Review: Joshua Marston’s ‘Complete Unknown’
“‘Complete Unknown’ seems to have its finger on the pulse of something characteristic of our FOMO culture.”
At the Cinémathèque: Jean-Luc Godard Finds Pleasure In Estrangement with ‘Passion’
“Centered on a made-for-television film, ‘Passion’ blends the far reaches of Western art with the birth of new mediums.”
Why Criticism: Mark Cousins’ 50 Week Film Course
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
Two Drink Minimum: ‘David Cross: Making America Great Again!’ (Netflix)
“Similar to the audience polarization of other onenote comics (like Ricky Gervais), Cross’ locked, angry views overwhelm his substantial wit.”
At the Cinémathèque: ‘In the Realm of the Senses’ (Nagisa Ôshima, 1976)
“In the forbidden, Oshima reveals the fear of our own meaninglessness and our inability to face death as a certainty.”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘Hardcore’ (Paul Schrader, 1979)
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith
More Serious Than Love: Éric Rohmer’s ‘A Summer’s Tale’
“The film identifies the dark heart of summer, the humid stagnation and sense of dread that is the season’s essence.”
Mood and Character in Brady Corbet’s ‘The Childhood of a Leader’
“‘The Childhood of a Leader’ may not behold a traditional narrative, yet Corbet’s auterist style creates a memorable visceral effect.”
Why Criticism: Richard Dyer’s ‘White’ and Writing About Race
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
Two Drink Minimum: Amazon Pilot Reviews
Jacob Oller on ‘The Tick,’ ‘I Love Dick’ and ‘Jean-Claude Van Johnson’
Blindspots: The Night Of ‘The Call of the Wild’ (Recap)
“For supposed ‘prestige TV,’ ‘The Night Of’ is simply lazy.”
Why Criticism: Thom Andersen and the Critic as a Worker
A Weekly Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
Two Drink Minimum: Humor and the Influences of ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’
“As reference humor and pop song needle drops become ironic jokes in and of themselves, stories like Kubo will outlive them all by having just a bit of substance behind the gags.”
Extraneous Evidence: The Night Of ‘Ordinary Death’ (Recap)
“Chandra goes from being a charming ingénue to a woeful bastion of ignorance even more secluded from society than the eczema-plagued Jack.”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘Blonde Venus’ (Josef von Sternberg, 1932)
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith
Why Criticism: We Need to Talk About Short Films
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
Two Drink Minimum: Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon’s ‘Sausage Party’
“In many ways, it’s like watching the Olympics. You may not understand every event or even grasp the differences between the best in the world or last place, but you respect the talent behind it.”
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘Underworld’ (Josef von Sternberg, 1927)
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith
Why Criticism: So, You’re Covering a Film Festival?
A Column on Film Criticism by Justine A. Smith
Of Love and Other Demons: ‘The Docks of New York’ (Josef von Sternberg, 1928)
A Weekly Column on Love and Erotica in Cinema by Justine A. Smith