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…”
The Perennial Schmuck: Elaine May’s Disappointing Men
“May was banished at a time when male auteurs were granted an unprecedented amount of latitude. She was treated as a liability rather than a maverick, and it’s difficult not to read that assessment as gendered.”
New Italy, Old Attitudes: Michelangelo Antonioni’s ‘Il Grido’
“‘Il Grido’ is about a man’s utter inability to comprehend the modern world and adapt to it. The end result is a hopeless, pitiful film, and that’s meant as a compliment.”
Review: Mary Dauterman’s ‘Booger’
“‘Booger’ is a surprisingly poignant and sensitive meditation on grief that utilizes a truly wild metaphor.”
Review: Benjamin Ree’s ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’
“There are moments of richness in ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,’ but they only materialize when Ree allows his tale to be told from the only truly lived-in perspective.”
Review: Zach Clark’s ‘The Becomers’
“With ‘The Becomers,’ Clark frequently barrels all the way to the edge of the line but rarely puts anything more than a toe across it.”
Review: Parker Finn’s ‘Smile 2’
“While there’s a great movie hiding inside a solid one, ‘Smile 2’ remains one of the most demonically entertaining horror films of the year through Finn’s twisted and refreshing style.”
Review: Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night’
“‘Saturday Night’ punctuates each act with impressive editing. It’s a big exclamation point — an ode to the original cast and crew, a celebration of comedic camaraderie and the creative process.”
Review: Clint Eastwood’s ‘Juror #2’
“‘Juror #2’ is one of the finer cinematic works of 2024.”
Review: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ ‘Heretic’
“‘Heretic’ is the thinking man’s dumb horror movie of the year.”
Review: Thom Zimny’s ‘Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’
“‘Road Diary’ is intimate and illuminating, revealing the E Street Band’s brilliance and how they function like a well-oiled machine, with Springsteen as the engine that guides them.”