Choose Death: Gregg Araki’s Apocalyptic 90s
“Gregg Araki’s 90s films feel like prophecies of a cataclysm that never happened.”
Singin’ in the Hurricane: Damien Chazelle Takes Us to Wild, Old Hollywood in ‘Babylon’
“‘Babylon’ goes big and refuses to be ignored, even if a much better, much shorter movie exists somewhere inside the messy sprawl.”
Sequels Don’t Suck: 25 Years Later, ‘Scream 2’ Is More Potent Than Ever
“‘Scream 2’ hints at our future obsession with true crime and the spectacle of pushing victims to relive their trauma over and over (a full two decades before these ideas would become mainstream).”
Shifting Landscapes: Jerzy Skolimowski’s ‘Deep End’ and ‘The Shout’
“Skolimowski imbues his films with his signature iconographic sense of obscurity and mystique; both ‘Deep End’ and ‘The Shout’ grapple with the tensions brought about by characters suddenly entering (and quickly coming to terms with) new environments.”
Conspicuous Consumption: Noah Baumbach Takes on ‘White Noise’
“Admirers of Baumbach will smile at the ways in which ‘White Noise’ embodies his longtime preoccupations and simultaneously points toward bold new possibilities.”
A Portrait of the Portrait Artist: Laura Poitras and Nan Goldin Get Together for ‘All the Beauty and the Bloodshed’
“Goldin’s openness and forthrightness extends to her advocacy on behalf of so many others who, like herself, struggled or continue to struggle with opioid addiction.”
Maria Schrader Dramatizes a Contemporary Reckoning in ‘She Said’
“Condensing, combining and streamlining are expected elements of movie storytelling, but ‘She Said’ works toward a composite that validates as many facts and details as possible within the limitations of the feature film format.”
Mystical Ennui: Peter Cook at a Distance
“Peter Cook was never able to bridge the distance between his personal world and his many creations, and one gets the impression that he derived a certain satisfaction from keeping people guessing.”
Marc Shaffer Explores the Legend of Helios in ‘Exposing Muybridge’
“At just under 90 minutes, ‘Exposing Muybridge’ doesn’t wear out its welcome, but there are a few aspects of the subject’s colorful legacy that could have used more detail and consideration.”
Tearing ‘Hellraiser’ Apart to Its Artistic Core
“Hellraiser’s creators channel the works of Francis Bacon, Walter Sickert, Allen Jones and Zdzisław Beksiński. These impressionist and surrealist craftsmen, like Barker and Randel, expose the horrors of their lifetime to the populace at large.”
‘Both Sides of the Blade’: Claire Denis and Juliette Binoche Team Again in Silver Bear Winner
“Be it film, novel, poem or song, the triangle is one of the most frequent tropes in storytelling. Denis is such a gifted moviemaker, though, that cliche is absent from the precise and specific moments inside her intelligently constructed universe.”
Back and Forth and All Around Through Hell and Rain: Nicolette Krebitz’s ‘Wild’
“‘Wild’ is a strong showcase for Stangenberg, an actress who embodies a specific kind of sorrow.”
Brett Morgen Keeps His ‘Lectric Eye on the Iconic David Bowie in ‘Moonage Daydream’
“‘Moonage Daydream’ is committed to art and artist. With few exceptions, like the acknowledgement of Bowie’s love for Iman, private life stays private.”
How to Cannonball an Aquarium
“‘Tales from the Gimli Hospital’ is an accessible and logical entry point for Maddin-curious cinephiles.”
‘Nothing Compares’: Kathryn Ferguson Covers Sinéad O’Connor in Strong Music Doc
“Ferguson applies remarkable editorial skill to make judicious choices regarding what to keep in ‘Nothing Compares’ and what to omit.”
The Irresistible Bulldozer: Judy Holliday’s Brief Comic Swing
“Holliday’s persona is one of shrewdness in the face of unrelenting condescension; she perfected the art of playing the outwardly ditzy blonde who lulls those around her into taking her lightly.”
Making Sense of the Bullocks: Examining the Punk Unpleasantries of ‘Pistol’ and ‘Sid and Nancy’
“FX’s ‘Pistol’ stays true to the chaotic nature of the Sex Pistols and manages to sprinkle in some of that Boyle pop energy.”
Dissecting Toxic Masculinity in Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s Cinema
“With contemporary independent filmmakers like Sanal Kumar Sasidharan and his lot who stay true to their singular vision and distinctive voice, the rising new wave of Indian cinema looks set to grow bigger and stronger in the near future.”
‘Neptune Frost’: Anisia Uzeyman and Saul Williams Project the Future
“‘Neptune Frost’ challenges and frustrates, and often leaves one wishing for more clarity. But it is filled with poetry, and it understands the importance of projecting an alternative to our reality.”
Rich Man, Poor Man: Keith Maitland’s ‘Dear Mr. Brody’
“Maitland’s sense of graphic design and visual organization are chief pleasures of ‘Dear Mr. Brody.'”