“Tatiana Huezo and cinematographer Ernesto Pardo have struck a balance between natural beauty and human squalor in a way that mirrors how Mexican citizens have had to live with the ever-present possibility of life-ending terror.”
“At a festival dedicated to the documentary, the opportunity to meet a true giant of the field was an unmissable, and indeed, unforgettable experience.”
“Like a lot of reality television, ‘Christian Mingle’ is funny for hateful reasoning that displays damaging, scary facets of our culture.”
“It’s a film that doesn’t so much scare as it harrows, boring deep into the psyche.”
“One problem with ‘Sworn Virgin’, particularly in its later stages, is a distinct lack of stakes.”
“For a feminist attempt to show two women leaning on each other, ‘Into the Forest’ barely sketches them out.”
“A solidly constructed sophomore feature from director Susanna White, ‘Our Kind of Traitor’ is a tight thriller that, while rarely excelling to any sort of transcendent heights, never really steps a foot wrong.”
“Neatly tied resolutions and dime-a-dozen aphorisms feel as fleeting and immaterial as a television drama, while any lasting impression must be hard-fought and pried from between the lines of the script.”
“Bateman brings the full force of his directorial ability to the film, finding beauty in every camera placement and character movement.”
“Sometimes the most difficult kind of review to write is one for a film that’s full of good intentions; a film that’s never outright hateful or anything like that, but lacking or floundering when it comes to certain decisions at a script or direction level.”
“Grappling with themes of self-preservation and mental stability amongst abject barbarity, ‘Son of Saul’ packs an emotional punch all its own, while seeking to convey the essence of an individual living in abhorrent chaos.”
“Horror and femininity run hand in hand.”
“In keeping with the tempo and improvisational flair of his subject, Don Cheadle has succeeded in breaking through the standard tediums of biographical film.”
“‘High-Rise’ gazes without flinching at a cavalcade of violence without ever feeling like it’s truly stepped into the muck.”
“‘Hush’ has some very interesting moving parts in what amounts to an average film.”
“‘The Charro of Toluquilla’ is definitely worth seeing, as Jaime is a character that you will not soon forget.”
“The Jungle Book is a fun, brisk and absolutely gorgeous achievement that honors the past while looking unflinchingly into the future.”
“Regretfully, ‘Criminal’ makes up for its lack of ideas with blood, guts and even more blood.”
“Humans and beasts share a primal bond as they occupy the land and the frame together. Mascaro thus internationalizes a strain of the French cinéma du corps as he weds it with the emerging art-house aesthetic of digital realism, crossing borders and species to create something extraordinary.”
“Abraham tells a tragic story but fails to shine a light on the genesis of Hank the man.”