Case for Criterion: Xavier Dolan’s ‘Heartbeats’
“Critics have labeled ‘Heartbeats’ as derivative and pretentious, flamboyant and bratty, but it’s exactly the kind of film where such criticism means that it’s doing its job.”
Case for Criterion: Marc Forster’s ‘Stranger Than Fiction’
“The complexities of ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ are worthy of their own analysis, but the film’s simplicities and stark honesty about emotion are its strengths.”
After the Darkness: Jean Rollin’s ‘The Iron Rose’ (1973)
“Tastefully erotic and mystical in tone, The Iron Rose shines a light on youthful arrogance that often blinds us from darker realities.”
Chasing Chabrol: ‘La cérémonie’
“If you have an ounce of capitalist discomfort, ‘La cérémonie’ will surely begin to boil your blood, and that’s where things get interesting.”
Chasing Chabrol: ‘Les biches’
“‘Les biches’ remains one of the more elusive and symbolic films of Chabrol’s career, as the narrative adopts a dreamlike structure that often obscures reality and truth.”
Chasing Chabrol: ‘Les bonnes femmes’
“‘Les bonnes femmes’ pushes the boundaries of expectations, leaving the audience in a place of vulnerability.”
Chasing Chabrol: ‘Violette’
“Youth is central to ‘Violette,’ and Isabelle Huppert’s petite frame and almost childlike features lend the film a skewed point of view that is colored neither by experience or shame.”
The Moreau Files: ‘The Bride Wore Black’
“‘The Bride Wore Black’ has a rather deft sense of humor that raises it above many of the other brightly-lit neo-noirs of the 1960s.”
The Moreau Files: ‘The Lovers’
“It is incredible to think that Malle was only 25 years old when he made ‘The Lovers,’ as it seems to hold the wisdom and erotic impulses of a much older man.”
The Moreau Files: ‘Elevator to the Gallows’
“A feeling of powerlessness is no doubt at the heart of Moreau’s possessed performance in ‘Elevator to the Gallows.'”
The Moreau Files: ‘Diary of a Chambermaid’
“A sex comedy rooted in inequality, ‘Diary of a Chambermaid’ trades in traditional ideas about power dynamics for a twisted take on the absurdity of desire.”
The Moreau Files: ‘La Notte’
“‘La Notte’ is a film very much about resignation — resigning to the fate of the monogamy and perhaps the inevitability of death.”
The Moreau Files: ‘Jules and Jim’
“In the male dominated world of the French New Wave, Catherine in François Truffaut’s ‘Jules and Jim’ stands out as a mysterious and particularly beguiling female presence.”
Concealed Fury: Hélier Cisterne’s ‘Vandal’
“Cisterne poses important questions about adolescent identity and touches on the blossoming of artistic expression in ‘Vandal,’ but the concealed fury of each character ultimately remains an enigma (along with their understanding of the real world).”
Truffaut with a Shade of Demy: Axelle Ropert’s ‘Miss and the Doctors’
“‘Miss and the Doctors’ reminds of François Truffaut with a shade of Demy; ‘Jules et Jim’ holding ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.'”
Review: Mélanie Laurent’s ‘Breathe’
“‘Breathe’Â works on various levels thanks to Arnaud Potier’s cinematography, Laurent’s polished direction and the magnetic charisma of the leads.”
A Reluctant Hunter: Jean-Bernard Marlin’s ‘La fugue’
“Bencherif exudes that rare type of charisma one can’t teach.”
The Film Jeff Nichols Should Have Made: ‘The World Made Straight’
“‘The World Made Straight’ is essentially a poor man’s ‘Out of the Furnace’… Still, it’s a memorable spotlight for the always-mesmerizing Minka Kelly.”
Just Let it Flow: The Awkward Transitions of ‘Jimi: All Is by My Side’
“A Hendrix biopic can be tackled in a variety of ways, but a director should either commit to gonzo audio/visual techniques or simply let the performances take over.”
Remembering Francesco Rosi (November 15, 1922 – January 10, 2015)
Q.V. Hough on the Influence of Francesco Rosi