The Endless Yearning in Mani Kaul’s ‘Ashad Ka Ek Din’
“Fifty years since its release, ‘Ashad Ka Ek Din’ holds on to its Bressonian and austere power.”
Review: Carlos López Estrada’s ‘Summertime’
“‘Summertime’ feels wrong-headed, even if its heart is in the right place.”
Review: M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Old’
“While ‘Old’ never quite fully connects emotionally, the themes inherent in the story help lend the movie the depth it doesn’t get from the performances”
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.”
Review: Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s ‘Kandisha’
“Bustillo and Maury are masters of the slow build, and so it goes in ‘Kandisha,’ which becomes incrementally nastier and gorier with each new victim the vengeful spirit eliminates…”
‘That Sinking Feeling’ and a Very Scottish Heist
“At a time when on-screen Scotland was mostly shown to be either Ken Loach or ‘Brigadoon,’ ‘That Sinking Feeling’ manages to be its own thing…”
Interview with ‘Bela’ Filmmaker Prantik Narayan Basu
Dipankar Sarkar Interviews ‘Bela’ Filmmaker Prantik Narayan Basu
Review: Michael Sarnoski’s ‘Pig’
“A soulful lead performance and assured direction showcases Cage’s indelible ability to make the silly into the poignant.”
Emma Seligman’s ‘Shiva Baby’ and the Art of Comic Discomfort
“‘Shiva Baby’ is most certainly not a movie for those who get clammy and start to sweat at secondhand embarrassment.”
‘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.”
‘Cotton Comes to Harlem’ – The Neo-Noir That Black America Needed
“At first blush, ‘Cotton Comes to Harlem’ may not seem like a traditional noir production. But over time, the 1970 film has become one of the most vivid examples of the genre being inclusive.”
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.”
Review: Cate Shortland’s ‘Black Widow’
“Shortland brings her keen feature filmmaking chops to ‘Black Widow’ as a welcome addition to the talented pool of storytellers who can match the Kevin Feige house style without any significant artistic compromise.”
In Memoriam: The Verisimilitude of Richard Donner
“It’s fitting that Donner leaves behind a body of work that champions open-mindedness, films that illustrate how everyone is deserving of understanding. With understanding, even the impossible has the potential to become possible.”
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.”
Netflix Review: ‘Godzilla Singular Point’ Season 1
“Previous incarnations of Godzilla worked best by implanting ideas that were tangible. However, in the world of ‘Godzilla Singular Point,’ the ideas prove to be non-existent, as do the inhabitants.”
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.”