“Indeed, in a film that so gleefully satirizes and undermines any attempts to impose order on existence, Betelgeuse can be regarded as a subversive savior for the families of Ronald Reagan’s America as much as a harbinger of destruction.”
“The story feints towards transgressive ideas but lacks the commitment for maximum impact.”
“‘The Red Shoes’ dynamically crosses from reality to fantasy, befitting a film that is itself a grand fiction, simultaneously reflecting and critiquing a true reality. That’s the power of cinema — that’s the power of ‘The Red Shoes.’”
“‘Women in Love’ maintains, despite the passage of nearly 50 years, a thoroughly modern aura.”
“In between Ford’s wide shots and Scorsese’s close-ups, there is an effort by each filmmaker to make faith real.”
“The shrieking masses are right on the money for once. Plaza’s tale of teen possession is powerfully scary.”
“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.”