Review: Tim Hautekiet’s ‘Me, Myself & the Void’
“‘Me, Myself & the Void’ was clearly made with passion and enthusiasm, but none of Hautekiet’s efforts can stop the mystery from feeling like it’s dragging its heels towards an obvious conclusion…”
Review: Benjamin Ree’s ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’
“There are moments of richness in ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,’ but they only materialize when Ree allows his tale to be told from the only truly lived-in perspective.”
Review: Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night’
“‘Saturday Night’ punctuates each act with impressive editing. It’s a big exclamation point — an ode to the original cast and crew, a celebration of comedic camaraderie and the creative process.”
Review: Jonathan Smith’s ‘Guy Friends’
“The main issue with ‘Guy Friends’ is that the film hinges on Jariwala’s performance, which is heavy on histrionics and lacking in truth.”
Review: Hoag Kepner’s ‘Torched – The Story of the Austin Torch’
“As a sports documentary, ‘Torched’ succeeds by establishing and celebrating the DIY culture of both Austin, Texas and the featured frisbee squad.”
Review: Vivian Kerr’s ‘Scrap’
“‘Scrap,’ the feature directorial debut from actress Vivian Kerr, is yet another festival darling that is indeed charming, but one that doesn’t quite pack a punch with its overall visual design and technical execution.”
Review: Ran Huang’s ‘What Remains’
“‘What Remains’ is a low-key stylish film about human potential and the elevation of consciousness, though Huang keeps the audience trapped in a dark and uncomfortable place with his cryptic storytelling.”
Review: Jac Cron’s ‘Chestnut’
“Director Jac Cron shows major filmmaking potential with her feature debut, though the underdeveloped screenplay will presumably irritate the casual moviegoer.”
Review: Chip Joslin’s ‘Insane Like Me?’
“‘Insane Like Me?,’ a vampire thriller with little visual style, relies on decent lead performances to make up for a clunky screenplay.”
Review: Cara Mones and Caroline Suh’s ‘Sorry/Not Sorry’
“Sorry/Not Sorry’ is fascinating with its exploration of ethics, but Mones and Suh’s documentary essentially plays out like a CliffsNotes version of The New York Times’ 2017 report about Louis C.K.’s sexual misconduct.”
Review: Pablo Feldman and Sophia Sabella’s ‘Edge of Everything’
“‘Edge of Everything’ straddles the line of original storytelling and coming-of-age tropes like its teenage protagonist straddles the line between adolescence and adulthood.”
Review: Don Hardy’s ‘Linda Perry: Let It Die Here’
“‘Linda Perry: Let It Die Here’ is a moving study of female self-empowerment and perseverance.”
Open Roads: New Italian Cinema Review – Roberta Torre’s ‘Mi fanno male i capelli’
“‘Mi fanno male I capelli’ communicates an important message about the theatrical movie experience that cinephiles will appreciate: some people find inner peace through the outdoors, while others experience closure and rebirth in dark places.”
Open Roads: New Italian Cinema Review – Pietro Castellitto’s ‘Enea’
“‘Enea’ is full of rich character development, yet the protagonists and antiheroes seem like archetypal figures dropped into a real world setting inhabited by naturalistic side players.”
Open Roads: New Italian Cinema Review – Stefano Sollima’s ‘Adagio’
“Somewhat epic like Michael Mann’s ‘Heat’ (1995) and political in nature like Sollima’s underrated series ‘ZeroZeroZero’ (2020), ‘Adagio’ executes its brutal messaging through cinematographer Paolo Carnera’s observant visual language.”
Review: Quarxx’s ‘Pandemonium’
“Quarxx guides the audience along through a French nightmare tale in ‘Pandemonium’ but doesn’t seem fully invested in what’s scary beyond the surface-level gore. He swings for the fences and falls on home plate in the process.”
Passion, Truth and Lillian Gish: The American Film Foundation Collection Releases Digitally on Vimeo
“Gish speaks confidently and passionately about acting in Sanders’ American Masters documentary, but perhaps the most intriguing moments emerge when she discusses her love for film preservation…”
Open Roads: New Italian Cinema Review – Paola Cortellesi’s ‘There’s Still Tomorrow’
“‘There’s Still Tomorrow,’ the feature directorial debut by Italian actress Paola Cortellesi, betrays traditional World War II-era films with its unique style and subversion.”
Review: Guillaume Campanacci and Vesper Egon’s ‘Whenever I’m Alone with You’
“‘Whenever I’m Alone with You’ often feels pretentious, albeit in the best way possible.”
Review: Isaac Hirotsu Woofter’s ‘Bound’
“‘Bound,’ the feature directorial debut from actor Isaac Hirotsu Woofter, spotlights the struggles of fringe society characters but falls apart with its confusing editing and narrative structure.”