Review: Darius Marder’s ‘Sound of Metal’
“Watching Ahmed flourish without words, typically an actor’s lifeline, is a joy. It’s a massive challenge, and he rises to it with aplomb in ‘Sound of Metal.'”
The Tension of Space and Time: Béla Tarr’s ‘Sátántangó’
“‘Sátántangó’ becomes an almost transcendental experience, illustrating fissures in a civilization constructed by an inimitable, sublime design.”
Review: Channing Godfrey Peoples’ ‘Miss Juneteenth’
“One of the most rewarding dimensions of ‘Miss Juneteenth’ is the insightful manner with which Peoples guides the viewer through the world of the pageant itself.”
Review: Sean Durkin’s ‘The Nest’
“Nothing presented in ‘The Nest’ will radically alter the viewer’s perception of the family unit, marriage or even greed, but Durkin’s film suggests that is indeed the point.”
Review: Kornél Mundruczó’s ‘Pieces of a Woman’
“There’s a lot to admire about ‘Pieces of a Woman,’ but Mundruczó’s film loses its way as it continues to untether itself from the opening’s grounded realism.”
Review: Rama Rau’s ‘Honey Bee’
“Stone, who’s barely in her twenties, is truly exceptional in the lead role. Her naturalistic ‘Honey Bee’ performance is as raw as an exposed nerve.”
Review: Sofia Coppola’s ‘On the Rocks’
“Coppola has always shown an affinity for mixing laughter and introspection, and ‘On the Rocks’ successfully deploys the strategy.”
An Interview with ‘Dolly Kitty & Those Twinkling Stars’ Filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava
Dipankar Sarkar Interviews ‘Dolly Kitty & Those Twinkling Stars’ Filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava
Beat Cops: Police Brutality and Film Noir
“Otto Preminger’s ‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’ and Nicholas Ray’s ‘On Dangerous Ground’ gesture towards the difficult conditions under which police labor while turning a critical eye on the brutally violent detectives who abuse their power.”
Have None, Will Travel: The Villainy of Economics in ‘Blood on the Moon’
“There’s a dark warning at the heart of ‘Blood on the Moon’ that still rings true today.”
The Modern Netherworld of Akira Kurosawa’s ‘The Bad Sleep Well’
“Kurosawa was rarely more bitter and dejected than he is here, crafting a sprawling noir tragedy from Shakespeare’s text, grappling desperately with identity in the nightmare of faceless modernity.”
Romantic Horror in ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ Movie Adaptations
“The six major theatrical adaptations of Phantom’s story cover a wide realm of romantic horror, fully exploiting the themes and concepts within the character.”
‘Santa Sangre’: A Graveyard for Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Memories
“Santa Sangre’s themes of empathy and hope are uniquely personal for Jodorowsky, and they help bring the film’s horrors and bloodshed into perspective…”
An Interview with ‘Class of ’83’ Director Atul Sabharwal
Dipankar Sarkar Interviews ‘Class of ’83’ Director Atul Sabharwal
Austin Film Festival Review: Michael Lovan’s ‘Murder Bury Win’
“‘Murder Bury Win’ never runs out of steam, remaining consistently witty, unpredictable and super fun throughout.”
London Film Festival Review: Steve McQueen’s ‘Lovers Rock’
“‘Lovers Rock’ becomes something truly special whenever all sense of plot and character falls away entirely.”
London Film Festival Review: Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo’s ‘Bad Tales’
“Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo’s second feature, ‘Bad Tales,’ is morbidly curious and content to simmer in its own pessimism.”
London Film Festival Review: Francis Lee’s ‘Ammonite’
“Lee has, over his two films so far, proven a dab hand at teasing out unexpressed, furtive desires, depicting both the visceral emotions and gritty physicality of same-sex romance with empathy and an understated artistic flair.”
London Film Festival Review: Michel Franco’s ‘New Order’
“By the time Franco joins together strands that the audience will most likely have seen coming, ‘New Order’ grinds to a halt.”
London Film Festival Review: Harry Macqueen’s ‘Supernova’
“‘Supernova’ is a film that many will cherish if audiences can be absorbed by the overt metaphors and can look beyond the Rich White Male vantage point.”