“Merritt establishes herself as more than simply the main character in a bubbly teen film. She presents a progressive face and viewpoint at a time when society was still struggling to evolve.”
“Kuroneko’s otherworldly visuals evoke a reality shaped by great and sinister powers, and a world where fate will always scupper the impudent plans of hubristic men.”
“‘A Wrinkle in Time’ is for kids, and I mean ‘made for kids’ in the supportive definition rather than the usual lazy and disparaging connotation that’s carelessly applied to more lukewarm family films.”
“Bergman doesn’t need tricks because the simplicity of what he’s presenting will cut you to the core if you open yourself up and let it in.”
“Representation matters, and this film matters, even though it’s far from perfect. In times like these, ‘Love, Simon’ should be celebrated.”
“In the end, the humor fades away in favor of political machinations, but the film’s killer gags are still numerable.”
“Milestone’s two exciting releases are a part of a larger, necessary effort to bring visibility to Weber’s cinematic labor and influence, which can no longer be ignored.”
“Even if you do not believe in the soul, the film makes it impossible to deny the soul of a country, that which births us, grooms us, and to which we add as we live and die inside it.”
Marshall Shaffer’s Selections for Rendez-Vous with French Cinema (March 8-18, 2018)
“In ‘António and Catarina,’ the potential of youth contrasts the accumulated regrets of age.”
“Formally electrifying and ethically discomfiting at the same time, ‘Flight of a Bullet’ is a movie one could just as easily gawk at in wonder or endlessly debate over.”
“As ‘Blade Runner 2049’ suggests, perhaps the way forward into a future of possibility is through a deeper investigation of the past’s secrets.”
“I contend that not only has Nolan grown as an auteur, but that he has perfectly captured a universal truth to which all may relate and celebrate.”
“Suspense and tension aren’t strictly necessary to this kind of Lovecraftian horror, but even so, the film suffocates under the weight of its own portentousness.”
The Conclusion of Marshall Shaffer’s #FilmStruckFebruary
A Comparative Essay by Ellie Steiner
“‘Annihilation’ is far from indecipherable, as it counts on its ability to be understood.”
“I’m convinced that understanding the progression is a crucial bridge in any attempt to understand how the two distinct portions of Bergman’s filmography interact.”
“Under the direction of the gutsy Linda Söffker, the Perspektive Deutsches Kino continues to tell some of the most interesting stories at Berlinale.”
“While messy in parts and offering more of a sprint than a narrative marathon, there is great heart and ferocious energy in this cartoonish caper.”