Soundtracks of Cinema: ‘Fear Street Part One: 1994’
‘Fear Street Part One: 1994’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in Leigh Janiak’s 2021 Netflix movie.
Cannes Film Festival Review: C.B Yi’s ‘Moneyboys’
“‘Moneyboys’ is the first of a planned thematic trilogy from Yi, which is good news — this is the kind of promising debut that will make audiences eager to see what he does next.”
Cannes Film Festival Review: Kira Kovalenko’s ‘Unclenching the Fists’
“‘Unclenching the Fists’ is a haunting watch, but a substantial one; a movie that will move Kovalenko up to the next tier of filmmakers in the arthouse and festival circuit.”
Review: Joe Raffa’s ‘Downeast’
“Even though ‘Downeast’ suffers from thinly-written supporting characters, the lead performances keep the film above water.”
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.”
Mannhunting: Exploring Masculinity in the Films of Michael Mann – Part Four
“Masculinity in Mann’s world is its own prison, a conundrum of duality, a question of what someone will stand for and the masks they may wear while striving for an identity.”
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…”
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: 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.”
Tribeca 2021 Review: Adam Leon’s ‘Italian Studies’
“If ‘Italian Studies’ is indeed a film about mental illness, with Alina suffering from a fugue state, Kirby’s performance is brilliantly subtle, as it never slides into showy grandstanding or Oscar-baiting dramatics.”
Insinuendos in the Hacienda: ‘Sexy Beast’ at 20
“Beautifully shot, wildly inventive and devilishly unpredictable – and with a swooning, dead-cool soundtrack to match – ‘Sexy Beast’ is well worth celebrating on its 20th anniversary.”
Review: Jon M. Chu’s ‘In the Heights’
“‘In the Heights’ is far from a smooth transition from stage to screen, but the film remains an infectiously charming tale of community, and a far more incisive piece of social commentary than one might expect from the creator of ‘Hamilton.'”