Review: Tetsuya Nakashima’s ‘The World of Kanako’
“For all its frenetic editing, energetic performances and twisty narrative structure, there is sadly an elephant in the room, and that’s the film’s treatment (or mistreatment) of women.”
Conspiracy Theories: Eli Roth’s ‘Knock Knock’ and Chilewood
Jaime Grijalba, a Chilean writer, comments on the exploitation of his country’s cinematic landscape.
Review: Terence Davies’ ‘Sunset Song’
“Featuring a standout performance from Agyness Dean and some of the best landscape photography since Mr. Turner, Sunset Song strikes a balance between toil and ecstasy that is at once overwhelming and completely uplifting.”
A Surreal Massacre: Fargo ‘The Castle’ (Recap)
“Like the film, as much as Fargo looks like it’s set in our universe, dashes of the absurd emphasize that the series works under its own logic.”
Lust, Caution: Barbara Hammer’s ‘Nitrate Kisses’
Lust, Caution is a bi-monthly series of essays that examines films within the label of “queer cinema.”
Where Is My Mind?: The Leftovers ‘I Live Here Now’ (Recap)
“If this is the last hour we spend watching The Leftovers, then “I Live Here Now” is certainly a historic one that successfully doubles as both a season finale and a series finale.”
Review: Tom Browne’s ‘Radiator’
“Radiator never actually “deals” with any of the lofty existentialisms it digs up, firmly positing that they should remain the unknowable, unthinkable aspects of life.”
A Tragic Turn: Fargo ‘Did You Do This? No, You Did It!’ (Recap)
“Throughout Season Two, Fargo has maintained an impeccable balance between comedy and tragedy.”
The Black Lodge: The Leftovers ‘International Assassin’ (Recap)
“The otherworldly has always existed on the peripheries in The Leftovers, but in “International Assassin,” the physical world and the surreal world truly collide.”
Review: Francis Lawrence’s ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2’
“A triumphant end for a series often mocked by critics for its narrative simplicity and “Young Adult” classification, Mockingjay – Part 2 is the finale that fans deserve. “
Tension Mounts: Fargo ‘Rhinoceros’ (Recap)
“One of the most impressive aspects of Fargo this season has been the show’s ability to digress without ever losing focus.”
With ‘Carol,’ Todd Haynes Conveys Love Like Few Other Filmmakers
“As premature as it might be to say in a review for an initial theatrical run, Carol more than earns the right of comparison to Brief Encounter in terms of quality. Frankly, it’s one of the new great romantic films.”
Death Is the Road to Awe: The Leftovers ‘A Most Powerful Adversary’ (Recap)
“On Lost, cliffhanger endings were simply a part of the storytelling structure. For The Leftovers, “A Most Powerful Adversary” is perhaps the episode that bares the most striking resemblance to Lost given the dooming conclusion.”
Review: Davis Guggenheim’s ‘He Named Me Malala’
“Despite Guggenheim’s asymmetrical approach, Malala’s unquestionable bravery and youthful idealism shine through.”
Murder and Reagan: Fargo ‘The Gift of the Magi’ (Recap)
“The voice of a fictional Ronald Reagan (played with a perfect mix of jocularity and sincerity by Bruce Campbell) looms over ‘The Gift of the Magi,’ setting a tone in the first act that never wanes throughout the episode.”
Faith and Superstition: The Leftovers ‘Lens’ (Recap)
“I suppose it’s a testament to the quality of The Leftovers that a less than spectacular episode can feel like a letdown.”
Out of Respect for the Dead: Fargo ‘Fear and Trembling’ (Recap)
“In Noah Hawley’s show inspired by the Coen brothers’ work, a high body count and a willingness to laugh at it have been no less a part of the universe, in some ways serving as the most direct connection between the series and the film.”
The Book of Job: The Leftovers ‘No Room at the Inn’ (Recap)
“With The Leftovers being a show about faith and hope, and the desperation in holding onto such ideals, Matt deems Mary’s relapse into a comatose state as a test of his faith.”
SPECTRE: Where Can James Bond Go From Here?
“Regardless of what comes next for our beloved spy, let us never again speak of (or be subjected to) that opening montage with the trashy, tentacle-porn horror show.”
Review: Guy Maddin’s ‘The Forbidden Room’
“Phantasmagoric and heady, The Forbidden Room is a film torn from the past, as Guy Maddin journeys even further into his own imagination, drawing out an original and enthralling journey through a kaleidoscope of different locales, time periods and genres.”