Why Criticism: Understanding Film Restoration
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
As American as Apple Pie: The Contemporary Applicability of Jacques Tourneur’s ‘Cat People’
“In regards to modern day politics, ‘Cat People’ captures the anti-immigration fervor of the 2016 American presidential campaign and election.”
Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’ and the Need for Humane Media
“Love can be what survives if we show up to do the work.”
A Mother’s Twisted Love: Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s ‘Evolution’
“Elliptical and predominantly visual, ‘Evolution’ will frustrate any viewer unwilling to let go of common sense.”
Streamless – Off the Subscription Grid: ‘Heavy Metal Parking Lot’
“This is L-I-V-I-N in the moment at its best.”
‘RoboCop’ in the Age of Trump
“It only took three decades for ‘RoboCop’ to go from a sci-fi thought experiment to prescient documentary. What do the next few hold?”
RIDM 2016 Review: Atsushi Funahashi’s ‘Raise Your Arms and Twist – Documentary of NMB48’
“Focusing on a group from Osaka rather than Tokyo unveils a more nuanced reality of the industry, offering a look from the outside.”
RIDM 2016 Review: Nele Wohlatz’s ‘El futuro perfecto’
“As we take for granted the ease of our own native tongue, we are perhaps ignoring its full potential.”
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.”