Guilty or Not Guilty: On Mrinal Sen’s ‘Kharij’
“‘Kharij’ is a scathing expose of societal problems that — truth be told — aren’t exclusive to Indian society.”
This Is the Sound: Apichatpong Weerasethakul Contemplates ‘Memoria’
“Reading ‘Memoria’ as metanarrative unlocks only one layer of joy — Weerasethakul treats Jessica’s quest with complete respect. The source of the sound is eventually revealed. And with that revelation, the filmmaker just GOES FOR IT.”
Mind Your Manners at the House of Sorrentino
“In a time when filmmakers get hung out to dry for depicting problematic characters, why is it still OK to mock Italian culture every time a big Italian-themed movie releases?”
A Yearning for Selfhood in Anup Singh’s ‘Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost’
“By grounding ‘Qissa’ in naturalism and avoiding melodramatic tropes, Singh creates a uniquely beguiling viewing experience.”
Review: Michael M. Bilandic’s ‘Project Space 13’
“In films like ‘Hellaware’ and ‘Jobe’z World,’ Bilandic favors the abstract over character development. ‘Project Space 13’ is much more refined and practical; the jokes land better because of the depth and organic qualities.”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Licorice Pizza’ Has All the Best Toppings
“Both ‘Licorice Pizza’ and ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ nail the anything-is-possible look and feel of Southern California dreaming.”
Review: Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Nightmare Alley’
“Those who’ve come to love del Toro for his auteurist elements may be put off by ‘Nightmare Alley’ — it’s recognizably his film, yet it jettisons the presence of a supernatural element as well as twists the usual empathy found in his movies toward darker ends.”
Review: Gonzalo Maza’s ‘This Is Cristina’
“‘This Is Cristina’ makes a strong case for the idea that truly honest art emerges when one feels like they have lost everything else.”
Buried Secrets and Hidden Lies: On Prithvi Konanur’s ‘Where Is Pinki?’
“‘Where Is Pinki?’ speaks to the soul with its incessant probes into the human spirit and the degradations brought by unforeseen circumstances.”
No Future for You: The Cinematic Image of 70s Britain
“The 70s were a tumultuous and often bleak decade for the British film industry, and this pessimism bled into its output.”
The World Is Working: Michael Glawogger’s Trilogy on Poverty and Labor
“The real horrors of Glawogger’s films are the moments when people, having been given an opportunity to open up, are crushed by their own words.”
Review: Maximiliano Contenti’s ‘The Last Matinee’
“‘The Last Matinee’ doesn’t necessarily celebrate gore cinema, but rather the concept that moviegoers can evolve and mature by directly facing their fears.”
Review: Jane Campion’s ‘The Power of the Dog’
“It is surely a disservice to reduce Campion’s filmography to a study in gender, despite the longstanding focus of so much scholarship.”
Review: Peter Middleton and James Spinney’s ‘The Real Charlie Chaplin’
“With almost surgical precision, filmmakers Peter Middleton and James Spinney dissect the life and work of a legend in ‘The Real Charlie Chaplin,’ a worthwhile addition to the many studies of one of the most recognizable screen performers in cinema history.”
‘House of Gucci’: A Disappointing Oddity
“Right from the get-go in ‘House of Gucci,’ it’s clear that something is amiss.”
Collecting Movies with Kathleen Loock
Kathleen Loock Interview: A conversation about movie collecting with Vague Visages contributor Greg Carlson.
Review: Sion Sono’s ‘Prisoners of the Ghostland’
“‘Prisoners of the Ghostland’ is like a failed yet well-made pilot episode, one that teases high drama but doesn’t have anything interesting to say about the characters.”
Review: Malcolm Ingram’s ‘Clerk’
“The biggest takeaway from ‘Clerk,’ aside from the fact that the terrific Joey Lauren Adams should’ve had a bigger career, is that nobody is more surprised by Smith’s success than the man himself.”
Embracing the New Normal: ‘The Addams Family’ Is Timeless at 30
“‘The Addams Family’ is a beacon of hope for weird kids everywhere, since Wednesday and Pugsley are never forced to change who they are to fit in, nor do they care what anyone thinks.”
Review: Casey Tebo’s ‘Black Friday’
“Tebo’s low-stakes take on holiday horror is a lot like Christmas candy; ‘Black Friday’ hits the spot, but you might be left craving something slightly more substantial soon afterwards.”