Review: Sian Heder’s ‘CODA’
“Though Coda’s representation of deaf characters is insightful and moving, the film’s reliance on cheap sentimentality threatens its most perceptive and entertaining qualities.”
WOMAN: At the Heart of James Cameron’s Filmmaking
“If you’re looking for feminism, don’t look at James Cameron — look at his films.”
Review: Sian Heder’s ‘CODA’
“Even though the comic juxtapositions can be as broad as the side of a barn in ‘CODA,’ the familial conflicts on the flip side of the coin resonate with hard truths.”
Review: Ira Deutchman’s ‘Searching for Mr. Rugoff’
“In today’s world of carefully crafted film industry personas, ‘Searching for Mr. Rugoff’ stands out with its character study about an art house fanatic who embraced the beautiful chaos of being a curious cinephile.”
Fantasia Fest Review: Paul Andrew Williams’ ‘Bull’
“Williams’ reliance on violence doesn’t transgress in ‘Bull,’ it merely toes the line. Imagine what he could do if he really let himself go.”
Fantasia Fest Review: Stefan Lernous’ ‘Hotel Poseidon’
“Like any work of surrealism, one is likely to get more out of ‘Hotel Poseidon’ based on how much one puts into it.”
Cinema Rediscovered: ‘No Place Like Home’
“For a film completed in fits and starts over so many years, there’s a remarkable intellectual coherence to ‘No Place Like Home.'”
Review: Craig Singer’s ‘6:45’
“There’s a strong message at the heart of ‘6:45,’ in terms of accountability and psychological trauma, but the film seems derivative of genre predecessors and unfocused as a whole.”
Fantasia Fest Review: Sôshi Masumoto’s ‘It’s a Summer Film!’
“‘It’s a Summer Film!’ has a genuine emotional core, which layers each wild twist into another heartrending moment.”
Review: Leos Carax’s ‘Annette’
“Though ‘Annette’ has moments of visual splendor and transcendence, the underutilization of its stars and irritating music make the movie a disappointing return for Carax.”
Review: David Lowery’s ‘The Green Knight’
“The Green Knight’s impactful imagery and intensity outweigh its sometimes overly cryptic metaphors, allowing for quality entertainment.”
Cinema Rediscovered: ‘The Story of a Three-Day Pass’
“The cultural energy of the French New Wave is all over ‘The Story of a Three-Day Pass,’ not least because Van Peebles moved to Paris with his young family and published four novels in French as he was learning the language.”
The Sensual Delights of Michael Cristofer’s ‘Original Sin’
“‘Original Sin’ is an unabashedly horny movie, and Cristofer isn’t shy about showing off either of his gorgeous stars.”
Review: Vivian Kleiman’s ‘No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics’
“One of the most enjoyable aspects of ‘No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics’ is evident again and again in the close-knit support shared among the ‘elder statespeople.'”
Review: Tom McCarthy’s ‘Stillwater’
“By wrestling with questions of identity, politics and home in a bewitching fashion, ‘Stillwater’ refuses to belittle and judge its characters, and challenges viewers to do the same.”
A Quest for Happiness: On Neil Jordan’s ‘Mona Lisa’
“‘Mona Lisa’ was ahead of its time, a precursor of urban fairy tales in late 90s British cinema.”
Collecting Movies with Conor Holt
Greg Carlson Interviews Conor Holt About Movie Collecting
The Endless Yearning in Mani Kaul’s ‘Ashad Ka Ek Din’
“Fifty years since its release, ‘Ashad Ka Ek Din’ holds on to its Bressonian and austere power.”
Review: Carlos López Estrada’s ‘Summertime’
“‘Summertime’ feels wrong-headed, even if its heart is in the right place.”
Review: M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Old’
“While ‘Old’ never quite fully connects emotionally, the themes inherent in the story help lend the movie the depth it doesn’t get from the performances”