“What makes someone a great artist before they’ve made any great works of art? That becomes the central question and object of scrutiny at the heart of ‘Le concours,’ making it one of the most compelling examinations of auteur driven cinema.”
“‘Brothers of the Night’ takes an unexpected approach and reveals hidden parts of life amongst Bulgarian male hustlers in Vienna.”
“In ‘Aquarius,’ memories — of places, moments, music and lovers — balance imminent struggles to live well.”
“‘A Quiet Passion’ is at its best when its silence is broken by images, not words.”
“There is no right way to negotiate these expectations, and no way to outrun them: they simply exist as a part of life.”
“Ultimately, Ang Lee delivers a smart war film that offers a great deal of empathy to its social actors while still remaining critical of imperialist impulses in American culture.”
“This portrait of an aging artist engages with and refuses the idea that artistic and social isolation is anything but selfish.”
“‘Paterson’ is about that circularity of life that simultaneously brings about sparks of creativity and moments of reassuring stability.”
“In a film that’s otherwise so devoted to giving these women the opportunity to create a new identity, ‘The Handmaiden’ can’t help but peek into their new lives.”
“With Mills so free and acrobatic in his constructions and portrayal of the characters, coupled with excellent acting, it’s difficult not find them endearing given the wit and depth of ’20th Century Women.'”
“Farhadi’s films have sometimes been tricky for me as a Western viewer, as it’s difficult to know what’s considered conventional social perception and what’s considered political commentary. “
“The plot of ‘Souvenir’ can certainly raise eyebrows, but it is this very absurd quality that adds to the film’s tongue-in-cheek charm.”
“To say that ‘Personal Shopper’ unveils Stewart giving the best performance so far in her career is scarcely a hyperbolic claim.”
New York Film Festival 2016
“Neruda’s shining star is Luis Gnecco, who brings the poet back to life.”
“‘Train to Busan’ becomes obsessed with how its characters will face the various obstacles thrown at them, but the film does not operate with a human desire for justice.
“‘Complete Unknown’ seems to have its finger on the pulse of something characteristic of our FOMO culture.”
“I think that Schrader is just reaching out, trying to stretch his directorial arms, trying to show everything that he’s got.”
“Maybe it’s his own nostalgia or the naturalistic approach, but I haven’t felt someone film my city with that much love in a long time.”
“It is Herzog’s simultaneous exhibition of curiosity, awe, and irreverence in the face of the digitally connected world that makes ‘Lo and Behold’ a unique treatment of its subject that is not to be missed.”