|
|
I Got a Monster
(2023)
|
Joey Keogh
|
I Got a Monster shines a light on how systemic abuses of power are left unchecked and often allowed to proliferate, but it’s a tough watch in many ways because it’s clear that there are plenty of similar stories happening right now that aren’t being told.
Posted Mar 23, 2023
|
|
|
Scream VI
(2023)
|
Joey Keogh
|
Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are more confident this time around, taking more risks and putting their own spin on a franchise that they were maybe too fond of as fans to truly experiment with during the previous film.
Posted Mar 17, 2023
|
|
|
Huesera: The Bone Woman
(2022)
|
Joey Keogh
|
The most troubling thing about "Huesera: The Bone Woman" may just be how much of it will ring true to any woman watching.
Posted Mar 06, 2023
|
|
|
Attachment
(2022)
|
Joey Keogh
|
Although Attachment is undeniably a horror movie, it’s also a sensitively played queer romance and a dissection of the way certain women bind themselves to strict edicts as a kind of self-protection.
Posted Feb 13, 2023
|
|
|
Beautiful Beings
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“Guðmundsson’s attention to detail in ‘Beautiful Beings,’ both with the direction and script, suggests that he will become one of Iceland’s most exciting filmmakers.”
Posted Jan 25, 2023
|
|
|
Corsage
(2022)
|
Greg Carlson
|
“It becomes evident that the director’s preoccupation with Elisabeth “coming apart” at the age of 40 is the key component of ‘Corsage’ that transcends time to become a commentary on any era.”
Posted Jan 23, 2023
|
|
|
Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché
(2021)
|
Greg Carlson
|
“‘Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché’ is not a critical deconstruction of X-Ray Spex’s music, but enough time is spent and enough awesome performance footage is included to send newcomers in search of ‘Germfree Adolescents’ (1978) and more.”
Posted Jan 16, 2023
|
|
|
The Old Man & the Gun
(2018)
|
Greg Carlson
|
“For my money, David Lowery has been as much fun to watch as any filmmaker of his generation.”
Posted Jan 12, 2023
|
|
|
A Star Is Born
(2018)
|
Greg Carlson
|
“Gaga’s mere presence in ‘A Star Is Born’ allows Cooper a wide berth to go big with scenes and moments that play with and embrace camp.”
Posted Jan 09, 2023
|
|
|
First Man
(2018)
|
Greg Carlson
|
“‘First Man’ expresses no interest in probing the complexities of space race mythologizing…”
Posted Jan 09, 2023
|
|
|
The Eternal Daughter
(2022)
|
Greg Carlson
|
“‘The Eternal Daughter’ can be viewed independently from the pair of stories starring Swinton’s own daughter Honor Swinton Byrne, but the in-world connections provide an extra layer of enjoyment.”
Posted Jan 09, 2023
|
|
|
Ronnie's
(2020)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Ronnie’s’ takes me back to my early days in Hollywood, before I had Facebook and an iPhone, before I began forcing experiences and friendships rather than just letting them happen. What a feeling to transcend above what brings you down…to feel at home.”
Posted Jan 06, 2023
|
|
|
Nothing Compares
(2022)
|
Greg Carlson
|
The lack of on-camera interviews in Nothing Compares focuses attention on the evocative visuals.
Posted Dec 15, 2022
|
|
|
Nocebo
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“Lorcan Finnegan’s ‘Nocebo’ works as a companion piece to his previous feature, ‘Vivarium’ (2019), but doesn’t match the overall quality… though it is undeniably one of 2022’s great tickle movies.”
Posted Dec 14, 2022
|
|
|
Emancipation
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Emancipation’ packs more of a punch than other successful Apple dramas, such as ‘CODA’ and ‘Causeway,’ primarily because of a sharp script by William N. Collage and sensational lead performances by Smith and co-star Ben Foster.”
Posted Dec 09, 2022
|
|
|
Christmas Bloody Christmas
(2022)
|
Joey Keogh
|
Christmas Bloody Christmas is stylishly scuzzy, and the kills are super gory, but without [Riley] Dandy it simply wouldn’t work as well as it does. ... It’s yet more evidence that [Joe] Begos is one of the most exciting filmmakers working in horror today.
Posted Dec 09, 2022
|
|
|
A New Orleans Noel
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘A New Orleans Noel’ is one of the year’s best holiday movies.”
Posted Dec 02, 2022
|
|
|
Blood Relatives
(2022)
|
Joey Keogh
|
Strip away the bloodsucking and [Noah] Segan’s auspicious debut would be just as enjoyable. But by making a vampire movie, he tapped into something universally human and truly special.
Posted Nov 24, 2022
|
|
|
Hi I'm Blake
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Hi I’m Blake’ has a profound, encouraging lifeforce, especially when Jeff McQuitty and Hanan Townshend’s hard-hitting crescendos complement the subject’s perseverance.”
Posted Nov 18, 2022
|
|
|
To the Moon
(2021)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘To the Moon’ is the rare low-budget indie that delivers the goods across the board.”
Posted Nov 17, 2022
|
|
|
Dylan & Zoey
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“Acting coaches should take a look at Dylan & Zoey’s bathroom monologue scene… this is the type of cinema that I’m always looking for.”
Posted Nov 11, 2022
|
|
|
Meet Me in the Bathroom
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Meet Me in the Bathroom’ succeeds when viewed as a celebratory snapshot of the Big Apple’s pre-9/11 rock youth. Still, the overall approach feels off and somewhat uninspired.”
