‘Midsommar’ Review: Superb Direction Can’t Make Up for Weak Storytelling
“‘Midsommar’ is all steak, no sizzle, and no real lessons are learned other than, maybe, ‘Screw your mansplaining boyfriend.’”
The Western Enters the 70s – Part 3: Expansion Pains
“The cowboy is an emissary of civilisation, enduring all the hardships the elements can throw at him to create a space in which civilised values can flourish unhindered. The symbolism of the cowboy is so potent that it continues to be invoked for political gain.”
On Performance by Q.V. Hough: Rosamund Pike in ‘A Private War’
“In ‘A Private War,’ Rosamund Pike embodies a woman under the influence, a real-life war journalist in pursuit of truth. She establishes an authentic physical interpretation — high shoulders, low vocal tone, 90-degree arm posturing — and then improvises for a more in-depth character portrait.”
A Storm Is Threat’ning: Perspectives on The Rolling Stones and ‘Gimme Shelter’
“Whether they intended to or not, the ‘Gimme Shelter’ filmmakers had tapped into and exposed a diabolical soul and a deep-seated hostility. The sun that had fleetingly shone so brightly was starting to set.”
Once Upon a Time in Tarantinoland: ‘Inglourious Basterds’ Deftly Blends Suspense and Black Comedy
“‘Inglourious Basterds’ is a study in suspense.”
Rachel Lears Showcases New Progressive Voices in ‘Knock Down the House’
“…an energizing portrait of working class, mad-as-hell action — and the birth of a national celebrity.”
‘Yesterday’ Squanders Fab Concept for Tired Rom-Com Tropes
“‘Yesterday’ didn’t need to be a dry, emotionless sci-fi story, but in taking such a basic approach to the concept, it really lessens the impact and results in a watered-down, forgettable experience.”
Edinburgh Film Festival Review: Phuttiphong Aroonpheng’s ‘Manta Ray’
“Featuring powerful lead performances, ‘Manta Ray’ is like a perfectly wrapped present that needs to be opened with care.”
Review: Nisha Ganatra’s ‘Late Night’
“‘Late Night’ struggles to define almost all the characters in the ensemble beyond providing the majority with a single, instantly recognizable trait.”
Edinburgh Film Festival Review: Agnès Varda’s ‘Varda by Agnès’
“Playing almost like a self-eulogy, ‘Varda by Agnès’ resonates as both a manifesto to untamed creativity and a testament to future generations of artists.”
BAMCinemaFest Review: Diana Peralta’s ‘De Lo Mio’
“While moments of grace and levity abound, Peralta remains clear-eyed about the difficulty of maintaining relationships – to people, to places, to the past – and rarely backs off from her stance.”
‘Batman’ at 30: An Iconic Adventure Film That Reinvigorated the Superhero Genre
“Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy has become THE Batman interpretation, heralded for its gritty realism. But in my book, ‘Batman’ is the better comicbook movie.”
The Western Enters the 70s – Part 2: Kicking Down the Doors
“With the Acid Western, the genre had once again proven itself capable of assimilating new grievances and anxieties.”
Edinburgh Film Festival Review: Jessie Jeffrey Dunn Rovinelli’s ‘So Pretty’
“Tip-toeing on the smudged edges between fiction and documentary, ‘So Pretty’ is an experiment in means of representation and ultimately a tender ode to an unjustly forgotten author.”
BAMCinemaFest Review: Tayarisha Poe’s ‘Selah and The Spades’
“Poe’s direction creates a heightened but never unrealistic frame in which her characters can maneuver. Her singular, assured vision avoids stilted dialogue or absurd scenes.”
Review: Nahnatchka Khan’s ‘Always Be My Maybe’
“The rom-com isn’t dead. It was simply evolving into something more interesting, more modern and more accepting.”
Once Upon a Time in Tarantinoland: ‘Death Proof’ Is a Fun Grindhouse Detour But a Lesser Tarantino Film
“‘Death Proof’ is too singularly grindhouse, but it works as a fun, trashy flick, and a cool female empowerment story.”
Martin Scorsese and Bob Dylan Make Believe in ‘Rolling Thunder Revue’
“Not everyone, and not even every Dylan fan, will go along with the tall tales, but amidst the japes are several of the most riveting live performances of Dylan’s career.”
Sergio Caballero’s ‘Je te tiens’: The Many Machinations of a Movie
“‘Je te tiens’ connotes a representation of the conversation that exists between the inner contextual world of a film and the overarching art of filmmaking itself.”
La Quinzaine des Réalisateurs Review: Ariane Labed’s ‘Olla’
“Through sharp sound design and awkward moments of situational comedy, ‘Olla’ highlights the inner fire of a young woman; a charismatic vagabond. Like her frequent collaborator Yorgos Lanthimos, Labed uses tonally offbeat situations to hilariously explore perceptions of logical and illogical behavior.”