Review: John Krasinski’s ‘A Quiet Place Part II’
“‘A Quiet Place Part II’ depicts quietness as a strength, and the film’s release shows that the quietness of the past year can be resolved through the mutable, powerful sensibilities of cinema.”
Review: Robert Connolly’s ‘The Dry’
“‘The elements of ‘The Dry’ may be conventional, but the presentation, as well as Connolly’s attunement to very real concerns, still burns.”
Netflix Review: Zack Snyder’s ‘Army of the Dead’
“‘Army of the Dead’ is an algorithmic cleansing exhale in the wake of a whirlwind period in Snyder’s career. As a zombie movie, it’s a shallow, scattershot effort with interesting mythology ideas that don’t really go anywhere…”
Review: Pat Mills’ ‘The Retreat’
“While having gay leads is a refreshing inclusion in a genre that has historically excised or executed them, Mills’ movie is a toothless response to the ‘bury your gays’ trope.”
Review: Simon Barrett’s ‘Seance’
“Everything about ‘Seance’ is loudly, proudly feminine and female focused… if one didn’t know this was Barrett’s work, it could easily be mistaken for that of a female filmmaker, which is no small feat.”
Review: Gia Coppola’s ‘Mainstream’
“Coppola may generalize in ‘Mainstream,’ but her specifications are plenty insightful and perhaps truthful.”
Rose Glass Makes a Memorable Feature Debut with ‘Saint Maud’
“Sure, ‘Saint Maud’ can be called a horror film, but it is equally a psychological drama that gets a lot of mileage from a tried and true trope: the shifting power dynamics in a superior/subordinate relationship.”
Review: Julia von Heinz’s ‘And Tomorrow the Entire World’
“For all the activists’ fevered activity, ‘And Tomorrow the Entire World’ completely sidesteps the exploration of political ideas and ideology beyond the simple urge to thump Nazis or argue with racists.”
Netflix Review: Joe Wright’s ‘The Woman in the Window’
“While Wright’s stylized execution is impressive, ‘The Woman in the Window’ is a yarn that never fully grabs its audience by the jugular.”
Review: Ryan Kruger’s ‘Fried Barry’
“‘Fried Barry’ is busy and overstuffed, but it’s also an incredibly promising and deeply weird reinvention of the body invasion thriller; a strange, disorienting and ultimately rewarding experience.”
Netflix Review: Alexandre Aja’s ‘Oxygen’
“Oxygen’s relevance strikes like lightning in a year when time is measured less by Earth’s tilt and more by first wave, second wave, red phase, yellow phase; not by time passing daily, but by how much danger remains in the room.”
Review: Ben Sharrock’s ‘Limbo’
“Ben Sharrock’s entracing new film ‘Limbo’ is a perceptive and earnest work.”
Review: Rob Garver’s ‘What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael’
“Rob Garver’s ‘What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael’ is a worthwhile biography of a fascinating life led with purpose and conviction.”
Netflix Review: Anthony Mandler’s ‘Monster’
“‘Monster’ seems like it doesn’t trust itself to connect with viewers without over-explanation.”
Review: Alexis Cahill and Brigitte Drodtloff’s ‘Queen Marie’
“‘Queen Marie’ may not be a modern historical classic, but its wink-of-the-eye moments subtly inform the audience about the filmmakers’ intent. That, I can appreciate.”
Review: Karl Holt’s ‘Benny Loves You’
“Taking its cues from the later Chucky movies, ‘Benny Loves You’ embraces the inherent insanity of the premise, setting it free in a similar manner to how the titular toy runs riot.”
Review: Yimou Zhang’s ‘Cliff Walkers’
“Yimou Zhang’s ‘Cliff Walkers’ looks amazing but suffers from poorly-written characters and stiff performances.”
Review: Nikole Beckwith’s ‘Together Together’
“Together Together’s rumination on difficult work, new friendships and social bonding captures a pandemic mood, and works as a welcome addition to the niche genre of surrogacy cinema.”
Review: Marilyn Agrelo’s ‘Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street’
“Don’t be surprised if ‘Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street’ leaves you wanting more — that’s often the mark of something special.”
Review: Mia Donovan’s ‘Dope Is Death’
“‘Dope Is Death’ could’ve benefitted from more cultural context and a broader examination of the Shakur family legacy, but the 78-minute film succeeds with its specific focus on holistic healing.”