Review: Roman Polanski’s ‘The Palace’
“With all the surfaces of style, wit and entertainment stripped away, ‘The Palace’ lays the director’s ideology bare in all its unflinching bleakness and petty emptiness.”
Review: Cassius Michael Kim’s ‘Man on the Run’
“Kim mostly hits the mark with ‘Man on the Run,’ even if some of the Adam McKay-style filmmaking choices don’t land particularly well.”
Review: Kimani Ray Smith’s ‘The Painter’
“‘The Painter’ seems destined for Tubi, where it may indeed earn a fanbase. The film clearly sets up a sequel, so a second franchise installment might be more creatively ambitious, even if its existence on paper doesn’t feel earned.”
Review: Ilker Çatak’s ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’
“With dashes of dark humor, unnerving tension and a striking lead performance centering it all, ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ uncomfortably builds to claustrophobia in a real domino effect.”
Review: Arthur Musah’s ‘Brief Tender Light’
“‘Brief Tender Light,’ with all its cultural complexities, offers an access point for worldwide viewers willing to look beyond lazy stereotypes and reductive interpretations of not just Africans but fellow humans in general.”
Review: The Adams Family’s ‘Where the Devil Roams’
“General audiences can access and appreciate The Adams Family’s ‘Where the Devil Roams’ from various perspectives – the mark of an enduring film.”
Review: George Clooney’s ‘The Boys in the Boat’
“By only fleetingly bringing attention to the economic hardships at play, ‘The Boys in the Boat’ frustratingly remains a niche proposition, of fascination only to fans of the film’s focal sport.”
Review: William Oldroyd’s ‘Eileen’
“A film drastically less than the sum of its parts, ‘Eileen’ commits the unfortunate blunder of continually reminding one of similar, better movies.”
Review: Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’
“‘Napoleon’ is very much a repudiation and a revolt against history’s ‘Great Men.'”
Review: Paul Briganti’s ‘Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain’
“‘The Treasure of Foggy Mountain’ doesn’t match the quality of mid-level Adam Sandler comedies, but it just may work as a double-billing with Akiva Schaffer’s 2007 film ‘Hot Rod’ starring Andy Samberg…”
Review: Casey Nelson and Marchelle Thurman’s ‘Black White and the Greys’
“‘Black White and the Greys’ isn’t defined by its political dialogue, but rather by its handling of the human condition. And it’s arguably one of the best COVID-themed movie productions since the similarly minimalist ‘Host’ (Shudder, 2020).”
Review: David Fincher’s ‘The Killer’
“Ultimately, ‘The Killer’ is just a fun, pulpy romp that is more akin to the plug-and-play adventures of I.O. Interactive’s ‘Hitman’ series than a profound statement on the culture at large.”
The Messiness of Belonging: On Martina Radwan’s ‘Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow’
“Powered by Radwan’s empathy and the subjects’ collective determination, ‘Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow’ is a must-see world cinema documentary.”
Review: Tyler MacIntyre’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Knife’
“‘It’s a Wonderful Knife’ is watchable but slight. And considering how popular Hallmark Christmas movies continue to be, maybe that’s all horror fans will really expect.”
Review: Toby Amies’ ‘In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50’
“Amies’ revelatory rock doc succeeds by exploring the sacred and profane aspects of the subject’s musical mentality.”
Review: Paco Plaza’s ‘Sister Death’
“With ‘Sister Death,’ Plaza builds upon traditional elements of the possession movie by expanding his cinematic universe through cosmic horror.”
Philadelphia Film Festival Review: Xiaopeng Tian’s ‘Deep Sea’
“Xiaopeng Tian’s ‘Deep Sea’ features the most mesmerizing animation since ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.'”
Philadelphia Film Festival Review: Takeshi Kitano’s ‘Kubi’
“A total riot, ‘Kubi’ is a consummate epic that pokes fun at components of the subject matter while communicating the cold tragedy.”
Review: Jaco Bouwer’s ‘Breathing In’
“‘Breathing In’ effectively deconstructs themes of eternity, loyalty and slow strategy — it’s a timely tale about the horrors of war.”
London Film Festival Review: Mahalia Belo’s ‘The End We Start From’
“‘The End We Start From’ falls short of being a meaningful observation on the perils of climate injustice, but the film succeeds as an embodiment of maternal commitment, largely due to Comer’s wonderfully present performance.”