Building the New Queer Canon #4: Louise Weard’s ‘Castration Movie’
“Weard’s anthology series is shaping up to be one of the decade’s most impactful queer texts.”
Saving Seconds of Time: On Rachel Elizabeth Seed’s ‘A Photographic Memory’
“Some minor continuity issues in ‘A Photographic Memory’ point to the first-time director’s lack of experience, yet they oddly work in favor of the established mood and tone via the (mostly) outstanding editing.”
‘Pavements’ Review: Director Alex Ross Perry Innovates Rock Doc Cinema for the Future
“Perry fully (and successfully) commits to various comedic bits in ‘Pavements’ while documenting Pavement’s 1999 break-up and eventual 2022 reunion.”
Review: Cazzie David and Elisa Kalani’s ‘I Love You Forever’
“In ‘I Love You Forever,’ David and Kalani have their fingers firmly on the pulse of the current zeitgeist, injecting a much-needed youthful zest into a well-worn genre with an artful eye and incisive wit.”
Review: Mickey Keating’s ‘Invader’
“What sets ‘Invader’ apart from more conventional stalker horror films is its feverish aesthetic that owes more to the manic energy of 1970s and 80s exploitation cinema than modern genre trends.”
An Interview with ‘Saba’ Filmmaker Maksud Hossain
‘Saba’ Interview: Dipankar Sarkar discusses the 2024 movie with filmmaker Maksud Hossain.
Review: Ben Petrie’s ‘The Heirloom’
“‘The Heirloom’ doesn’t follow a conventional climactic structure, and its brittle, dry humor and abstract tone may not appeal to everyone. However, Petrie’s inventive vision is admirable…”
Review: Tom Carroll’s ‘The Stress Is Killing Me’
“By the end of Carroll’s frustrating and stylistically unambitious film, it seems that there was a deeper, more interesting story just out of reach.”
Review: Maurice O’Carroll’s ‘Swing Bout’
“‘Swing Bout’ doesn’t establish enough of a backstory for any of the key players for them to register beyond the individual performances…”
An Interview with ‘Humans in the Loop’ Filmmaker Aranya Sahay
‘Humans in the Loop’ Interview: Dipankar Sarkar discusses the 2024 movie with filmmaker Aranya Sahay.
Review: Joel Potrykus Embraces Change with ‘Vulcanizadora’
“‘Vulcanizadora’ is an astonishing coming-of-age tale for adults-in-crisis.”
Review: Alexis Langlois’ ‘Queens of Drama’
“Unapologetically queer, sexy, messy and celebratory all at once, by refusing to conform to mainstream norms and instead leaning into the chaos, ‘Queens of Drama’ is utterly transcendent.”
Know the Cast: ‘Babygirl’
‘Babygirl’ Cast: A Vague Visages guide for every actor and character in Halina Reijn’s 2024 film.
Review: Rob Tregenza’s ‘The Fishing Place’
“It’s a shame that the conversations ‘The Fishing Place’ will provoke just might be far more substantial than anything within the film itself.”
Interview with ‘Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal’ Filmmaker Sharan Venugopal
‘Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal’ Interview: Dipankar Sarkar discusses the 2024 movie with filmmaker Sharan Venugopal.
Building the New Queer Canon #2: Bruce LaBruce’s ‘The Visitor’
“In contemporary queer cinema, there isn’t a work like ‘The Visitor’ that’s even dared to tackle the wider-ranging relationships between disadvantaged communities on the receiving end of society’s scorn.”
Soundtracks of Cinema: ‘Trap’
‘Trap’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in M. Night Shyamalan’s 2024 movie.
Glasgow Film Festival Review: Uberto Pasolini’s ‘The Return’
“Using striking, elemental images, ‘The Return’ taps into the ancient power of Homer’s epic story.”
Soundtracks of Cinema: ‘A Complete Unknown’
‘A Complete Unknown’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in James Mangold’s 2024 movie.
Glasgow Film Festival Review: Yugo Sakamoto’s ‘Baby Assassins: Nice Days’
“The secret weapon of ‘Baby Assassins: Nice Days,’ as with the other franchise films, is Mahiro and Chisato’s chemistry.”