Why We Make Films: On Kirsten Johnson’s ‘Cameraperson’
“‘Cameraperson’ is about genuine human connections, about the elements that connect us all, regardless of culture, geography, race or language.”
Behind the Curtain in ‘David Lynch – The Art Life’
“If ever a soul was captured on camera, this is it.”
‘The Handmaiden’: A Sensuous, Sumptuous Tale of Secrecy, Sex and Subversion
“Park demonstrates how the complicated relationship between role-play, desire, secrecy, power and revenge prove ripe for darkly comic (and perverse) fodder.”
When the Male Gaze Breaks: Between ‘The Neon Demon’ and ‘Black Swan’
“In Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Black Swan’ and Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘The Neon Demon,’ the female body is used in its most delicate and presumptuously feminine form.”
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.”
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’.”
Casting a Spell for Peace: On ‘Arrival,’ Max Richter and Our Unending Need for Violence
“Louise cast her spell, demanding her city to last. If only no such spells were ever needed.”
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.”