“What saves ‘Pity,’ and the ‘Greek Weird Wave’ as a whole, from tipping into nihilism is the humanism at its core; it is the pessimism of thwarted hopes rather than the negative drive of cynicism.”
“By being so lazy and aggressive with his judgment of pop culture, Corbet ends up making a film that is bland in its anger, annoying in its attacks and ridiculous in its contempt for its characters and audience.”
“For a film about an eternal conflict, ‘Non-Fiction’ is a strangely calming film. It quietly assures you that while a fight for permanence is natural, the need to change is also equally natural.”
“Haneke understands that people need images and videos to mediate reality, to provide a buffer zone between us and the messiness of death. Furthermore, it is not enough to be a passive consumer of this gaze.”
“‘Madame Hyde’ crystallizes its views about the absurd limitations in trying to communicate the abstract gift of knowledge.”
“In ‘Happy End,’ writer/director Michael Haneke coalesces several of his recurring fixations.”
“It’s the demons within that Kôji Fukada astutely brings to life in ‘Harmonium.'”
“‘The Childhood of a Leader’ may not behold a traditional narrative, yet Corbet’s auterist style creates a memorable visceral effect.”
“The film is nothing if not an audacious directorial debut; a grand, horrifying cinematic mission statement that might particularly appeal to the likes of Michael Haneke and, especially, Gaspar Noé.”
