyes’ could have become an Oscar contender with more focus on Adams in the final act, rather than a shift towards the public bravado of Waltz’s Walter Keane.”