Studio Ghibli Forever: An Initiation – ‘Princess Mononoke’
“‘Princess Mononoke’ explores the gaping chasm between nature’s gentle acceptance of circumstance and humanity’s steadfast refusal to quietly accept death.”
EIFF 2016: Agnieszka Smoczynska’s ‘The Lure’
“It may sound like an odd compliment to praise a film for coming across like an ambien trip.”
Icon Is My Last Name: Andreas Horvath’s ‘Helmut Berger, Actor’
“We don’t who Helmut Berger is. Neither does he. Once a star, he will always be a star.”
Two Drink Minimum: Jake Szymanski’s ‘Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates’
“It’s not a dumb movie pretending to be smart, it’s a dumb movie worried about (yet still embracing) its own base stupidity.”
Why Criticism: James Agee’s Vision of the American Cinema
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
Two Drink Minimum: ‘What’s Manzai?!!’
“It looks like a ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’ episode was produced about manzai after they lost Bill, their writers and about ninety percent of their budget.”
We Failed This Film: Jesse Moss’ ‘The Overnighters’ (2014)
A Series by Dylan Moses Griffin
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘Top of the Lake’ (Jane Campion & Garth Davis, 2013)
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith
Studio Ghibli Forever: An Initiation – ‘Only Yesterday’
“An enchanting film that surreally embraces the child within, ‘Only Yesterday’ feels like the first Studio Ghibli film to be firmly aimed at an adult crowd.”
EIFF 2016 Review: Zach Clark’s ‘Little Sister’
“‘Little Sister’ has a uniformly strong cast, but Addison Timlin gives one of those star-making turns that, if the universe is at all just, will be but the first prominent stepping stone for an extraordinary career.”
Why Criticism: James Agee’s Voice
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
The Witchy Women of ‘The Fits’: Sexuality in Anna Rose Holmer’s Debut
“One of many elements ‘the fits’ represent is this notion of burgeoning sexuality and how young women respond to the loss of virginity.”
Piecing Together the Fragments of Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘A Married Woman’
“With ‘A Married Woman,’ Godard appears fully devoted to topical bullet points through an essayistic structure, forgoing conventional narrative, character development or expedient pacing.”
Review: Johnnie To’s ‘Three’
“To missteps when ‘Three’ hews too close to action clichés.”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘An Angel at My Table’ (Jane Campion, 1990)
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith
Studio Ghibli Forever: An Initiation – ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’
“‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ captures the imaginations of young viewers while imploring the older among them to let common sense go in order to enjoy the pop music and irrefutable heart.”
Why Criticism: Interview with Josh Spiegel, Co-Host of ‘Mousterpiece Cinema Podcast’
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
EIFF 2016 Review: Christy Garland’s ‘Cheer Up’
“Garland’s structure with the film’s construction is part observational documentary, part techniques used more with fiction features.”
Two Drink Minimum: The Rock and ‘Central Intelligence’ – When Wit Gets Ripped
“Would we like The Rock as much if he wasn’t shredded like taco lettuce?”
Bestiary of the Mind: René Laloux’s ‘Fantastic Planet’
“As a whole, ‘Fantastic Planet’ works both as fascinating relic and singular cinematic experience, thick with psychedelic riches for the eyes and ears.”