Review: Joe Eddy’s ‘Bootyology’
“Eddy’s entertaining flick will presumably be a digital/midnight movie hit, if and when the Butt Gods help streamers find the film online. Godspeed, ‘Bootyology.'”
Review: André Øvredal’s ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’
“‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ doesn’t make enough of an impression to stand out amongst the veritable legions of other Dracula films that already exist.”
Review: Thomas Hardiman’s ‘Medusa Deluxe’
“The fun of ‘Medusa Deluxe’ is less about figuring out who the murderer is and more to do with watching everybody lose their minds over their little bubble being penetrated by an outside influence they can’t control.”
Review: Inna Sahakyan’s ‘Aurora’s Sunrise’
“Seek out ‘Aurora’s Sunrise,’ sit with it, and then think about how any lingering pain can be used for good.”
Review: Corey Stanton’s ‘Trader’
“‘Trader’ is a bit too unpolished to earn a double-bill pairing with classic films about stock trading, even if the thriller earned early acclaim from genre-specific outlets.”
Review: Luke McManus’ ‘North Circular’
“‘North Circular’ feels slightly unfocused at times, but this is likely intentional given how tough it is to nail down one definitive take on what it means to be from this area.”
Review: Christopher Fox’s ‘Rub’
“A strong feature debut like ‘Rub’ suggests that the writer-director doesn’t need fancy equipment or multi-million dollar budgets to sustain a successful filmmaking career.”
Review: Brian Vincent’s ‘Make Me Famous’
“‘Make Me Famous’ is a perceptive film about Reagan-era business strategies that elevated one group of creative gamblers and led others to their graves.”
Review: Ran Li’s ‘Till Love Do Us Part’
“Ran Li’s quietly devastating feature debut, ‘Till Love Do Us Part,’ channels the charm of Richard Linklater’s ‘Before’ trilogy while carrying the emotional baggage of an introspective international classic like Federico Fellini’s ‘8 1/2.'”
Review: Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’
“Not only does ‘Oppenheimer’ prove to be one the best-crafted biopics in recent memory, but it also boldly reaffirms the director’s auteur status.”
‘Mad Heidi’ Review: A Very Swiss Tale of Nutrition and Patriotism
“‘Mad Heidi’ is a sassy Swissploitation film worth watching (it’s the only one in existence) and undeniably one of the best Swiss cheese-themed movies of the 21st century.”
Review: Josh Appignanesi’s ‘My Extinction’
“‘My Extinction’ reads like the opening chapters of an unfinished novel from an intellectual-turned-radical: heavy sociopolitical context, rich character development and instructions for the path forward. Essential viewing.”
Review: Daniel Andres Werner’s ‘Amor Bandido’
“‘Amor Bandido’ is shrewdly paced, heartbreakingly performed and cunning in its political awareness.”
Review: Christopher McQuarrie’s ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’
“‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ is the best franchise film since the fourth installment and possibly the best yet…”
Review: Adele Lim’s ‘Joy Ride’
“A rollicking good time that pulls disparate pieces together for a sex-positive exploration of family, friendship and identity.”
Review: Léa Mysius’ ‘The Five Devils’
“‘The Five Devils,’ co-written and directed by French filmmaker Léa Mysius, burns bright with its cerebral story about female relationships.”
Review: Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City’
“As carefully controlled as every shot typically is for one of Anderson’s films, this is the most alive behind the wheel he has felt as a purely comic filmmaker in quite some time.”
Review: Ted Geoghegan’s ‘Brooklyn 45’
“‘Brooklyn 45’ is what happens when an experienced filmmaker finds their voice and brings everything together.”
Review: Charlotte Le Bon’s ‘Falcon Lake’
“Falcon Lake’s funereal tone may be a bit too emo for some, but for those willing to get swept up in its dark splendor, Le Bon’s film is a remarkably shrewd debut.”
Review: Joaquin del Paso’s ‘The Hole in the Fence’
“‘The Hole in the Fence’ functions as a voice for the voiceless; it’s a rallying cry for Mexican youths who don’t automatically drink the Kool-Aid made by high society snobs.”