Why Criticism: James Agee’s Voice
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
The Witchy Women of ‘The Fits’: Sexuality in Anna Rose Holmer’s Debut
“One of many elements ‘the fits’ represent is this notion of burgeoning sexuality and how young women respond to the loss of virginity.”
Long May She Reign: Game of Thrones ‘The Winds of Winter’ (Recap)
“Where ‘Battle of the Bastards’ stumbled by offering simplistic resolutions to complicated problems, ‘The Winds of Winter’ soars by reveling in the dark ambiguities of Westeros’ violent brutality.”
Piecing Together the Fragments of Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘A Married Woman’
“With ‘A Married Woman,’ Godard appears fully devoted to topical bullet points through an essayistic structure, forgoing conventional narrative, character development or expedient pacing.”
Review: Johnnie To’s ‘Three’
“To missteps when ‘Three’ hews too close to action clichés.”
Preacher Recap: ‘South Will Rise Again’
“The episode provides plenty of darkness, but what it also provides is a sense of understanding.”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘An Angel at My Table’ (Jane Campion, 1990)
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith
Studio Ghibli Forever: An Initiation – ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’
“‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ captures the imaginations of young viewers while imploring the older among them to let common sense go in order to enjoy the pop music and irrefutable heart.”
Why Criticism: Interview with Josh Spiegel, Co-Host of ‘Mousterpiece Cinema Podcast’
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
EIFF 2016 Review: Christy Garland’s ‘Cheer Up’
“Garland’s structure with the film’s construction is part observational documentary, part techniques used more with fiction features.”
Two Drink Minimum: The Rock and ‘Central Intelligence’ – When Wit Gets Ripped
“Would we like The Rock as much if he wasn’t shredded like taco lettuce?”
Bestiary of the Mind: René Laloux’s ‘Fantastic Planet’
“As a whole, ‘Fantastic Planet’ works both as fascinating relic and singular cinematic experience, thick with psychedelic riches for the eyes and ears.”
Violent Vengeance: Game of Thrones ‘Battle of the Bastards’ (Recap)
“Game of Thrones has long thrived on the ambiguous moralities and complex psychologies of its anti-heroes, but ‘Battle of the Bastards’ pushes its current season towards culminating in a jarringly tidy climax.”
Provincetown International Film Festival Reviews: ‘Captain Fantastic’ and ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’
“Life and death, mere moments apart, catalyze the narratives of both Matt Ross’ ‘Captain Fantastic’ and Taika Waititi’s ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople.’
Preacher Recap: ‘Monster Swamp’
“It’s the denial, the lack of judgement and the lack of consequences that run so rampant in the city which make the episode’s climax so powerful.”
More Than Shadows #2: On the Noir Legacy of Ida Lupino
“Ida Lupino may have thought of herself as a poor man’s Don Siegel as a director and Bette Davis as an actress, but I think that’s far from true.”
Provincetown International Film Festival Review: Andrew Neel’s ‘Goat’
“‘Even if Neel makes a lousy ‘Final Girl,’ ‘Goat’ is an excellent monster movie, where the monster is toxic masculinity itself.”
Todd Solondz Offers Surprising Homages to French Filmmakers in ‘Wiener-Dog’
“It can’t help but seem like there was one film about a dog bringing people together in light of troubled times, if only briefly, but then it was decided that there would also be a film about a dog being a prop for stories that his detractors would label as ‘autopilot Solondz.'”
His Blazing Automatics: Ilinca Calugareanu’s ‘Chuck Norris vs. Communism’ and Better Living Through Action Films
“One action hero can change the world.”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘The Portrait of a Lady’ (Jane Campion, 1996)
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith