Review: Eliza Hittman’s ‘Beach Rats’
“Hittman has created a powerful, sensual film about identity, loss and the complicated space that often lies between desire and expectation.”
Album Review: Frankie Rose ‘Cage Tropical’
“The transformation of 1980s synth pop from a frequently mocked fad into a respectable modern genre has been glorious to behold.”
Review: Fabrice Du Welz’s ‘Message from the King’ (Netflix Original)
“For the most part, ‘Message from the King’ doesn’t mess around.”
Hopes and Fears in Helsinki: Pirjo Honkasalo’s ‘Concrete Night’
“The harsh dialogue may not connect, but the visuals most certainly will.”
Fantasia Film Festival 2017 Review: Federica Di Giacomo’s ‘Libera Nos’
“It’s an unconventional perspective, making ‘Libera Nos’ a riveting new lens on a familiar topic.”
Review: Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dunkirk’
“As a portrait of differing wartime experiences, ‘Dunkirk’ is too plot-oriented to be successful.”
Album Review: Male Gaze ‘Miss Taken’
“Anyone who claims that most new music is terrible probably isn’t trying hard enough.”
Instant Cult Classic: Gary Michael Schultz’s ‘Vincent N Roxxy’
“Either you love the squeaky rollercoaster or you’ve got no time for the squeaky rollercoaster. Welcome to the carnival.”
Sheer Heart Attack: Edgar Wright’s ‘Baby Driver’
“With ‘Baby Driver,’ Wright delivers a delightful, mid-summer cinematic treat.”
Review: David Lowery’s ‘A Ghost Story’
“For Lowery, cosmic-historic memory is the supernatural, and this is his translation of the myth. And it is woeful.”
Review: Geoffrey Orthwein and Andrew Sullivan’s ‘Bokeh’
“It’s ‘The Leftovers’ minus the chainsmokers, angry locals and cryptic dialogue.”
Spectatorship and the Camera: Sophie Hyde’s ’52 Tuesdays’
“With a masterful sense of direction, ’52 Tuesdays’ triumphs by turning the camera around to create a self-reflexive and unique film.”
Review: Brent Bonacorso’s ‘You Get Me’
“‘You Get Me’ is predictable and often frustrating, but the visuals leave a lasting impression.”
Album Review: Dead Heavens ‘Whatever Witch You Are’
“It’s less macho than stoner rock, but more elegant than garage punk.”
Review: Albert Maysles’ ‘In Transit’
“‘In Transit’ attests to the possibility of human connection and serves as a reminder to the insights Albert Maysles has given us over the last 50 years.”
Album Review: INVSN ‘The Beautiful Stories’
“INVSN may not make the music that flawed people deserve, but it’s definitely the music that we all need right now.”
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Toby Paton’s ‘Jo Cox: Death of an MP’
“‘Jo Cox: Death of an MP’ is a difficult film that resonates now more than ever with a minority Tory government, the knock-on effects of Brexit felt.”
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Josh Homme and Andreas Neumann’s ‘American Valhalla’
“There is a sense of bearing witness to history-in-the-making and of the unlikely melding of soulmates.”
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Nick Broomfield’s ‘Whitney: Can I Be Me’
“‘Whitney: Can I Be Me’ plays out like a tragedy of the most cinematic kind.”
Oak Cliff Film Festival Review: Dustin Guy Defa’s ‘Person to Person’
“‘Person to Person’ posits a world where forgiveness, kindness and neighborliness are actualized by a recognition of the innate goodness of humanity.”