IFFR 2017 Review: Marcelo Caetano’s ‘Corpo Elétrico’
“The film is more of a mood piece than a purely narrative feature, one that prefers to focus on the nuances of being different.”
Coffee and Cinephilia: A Conversation with J. Hoberman
Alejandra Rosenberg Interviews J. Hoberman
Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: Carlos Saura’s ‘Cría cuervos’
“‘Cría cuervos’ is a film preoccupied with death. It surrounds Ana and obsesses her. Starting with its sobering preamble, the picture is inundated by threatening (and tempting) mortality.”
Mike Birbiglia’s ‘Don’t Think Twice’: The Anti-‘La La Land’
“Where Los Angeles offers an idyllic vision of dreamers, New York can’t help but set the stage for an all too depressing look at those left behind.”
The Serious Camp of Natalie Portman
“Reviews may be breathlessly overusing the ready-made formulation of ‘Natalie Portman IS Jackie,’ but they really should be following Sontag’s lead: Natalie Portman IS ‘Jackie.'”
Vague Visages Short Stories: The Housatonic Revenge by Mike Ashcroft
Vague Visages Short Stories #4: The Housatonic Revenge by Mike Ashcroft (Kendal, UK)
Album Review: The Flaming Lips ‘Oczy Mlody’
“Ultimately, ‘Oczy Mlody’ is a hangover from one too many Cyrus-thrown bashes.”
In ‘Moonlight,’ Black Is the Warmest Color
“Not only does it feel true to its origins, but it also speaks to viewers from different parts of the world.”
Sparkling Romances and Sweet Facades: Damien Chazelle’s ‘La La Land’
“Might I put it out into the ether that a ‘weak link’ doesn’t exist in ‘La La Land’.”
Made Like Welles: Denzel Washington’s ‘Fences’
“In my mind, ‘Fences’ and Denzel’s work is comparable to the best of Orson Welles.”
Kiss Me Deadly: Sex and Gender in ‘Liquid Sky’
“‘Liquid Sky’ seems more relevant than ever.”
Redemptive Criminality in David Mackenzie’s ‘Hell or High Water’
“The grey hue of ‘Hell or High Water’ becomes more distinguishable when juxtaposed to films with plots that are more clearly black or white.”
Review: Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan’s ‘Strike a Pose’
“Recollecting lessons learned is not the same as actual learning.”
EP Review: Of Montreal ‘Rune Husk’
“This is the closest anyone has come to the Head-era Monkees.”
Casting a Spell for Peace: On ‘Arrival,’ Max Richter and Our Unending Need for Violence
“It’s in Louise’s absolute refusal to allow our barbaric side to win that ‘Arrival’ shows its moral core.”
Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: Jeremy Carr on Mike Leigh’s ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’
Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: A Column Devoted to the Streaming Platform FilmStruck
The Tribal Landscapes of Andrea Arnold
“Andrea Arnold’s work encapsulates the liminal stage of feminine adolescence.”
What’s Normal Anyway?: Searching for Balance in ‘Captain Fantastic’
“‘Captain Fantastic’ doesn’t provide definitive answers to the lingering questions of normalcy and grief, but instead it encourages viewers to find the necessary balance to live life on their own terms.”
Album Review: Jay Som ‘Turn Into’
“‘Turn Into’ is a throwback to the “guitar record”; this is a hook-driven, lushly layered experience; guitar tone as mood enhancer.”
In Defense Of: Pascal Laugier’s ‘The Tall Man’ (2012)
“By refusing to provide facile answers, ‘The Tall Man’ is, in many ways, just as much of a challenging film as ‘Martyrs.'”