“A rare co-production between China and Japan, ‘Complicity’ is a timely feature that fits perfectly in our current political climate, especially as Chikaura urges viewers to lend a helping hand despite the most unfavourable circumstances.”
“‘José’ depicts a toxic environment where no one can love freely, where relationships are doomed to sink and where looking at the sky can only offer a fickle joy lasting as briefly as fireworks during a hot summer night.”
“Few animated films look like Yamada productions, fewer still feel like them.”
“‘Sauvage’ emerges in the context of ‘BPM (Beats Per Minute)’ as a darker, grittier cousin. Both tell physically intimate stories, but where ‘BPM (Beats Per Minute)’ brims with romance, anger and sheer joy, ‘Sauvage’ has a harder edge and leaves more of a bitter taste.”
“‘Sophia Antipolis’ is not a movie that will be easily digested outside of movie theaters, as it goes mostly for an aesthetic experience rather than a plot-driven story.”
“‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ finds a solidly affecting balance of lightheartedness, satire and true, resonant emotion in its final 20 minutes…”
“For Paul Schrader, First Reformed’s visual style realizes ideas of transcendental style that he first theorized at the beginning of his career. But that style only works because it serves the story and character he crafted so carefully.”
“‘BlacKkKlansman,’ fairly or not, will be judged as Lee’s ‘comeback’ movie. He never really left, of course.”
“A worthy tale of a pivotal figure, ‘Mr. Jones’ deserves consideration, even if it is to be met with confusion and scorn.”
“‘Monos’ is a powerhouse of mood and aesthetic, weaponising every element of the form in service of a nightmarish descent into hell in the vein of ‘Lord of the Flies’ or ‘Heart of Darkness.’”
“‘The Souvenir’ is an infuriating but ultimately rewarding experience set to inspire deep criticism and analysis.”
“Waves are dark in Salatić’s sea, and the sound of a constant, unavoidable motor seems to be heard within every character.”
“By suggesting that this 24-hour period is a milestone, or page, of an ongoing story, Kostova creates an insightful portrait crafted from carefully-observed scraps and shards. The result is strangely dazzling, like a mosaic.”
“Cagney’s sadistic lead in ‘White Heat,’ a searing 1949 crime drama from director Raoul Walsh, is something well past the norms of a conventional male protagonist — or antagonist, for that matter.”
“There is little doubt that ‘Gabriel Over the White House’ was a test balloon of sorts, priming the audience for a discussion on the merits of the strongman leader, asking them what they would be willing to sacrifice in order to ameliorate the national plight.”
“‘Go Home’ is quite a modest film in its wider intentions and cultural implications, and that often works to its advantage from a technical perspective.”
“‘Lords of Chaos’ is a nasty little treat: involving, fascinating and often shocking.”
Iana Murray on Her London Film Festival Conversation with ‘Burning’ Star Steven Yeun
“With surprising poignancy, ‘Asako I and II’ channels the humbling smallness of life’s journey, and the human tendency to resist this banal, often disappointing reality with self-delusion.”
“Lesage has once more proven himself to be an astute chronicler of personal growth in those turbulent and anxiety-ridden years where the mind and the body are as mysterious as they are vulnerable.”