Review: Lawrence Michael Levine’s ‘Black Bear’
“It’s the sardonic, versatile Plaza performance that saves Levine’s ‘Black Bear.'”
Review: Emerald Fennell’s ‘Promising Young Woman’
“Fennell’s uproariously funny film showcases a powerhouse Carey Mulligan in what could very well be her career-best performance.”
Review: Thomas Vinterberg’s ‘Another Round’
“‘Another Round’ is a high-concept character piece that dips its toes into national themes, but never long enough to put off the international market it’s clearly geared towards.”
Review: Deepa Mehta’s ‘Funny Boy’
“‘Funny Boy’ may seem groundbreaking on paper, but there’s nothing particularly original about this overly familiar and largely reductive adaptation of an acclaimed novel.”
Review: Mickey Reece’s ‘Climate of the Hunter’
“‘Climate of the Hunter’ is fatally enthralled by its own bizarre, overwrought stylistic tics, from the exaggerated performances aiming squarely for the cheap seats to the Wes Anderson-style PSAs…”
Review: Robert Machoian’s ‘The Killing of Two Lovers’
“How wonderful it is to watch a film in 2020 that displays style and true enthusiasm for the art of movie-making.”
Review: Patrick Picard’s ‘The Bloodhound’
“There’s a timelessness to ‘The Bloodhound’ that puts it on a par with recent and similarly quietly-horrific offerings like ‘It Follows’ and ‘Piercing’…”
Review: Christopher Landon’s ‘Freaky’
“‘Freaky’ is uneven, but it has moments of magic.”
Review: Justin G. Dyck’s ‘Anything for Jackson’
“‘Anything for Jackson’ is a perfect example of wasted potential, as the film contains some solid elements that Dyck fails to build upon.”
Review: Massoud Bakhshi’s ‘Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness’
“‘Yalda’ shows itself to be a deft treatise on how the contradictions of our modern world complicate something even as simple as saying sorry.”
David Fincher Pays Tribute to His Father and Old Hollywood in ‘Mank’
“‘Mank’ probably spends more time than necessary defining the protagonist’s own crisis of conscience within a corrupt and decaying dream factory.”
Review: Adam Egypt Mortimer’s ‘Archenemy’
“‘Archenemy’ could easily ditch all the higher concept stuff and simply exist as a dark buddy comedy. As it stands, this is an interesting misfire for Mortimer…”
Review: David Fincher’s ‘Mank’
“‘Mank’ is just the latest installment in Netflix’s self-concious branding strategy.”
Review: Clea DuVall’s ‘Happiest Season’
“‘Happiest Season’ may not be the cozy, easy and festive rom-com that many were expecting, but for those looking for something more challenging, it’s a vital, moving and essential watch any time of year.”
Review: Lee Isaac Chung’s ‘Minari’
“‘Minari’ might be the best example to date of a film that understands the romantic appeal of a country that claims to pride itself on its immigrant population, and why millions of people worldwide still follow that ideal…”
Review: Keith Bearden’s ‘Antarctica’
“The cold numbness of ‘Antarctica’ perfectly encapsulates the constant physical and emotional hardship faced not just by the current teen generation, but girls in particular.”
Review: Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker’s ‘The Meaning of Hitler’
“Some of the movie’s most intriguing scenes veer from their intended goal.”
Review: Ruthy Pribar’s ‘Asia’
“A strong and ambitious debut from Pribar, ‘Asia’ leaves a lasting and profound impression.”
Review: Darius Marder’s ‘Sound of Metal’
“Watching Ahmed flourish without words, typically an actor’s lifeline, is a joy. It’s a massive challenge, and he rises to it with aplomb in ‘Sound of Metal.'”
Review: Channing Godfrey Peoples’ ‘Miss Juneteenth’
“One of the most rewarding dimensions of ‘Miss Juneteenth’ is the insightful manner with which Peoples guides the viewer through the world of the pageant itself.”