‘Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045’: Unsustainable Revival
“‘Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045’ attempts to move the series into full octane action but pushes its philosophical roots to the side.”
Review: Brandon Christensen’s ‘Z’
“As a genre exercise, ‘Z’ shows promise for what Christensen might do with a higher budget.”
Review: Rachel Harrison Gordon’s ‘Broken Bird’
“‘Broken Bird’ may be only 10 minutes long, but the rhythms, characterizations and thematic interests make it feel like a richly detailed feature-length accomplishment.”
Review: Steve Elkins’ ‘Echoes of the Invisible’
“‘Echoes of the Invisible’ is both calming and exhilarating in equal measure.”
Review: James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham’s ‘Crip Camp’
“Jened’s real-life teen angst and its participants’ hopes and dreams — from endless makeout sessions to the hysterical aftermath of a crab outbreak — are as horny, heartfelt and human as it gets.”
‘Finding Yingying’: A Search for Answers to an Unanswerable Situation
“‘Finding Yingying’ doesn’t try to offer answers that it can’t manifest in reality, and instead allows the legacy of its subject to lead the way, through intimate diary entries, by pondering the important questions of who we want to be, for each other and for our communities.”
Eliza Hittman’s ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’ Releases Digitally
“Hittman’s third feature continues to demonstrate the talents, sensibilities and cinematic evolution of a first-rate writer-director…”
Review: Romas Zabarauskas’ ‘The Lawyer’
“‘The Lawyer’ doesn’t fully grapple with its weighty white saviour theme, and ends up becoming as simplified as what it was setting out to subvert.”
Review: Ashley Eakin’s ‘Single’
“More than ever, it’s crucial to be more cognizant about the complexities of social situations, certainly when speaking to, or speaking about, people with disabilities.”
Review: Matthew Ninaber’s ‘Transference’
“‘Transference’ feels like a 13-and-under science fiction-themed board game. The pieces are clearly labeled, the color design fits the genre premise and the directions are confusing.”
Review: Liz Garbus’ ‘Lost Girls’
“The lack of resolution inherent in the source material sets up an insurmountable task: the solution to the central crime and mystery that puts this particular story in motion.”
Interview with ‘Kindred Creatures’ Filmmaker Samuel Sprynczynatyk
‘Kindred Creatures’ is a feature-length documentary that explores the world of farm animals and the sanctuaries that rescue them. Check out VV’s interview with the North Dakota-based director Samuel Sprynczynatyk.
Why Criticism: Mediocrity as a Catalyst at Berlinale 2020
“We are all mediocre writers when we start, and we must engage with others’ mediocrity throughout our careers. But we must engage with it level-headedly, picking out the good from the bad and making those distinctions to the best of our ability.”
Review: Autumn de Wilde’s ‘Emma.’
“Sumptuously designed, elegantly appointed and spectacularly costumed and coiffed, de Wilde’s fresh rendition has a piquant flavor complemented as much by self-aware sexiness as the abundant pastel hues on display.”
Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2020: Brief Encounters
Marshall Shaffer on Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2020: ‘On a Magical Night, ‘Perfect Nanny, ‘Deerskin,’ ‘Someone, Somewhere’ and ‘The Dazzled’
Berlinale 2020 Review: Philippe Garrel’s ‘The Salt of Tears’
“‘The Salt of Tears’ hovers around repulsive aspects of society without fully committing to its own unpleasantness…”
Review: ‘The Invisible Man’ Is a Sight for Sore Eyes
“Whannell’s ‘The Invisible Man’ is an absolute banger, and stands tall as the most spectacular evolution of the story to hit the big screen.”
Berlinale 2020 Review: Tsai Ming-liang’s ‘Days’
“Why are we watching if the director’s gaze — and hence our own — makes us feel like we’re intruding spaces that should be left otherwise untouched?”
Berlinale 2020 Review: Alexandre Rockwell’s ‘Sweet Thing’
“‘Sweet Thing’ is creatively shot and bursting with energy, but Rockwell’s biggest ambition is seemingly to replicate a bunch of ideas from other films, to put visuals to his favorite songs and to showcase his talented family.”
Why Criticism: Berlinale 2020 and the Power of Sound
Swedish Film Critic Jakob Åsell on the Sounds of Berlinale 2020