Review: Vivian Kleiman’s ‘No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics’
“One of the most enjoyable aspects of ‘No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics’ is evident again and again in the close-knit support shared among the ‘elder statespeople.'”
The Rediscovered: Bertrand Bonello’s ‘Ingrid Caven: Music and Voice’
“In Paris on a night in 2012, or from a screen in 2021, one may see in Ingrid Caven’s ecstatic performance something that touches the raptures.”
Interview with ‘Bela’ Filmmaker Prantik Narayan Basu
Dipankar Sarkar Interviews ‘Bela’ Filmmaker Prantik Narayan Basu
‘The House Is Black’ and The Radical Spirit of Forugh Farrokhzad
“Much like Farrokhzad’s poems, ‘The House Is Black’ pushes the viewer and its subjects to strive for some kind of freedom, whether emotional, spiritual or political.”
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: 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: Edgar Wright’s ‘The Sparks Brothers’
“Built to impress longtime listeners and new ears alike, Wright’s love letter to Ron and Russell Mael complements the sensibilities of the masterminds behind glories like ‘Kimono My House’ and ‘Angst in My Pants.'”
‘State Funeral’: Joseph Stalin’s Grand and Ominous Farewell Procession Revisited
“Loznitsa’s ‘State Funeral’ is an important reflection on the moving image.”
Theo Anthony’s ‘All Light, Everywhere’ Contemplates the Role of the Camera in Policing
“‘All Light, Everywhere’ succeeds on the basis of Anthony’s editorial choices; the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which by themselves constitute several chapters or mini-documentaries capable of dropping one’s jaw.”
Review: Rob Garver’s ‘What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael’
“Rob Garver’s ‘What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael’ is a worthwhile biography of a fascinating life led with purpose and conviction.”
‘Gauguin’ and ‘Guernica’: Alain Resnais Comes Unstuck
“If ‘Gauguin’ and ‘Guernica’ shine a light on their respective subjects, they also present a key part of Resnais’ own development as an artist.”
Review: Marilyn Agrelo’s ‘Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street’
“Don’t be surprised if ‘Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street’ leaves you wanting more — that’s often the mark of something special.”
Review: Mia Donovan’s ‘Dope Is Death’
“‘Dope Is Death’ could’ve benefitted from more cultural context and a broader examination of the Shakur family legacy, but the 78-minute film succeeds with its specific focus on holistic healing.”
Interview with ‘1232 KMS’ Director Vinod Kapri
Dipankar Sarkar Interviews ‘1232 KMS’ Director Vinod Kapri
Review: Samantha Stark’s ‘Framing Britney Spears’
“The best aspects of ‘Framing Britney Spears’ are implicit while the least effective parts are explicit. And in the absence of a direct commentary from Spears, Stark surely could have used more evenhanded and considerate interview subjects.”
Arrow Review: Justin McConnell’s ‘Clapboard Jungle: Surviving the Independent Film Business’
“‘Clapboard Jungle’ could not only benefit up-and-coming filmmakers, but also young writers who are serious about pursuing a career in film criticism. Passion isn’t enough. You need to understand the business side of it all…”
The Master’s Voice: Gregory Monro’s ‘Kubrick by Kubrick’
“‘Kubrick by Kubrick’ has the effect of placing the notoriously particular and media-shy subject in the room with the eager listener/viewer.”
Netflix Review: ‘This Is a Robbery: The World’s Greatest Art Heist’
“With ‘This Is a Robbery,’ Barnicle manages to pinpoint what probably happened at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on St. Patty’s Day 1990 while amplifying the long-term mystery.”
North Dakota Environmental Rights Film Festival Review: Shannon Kring’s ‘End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock’
“End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock’ belongs to a tradition of activist filmmaking that draws from investigative journalism as well as from artistic principles and techniques.”