Review: Jill Campbell’s ‘Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue’
“‘Beyond the Gaze’ effectively links the past and present timelines to accentuate the subject’s commitment to her craft and models.”
An Interview with ‘Don’t Tell Mother’ Filmmaker Anoop Lokkur
‘Don’t Tell Mother’ Interview: Dipankar Sarkar discusses the 2025 movie with filmmaker Anoop Lokkur.
Building the New Queer Canon #8: Siobhan McCarthy’s ‘She’s the He’
“‘She’s the He’ is a successful attempt at not just carving out a space for LGBTQ identity amidst the overbearingly heterosexual narrative tropes, but also bending those tropes so they can fit into a tale of trans awakening…”
Anatomy of a Scene: ‘When Comedy Went to School’ (Borscht Belt Film Fest)
“‘When Comedy Went to School’ is a must-see for not only American Jews, but also for anyone who appreciates the art of stand-up comedy.”
An Interview with ‘Vimukt’ Filmmaker Jitank Singh Gurjar
‘Vimukt’ Interview: Dipankar Sarkar discusses the 2025 movie with filmmaker Jitank Singh Gurjar.
Borscht Belt Film Fest Review (Short): Joel Perez’s ‘Villa Encanto’
“‘Villa Encanto’ seems destined to be adapted into a feature.”
Review: Zeshaan Younus’ ‘I’ve Seen All I Need to See’
“Younus’ dialogue becomes a little flowery at times in ‘I’ve Seen All I Need to See,’ though the filmmaker stays consistent with his overall balance and spiritual themes, much like he does in ‘The Buildout.'”
Review: Kerstin Karlhuber’s ‘After All’
“Like many family films, ‘After All’ succeeds with its messaging and pushes too hard with moments of poignancy.”
Review: Piero Messina’s ‘Another End’
“There’s plenty of heart to be found within ‘Another End,’ but the clunky handling of a climactic twist sadly feels emotionally and philosophically empty.”
Twists, Turns, Frights and Some Personal Growth: ‘Goosebumps’ Still Rules at 10
“‘Goosebumps’ stands as further proof that there’s real demand for scary movies for kids…”
NYFF 2025 Review: Ulrich Köhler’s ‘Gavagai’
“‘Gavagai’ doesn’t break any new ground with its excavation of race in film and European art culture’s relationship to Africa, but Köhler interestingly addresses paradoxical problems within.”
Review: Tina Romero’s ‘Queens of the Dead’
“‘Queens of the Dead’ is queer excellence in all its messy glory.”
An Interview with ‘Bhediya Dhasaan’ Director Bharat Singh Parihar
‘Bhediya Dhasaan’ Interview: Dipankar Sarkar discusses the 2024 movie with director Bharat Singh Parihar.
Review: David Moreau’s ‘Other’
“‘Other’ may not be the sharpest or most original take on childhood abuse, but there’s more than enough to keep viewers invested until the devastating denouement — especially if you’re a parent.”
NYFF 2025 Review: Rebecca Zlotowski’s ‘A Private Life’
“‘A Private Life’ ultimately becomes lethargic and then putters out. Foster dangles in the midst of it, like an actress who sees the film set disappear while she’s still in her role.”
LFF 2025 Review: Chloé Zhao’s ‘Hamnet’
“For a film which tackles the cathartic nature of art and how fiction can help us heal after a tragedy, the personal touches of ‘Hamnet’ feel hollow whenever Zhao tries to conform to Shakespeare’s pop culture image.”
LFF 2025 Review: Joachim Trier’s ‘Sentimental Value’
“As a film about the healing properties of the creative process, ‘Sentimental Value’ is rare in that the in-movie writing, performances and direction aren’t cathartic for the characters, but rather function as obstacles when they try to unpack their feelings.”
NYFF 2025 Review: Stillz’s ‘Barrio Triste’
“‘Barrio Triste’ feels in line with the energetic and floating camerawork of Stillz’s music videos he has made for several artists, but it also stands as its own sort of gritty, meandering experiment that aims to excavate spaces within a particular setting.”
A Beautiful Tragedy: Reimagining the Blacklist
“Even the most cynical satire is half in love with the object of its barbs; there is a part of every constrained creative that loves their shackles and will make great play of rattling them.”
LFF 2025 Review: Rian Johnson’s ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’
“‘Wake Up Dead Man’ transforms into something more impactful by sincerely and non-judgmentally attempting to grapple with faith from an atheist’s perspective.”