London Film Festival Review: Pablo Larraín’s ‘Spencer’
“There is a general sense of otherworldliness that feels enrapturing in ‘Spencer,’ even if Larraín stumbles while addressing the heavier themes.”
“There is a general sense of otherworldliness that feels enrapturing in ‘Spencer,’ even if Larraín stumbles while addressing the heavier themes.”
“‘Gully Boy’ has as much heart as it does energy, and skillfully manages to avoid being a formulaic tearjerker about a poor boy from the slums.”
“Despite a variety of shortcomings that encompass eye-rolling fan-service lollipops and unresolved narrative threads, there is much to savor in ‘The Many Saints of Newark.'”
“‘V/H/S/94’ is a thoroughly decent installment despite its relatively slight nature. It’s a film which invites the audience to have a lot of fun but keeps an air of spooky credibility intact…”
“Kilmer’s personal observations and insights are always engaging in ‘Val’ and occasionally yield details and particulars that allow viewers to peek behind the curtain of fame.”
“While ‘Cry Macho’ succeeds with the set-up character scenes, it fails with its overall execution.”
“‘Red State’ boasts a starry cast, but Smith’s story is ruthlessly contained, captured with a grainy texture, and presented like a true no-budget indie horror, with bursts of shocking violence punctuating the tense atmosphere.”
“The magic of Hadzihalilovic’s ‘Earwig’ comes in the form of its suggestion that viewers abandon their expectations and preconceptions about what cinema should be and what a story can be.”
“‘Kid 90’ is a story that could have used more unguarded introspection.”
“‘Sundown’ is in the curious position of being a step backwards, while at least not plumbing to the ideological depths of ‘New Order’ to quite the same extent.”
“‘Medusa’ is so overstuffed that it can’t find a way to tie its myriad conflicting tones together…”
“‘Promare’ offers an electrifying amount of fun, and it’s perhaps one of the finest examples of escapist cinema during the COVID-19 era.”
“At just 20 years old, Luàna Bajrami has an assured artistic vision that makes ‘The Hill Where Lionesses Roar’ a stunning debut feature.”
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“‘Dashcam’ unintentionally reinforces the idea that protagonists must be likable in some fashion, even if depiction obviously doesn’t equal endorsement.”
“‘The Card Counter’ is a dark and moody work that successfully entertains and engages, reaching new heights for the experienced director.”
“‘The Mad Women’s Ball’ is a squandered opportunity when considering the richness of both the source material and the many stories encapsulated within the asylum walls.”
“At 100 minutes, ‘Bad Candy’ should be the ideal length for an anthology, but it feels equally overlong and rushed. The tone is also disconcertingly serious for such lowbrow material.”
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“The Interpreters’ most powerful moments emerge when the subjects speak about achieving their goals. Their eyes light up, they exude pure joy. It’s a unique type of happiness that bursts through the screen.”