Review: Osgood Perkins’ ‘The Monkey’
“Perkins’ fondness for dark comedy has seen him regress as a filmmaker between projects by over-indulging in offbeat, irritatingly quirky laughs to the detriment of his horror storytelling.”
Short Film Review: Miss Dylan and Spencer Wardwell’s ‘Sweet Talkin’ Guy’
“If the aim of ‘Sweet Talkin’ Guy’ was to function as an intervention for single men everywhere, then Miss Dylan and Spencer Wardwell couldn’t have done the job better.”
Review: Drew Hancock’s ‘Companion’
“‘Companion’ is fiercely, unabashedly feminist.”
Animation First 2025 Review: Michel Hazanavicius’ ‘The Most Precious of Cargoes’
“‘The Most Precious of Cargoes’ may be illuminating for younger viewers at face value for how it doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war from a survivor’s perspective…”
Review: Kyle Mooney’s ‘Y2K’
“I imagine that Mooney most likely pitched ‘Y2K’ as a mash-up of ‘Superbad’ and current trends, and that’s exactly how it goes down — a bunch of derivative gags in a feature film format for nostalgic pop culture consumers.”
Building the New Queer Canon #1: Isao Fujisawa’s ‘Bye Bye Love (Baibai Rabu)’
“‘Bye Bye Love’ is very enjoyable, but its central story is neither as involving or as subversive as it perceives itself to be when leaving the frankness of its bedroom scenes behind.”
Review: Andy Crane and Nathan Shepka’s ‘Dead Before They Wake’
“Crane and Shepka’s exploration of the human condition in ‘Dead Before They Wake’ justifies a second watch, though their cinematography could use some work the next time around, in terms of establishing a specific style.”
Review: Jeff Celentano’s ‘Blackwater Lane’
“‘Blackwater Lane’ suffers mightily from pacing issues, uninspired acting and a flimsy screenplay.”
Review: Bruce David Klein’s ‘Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story’
“Even though ‘Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story’ might leave fans wanting more, Klein’s documentary will presumably be the go-to Minnelli doc for years to come, based on the subject’s participation and an interview cast of high-profile names.”
Review: Kaveh Daneshmand’s ‘Endless Summer Syndrome’
“The narrative truth in ‘Endless Summer Syndrome’ lies in what goes unsaid and what’s just outside the frame.”
Review: Thordur Palsson’s ‘The Damned’
“‘The Damned’ is a cerebral film that should be analyzed in film theory courses.”
Review: Whitney Horn and Lev Kalman’s ‘Dream Team’
“I don’t need ‘Dream Team’ to make sense; it’s an art film with relevant sociopolitical themes and accessible humor. But I do want to see technical filmmaking improvements — better editing, better acting — from one movie to the next…”
Review: Steffen Haars’ ‘Get Away’
“‘Get Away’ takes a significant amount of time to set up a payoff that isn’t given the requisite space to breathe once the big moment arrives.”
Review: Vincent Vittorio’s ‘Going Viral’
“Aside from its off-kilter science fiction elements and generational confusion, ‘Going Viral’ is an amusing and playful romp that will remind viewers of everything wonderful about the 1980s.”
Review: Vivian Kerr’s ‘Séance’
“‘Séance’ doesn’t quite match the thrills of the most trendy psychological horror flicks, yet its mature themes will resonate with adult viewers and anyone struggling to move on from the past.”
Review: Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’
“By its very nature, ‘Nosferatu’ is a pessimistic story, which might be why the biggest surprise of Eggers’ take is that it’s his most accessible effort to date.”
Review: Brady Corbet’s ‘The Brutalist’
“‘The Brutalist’ may appear like an inaccessible art picture from the outside, but it moves with an energy that ensures the casual viewer will never be daunted by its epic stature…”
I Am of Mud and Flame: Landscapes as Conjurors in British Folk Horror
“Whether it’s Holkham Wood or the stone circle at Avebury, British folk horror frequently uses the eeriness of empty, liminal spaces to evoke a sense of psychological unease.”
Review: Tim Hautekiet’s ‘Me, Myself & the Void’
“‘Me, Myself & the Void’ was clearly made with passion and enthusiasm, but none of Hautekiet’s efforts can stop the mystery from feeling like it’s dragging its heels towards an obvious conclusion…”
Review: Taku Aoyagi’s ‘Tokyo Uber Blues’
“‘Tokyo Uber Blues’ is best when it works as a borderline psychodramatic character study…”