Edinburgh Film Festival Review: Agnès Varda’s ‘Varda by Agnès’
“Playing almost like a self-eulogy, ‘Varda by Agnès’ resonates as both a manifesto to untamed creativity and a testament to future generations of artists.”
Martin Scorsese and Bob Dylan Make Believe in ‘Rolling Thunder Revue’
“Not everyone, and not even every Dylan fan, will go along with the tall tales, but amidst the japes are several of the most riveting live performances of Dylan’s career.”
Why We Look Up: Traveling Space and Time in ‘Apollo 11’ and ‘Minding the Gap’
“Through film, people can step outside the bounds of space and time to revisit the past, to see something old from a new vantage point.”
Forty Years of Facehugging and Chestbursting: ‘Memory: The Origins of Alien’
“‘Alien’ is a gift that keeps on giving, and ‘Memory: The Origins of Alien’ unwraps so many colorfully wrapped boxes of various shapes and sizes.”
Some Kind of Connection: Loss and Technology in the Films of Sophy Romvari
Mike Thorn Interviews Filmmaker Sophy Romvari
The Path to Nirvana: The International Pop Underground on Film
“What is perhaps most remarkable about the rise of Nirvana — and the industry’s hastily assembled appellation “alternative rock” — is the belief by many at the time that it had come from nowhere…”
Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 2019 Review: George Gounezos’ ‘Outer Space Kids’
“The film itself doesn’t have a clear narrative structure, but that’s not at all a detriment. ‘Outer Space Kids’ is more so an experience, a glimpse into a world of art that exists beyond socially constructed borders.”
Review: Dava Whisenant’s ‘Bathtubs Over Broadway’
“Whisenant emphasizes the ways in which Young’s quest have led him to meaningful interpersonal relationships and a sense of avocation that transcend his work as a writer of television comedy.”
IFFR 2019 Bright Future Review: Brunna Laboissière’s ‘Fabiana’
“Documentaries always warrant ethical questions about the narrative process, and Laboissière is impressively restrained with her direction.”
Sundance 2019 Review: A.J. Eaton’s ‘David Crosby: Remember My Name’
“‘Director A.J. Eaton’s rock star biography ‘David Crosby: Remember My Name’ checks all the boxes of the lion-in-winter music documentary.”
Berlinale 2019 Review: Rob Garver’s ‘What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael’
“Garver doesn’t really provide more than an overview, but perhaps that will indeed bring new eyes to some great American writing.”
IFFR 2019 Bright Future Review: Miko Revereza’s ‘No Data Plan’
“‘No Data Plan’ is a story for our times. More importantly, it’s a snapshot of a way of life that’s already become commonplace for untold numbers of people in the U.S. and worldwide.”
Horns Up for Penny Lane’s ‘Hail Satan?’
“As a movie experience, ‘Hail Satan?’ often lives deliciously.”
Review: Morgan Neville’s ‘They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead’
“Its vibrating self-awareness, unwieldy traveling circus vibe and mind-bending movie-within-a-movie duality allow Welles to simultaneously mock and indulge in the critically celebrated, sexually-charged, Antonioni-style, European art film.”
Sandi Tan’s ‘Shirkers’ Is an Indie Filmmaking Dream Deferred
“How many movies have been lost or nearly lost to circumstances before a public release can provide closure for the anxious and expectant filmmaker?”
IFFR 2019 Review: Jane Schoenbrun’s ‘A Self-Induced Hallucination’
“A thorough, engaging thesis that bridges physical and digital gaps both affirming and sinister, ‘A Self-Induced Hallucination’ is a witty, gripping compilation of collaborative creativity and sterile self-interest.”
Review: Peter Jackson’s ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’
“‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ is such an apt title because the experiences of these soldiers are made entirely immediate, through both technical and narrative care. Peter Jackson reaches into the past and immortalizes those lives through film.”
‘Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood’: A Legendary Hustler Shares His Stories
“‘Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood’ presents Bowers as a credible authority, but the breadth and depth of the anecdotes leaves it all up to the viewer to accept or reject.”
In Kubrick’s Shadow: Tony Zierra’s ‘Filmworker’
“‘Filmworker’ will be sought by Kubrick completists, but the movie also appeals to anyone who has been seduced by the process of motion picture making.”
Vague Visages Is FilmStruck: Steve James’ ‘Hoop Dreams’
“As much as ‘Hoop Dreams’ concerns the sports-centric plight of William and Arthur, it is perhaps even more significantly an illustrative case study of what perpetually imperils men (and women) of a certain social, economic and racial constitution.”