“‘José’ depicts a toxic environment where no one can love freely, where relationships are doomed to sink and where looking at the sky can only offer a fickle joy lasting as briefly as fireworks during a hot summer night.”
“‘Sauvage’ emerges in the context of ‘BPM (Beats Per Minute)’ as a darker, grittier cousin. Both tell physically intimate stories, but where ‘BPM (Beats Per Minute)’ brims with romance, anger and sheer joy, ‘Sauvage’ has a harder edge and leaves more of a bitter taste.”
“‘Sophia Antipolis’ is not a movie that will be easily digested outside of movie theaters, as it goes mostly for an aesthetic experience rather than a plot-driven story.”
“‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ finds a solidly affecting balance of lightheartedness, satire and true, resonant emotion in its final 20 minutes…”
“A worthy tale of a pivotal figure, ‘Mr. Jones’ deserves consideration, even if it is to be met with confusion and scorn.”
“‘Monos’ is a powerhouse of mood and aesthetic, weaponising every element of the form in service of a nightmarish descent into hell in the vein of ‘Lord of the Flies’ or ‘Heart of Darkness.’”
“‘The Souvenir’ is an infuriating but ultimately rewarding experience set to inspire deep criticism and analysis.”
“Waves are dark in Salatić’s sea, and the sound of a constant, unavoidable motor seems to be heard within every character.”
“By suggesting that this 24-hour period is a milestone, or page, of an ongoing story, Kostova creates an insightful portrait crafted from carefully-observed scraps and shards. The result is strangely dazzling, like a mosaic.”
“Cagney’s sadistic lead in ‘White Heat,’ a searing 1949 crime drama from director Raoul Walsh, is something well past the norms of a conventional male protagonist — or antagonist, for that matter.”
“‘Go Home’ is quite a modest film in its wider intentions and cultural implications, and that often works to its advantage from a technical perspective.”
“‘Lords of Chaos’ is a nasty little treat: involving, fascinating and often shocking.”
“With surprising poignancy, ‘Asako I and II’ channels the humbling smallness of life’s journey, and the human tendency to resist this banal, often disappointing reality with self-delusion.”
“Another stunning work of perfectly placed ellipses and calculated restraint, Pawel Pawlikowski’s ‘Cold War’ is a film filled with images as iconic and austere as its blunt title.”
“Perhaps dismissing von Trier’s work is the right course of action for those that have never found anything to connect to in his films. As for the rest of us (women)… the relationship will only continue to take warped, strained forms.”
“The presence of Binoche in ‘Let the Sunshine In’ is a bit of brilliance that taunts and challenges the viewer; if Isabelle can’t find lasting, fulfilling tenderness and companionship, what chance do the rest of us have?”
“‘The Deer Hunter’ encapsulates a commanding representation of a precise period in American history, a precise location and precise types of men — somewhat clichéd, yes, but remarkably representative.”
“Liminality is the coin of Martel’s realm in ‘Zama,’ and she manages to make the excruciating uncertainty of the long pause an engrossing experience for the audience…”
“With ‘The Tale,’ Jennifer Fox addresses a painful subject in a straightforward and clear-eyed manner.”
“Over 71 neatly-distilled minutes in ‘Those Who Are Fine,’ Schäublin emerges as an artist with a keen analytical eye and a knack for mischief hidden beneath layers of despondency and detachment.”