Review: Mike P. Nelson’s ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’
“Nelson’s ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ redux is a masterclass in how to successfully reboot a franchise while paving a bloody path forward that is uniquely its own.”
Review: Josh Appignanesi’s ‘Colossal Wreck’
“Based on the novelistic nature of ‘Colossal Wreck,’ with all its rich philosophical meditations about ego and personal connections, Appignanesi’s growing filmography seems to be a cinematic vessel for meaningful change.”
Review: Ellen Rodnianski’s ‘American Baby’
“Conceptually, ‘American Baby’ would probably be more effective as an anthology series on a streaming service, as that would allow Rodniansky to investigate social factors that affect young women and men in different parts of America.”
Review: Kurtis David Harder’s ‘Influencers’
“‘Influencers’ does what all great horror sequels do: it ups the ante considerably, it increases the body count, the kills become much more elaborate and the writer-director organically deepens the already-established mythology.”
Review: Alan Berliner and Benita Raphan’s ‘Benita’
“‘Benita’ is more of a cinematic explainer than a rich psychological study.”
Review: Jill Campbell’s ‘Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue’
“‘Beyond the Gaze’ effectively links the past and present timelines to accentuate the subject’s commitment to her craft and models.”
Borscht Belt Film Fest Review (Short): Joel Perez’s ‘Villa Encanto’
“‘Villa Encanto’ seems destined to be adapted into a feature.”
Review: Zeshaan Younus’ ‘I’ve Seen All I Need to See’
“Younus’ dialogue becomes a little flowery at times in ‘I’ve Seen All I Need to See,’ though the filmmaker stays consistent with his overall balance and spiritual themes, much like he does in ‘The Buildout.'”
Review: Kerstin Karlhuber’s ‘After All’
“Like many family films, ‘After All’ succeeds with its messaging and pushes too hard with moments of poignancy.”
Review: Piero Messina’s ‘Another End’
“There’s plenty of heart to be found within ‘Another End,’ but the clunky handling of a climactic twist sadly feels emotionally and philosophically empty.”
NYFF 2025 Review: Ulrich Köhler’s ‘Gavagai’
“‘Gavagai’ doesn’t break any new ground with its excavation of race in film and European art culture’s relationship to Africa, but Köhler interestingly addresses paradoxical problems within.”
Review: Tina Romero’s ‘Queens of the Dead’
“‘Queens of the Dead’ is queer excellence in all its messy glory.”
Review: David Moreau’s ‘Other’
“‘Other’ may not be the sharpest or most original take on childhood abuse, but there’s more than enough to keep viewers invested until the devastating denouement — especially if you’re a parent.”
NYFF 2025 Review: Rebecca Zlotowski’s ‘A Private Life’
“‘A Private Life’ ultimately becomes lethargic and then putters out. Foster dangles in the midst of it, like an actress who sees the film set disappear while she’s still in her role.”
LFF 2025 Review: Chloé Zhao’s ‘Hamnet’
“For a film which tackles the cathartic nature of art and how fiction can help us heal after a tragedy, the personal touches of ‘Hamnet’ feel hollow whenever Zhao tries to conform to Shakespeare’s pop culture image.”
LFF 2025 Review: Joachim Trier’s ‘Sentimental Value’
“As a film about the healing properties of the creative process, ‘Sentimental Value’ is rare in that the in-movie writing, performances and direction aren’t cathartic for the characters, but rather function as obstacles when they try to unpack their feelings.”
NYFF 2025 Review: Stillz’s ‘Barrio Triste’
“‘Barrio Triste’ feels in line with the energetic and floating camerawork of Stillz’s music videos he has made for several artists, but it also stands as its own sort of gritty, meandering experiment that aims to excavate spaces within a particular setting.”
LFF 2025 Review: Rian Johnson’s ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’
“‘Wake Up Dead Man’ transforms into something more impactful by sincerely and non-judgmentally attempting to grapple with faith from an atheist’s perspective.”
Review: Bill Fishman’s ‘Waltzing with Brando’
“‘Waltzing with Brando’ suffers from a sluggish rhythm and lack of narrative drive because it focuses on the wrong character and the wrong aspect of the subject’s life.”
Review: Cosima Spender’s ‘Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe’
“As politics continue to divide people via blinding shades of blue and red, Andrea Bocelli transcends above the madness by communicating what’s in his heart.”