Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: Jeremy Carr on Erich von Stroheim’s ‘Greed’
“‘Greed’ is like the gold within the soil, a gem that must be mined from its sullied context.”
Cinema of Secrets: An Interview with Philippe Garrel
Julia Yepes Interviews Director Philippe Garrel
The Song of the Cloud-Capped Mountain: Anushka Meenakshi and Iswar Srikumar’s ‘Kho ki pa lü’
“‘Kho ki pa lü’ is about a lot of things, but it’s mostly about music. It is about Li, the songs that people sing when they cultivate rice in small müles.”
The Tattoos Tell the Story: Viggo Mortensen’s Painted Body
“Mortensen uses his body to display his characters’ essential tensions, as they ride the line between truth and lies, loyalty and betrayal, chaos and control.”
When Hansel and Gretel Live in a Bus: Paakhi A. Tyrewala’s ‘Pahuna: The Little Visitors’
“In a country whose cinema is often just classified under the homogenous canopy of ‘Bollywood,’ a film in Sikkimese is not only a welcome change but also a political reversal of existing canons. It is a small but eventful beginning, a small step towards a more inclusive ‘Indian’ cinema.”
Vague Visages Writers’ Room: Favorite Film Noir Moments
In the Vague Visages Writers’ Room on Facebook, freelancers were asked to comment about their favorite film noir moments in celebration of #Noirvember.
Gabe Klinger’s ‘Porto’: A Middling, Moody Romance
“‘Porto’ aims for atmosphere but merely achieves it with convention.”
Review: Maysaloun Hamoud’s ‘Bar Bahar’
“‘Bar Bahar’ is an unmissable dramedy that puts women at the heart of a hypocritical world in flux.”
‘Ali: Fear Eats the Soul’: Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Timely Melodrama
“Fassbinder created a masterpiece that is relatable due to his depictions of racism, discrimination and the complexities of identity — themes which still resonate loudly today.”
Conduits of Fear: The Vital Role of The Youth in Horror
“Horror is a genre that believes, rightly, that young people are the future.”
Secret Defense: A Close-Up on Arnaud Desplechin’s ‘Esther Kahn’
“Phoenix delivers an opaque but strikingly physical performance, reminiscent of the women in Charlie Chaplin’s films.”
Norman McLaren: Genius in Motion
“Unconventional but playful, rarely has the avant-garde been so joyful to discover.”
Vague Visages Writers’ Room: Favorite Halloween Movies
In the Vague Visages Writers’ Room on Facebook, freelancers were asked to comment about their favorite Halloween flicks.
‘Halloween II’: Rob Zombie’s Mad Opus on Trauma and the Tendrils of Toxic Familial Ties
“It is the rare film where form and content align at a time when its creator is close to formal mastery and itching for singular experimentation.”
Album Review: WHIMM ‘A Stare Ajar’
“This is a trio dwelling on the sharp, atonal edge of post-punk”
CIFF After Dark Review: Patrick Brice’s ‘Creep 2’
“Horror fans may need to adjust their expectations if they’re looking for more frights than laughs.”
New York Film Festival Review: Paul Schrader’s ‘First Reformed’
“The multi-hyphenate filmmaker’s latest seems to anticipate dissection: its formal austerity belies a haphazard, literary-minded indulgence.”
CIFF After Dark Review: Oliver Kienle’s ‘Four Hands’
“‘Four Hands’ is sublime and arresting in its imagery.”
CIFF After Dark Review: Giddens Ko’s ‘Mon Mon Mon Monsters’
“‘Mon Mon Mon Monsters’ actually inspires and entertains while pointedly dealing with a subject that hits close to home for many.”
Devious Dialogues: Mike Thorn and Anya Stanley on the ‘Child’s Play’ Franchise
Mike Thorn and A.M. (Anya) Novak look back at the series entries and provide their thoughts on the newest addition.