“Grief is a quiet but unrelenting presence within ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ that gradually reveals itself the more viewers learn about the death of Mike Timlin, the protagonist’s friend and singing partner.”
“By only fleetingly bringing attention to the economic hardships at play, ‘The Boys in the Boat’ frustratingly remains a niche proposition, of fascination only to fans of the film’s focal sport.”
“With its uneven pace and fragmented narrative, ‘Mean Streets’ would not have nearly the same impact without its soundtrack.”
‘Footprints on Water’ Interview: Dipankar Sarkar discusses the 2023 movie with filmmaker Nathalia Syam.
“John Huston’s 1948 film ‘Key Largo’ is yet another classical Hollywood studio system film in which barely a single frame was shot on location.”
“A film drastically less than the sum of its parts, ‘Eileen’ commits the unfortunate blunder of continually reminding one of similar, better movies.”
‘Stolen’ Interview: Dipankar Sarkar discusses the 2023 film with director Karan Tejpal.
“‘Napoleon’ is very much a repudiation and a revolt against history’s ‘Great Men.'”
“‘The Treasure of Foggy Mountain’ doesn’t match the quality of mid-level Adam Sandler comedies, but it just may work as a double-billing with Akiva Schaffer’s 2007 film ‘Hot Rod’ starring Andy Samberg…”
“‘Black White and the Greys’ isn’t defined by its political dialogue, but rather by its handling of the human condition. And it’s arguably one of the best COVID-themed movie productions since the similarly minimalist ‘Host’ (Shudder, 2020).”
“Ultimately, ‘The Killer’ is just a fun, pulpy romp that is more akin to the plug-and-play adventures of I.O. Interactive’s ‘Hitman’ series than a profound statement on the culture at large.”
“Powered by Radwan’s empathy and the subjects’ collective determination, ‘Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow’ is a must-see world cinema documentary.”
“‘It’s a Wonderful Knife’ is watchable but slight. And considering how popular Hallmark Christmas movies continue to be, maybe that’s all horror fans will really expect.”
“‘Red Rooms’ provides a perfect recipe for isolation and alienation, encouraged by a media world around us that seeks only to capture attention and never thoughts.”
‘A Match’ Interview: Dipankar Sarkar discusses the 2023 film with director Jayant Digambar Somalkar.
“Amies’ revelatory rock doc succeeds by exploring the sacred and profane aspects of the subject’s musical mentality.”
“With ‘Sister Death,’ Plaza builds upon traditional elements of the possession movie by expanding his cinematic universe through cosmic horror.”
“Xiaopeng Tian’s ‘Deep Sea’ features the most mesmerizing animation since ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.'”
“A total riot, ‘Kubi’ is a consummate epic that pokes fun at components of the subject matter while communicating the cold tragedy.”
“‘Breathing In’ effectively deconstructs themes of eternity, loyalty and slow strategy — it’s a timely tale about the horrors of war.”