“Like ‘Visages, villages’ and ‘Claire’s Camera,’ ‘The Workshop’ continues a Cannes 2017 trend for the unmatched power of creation and artistic expression, and this film reaches to darker depths than those tales.”
“More than a stage play, the high concept and tonal spasms make ‘Before We Vanish’ feel like an adaptation of a cult manga.”
“The technical achievement here is considerable, though there is nothing that can match the surprise, and resultant thrill, of watching the opening scene play out.”
“Between the enlightened creators, the immensely intimate artwork and the fabulous people they meet, there is never a dull moment in this beautiful piece of cinema.”
“While ‘Sea Sorrow’ is cinematically stunted, it is clearly made with great passion and belief.”
“Maybe the best way to counter ridiculousness is with ridiculousness.”
“According to Jacobs, romantic love is a negative equation wherein passion plus time equals complacency.”
“The failure of language permeates ‘Twin Peaks,’
an abundance of verbiage disintegrating under the looming and ageless presence in the woods.”
“He may be suggesting that emotional and social anxiety is widespread and prevalent, but the key distinction is that not everyone can translate these uncertainties into comedy gold.”
“Throughout ‘Forty Knives,’ Jespersen’s voice betrays his emotions and listening to him sing often feels like sneaking peeks at his diary.”
“Audiences aren’t meant to hate Swanson, but to understand him and people like him, along with ourselves.”
“By constantly re-emphasizing Jacalyn’s inability to confront the undeniable horror of the unfolding scenario, Rocksteady achieves a powerfully oneiric tone throughout.”
Devious Dialogues: A Horror-Themed Column by A.M. Novak and Mike Thorn
“On the levels of craft and form, this is undoubtedly the work of a skilled writer.”
“Even though Gloeckner recorded ‘VINE’ in her Dubuque, Iowa bedroom, there is nothing bare bones or lo-fi about it; her passion for her art is obvious and impressive.”
Vague Visages Short Stories #6: Speaking of Ghosts by Mike Thorn (Calgary, Alberta)
“Above all, it’s about style. LaValley plays fast and loose with grammar and punctuation, paying mind to cadence and tone.”
“One of the hallmarks of good cyberpunk is the exploration of humanity in a post-modern world where technology is the dominant force. This philosophical probe falls short in Rupert Sanders’ ‘Ghost in the Shell.'”
“‘L’Atalante’ is a movie defined by it moments, images and emotive strength, not its ostensible plot.”
“‘Sambá’ succeeds most when it draws inspiration from its setting and hooks the audiences with hard questions about crime and responsibility.”