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.”
“Focusing on a group from Osaka rather than Tokyo unveils a more nuanced reality of the industry, offering a look from the outside.”
“As we take for granted the ease of our own native tongue, we are perhaps ignoring its full potential.”
“‘Manchester by the Sea’ will make your dad cry by showing him how he deals with emotions and the instructional framework through which he learned how to deal with emotions.”
“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.”
“In some ways, Oskouei’s involvement can be construed as invasive, but it feels integral.”
“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.”
“‘Brothers of the Night’ takes an unexpected approach and reveals hidden parts of life amongst Bulgarian male hustlers in Vienna.”
“In ‘Aquarius,’ memories — of places, moments, music and lovers — balance imminent struggles to live well.”
“‘A Quiet Passion’ is at its best when its silence is broken by images, not words.”
“There is no right way to negotiate these expectations, and no way to outrun them: they simply exist as a part of life.”
“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.”
“This portrait of an aging artist engages with and refuses the idea that artistic and social isolation is anything but selfish.”
“‘Paterson’ is about that circularity of life that simultaneously brings about sparks of creativity and moments of reassuring stability.”
“In a film that’s otherwise so devoted to giving these women the opportunity to create a new identity, ‘The Handmaiden’ can’t help but peek into their new lives.”
“With Mills so free and acrobatic in his constructions and portrayal of the characters, coupled with excellent acting, it’s difficult not find them endearing given the wit and depth of ’20th Century Women.'”
“Farhadi’s films have sometimes been tricky for me as a Western viewer, as it’s difficult to know what’s considered conventional social perception and what’s considered political commentary. “
“The plot of ‘Souvenir’ can certainly raise eyebrows, but it is this very absurd quality that adds to the film’s tongue-in-cheek charm.”
“To say that ‘Personal Shopper’ unveils Stewart giving the best performance so far in her career is scarcely a hyperbolic claim.”
New York Film Festival 2016
“Neruda’s shining star is Luis Gnecco, who brings the poet back to life.”