Review: François Ozon’s ‘Summer of 85’
“‘Summer of 85’ is a well-designed coming-of-age work that makes for a sentimental and sensual drama, even if it fails to meet its potential.”
Cannes Film Festival Review: Teodora Mihai’s ‘La Civil’
“‘La Civil’ excels as a character study of a woman putting herself in considerable danger to find her daughter — but when viewed as a crime procedural, the necessity of relying on various tropes does the film a disservice.”
Review: Cate Shortland’s ‘Black Widow’
“Shortland brings her keen feature filmmaking chops to ‘Black Widow’ as a welcome addition to the talented pool of storytellers who can match the Kevin Feige house style without any significant artistic compromise.”
Netflix Review: ‘Godzilla Singular Point’ Season 1
“Previous incarnations of Godzilla worked best by implanting ideas that were tangible. However, in the world of ‘Godzilla Singular Point,’ the ideas prove to be non-existent, as do the inhabitants.”
Review: Janicza Bravo’s ‘Zola’
“‘Zola’ is riveting, and the film’s rich array of cinematic techniques and performances upend convention, even if its narrative and story tend to falter.”
Interview with ‘Cinema Bandi’ Filmmaker Praveen Kandregula
Dipankar Sarkar Interviews ‘Cinema Bandi’ Filmmaker Praveen Kandregula
Janicza Bravo Takes ‘Zola’ on the Road
“‘Zola’ is a star-making opportunity that Paige owns with every raised eyebrow and skeptical look.”
Interview with ‘Glob Lessons’ Filmmakers Nicole Rodenburg and Colin Froeber
Dominic Erickson Interviews ‘Glob Lessons’ Filmmakers Nicole Rodenburg and Colin Froeber
Review: Caleb Michael Johnson’s ‘The Carnivores’
“Johnson doesn’t create a specific sense of place in ‘The Carnivores,’ nor does he develop the characters into anything more than cyphers for American angst that a million Sundance films have delivered before.”
Review: Michael Caton-Jones’ ‘Our Ladies’
“‘Our Ladies’ may resonate with those appreciative of the 90s, but the film’s lack of critical insight on the gender politics of negotiating sex undermines its purported feminism…”
Interview with ‘Nayattu’ Screenwriter Shahi Kabir
Dipankar Sarkar Interviews ‘Nayattu’ Screenwriter Shahi Kabir
Review: Questlove’s ‘Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)’
“Questlove assembles the wide range of elements with the skill of a seasoned scholar and practitioner, blending songs with memories in a master mix made especially challenging given the staggering amount of talent and the desire to tell the accompanying story.”
Review: Óskar Páll Sveinsson’s ‘Against the Current’
“With unparalleled imagery from the air of Iceland’s stunning coast, ‘Against the Current’ is, quite simply, a pleasure to watch.”
Review: Powell Robinson and Patrick Robert Young’s ‘Threshold’
“For all its islands of promise, ‘Threshold’ is really just a passable family addiction drama with horror elements that are never fully realized.”
Review: Josh Ruben’s ‘Werewolves Within’
“‘Werewolves Within’ has a puckish charm that’s difficult to resist. In spite of everything working against it, Ruben’s movie is eminently watchable thanks in large part to the brilliant cast, led confidently by Richardson.”
Review: Joe Denardo and Paul Felten’s ‘Slow Machine’
“The conspiratorial is everywhere in ‘Slow Machine’ but doesn’t come into focus.”
Review: Mariem Pérez Riera’s ‘Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It’
“With ‘Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It,’ Pérez Riera strikes the right balance of ‘then-and-now’ throughout the fast-moving, 90-minute running time.”
Review: Eytan Fox’s ‘Sublet’
“‘Sublet’ is a well-done film that manages to fuse different cultures and stories through its central romantic fling, renting its short running time for a meaningful, if imperfect experience.”
Review: Jeanne Leblanc’s ‘Les nôtres’
“A stunning and suffocating Quebecois drama, ‘Les nôtres’ spotlights the exquisite directorial form of filmmaker Jeanne Leblanc and the industry potential of lead actress Emilie Bierre.”
Tribeca 2021 Review: Gaysorn Thavat’s ‘The Justice of Bunny King’
“The single element that carries ‘The Justice of Bunny King’ – as well as saves it during its spottier moments – is Davis, who gives a performance so good that it cements her as being in the top tier of film actors currently working.”