‘Drive My Car’: Hamaguchi Takes the Wheel
“For all the viewers who give themselves over to Hamaguchi’s meticulous attention to detail and powerful expression of character, the entire movie flies.”
This Is the Sound: Apichatpong Weerasethakul Contemplates ‘Memoria’
“Reading ‘Memoria’ as metanarrative unlocks only one layer of joy — Weerasethakul treats Jessica’s quest with complete respect. The source of the sound is eventually revealed. And with that revelation, the filmmaker just GOES FOR IT.”
Mind Your Manners at the House of Sorrentino
“In a time when filmmakers get hung out to dry for depicting problematic characters, why is it still OK to mock Italian culture every time a big Italian-themed movie releases?”
Review: Michael M. Bilandic’s ‘Project Space 13’
“In films like ‘Hellaware’ and ‘Jobe’z World,’ Bilandic favors the abstract over character development. ‘Project Space 13’ is much more refined and practical; the jokes land better because of the depth and organic qualities.”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Licorice Pizza’ Has All the Best Toppings
“Both ‘Licorice Pizza’ and ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ nail the anything-is-possible look and feel of Southern California dreaming.”
Review: Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Nightmare Alley’
“Those who’ve come to love del Toro for his auteurist elements may be put off by ‘Nightmare Alley’ — it’s recognizably his film, yet it jettisons the presence of a supernatural element as well as twists the usual empathy found in his movies toward darker ends.”
Review: Gonzalo Maza’s ‘This Is Cristina’
“‘This Is Cristina’ makes a strong case for the idea that truly honest art emerges when one feels like they have lost everything else.”
Review: Maximiliano Contenti’s ‘The Last Matinee’
“‘The Last Matinee’ doesn’t necessarily celebrate gore cinema, but rather the concept that moviegoers can evolve and mature by directly facing their fears.”
Review: Jane Campion’s ‘The Power of the Dog’
“It is surely a disservice to reduce Campion’s filmography to a study in gender, despite the longstanding focus of so much scholarship.”
Review: Peter Middleton and James Spinney’s ‘The Real Charlie Chaplin’
“With almost surgical precision, filmmakers Peter Middleton and James Spinney dissect the life and work of a legend in ‘The Real Charlie Chaplin,’ a worthwhile addition to the many studies of one of the most recognizable screen performers in cinema history.”
‘House of Gucci’: A Disappointing Oddity
“Right from the get-go in ‘House of Gucci,’ it’s clear that something is amiss.”
Review: Sion Sono’s ‘Prisoners of the Ghostland’
“‘Prisoners of the Ghostland’ is like a failed yet well-made pilot episode, one that teases high drama but doesn’t have anything interesting to say about the characters.”
Review: Malcolm Ingram’s ‘Clerk’
“The biggest takeaway from ‘Clerk,’ aside from the fact that the terrific Joey Lauren Adams should’ve had a bigger career, is that nobody is more surprised by Smith’s success than the man himself.”
Review: Casey Tebo’s ‘Black Friday’
“Tebo’s low-stakes take on holiday horror is a lot like Christmas candy; ‘Black Friday’ hits the spot, but you might be left craving something slightly more substantial soon afterwards.”
Review: Tanya Chuturkova’s ‘Chocolate Road’
“I’ll never be the same after watching ‘Chocolate Road.’ No longer will I eat a bonbon without seeing a massive cacao plant. I won’t be able to watch ‘Chocolat’ without thinking about Central American cacao plant clones. That’s a good thing…”
Review: Penny Lane’s ‘Listening to Kenny G’
“With ‘Listening to Kenny G,’ Lane affirms her status as one of the most talented nonfiction storytellers working today.”
Review: Kavery Kaul’s ‘The Bengali’
“There’s plenty of skepticism to be found in ‘The Bengali’; however, that’s just the starting point for an important conversation about first encounters, cultural education and life-changing travel experiences.”
Review: Martin Wilson’s ‘Great White’
“‘Great White’ may not be a groundbreaking or unique film, but it’s made with respect, and that deserves to be reciprocated.”
Review: Adam Ethan Crow’s ‘Lair’
“‘Lair’ succeeds with its female-led possession story but fails with the flat adjacent flat subplot.”
Review: Mia Hansen-Løve’s ‘Bergman Island’
“The Fårö setting in ‘Bergman Island’ provides Hansen-Løve with a treasure chest of opportunities to indulge and explore cinephilia, reflexivity, homage and intertext, but the potential autobiographical interpretations are equally enticing.”