“Gallows humor is a trademark of just about all of the Coens’ work (and Fargo in particular), and Noah Hawley and his writers have done a brilliant job of coming up with gags worthy of their show’s namesake.”
“Office makes you wonder if more thriller-leaning filmmakers should make a foray into the musical genre. Michael Mann’s Gypsy, anyone?”
“Understandably, “Orange Sticker” sacrifices grand thematic focus in favor of pushing the story forward but still manages to meditate on a certain idea.”
His Blazing Automatics is a Vague Visages column by Dylan Moses Griffin.
Dudley’s World is a Vague Visages column by Jordan Brooks.
Festival du Nouveau Cinema 2015 (Interview by Justine A. Smith, Video by Francisco Peres)
“As an empathetic machine, Beasts of No Nation tries too hard to convey the unimaginable, leaving in its place a sense of cold insouciance towards a system that is shown to be irreparably broken.”
“Beyond being a neat stylistic trick and an effect that would make Abel Gance proud, the use of split-screens in the first two episodes of Fargo Season 2 has the helpful narrative role of directly uniting the show’s disparate narrative elements.”
“Thanks to the skilled hand of director Kusama (Girlfight, Jennifer’s Body), The Invitation is a deeply uncomfortable but also eerily funny skewering of the hostility that can lurk under the veil of hospitality.”
A Column by Q.V. Hough (Vaguebande #2)
“On The Leftovers, returning to your old self isn’t as easy as going from Point A to Point B, it’s a constant struggle and effort.”
“The film reveals the importance of communication in love, but perhaps even more, the importance of empathy and understanding.”
A Column by Dylan Moses Griffin
“At its best, film allows viewers to see the world through another person’s eyes, and to live for a fleeting moment in somewhere unexpected and beautiful, so wouldn’t it be wonderful if the purity of that moment could last a just little bit longer?”
“Blonde aux yeux bleus never feels anything but natural and organic, and it is working in the service of great and contradictory emotions.”
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith
“A surprisingly funny and sharp-witted caricature of mass-produced horror, The Final Girls is the product of cult film iconography and our culture’s obsession with the ironically good.”
“The documentary suggests that the makers of Saturday Night Live, in all likelihood, probably don’t have contempt for their audience. It’s harder to say that’s the case for the team behind Live from New York!”
“The little side comments throughout “Waiting for Dutch” keep the episode light on its feet, but never in a way which overwhelms the story or characters, making for a fantastic start to the season.”
“Damon Lindelof and company don’t need to give answers if they’re asking the right questions.”