Losses Made in Heaven: Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ and ‘Casino’
“In Scorsese’s inversion of the downfall, paradise isn’t the origin and its loss doesn’t mean moral decrepitude, only mediocrity.”
Review: Martin Scorsese’s ‘Silence’
“For all its violence and grandiosity, it stands as an impressively filmed indictment against religious persecution.”
Heartstrings: The Musical Presence of Martin Scorsese’s Films
“More than any of Scorsese’s own cameos, his music accompanies viewers as they watch, as if he were watching along with everybody else.”
What I Learned from Martin Scorsese’s ‘Life Lessons’
“Martin Scorsese’s ‘Life Lessons’ benefits more from analysis as a self-standing artistic expression than as a counterpoint to the other installments of ‘New York Stories.'”
Toxic Masculinity and Empathetic Comedy: Martin Scorsese’s ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’
“The cumulative effect of ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ is one of openness and warmth.”
The Way of the Future: The Connections Between Martin Scorsese’s ‘Raging Bull’ and ‘The Aviator’
“With ‘Raging Bull’ and ‘The Aviator,’ Martin Scorsese perfects a configuration of the biopic as self-recognized fiction.”
‘Arrival’ and the Perils of Science Fiction
“What is awkward about these ‘Arrival’ reviews is how they oppose the film’s best qualities to its generic roots.”
Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: Pedro Costa’s ‘In Vanda’s Room’
“Whatever its genus, ‘In Vanda’s Room’ is one harrowing motion picture… It is also one of the best films from the past 20 years.”
Weak Story Beats Muddle ‘Frank & Lola’
“There’s plenty to appreciate in ‘Frank & Lola,’ and it’s far from a bad film. However, the story beats feel awkward and random.”
Streamless – Off the Subscription Grid: ‘Film’ Starring 1965 Buster Keaton
“How are we doing here, folks? Does any of this make a lick of sense?”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘Baby Doll’ Celebrates Its 60th Anniversary
A Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith
James Benning’s ‘Stemple Pass’: Minimalist Horror for Trump’s America
“Played in 2016, it’s eerily prophetic.”
Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Fear and Desire’
“‘Fear and Desire’ is more than just a curio for the Kubrick completist. It is indeed a genuinely revealing work.”
The Subversive Power of ‘Elle’
“‘Elle’ is a demented Rorschach test of the highest degree.”
A Portraiture of Grief in ‘Manchester by the Sea’ and ‘Personal Shopper’
“Whereas Lonergan interrogates the realities of grief with sober restraint, ‘Personal Shopper’ director Olivier Assayas plunges viewers right into his protagonist’s bereaved headspace.”
Streamless – Off the Subscription Grid: ‘The Star Wars Holiday Special’
Mike Postalakis on the 1978 Fiasco ‘The Star Wars Holiday Special’
Why Criticism: Adam Nayman’s ‘Ben Wheatley: Confusion and Carnage’
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
Genre Sampling: On Iranian Vampires, Adolescent Demons, Long Nights and Shards of Kryptonite
“Tropes and archetypes are global, fitting into different national contexts while carrying with them the memory of their international itineraries.”
James Bond and Artifice
“No longer tasked with putting the missing pieces of action, intrigue and effects together in our heads, the artifice of Bond is gone forever — and with it, any room for playful interpretation.”
No Exit: Access and Isolation in Babak Anvari’s ‘Under the Shadow’
“‘Under the Shadow’ is an admirable film, albeit not wholly original.”