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.”
RIDM 2015: Frederick Wiseman’s ‘In Jackson Heights’ and the Virtues of Eisenstein
RIDM 2015: “As diversity takes centre stage, In Jackson Heights demonstrates the importance of local governments and organizations in building a healthy community.”
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.”
Tragic Simplicity: Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Wrong Man’
“The Wrong Man is, perhaps, Hitchcock’s most authentic film.”
We Failed This Film: Sean Byrne’s ‘The Loved Ones’
A Column by Dylan Moses Griffin
#Noirvember: ‘The Dark Mirror’ and the Paranoid Double (Robert Siodmak, 1946)
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith
Review: John Crowley’s ‘Brooklyn’
“A turn to the past in order to rationalize the present, Brooklyn is a standout example of the forceful, empathetic tempest that cinema is capable of delivering to an audience.”
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.”
Justin Kurzel’s ‘Macbeth’ Is a Solid Enough Take on ‘The Scottish Play’
“Like its eponymous character, Justin Kurzel’s adaptation of Macbeth is a film pulled in myriad directions for a sense of purpose.”
Seminci 2015: No Scheherazade Story in Palestinian ‘3000 Nights’
Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid: Andreea Pătru on the recipient of the 2015 Meeting Point Audience Award.
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.”
Review: Lenny Abrahamson’s ‘Room’
“Lenny Abrahamson’s latest film, Room, has an incredibly unique script and one of the best performances of the year. So why is the film just good, and not great?”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘Gilda’ (Charles Vidor, 1946)
“‘Gilda’ is one of the great examples of onscreen masochism.”
Seminci 2015: In the Female-Directed Debuts ‘Princess’ and ‘Flocking,’ Tainted Lolitas Struggle for Innocence
Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid: Andreea Pătru on Beata Gårdeler’s ‘Flocking” and Tali Shalom-Ezer’s ‘Princess’
Review: Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘The Lobster’
“A sharp, claustrophobic study of human relationships, The Lobster puts humanity’s obsession with coupling on full display before it is bloodily dissected and rendered horrifyingly unrecognizable.”
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.”
Seminci 2015: ‘Tikkun’ Director Avishai Sivan Is Drawn to Auteur Filmmaking
Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid: Andreea Pătru Interviews Israeli Filmmaker Avishai Sivan
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.”