The Harmony of ‘At Eternity’s Gate’ and ‘Loving Vincent’
“Both films are not only shaped by artists that understand van Gogh as an artist, they’re shaped by people that understand distinctly how van Gogh’s art made him human.”
ArteKino Festival 2018 Review: Peter Monsaert’s ‘Flemish Heaven’
“If ‘Flemish Heaven’ isn’t exactly positive about sex work, the flick at least isn’t negative either or, crucially, judgmental about the reasons a woman might decide to sleep with men for money. It’s still a step in the right direction for representation.”
In Praise of ‘Krampus’: Celebrating the Pinnacle Anti-Christmas Film
“‘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.”
ArteKino Festival 2018 Review: Anne Zohra Berrached’s ‘24 Weeks’
“‘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’: A Legendary Hustler Shares His Stories
“‘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.”
The Inescapable Magic of Bi Gan’s ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’
“In a way, the premise is just the antechamber that one has to see before entering the main room.”
Leave Them Kids Alone: The Subversive Commentary of ‘The Faculty’
“‘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.”
You Reap What You Sow: Jules Dassin’s ‘Thieves’ Highway’
“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.”
Blood in the Snow Film Festival 2018: A Showcase for Shorts
“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.”
Film Noir and Apocalyptic Anxiety
“Where is our own cinema of madness?”
Love, Society and Nations in ‘The Age of Innocence’ and ‘The Remains of the Day’
“‘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.”
House Heist: Steve McQueen’s Stylish ‘Widows’
“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.”
Why ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ Is More Than the Sum of Its Parts
“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.”
Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: Ingmar Bergman’s ‘Fanny and Alexander’
“‘Fanny and Alexander’ is an easily entertaining primer to the cinema of Ingmar Bergman…”
Danse Macabre: Luca Guadagnino Reimagines ‘Suspiria’
“Patient blood aficianados who stick with the filmmaker to the final reel will most certainly receive their crimson reward.”
Men and Monsters in ‘The Clovehitch Killer’
“‘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.”
‘The Old Man & the Gun’: David Lowery Directs a Robert Redford Victory Lap
“For my money, David Lowery has been as much fun to watch as any filmmaker of his generation.”
‘Les diaboliques’ and the Beginnings of the Erotic Thriller
“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.”
Growing Pains: Asian Cinema and the Coming-of-Age Film
“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.”
Review: Paul Hyett’s ‘Peripheral’
“Even when too much stuff is being thrown at the screen, it’s hard not to admire ‘Peripheral’ for trying.”