Review: Vivian Kerr’s ‘Séance’
“‘Séance’ doesn’t quite match the thrills of the most trendy psychological horror flicks, yet its mature themes will resonate with adult viewers and anyone struggling to move on from the past.”
Review: Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’
“By its very nature, ‘Nosferatu’ is a pessimistic story, which might be why the biggest surprise of Eggers’ take is that it’s his most accessible effort to date.”
Review: Brady Corbet’s ‘The Brutalist’
“‘The Brutalist’ may appear like an inaccessible art picture from the outside, but it moves with an energy that ensures the casual viewer will never be daunted by its epic stature…”
Review: Tim Hautekiet’s ‘Me, Myself & the Void’
“‘Me, Myself & the Void’ was clearly made with passion and enthusiasm, but none of Hautekiet’s efforts can stop the mystery from feeling like it’s dragging its heels towards an obvious conclusion…”
Review: Taku Aoyagi’s ‘Tokyo Uber Blues’
“‘Tokyo Uber Blues’ is best when it works as a borderline psychodramatic character study…”
Review: Mary Dauterman’s ‘Booger’
“‘Booger’ is a surprisingly poignant and sensitive meditation on grief that utilizes a truly wild metaphor.”
Review: Benjamin Ree’s ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’
“There are moments of richness in ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,’ but they only materialize when Ree allows his tale to be told from the only truly lived-in perspective.”
Review: Zach Clark’s ‘The Becomers’
“With ‘The Becomers,’ Clark frequently barrels all the way to the edge of the line but rarely puts anything more than a toe across it.”
Review: Parker Finn’s ‘Smile 2’
“While there’s a great movie hiding inside a solid one, ‘Smile 2’ remains one of the most demonically entertaining horror films of the year through Finn’s twisted and refreshing style.”
Review: Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night’
“‘Saturday Night’ punctuates each act with impressive editing. It’s a big exclamation point — an ode to the original cast and crew, a celebration of comedic camaraderie and the creative process.”
Review: Clint Eastwood’s ‘Juror #2’
“‘Juror #2’ is one of the finer cinematic works of 2024.”
Review: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ ‘Heretic’
“‘Heretic’ is the thinking man’s dumb horror movie of the year.”
Review: Thom Zimny’s ‘Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’
“‘Road Diary’ is intimate and illuminating, revealing the E Street Band’s brilliance and how they function like a well-oiled machine, with Springsteen as the engine that guides them.”
London Film Festival Review: Andrea Arnold’s ‘Bird’
“There is an intriguing idea that Arnold weaves throughout ‘Bird,’ one that flows naturally from Bailey’s isolation.”
London Film Festival Review: Marielle Heller’s ‘Nightbitch’
“‘Nightbitch’ is all empty message and no provocation, its few shots of a fully transformed protagonist shocking only because of how little effort was made beyond giving Adams some contact lenses…”
London Film Festival Review: Mike Leigh’s ‘Hard Truths’
“For my money, Jean-Baptiste gives one of the strongest performances in Leigh’s oeuvre, afforded the space to go ‘big’ in ‘Hard Truths’ without ever feeling like she’s commanding a self-aggrandizing actor’s showcase.”
London Film Festival Review: Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’
“‘Anora’ excels by digging beneath the protagonist’s sparkling demeanor while unearthing the grit beneath each sequin.”
Review: John McDermott’s ‘Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision’
“With ‘Electric Lady Studios,’ McDermott artfully explores intriguing stories about hard-working music professionals who experienced first-hand what it was like to make a dream come true.”
Review: Jason Miller’s ‘Not Not Jazz’
“Miller’s documentary will likely bore viewers who are unfamiliar with Medeski Martin & Wood, but ‘Not Not Jazz’ is still a worthy tribute to what makes the band members such singular musicians.”
Review: Steven Kostanski’s ‘Frankie Freako’
“‘Frankie Freako’ is deliriously silly and wholesomely entertaining, and so genuine in its profound lack of depth or meaning — it’s a refreshing antidote to all the dreaded “elevated horror” offerings.”