VOD Review: Jason B. Kohl’s ‘New Money’
“The questions ‘New Money’ poses are numerous and mostly left unanswered. The film is scattershot at times and tonally inconsistent throughout, flirting with elements of a crime thriller and a goofy comedy.”
Sundance London Review: Daniel Scheinert’s ‘The Death of Dick Long’
“At least, ‘The Death of Dick Long’ is a homecoming for the Alabamian Scheinert that uses his warped view of the place to create a glowing nostalgia and a strong vision for American Indie cinema.”
Shattering Orientalism Through Noir: Samuel Fuller’s ‘House of Bamboo’
“The gritty and hard-nosed film noir genre is rife with actors and directors that helped to not only change conversations about American cinema, but also the nation’s consciousness.”
Once Upon a Time in Tarantinoland: ‘Kill Bill’ Is a Visually Explosive Love Letter to Cinema
“All in all, ‘the 4th film by Quentin Tarantino’ is a wild, eclectic action movie with visual flair, great performances and personality up the wazoo.”
Review: Chad Stahelski’s ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’
“As a whole, ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ is a fun romp and continues the Greek/pulp mythology set up in ‘John Wick: Chapter 2.’ In future installments, Stahelski might want to tone down the campiness, otherwise the series will lunge into self-parody.”
Indulgent Food and Ephemeral Connections in ‘Chungking Express’
“Food, particularly junk food, plays a large role in ‘Chungking Express’ by signifying the type of sweet but ultimately fleeting connections (and self-doubt) that occur so frequently for the characters in the bustling Chungking Mansions.”
Once Upon a Time in Tarantinoland: ‘Jackie Brown’ Is a Subtle Outlier in Quentin Tarantino’s Oeuvre
“While ‘Jackie Brown’ does revel in nostalgia and feature its fair share of firearms, it’s a much more subdued, nuanced and mature film than any of Tarantino’s previous works, or any other production within his entire filmography.’
Stefon Bristol Makes Bright Debut with ‘See You Yesterday’
“One of the greatest pleasures of ‘See You Yesterday’ is that the challenges and complexities of the jumps get better as the story unfolds.”
Tribeca Film Festival Review: Mary Harron’s ‘Charlie Says’
“If ‘Charlie Says’ marks the official kickoff of Manson-50-years-later discourse, we’re lucky that it prioritizes the insidiousness of his ideology.”
Once Upon a Time in Tarantinoland: ‘Pulp Fiction’ Is a Rule-Breaking, Pop Culture-Obsessed Good Time
“As a whole, ‘Pulp Fiction’ hinges on the audience’s awareness of tropes, and it offers something new by subverting expectations.”
Tribeca Film Festival Review: Christoph Waltz’s ‘Georgetown’
“‘Georgetown’ is far from an egregious festival bomb, but Waltz’s directorial craftsmanship lacks the flair of his performance work.”
A Romanticized Tale of Time: Jia Zhangke’s ‘Ash Is Purest White’
“‘Ash Is Purest White,’ Zhangke’s latest film, is another masterful chapter of the director’s artistic journey, one that works wonderfully as a point of entry into his oeuvre.”
In an Excellent Debut, Writer-Director Nia DaCosta Explores ‘Little Woods’
“Sexism and toxic masculinity are not unusual in this genre, but DaCosta’s emphasis on sisterhood and the presentation of a female point of view turn ‘Little Woods’ into a fresh, must-see cinematic experience.”
Man on Fire: ‘White Heat’ and the Dynamic James Cagney
“Cagney’s sadistic lead in ‘White Heat,’ a searing 1949 crime drama from director Raoul Walsh, is something well past the norms of a conventional male protagonist — or antagonist, for that matter.”
On ‘The House That Jack Built,’ Art Monsters and Not-So-Guilty Pleasures
“Perhaps dismissing von Trier’s work is the right course of action for those that have never found anything to connect to in his films. As for the rest of us (women)… the relationship will only continue to take warped, strained forms.”
Ballad of Lee Israel: Marielle Heller’s Excellent ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’
“‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ is simultaneously suspenseful and laidback.”
House Heist: Steve McQueen’s Stylish ‘Widows’
“For many, McQueen’s stylishness will help excuse the rubbery plot holes, lapses in logic and farfetched surprises that might lead some to wonder how ‘Widows’ might have unfolded as a leaner, tighter operation.”
‘The Old Man & the Gun’: David Lowery Directs a Robert Redford Victory Lap
“For my money, David Lowery has been as much fun to watch as any filmmaker of his generation.”
Review: David Gordon Green’s ‘Halloween’
“‘Halloween’ might be funny, but it’s also the nastiest, most violent entry in the series yet.”
Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: Francesco Rosi’s ‘Salvatore Giuliano’
“‘Salvatore Giuliano’ is a thoroughly concentrated work of formal conviction.”