From ‘Sex’ to ‘Girls’ to ‘Insecure’: HBO’s Feminist and Intersectional Chronicle
“HBO has come a long way in representing the intersectionality of race and gender.”
Artist Rashid Johnson Makes Feature Debut with ‘Native Son’
“Whether or not Johnson overcomes the arguments made by James Baldwin in essays contained within ‘Notes of a Native Son’ rests largely with the viewer’s sympathies with the objectives and sensibilities of Wright (and Johnson).”
Review: Jennifer Fox’s ‘The Tale’
“With ‘The Tale,’ Jennifer Fox addresses a painful subject in a straightforward and clear-eyed manner.”
TIFF 2018 Review: Neil Jordan’s ‘Greta’
“Greta’s biggest asset is that it’s a film that relishes in its own absurdity.”
Netflix’s ‘The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter’ Plays It Safe for Maximum Viewership
“‘The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter’ lacks ‘true grit.’ It’s designed to feel relatable, yet Brolin’s impassioned performance can only do so much to override the stock dialogue and the narrative’s lack of originality.”
You Gotta Act: John Cusack’s Passionate and Pragmatic Approach to His Craft
“Looking at Cusack’s entire body of work helps one realise that, with age and experience, he has built an increasingly complex and multifaceted persona, playing off his image in order to counter expectations and, probably, to remain excited by his job.”
Vague Visages Writers’ Room: Weekend Vibes 5.18.18
Weekend Vibes is a Friday column about streaming recommendations, new release hype and entertainment events.
Review: Janus Metz’s ‘Borg vs McEnroe’
“‘Borg vs McEnroe’ loses momentum during its tennis sequences, but that’s just a minor complaint. Advantage LaBeouf.”
Vague Visages Writers’ Room: Weekend Vibes 4.20.18
Weekend Vibes is a Friday column about streaming recommendations, new release hype and entertainment events.
Review: Aaron Sorkin’s ‘Molly’s Game’
“For a film that prides itself on being ‘based on a true story,’ ‘Molly’s Game’ often relies on moments that are too coincidental, too easy. Yet, there’s nothing here to suggest that Sorkin won’t eventually figure things out behind the camera.”
London Film Festival Review: Andrew Haigh‘s ‘Lean on Pete’
“‘Lean on Pete’ hits the mark emotionally and reveals itself to be a poised, moving film.”
‘Rampart’: A Season in the Abyss
“‘Rampart’ can never step out of the shadows.”
Biography and Authenticity in the American New Wave
“The lucidity and frankness with which this new wave of filmmakers can dissect their own lives speaks volumes to their talents, boding well for their efforts to come.”
Blindspots: The Night Of ‘The Call of the Wild’ (Recap)
“For supposed ‘prestige TV,’ ‘The Night Of’ is simply lazy.”
Extraneous Evidence: The Night Of ‘Ordinary Death’ (Recap)
“Chandra goes from being a charming ingénue to a woeful bastion of ignorance even more secluded from society than the eczema-plagued Jack.”
Red Herrings and Strange Bedfellows: The Night Of ‘Samson and Delilah’ (Recap)
“Zaillian and Price find themselves with quite a bit of ground to cover in the series’ final two episodes.”
Heroes and Villains: The Night Of ‘The Art of War’ (Recap)
“Naz is both incredibly lucky and liable to have his luck run out at any minute.”
Just Dropped In to See What Condition My Skin Condition Was In: The Night Of ‘A Dark Crate’ (Recap)
“There’s nothing more indicative of the flaws in HBO’s ‘The Night Of’ than Jack Stone’s eczema.”
The Agony and the Eczema: The Night Of ‘Subtle Beast’ (Recap)
“Beyond racial insensitivity, the opening hours of ‘The Night Of’ have been marked by attempts at complexity which end up doing little to give characters depth.”
Chekhov’s Dogma: The Night Of ‘The Beach’ (Recap)
“The episode stumbles by dogmatically adhering to Chekhov’s gun more than is necessary or beneficial, but the talents of Zaillian, Price and the cast still give ‘The Night Of’ an excellent start.”