“Without being didactic or simplistic, Kahiu shows the widely different ways in which the people around the girls react to their affection to suggest that, although not all Kenyans are homophobic today, lives are still ruined by a pervasive intolerance.”
“Guerra and Gallego may not have reproduced the surreal images from ‘Embrace of the Serpent,’ but their determination to preserve the history of those who capitalism has destroyed remains as strong and necessary as ever.”
“‘Juze’ tells the story of an India we don’t often see in films, but an India that hurts, suffers and yet revolts and thrives.”
“For a play that is so much about macho-ness and the male code of honor, it is refreshing to watch Chatterjee give it a somewhat feminist tweak.”
“‘Nude’ is a caveat to our times; a warning that we are driving arts education to a point of redundancy with our politics…”
“‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is the apex of franchise movie-making, bringing together a plethora of heroes from a number of different franchises to form the blockbuster of blockbusters.”
“‘Lemonade’ makes palpable the psychological experience of immigration and the constant, self-effacing guardedness it encourages.”
“Like an aging fighter that steps into the ring on short notice, Robert Smigel’s ‘The Week Of’ is overweight, unfocused and hungry for a paycheck.”
“‘Borg vs McEnroe’ loses momentum during its tennis sequences, but that’s just a minor complaint. Advantage LaBeouf.”
“Given the meticulousness Lelio affords to form in ‘Disobedience,’ there’s something a bit schematic about his characters.”
“Unlike many documentaries of its ilk, ‘The Feeling of Being Watched’ is not weighed down by doomsaying or sensationalism; instead, the picture it paints of community organization is genuinely hopeful.”
“There’s a calculated precision to both Reitman’s direction and Cody’s screenplay. The film is perfectly paced and cut, and moves with a rat-a-tat rhythm; the writing is sharp and specific, with a zinger in every other line.”
“Nyman and Dyson’s film is so full-bloodedly cinematic that it leaves one wondering how on earth they captured this on the stage.”
“Coherence is the last concern in ‘The Green Fog,’ whose beauty is comprised in the hidden connections between the city-film tropes.”
“‘No Date, No Signature’ excels by subtly examining themes of integrity and moral duties.”
“The father’s strength lies in knowing when to ‘protect the heart by pretending to have no heart,’ and the moment when he chooses to do so is devastating.”
“‘A Quiet Place’ masterfully builds tension, pays it off in unexpectedly satisfying ways and provokes genuine emotional investment in its characters with precious few traditional tools at its disposal.”
“Ramsay and Phoenix eloquently communicate the trappings of depression, and how it grips the sufferer.”
“The story feints towards transgressive ideas but lacks the commitment for maximum impact.”
“The shrieking masses are right on the money for once. Plaza’s tale of teen possession is powerfully scary.”