VVoices: Reactions to 2021 Oscar Nominations
VVoices #4: Film Critics React to the 2021 Oscar Nominations
BFI Flare Review: Anna Kerrigan’s ‘Cowboys’
“Joe’s backstory allows ‘Cowboys’ to explore the difficulty of being young and trans, but never in a way that feels exploitative.”
BFI Flare Review: Shirel Peleg’s ‘Kiss Me Before It Blows Up’
“For a debut feature, ‘Kiss Me Before It Blows Up’ is a bold and assertive movie that nails a few funny moments, but it would’ve benefitted from a more nuanced exploration of its complex subject matter.”
Review: ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’
“In an era where Disney allows Marvel to experiment boldly with narrative structures in a show like ‘WandaVision,’ ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ seems like a tired old horse that needs to be put out to pasture.”
Review: Taylor Morden’s ‘The Last Blockbuster’
“Too often, the tongue-in-cheek tone veers into the empty calorie territory of VH1’s cable television time-filler ‘I Love the ‘80s,’ as subjects like Doug Benson and Ron Funches can’t resist using their screen time to test what feels like standup material.”
BFI Flare Review: Patrick Sammon and Bennett Singer’s ‘Cured’
“It’s unrealistic to expect every queer film to tackle all aspects of queer life and history, but ‘Cured’ presents its narrative in a way that’s too clean and neat, too much of a happily-ever-after.”
SXSW Review: Alex Noyer’s ‘Sound of Violence’ – A Loud but Toothless Slasher
“Sound of Violence’s nonchalant depictions of violence, which occur with such obfuscation due to uncoordinated quick-cut editing and color filters, render it a fangless drama with un-engaging sequences of killing and torture.”
SXSW Review: Jaco Bouwer’s ‘Gaia’ Sacrifices Its Timely Idea for Cheap Thrills
“There are many ways that Gaia’s concepts can be expounded into more interesting discussions, yet Bouwer is fine with maintaining a simplistic if metaphorically informed tale about Mother Nature’s revenge.”
BFI Flare Review: Thomas Wilson-White’s ‘The Greenhouse’
“‘The Greenhouse’ is a cathartic and visually stunning piece of Australian Gothicism which is sure to make an impact on the festival circuit in 2021.”
VVoices: Best Pandemic Movies
VVoices #3: Film Critics Discuss the Most Effective Pandemic-Themed Movies
Interview with ‘Koozhangal’ Filmmaker P.S. Vinothraj
Dipankar Sarkar Interviews ‘Koozhangal’ Filmmaker P.S. Vinothraj
Why Criticism: Can Film Criticism and Awards Season Co-Exist?
“Many of us may miss the drama of awards season, but there are untold benefits to criticism if it continues to evolve away from its current state.”
Review: Steven Kostanski’s ‘Psycho Goreman’
“‘Psycho Goreman’ is delightfully dark, whimsical, charming and frequently laugh-out-loud funny.”
Fargo Film Festival Review: Mario Furloni and Kate McLean’s ‘Freeland’
“‘Freeland’ is a tour de force showcase for Fairchild — an overnight sensation several decades in the making.”
Berlinale Review: Hamy Ramezan’s ‘Any Day Now’
“‘Any Day Now’ is a strong contender within the Generation strand of the Berlinale, showcasing brilliant performances from Keshvari and Rönkkönen.”
Berlinale Review: Soi Cheang’s ‘Limbo’
“While ‘Limbo’ may not be groundbreaking with its formulaic detective narrative, the sheer sense of place and space that Cheang creates allows for a visceral cinematic experience.”
Berlinale Review: Céline Sciamma’s ‘Petite Maman’
“Céline Sciamma’s ‘Petite Maman’ is a luminous ghost story that succeeds in knitting together the themes of empathy, identity and imagination.”
Put Your Hand Down, Little Steve: ‘Get Over It’ at 20
“Looking back on early-2000s fare, ‘Get Over It’ stands out as smarter, sweeter, funnier and weirder than many of its contemporaries…”
Glasgow Film Festival Review: Bryan Fogel’s ‘The Dissident’
“Bryan Fogel’s new documentary about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi is unsurprisingly hard-hitting, but it’s the context for macro-scale geopolitics that ‘The Dissident’ communicates so well.”
Glasgow Film Festival Review: Min-Ho Woo’s ‘The Man Standing Next’
“Both emotionally and narratively, ‘The Man Standing Next’ is an easy story to get lost in.”