‘The House Is Black’ and The Radical Spirit of Forugh Farrokhzad
“Much like Farrokhzad’s poems, ‘The House Is Black’ pushes the viewer and its subjects to strive for some kind of freedom, whether emotional, spiritual or political.”
‘Cotton Comes to Harlem’ – The Neo-Noir That Black America Needed
“At first blush, ‘Cotton Comes to Harlem’ may not seem like a traditional noir production. But over time, the 1970 film has become one of the most vivid examples of the genre being inclusive.”
Soundtracks of Cinema: ‘Fear Street Part One: 1994’
‘Fear Street Part One: 1994’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in Leigh Janiak’s 2021 Netflix movie.
Cannes Film Festival Review: C.B Yi’s ‘Moneyboys’
“‘Moneyboys’ is the first of a planned thematic trilogy from Yi, which is good news — this is the kind of promising debut that will make audiences eager to see what he does next.”
Know the Cast: ‘Gunpowder Milkshake’
‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ Cast: A Vague Visages guide for every main performer and character in Navot Papushado’s 2021 Netflix movie.
Soundtracks of Cinema: ‘Gunpowder Milkshake’
‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every feature song in Navot Papushado’s 2021 Netflix movie.
Cannes Film Festival Review: Kira Kovalenko’s ‘Unclenching the Fists’
“‘Unclenching the Fists’ is a haunting watch, but a substantial one; a movie that will move Kovalenko up to the next tier of filmmakers in the arthouse and festival circuit.”
Review: Joe Raffa’s ‘Downeast’
“Even though ‘Downeast’ suffers from thinly-written supporting characters, the lead performances keep the film above water.”
Review: François Ozon’s ‘Summer of 85’
“‘Summer of 85’ is a well-designed coming-of-age work that makes for a sentimental and sensual drama, even if it fails to meet its potential.”
Cannes Film Festival Review: Teodora Mihai’s ‘La Civil’
“‘La Civil’ excels as a character study of a woman putting herself in considerable danger to find her daughter — but when viewed as a crime procedural, the necessity of relying on various tropes does the film a disservice.”
Review: Cate Shortland’s ‘Black Widow’
“Shortland brings her keen feature filmmaking chops to ‘Black Widow’ as a welcome addition to the talented pool of storytellers who can match the Kevin Feige house style without any significant artistic compromise.”
In Memoriam: The Verisimilitude of Richard Donner
“It’s fitting that Donner leaves behind a body of work that champions open-mindedness, films that illustrate how everyone is deserving of understanding. With understanding, even the impossible has the potential to become possible.”
Mannhunting: Exploring Masculinity in the Films of Michael Mann – Part Four
“Masculinity in Mann’s world is its own prison, a conundrum of duality, a question of what someone will stand for and the masks they may wear while striving for an identity.”
Netflix Review: ‘Godzilla Singular Point’ Season 1
“Previous incarnations of Godzilla worked best by implanting ideas that were tangible. However, in the world of ‘Godzilla Singular Point,’ the ideas prove to be non-existent, as do the inhabitants.”
Review: Janicza Bravo’s ‘Zola’
“‘Zola’ is riveting, and the film’s rich array of cinematic techniques and performances upend convention, even if its narrative and story tend to falter.”
Interview with ‘Cinema Bandi’ Filmmaker Praveen Kandregula
Dipankar Sarkar Interviews ‘Cinema Bandi’ Filmmaker Praveen Kandregula
Janicza Bravo Takes ‘Zola’ on the Road
“‘Zola’ is a star-making opportunity that Paige owns with every raised eyebrow and skeptical look.”
Interview with ‘Glob Lessons’ Filmmakers Nicole Rodenburg and Colin Froeber
Dominic Erickson Interviews ‘Glob Lessons’ Filmmakers Nicole Rodenburg and Colin Froeber
Review: Caleb Michael Johnson’s ‘The Carnivores’
“Johnson doesn’t create a specific sense of place in ‘The Carnivores,’ nor does he develop the characters into anything more than cyphers for American angst that a million Sundance films have delivered before.”
Review: Michael Caton-Jones’ ‘Our Ladies’
“‘Our Ladies’ may resonate with those appreciative of the 90s, but the film’s lack of critical insight on the gender politics of negotiating sex undermines its purported feminism…”