Modern Malick
“In Malick’s effort to capture the alienation that accompanies modernity, in his contemporary-set films, he ultimately achieves a similar alienation cinematically.”
The Face of Faith: Falconetti, Dreyer and ‘The Passion of Joan of Arc’
“Today, what survives is a film of exquisite poise, of fleshly tenderness against concrete cruelty, an evocative warmth against the coldness of Joan’s formidable suffering.”
Radio Silence’s ‘Ready or Not’ Seeks Bloody Fun
“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.”
FrightFest Review: Abner Pastoll’s ‘A Good Woman Is Hard to Find’
“An efficient script and commanding central performance from Sarah Bolger produce a memorable film with mostly intelligently drawn characters.”
FrightFest Review: Pedro C. Alonso’s ‘Feedback’
“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.”
On ‘Animals,’ Messiness and Vulnerability
“‘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.”
Locarno Film Festival Review: Sharipa Urazbayeva’s ‘Mariam’
“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.”
Album Review: Redd Kross ‘Beyond the Door’
“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.”
FrightFest Review: Ant Timpson’s ‘Come to Daddy’
“Although ‘Come to Daddy’ slightly loses while accelerating to its conclusion, the splatter of dark comedy and dysfunctional father-son dynamics is always engaging and frequently smart.”
Interview with ‘Romantic Comedy’ Director Elizabeth Sankey
Romantic Comedy Interview: Vague Visages’ Pablo Staricco Cadenazzi discusses the 2019 documentary with filmmaker Elizabeth Sankey.
Review: Andrea Berloff’s ‘The Kitchen’
“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.”
Locarno Film Festival Review: Vesela Kazakova and Mina Mileva’s ‘Cat in the Wall’
“Refusing to look down on their characters, Kazakova and Mileva effectively portray disillusion by relying on familiarity and recognition to bring the marginalised closer.”
Locarno Film Festival Review: Eric Bergkraut and Ruth Schweikert’s ‘Parents – Wir Eltern’
“‘Parents – Wir Eltern’ is an imminently likeable movie, but frustrating for the insurmountable reach of its ambition.”
‘District 9’: Xenophobic Themes Still Resonate a Decade Later
“‘District 9’ might not be a classic like ‘Alien’ or ‘The Terminator’ (not many films are), but it’s still an effective sci-fi film with depth and style.”
Locarno Film Festival Review: Kôji Fukada’s ‘A Girl Missing’
“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.”
Locarno Film Festival Review: Tyler Taormina’s ‘Ham on Rye’
“‘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.”
12 Angry Films: Sidney Lumet on Justice #2 – ’The Hill’
“‘The Hill’ charts a path forward for Lumet’s justice films, which increasingly depart from the idealism of ’12 Angry Men’ and reckon deeply with the justice system’s contradictory, irreconcilable principles.”
Review: Lulu Wang’s ‘The Farewell’
“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.”
Hollywood Confronts Itself: Cynicism and Self-Doubt in the 50s
“A sense of restlessness began to be addressed tentatively, and was confronted with increasing boldness as the decade progressed. Battles were being waged on multiple fronts of this unacknowledged war, claims were being sought from historically neglected constituents.”
Review: Issa López’s ‘Tigers Are Not Afraid’
“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.”