“‘Reconciliation’ exists in a curious middle ground, stuck between the effectiveness of its craft and touching, humanist storytelling and the wider narrative desires that pull both artists and audiences to these stories.”
“Those who have faced tremendous or even overwhelming emotional hurricanes following the death of a close friend or family member will appreciate the movement of time in ‘Sophie Jones.'”
“‘Risen’ won’t fare well with impatient streamers. Writer-director Eddie Arya should be applauded for his creative ambition, but even the most forward-thinking filmmakers need strong performances to sell their product.”
“‘Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back’ is joyful and silly, colorful and wacky, with a surprisingly sweet core — broken down to its basest form, this is a film about friendship and, at a push, the importance of owning your IP.”
“‘Flag Day’ refuses to ponder challenging ideas but still wants its viewers to be moved.”
“Hopefully, as the horror genre continues to grow and deepen, it won’t lose sight of itself as ‘Martyrs Lane’ sadly does.”
“Between ‘Rare Beasts’ and Alice Lowe’s brilliant ‘Prevenge,’ there might be a burgeoning market for pregnancy-themed horror movies.”
“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.”
“If you’re looking for feminism, don’t look at James Cameron — look at his films.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“Like any work of surrealism, one is likely to get more out of ‘Hotel Poseidon’ based on how much one puts into it.”
“For a film completed in fits and starts over so many years, there’s a remarkable intellectual coherence to ‘No Place Like Home.'”
“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.”
“‘It’s a Summer Film!’ has a genuine emotional core, which layers each wild twist into another heartrending moment.”
“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.”
“The Green Knight’s impactful imagery and intensity outweigh its sometimes overly cryptic metaphors, allowing for quality entertainment.”
“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.”
“‘Original Sin’ is an unabashedly horny movie, and Cristofer isn’t shy about showing off either of his gorgeous stars.”