“With ‘American Mary,’ the Soska sisters tell a story that deserves a place alongside the likes of ‘I Spit on Your Grave’ and ‘Hostel’ in its bold but nuanced steps that push forward the genre entire.”
“The lucidity and frankness with which this new wave of filmmakers can dissect their own lives speaks volumes to their talents, boding well for their efforts to come.”
“What is the cost to oneself of living by a system of belief?”
“‘Cría cuervos’ is a film preoccupied with death. It surrounds Ana and obsesses her. Starting with its sobering preamble, the picture is inundated by threatening (and tempting) mortality.”
“Where Los Angeles offers an idyllic vision of dreamers, New York can’t help but set the stage for an all too depressing look at those left behind.”
“Reviews may be breathlessly overusing the ready-made formulation of ‘Natalie Portman IS Jackie,’ but they really should be following Sontag’s lead: Natalie Portman IS ‘Jackie.'”
“Not only does it feel true to its origins, but it also speaks to viewers from different parts of the world.”
“Might I put it out into the ether that a ‘weak link’ doesn’t exist in ‘La La Land’.”
“In my mind, ‘Fences’ and Denzel’s work is comparable to the best of Orson Welles.”
“‘Liquid Sky’ seems more relevant than ever.”
“The grey hue of ‘Hell or High Water’ becomes more distinguishable when juxtaposed to films with plots that are more clearly black or white.”
“It’s in Louise’s absolute refusal to allow our barbaric side to win that ‘Arrival’ shows its moral core.”
Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: A Column Devoted to the Streaming Platform FilmStruck
“Andrea Arnold’s work encapsulates the liminal stage of feminine adolescence.”
“‘Captain Fantastic’ doesn’t provide definitive answers to the lingering questions of normalcy and grief, but instead it encourages viewers to find the necessary balance to live life on their own terms.”
“By refusing to provide facile answers, ‘The Tall Man’ is, in many ways, just as much of a challenging film as ‘Martyrs.'”
“Scorsese’s latest film channels the same intellectual curiosity and spiritual fervor of his directorial debut, with the addition of nearly 50 years of experience in technical skill and storytelling precision.”
“In Scorsese’s inversion of the downfall, paradise isn’t the origin and its loss doesn’t mean moral decrepitude, only mediocrity.”
“More than any of Scorsese’s own cameos, his music accompanies viewers as they watch, as if he were watching along with everybody else.”
“Martin Scorsese’s ‘Life Lessons’ benefits more from analysis as a self-standing artistic expression than as a counterpoint to the other installments of ‘New York Stories.'”