Sweet, Satisfying and Sex-Positive: ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ at 10
“‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ is a lot like a modern ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ for broke 30-somethings rather than wealthy, super-hot business types.”
‘Scrooged’ Is Still the Most Modern ‘Christmas Carol’
“‘Scrooged’ carries on Dickens’ themes and message in a way that speaks the most directly and urgently to its audience, teaching that “the miracle” of giving can happen to all of us, at any time. Provided, of course, we can turn off the TV for just long enough.”
Love Me or Kill Me: Sex, Death and Desire in Yann Gonzalez’s ‘Knife + Heart’
“Sex and death may be inseparable, but, to the commune of queers and pornographers of ‘Knife + Heart,’ so are sex and life.”
ArteKino Festival 2018 Review: Babis Makridis’ ‘Pity’
“What saves ‘Pity,’ and the ‘Greek Weird Wave’ as a whole, from tipping into nihilism is the humanism at its core; it is the pessimism of thwarted hopes rather than the negative drive of cynicism.”
Ballad of Lee Israel: Marielle Heller’s Excellent ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’
“‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ is simultaneously suspenseful and laidback.”
‘Hospitality’ Review: Emmanuelle Chriqui Needs More Thriller Roles
“Chriqui proves that she’s ready for the next phase in her career, whether it’s in westerns or thrillers. Take heed, Quentin Tarantino.”
ArteKino Festival 2018 Review: Cyril Schäublin’s ‘Those Who Are Fine’
“Over 71 neatly-distilled minutes in ‘Those Who Are Fine,’ Schäublin emerges as an artist with a keen analytical eye and a knack for mischief hidden beneath layers of despondency and detachment.”
ArteKino Festival 2018 Review: Katharina Mückstein’s ‘L’animale’
“Though the film may try to push its characters into a predetermined path of conflict and personal epiphany, more elusive forms of life can’t help but flood the frame and intrigue with effortless and unutterable tales of their own.”
Review: Rebekah and David Ian McKendry’s ‘All the Creatures Were Stirring’
“Whether ‘All the Creatures Were Stirring’ becomes a festive must-watch remains to be seen, but there’s enough to enjoy for it to be a part of horror fans’ yearly rotation.”
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.”