Los Cabos IFF Review: Pablo Larraín’s ‘Jackie’
“Portman’s vivid portrayal is the film’s greatest strength, coasting through woebegone New England accents and the script’s on-the-nose airing of themes in the final act.”
RIDM 2016 Review: Mehrdad Oskouei’s ‘Starless Dreams’
“In some ways, Oskouei’s involvement can be construed as invasive, but it feels integral.”
RIDM 2016 Review: Claire Simon’s ‘Le concours’
“What makes someone a great artist before they’ve made any great works of art? That becomes the central question and object of scrutiny at the heart of ‘Le concours,’ making it one of the most compelling examinations of auteur driven cinema.”
RIDM 2016 Review: Patric Chiha’s ‘Brothers of the Night’
“‘Brothers of the Night’ takes an unexpected approach and reveals hidden parts of life amongst Bulgarian male hustlers in Vienna.”
Why Criticism: The Simple Joys of Food and Film
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
The Bewitching Terror of Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘The Neon Demon’
“Refn provides a movie with universal appeal, displaying how pathetic and desperate human beings can be in their moments of weakness, insecurity and greed.”
The Exaggerated Joy of Jûzô Itami’s ‘Tampopo’
“If ‘Tampopo’ initially seems familiar, it’s only because Itami masks the exterior as a Western.”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘The Woman in the Window’ (Fritz Lang, 1944)
“The film has an unusually conservative vibe for a noir, maintaining that the status quo may be boring but criminality has nothing to offer — not even carnal thrills.”
Why Criticism: Éric Rohmer’s ‘Louis Lumière’ (1968) or Dinner Among Friends
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
Review: Kleber Mendonça Filho’s ‘Aquarius’
“In ‘Aquarius,’ memories — of places, moments, music and lovers — balance imminent struggles to live well.”
Neaux Reel Idea: The Southern Sage
Neaux Reel Idea is a Vague Visages column by Bill Arceneaux, in which he explores the cinema of his native New Orleans.
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘Someone’s Watching Me!’ (John Carpenter, 1978)
“Carpenter doesn’t frame the film as being about an outlier male abuser, but a culture that has little respect for a woman’s personal space.”
Why Criticism: Horror’s Fight for Respect
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
CIFF Review: Terence Davies’ ‘A Quiet Passion’
“‘A Quiet Passion’ is at its best when its silence is broken by images, not words.”
NYFF Review: Mia Hansen-Løve’s ‘Things to Come’
“There is no right way to negotiate these expectations, and no way to outrun them: they simply exist as a part of life.”
Review: Ang Lee’s ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’
“Ultimately, Ang Lee delivers a smart war film that offers a great deal of empathy to its social actors while still remaining critical of imperialist impulses in American culture.”
CIFF Review: Andrzej Wajda’s ‘Afterimage’
“This portrait of an aging artist engages with and refuses the idea that artistic and social isolation is anything but selfish.”
‘Different from the Others’: The Oldest Gay Movie in Restored 35mm
“History, in the form of motion picture entertainment, continues to surprise.”
The Importance of Babak Anvari’s ‘Under the Shadow’
“Anvari proves himself capable of creating a film with style, substance and importance.”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘Christine’ (John Carpenter, 1983)
“In many ways, ‘Christine’ reflects a skepticism of the ‘I take what I want, when I want it’ system that emerges when consumerism becomes the dominant ideological force of society.”