Review: Josie Rourke’s ‘Mary Queen of Scots’
“Dramatic license is so much a given that discussions of authenticity are as damned as they are damning.”
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A Heavenly Juliette Binoche ‘Lets the Sunshine In’ for Claire Denis
“Instead of manufacturing sympathetic markers to anoint and glorify her protagonist, Denis insists on portraying the self-doubt and insecurities that vex Isabelle. To that end, the presence of Binoche is a bit of brilliance that taunts and challenges the viewer…”
Choose Your Own Bleak Adventure in ‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’
“To use a gaming term, it’s got replay value, but it might leave those looking for a cohesive, more-traditional narrative choosing a different path.”
‘Zama’: Lucrecia Martel Gets Delirious
“Liminality is the coin of Martel’s realm in ‘Zama,’ and she manages to make the excruciating uncertainty of the long pause an engrossing experience for the audience…”
ArteKino Festival 2018 Review: Gábor Reisz’s ‘For Some Inexplicable Reason’
“‘For Some Inexplicable Reason’ strains for authenticity but only registers as a compendium of conventions familiar to the tired subgenre of the post-collegiate dramedy.”
A Whiplash of Multidimensional Creativity and Inspiration: ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’
“With all its supporting superheroes and hints of story threads, ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ is bankable for sequels and spin-offs. As long as there’s creative juice for this world, any follow-up would feel inspired.”
‘The Mule’ – Not Enough to Be Clint Eastwood’s Last Stand
“‘The Mule’ will not be remembered as one of the Eastwood classics. In all likelihood, it will be boxed in with two superior Eastwood films as part of a collector’s pack.”
Review: Jennifer Fox’s ‘The Tale’
“With ‘The Tale,’ Jennifer Fox addresses a painful subject in a straightforward and clear-eyed manner.”
ArteKino Festival 2018 Review: Babis Makridis’ ‘Pity’
“What saves ‘Pity,’ and the ‘Greek Weird Wave’ as a whole, from tipping into nihilism is the humanism at its core; it is the pessimism of thwarted hopes rather than the negative drive of cynicism.”
Ballad of Lee Israel: Marielle Heller’s Excellent ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’
“‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ is simultaneously suspenseful and laidback.”