Case for Criterion: Jamie Babbit’s ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’
“Babbit recognizes that the characters in question have a difficult choice to make: to subscribe to a dominant culture and survive or to ‘be themselves’ and ostensibly be shunned.”
Case for Criterion: Xavier Dolan’s ‘Heartbeats’
“Critics have labeled ‘Heartbeats’ as derivative and pretentious, flamboyant and bratty, but it’s exactly the kind of film where such criticism means that it’s doing its job.”
Chasing Chabrol: ‘Les bonnes femmes’
“‘Les bonnes femmes’ pushes the boundaries of expectations, leaving the audience in a place of vulnerability.”
Review: Rafaël Ouellet’s ‘Gurov and Anna’
“‘Gurov and Anna’ toys with perceptions and ultimately gives into both cynicism and brutality. While not for the faint of heart, Ouellet’s film offers a pointed portrait of obsession and ego…”
The Moreau Files: ‘The Lovers’
“It is incredible to think that Malle was only 25 years old when he made ‘The Lovers,’ as it seems to hold the wisdom and erotic impulses of a much older man.”
The Moreau Files: ‘Jules and Jim’
“In the male dominated world of the French New Wave, Catherine in François Truffaut’s ‘Jules and Jim’ stands out as a mysterious and particularly beguiling female presence.”
Some Like It Hot (and Hilarious): Angus MacLachlan’s ‘Goodbye to All That’
“Angus MacLachlan’s ‘Goodbye to All That’ is a witty romance with real-life consequences for millennials to consider.”
The Surprise Gem of 2014: Mark Raso’s ‘Copenhagen’
“‘Copenhagen’ surprised me like no other film in 2014…”
The Elegant Ingenuity of Sam Esmail’s ‘Comet’
“With ‘Comet,’ Sam Esmail offers a fresh take on romance and allows his stars to shine with ingenuous performances.”
Review: Josephine Decker’s ‘Thou Wast Mild and Lovely’
“With such a powerful concoction of unconventional narrative techniques, ‘Thou Wast Mild and Lovely’ dares the viewer to touch the flame; a 95 minute summer poem of suppressed emotions and blistering paranoia.”
Review: Chasing Kristina Buožytė’s ‘Vanishing Waves’
“‘Vanishing Waves’ boasts a touch of Andrei Tarkovsky, but I found many similarities to the psychosexual thrillers of French director Alain Robbe-Grillet, most notably ‘Eden and After’ (1970) and ‘Successive Slidings of Pleasure’ (1974).”
Review: Jean-Marc Vallée Creates Mystical Vibe in ‘Café de Flore’
Q.V. Hough reviews Jean-Marc Vallée’s ‘Café de Flore.’