“It is an under-appreciated and distinctly un-American work, due in large part to its simplicity and realism, its unconventional romantic leads, its sympathy for immigrant workers and its anti-capitalist overtones.”
“While not every film in this BITS shorts showcase completely hits its mark, each has something to offer. It’s refreshing to see this array of talent on display from Canadian creators.”
“Where is our own cinema of madness?”
“‘The Age of Innocence’ and ‘The Remains of the Day’ both explore strict societal expectations, unwritten rules and how they box people in, keeping them unhappy.”
“For many, McQueen’s stylishness will help excuse the rubbery plot holes, lapses in logic and farfetched surprises that might lead some to wonder how ‘Widows’ might have unfolded as a leaner, tighter operation.”
“In a way, the Coens complete the arc of the film, tying it together cohesively, by suggesting that the arc is random, sometimes cruel, and sometimes meaningless.”
“‘Fanny and Alexander’ is an easily entertaining primer to the cinema of Ingmar Bergman…”
“Patient blood aficianados who stick with the filmmaker to the final reel will most certainly receive their crimson reward.”
“‘The Clovehitch Killer’ offers much for the audience to ponder: what it means to be a man and a human, what it means to keep secrets and what it means to face monsters and survive.”
“For my money, David Lowery has been as much fun to watch as any filmmaker of his generation.”
“One of the most compelling things about ‘Les Diaboliques’ and its cinematic offspring is that viewers are always left with the sense that there are secrets untold, questions unanswered.”
“The success of ‘The Crossing’ and ‘The Third Wife’ should speak to the unique ability of female filmmakers and female characters in filling in the narrative gaps in Vietnamese and Chinese cinema, in which male directors wield dominant creative control.”
“As in ‘Ida,’ Pawlikowski offers little exposition, which leaves the audience to gather any and all clues.”
“‘Mid90s’ has drawn some comparisons to Harmony Korine (who makes a cameo in Hill’s film) and Larry Clark’s ‘Kids,’ but Hill’s worldview is far less toxic and dangerous than the grimmest territory explored in the 1995 movie.”
“‘The Blue Gardenia’ occupies a curious space inside noir. In many ways, it acts as an indirect response to many of the films that preceded it, with their icy femmes fatales…”
“As a largely disregarded noir B-side, ‘Pushover’ deliberately recalls its more famous predecessor, playing upon audience expectations of MacMurray’s screen persona to create an experience of déjà vu.”
“By filtering male anxieties through Stretch’s perspective, Hooper is able to posit an astute observation on the nature of male aggression when they just cannot get it up.”
“Regardless of how one chooses to view it, H20’s legacy will always have Laurie/Keri’s character and Curtis’ performance in its favor.”
“Dario Argento’s ‘Suspiria’ contorts the abjection of horror through a kaleidoscope of popping color.”
“Ultimately, the endurance of Finney’s story and the concept of ‘pod people’ can be attributed to the fact that it’s not a metaphor for any one fear, but rather dozens.”
