“‘Krampus’ is the pinnacle anti-Christmas movie in the way it thrives on the sheer awfulness of the holiday. It is ugly, it is unpleasant, and it is still utterly festive in the fact that it embraces the nature of the season as it has always been.”
“‘24 Weeks’ is a woman’s film through and through, from the focus on Astrid’s inner struggle to the often stomach-churning realities of pregnancy and motherhood.”
“‘Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood’ presents Bowers as a credible authority, but the breadth and depth of the anecdotes leaves it all up to the viewer to accept or reject.”
“In a way, the premise is just the antechamber that one has to see before entering the main room.”
“‘The Faculty’ adds a wrinkle to its parasitic creature that sets it apart from most alien assimilation stories, one that is closely tied with the film’s setting and teenage viewpoint.”
“It is an under-appreciated and distinctly un-American work, due in large part to its simplicity and realism, its unconventional romantic leads, its sympathy for immigrant workers and its anti-capitalist overtones.”
“While not every film in this BITS shorts showcase completely hits its mark, each has something to offer. It’s refreshing to see this array of talent on display from Canadian creators.”
“Where is our own cinema of madness?”
“‘The Age of Innocence’ and ‘The Remains of the Day’ both explore strict societal expectations, unwritten rules and how they box people in, keeping them unhappy.”
“For many, McQueen’s stylishness will help excuse the rubbery plot holes, lapses in logic and farfetched surprises that might lead some to wonder how ‘Widows’ might have unfolded as a leaner, tighter operation.”
“In a way, the Coens complete the arc of the film, tying it together cohesively, by suggesting that the arc is random, sometimes cruel, and sometimes meaningless.”
“‘Fanny and Alexander’ is an easily entertaining primer to the cinema of Ingmar Bergman…”
“Patient blood aficianados who stick with the filmmaker to the final reel will most certainly receive their crimson reward.”
“‘The Clovehitch Killer’ offers much for the audience to ponder: what it means to be a man and a human, what it means to keep secrets and what it means to face monsters and survive.”
“For my money, David Lowery has been as much fun to watch as any filmmaker of his generation.”
“One of the most compelling things about ‘Les Diaboliques’ and its cinematic offspring is that viewers are always left with the sense that there are secrets untold, questions unanswered.”
“The success of ‘The Crossing’ and ‘The Third Wife’ should speak to the unique ability of female filmmakers and female characters in filling in the narrative gaps in Vietnamese and Chinese cinema, in which male directors wield dominant creative control.”
“Even when too much stuff is being thrown at the screen, it’s hard not to admire ‘Peripheral’ for trying.”
“If there’s a risk involved with watching ‘A Bread Factory’ — an honest and untarnished ode to the arts — it’s in thinking that its length could be a bad thing.”
“As in ‘Ida,’ Pawlikowski offers little exposition, which leaves the audience to gather any and all clues.”