Posted Oct 28, 2022
|
|
|
Wild
(2015)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Wild’ is a strong showcase for Stangenberg, an actress who embodies a specific kind of sorrow.”
Posted Oct 23, 2022
|
|
|
Halloween Ends
(2022)
|
Joey Keogh
|
Sticking the landing was always going to be difficult with Halloween Ends, because there are so many moving parts, but the film wraps things up to a rewarding extent in a manner befitting the duo’s ambitious original vision.
Posted Oct 18, 2022
|
|
|
Deadstream
(2022)
|
Joey Keogh
|
Deadstream is an inventive, unpredictable and hugely charming found footage horror film, but it’s also a clever indictment of internet culture with a gripping, vanity-free lead performance from its co-writer/director. An all-timer in the making, for sure.
Posted Oct 10, 2022
|
|
|
Searching for Ingmar Bergman
(2018)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Searching for Ingmar Bergman’ is one of the better documentaries about a legendary filmmaker.”
Posted Oct 01, 2022
|
|
|
Anonymous Club
(2021)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“Cohen poignantly investigates the anxieties of an untraditional rocker who is expected to fulfill traditional industry duties.”
Posted Sep 28, 2022
|
|
|
Blonde
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Blonde’ will entertain open-minded cinephiles who enjoy being dominated by bold and ambitious filmmaking.”
Posted Sep 28, 2022
|
|
|
Do Revenge
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
Do Revenge may not appeal to 40-somethings who grew up with Reality Bites or American Pie, but the character dynamics will indeed resonate with younger moviegoers who care more about individualism and transparency than reductive identity politics.
Posted Sep 22, 2022
|
|
|
Speak No Evil
(2022)
|
Joey Keogh
|
Speak No Evil is a horror-comedy of manners, and the performances are solid throughout, particularly from the children, but the movie’s cynical, meaningless and utterly contrived conclusion feels like a cheat after everything that’s come before.
Posted Sep 16, 2022
|
|
|
Loving Highsmith
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
Loving Highsmith is like a carefully curated Instagram account — it tells part of the story and avoids the messy stuff.
Posted Sep 12, 2022
|
|
|
After Blue
(2021)
|
Joey Keogh
|
This challenging movie has plenty of style to spare but searching for substance may be an insurmountable task for most.
Posted Aug 30, 2022
|
|
|
He's Watching
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘He’s Watching’ is a practical and efficient horror film in the style of Rob Savage’s ‘Host’ (2020), but its brilliance lies in Estes’ subversive funhouse mirror approach.”
Posted Jul 29, 2022
|
|
|
Diary of a Spy
(2022)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Diary of a Spy’ mostly keeps viewers in the dark; it’s unclear what makes the main characters tick. Anna and Camden are Dostoevskian figures in spirit, from a different tale, who seem lost in time.”
Posted Jul 28, 2022
|
|
|
Ruth Stone's Vast Library of the Female Mind
(2021)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Ruth Stone’s Vast Library of the Female Mind’ is an inspiring excavation of the subject’s subconscious; a trip that shouldn’t be avoided by off-the-grid creatives.”
Posted Jul 28, 2022
|
|
|
Rocío
(2018)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘Rocío’ is one of those special films that has the power to heal and calm the mind.”
Posted Jul 15, 2022
|
|
|
She Will
(2021)
|
Joey Keogh
|
Charlotte Colbert’s debut is provocative, thought-provoking and beguiling, but if it dug a little deeper, or was more focused, maybe the movie wouldn’t feel so unsatisfying. Regardless, She Will is an impressive introduction to Colbert as a filmmaker.
Posted Jul 15, 2022
|
|
|
Faults
(2014)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"Surprisingly, director Stearns spends little time navigating the physical world of 'Faults'; he takes a minimalist approach and produces a game of psychological chess."
Posted Jul 01, 2022
|
|
|
The World Made Straight
(2015)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"'The World Made Straight' is essentially a poor man's 'Out of the Furnace'... Still, it's a memorable spotlight for the always-mesmerizing Minka Kelly."
Posted Jun 30, 2022
|
|
|
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
(2014)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"Heart-warming and often hilarious, 'Kumiko the Treasure Hunter' reminds that individuality may take one a long way given the right conditions. Chase your treasures with confidence and be prepared."
Posted Jun 30, 2022
|
|
|
Vanishing Waves
(2012)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"'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)."
Posted Jun 30, 2022
|
|
|
Thou Wast Mild and Lovely
(2014)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"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."
Posted Jun 30, 2022
|
|
|
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1
(2014)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"Lawrence is simply marvelous again and delivers a surprisingly beautiful vocal performance that demonstrates her well-rounded talent as a performer."
Posted Jun 30, 2022
|
|
|
On the Job
(2013)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"Matti shows no fear by destroying genre cliches in 'On the Job,' and his wandering camera opens up the world of Metro Manila while expressing how utterly disposable humans can be under corrupt leadership."
Posted Jun 30, 2022
|
|
|
A Sexplanation
(2021)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
“‘A Sexplanation’ is both timely and hilarious, a big brain event.”
Posted Jun 30, 2022
|
|
|
We Are Mari Pepa
(2013)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"The more outlandish the dialogue becomes, the more Kishi highlights his tight screenwriting with co-scribe Sofía Gómez-Córdova."
Posted Jun 30, 2022
|
|
|
Breathe
(2014)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"'Breathe' works on various levels thanks to Arnaud Potier's cinematography, Laurent's polished direction and the magnetic charisma of the leads."
Posted Jun 28, 2022
|
|
|
Miss and the Doctors
(2013)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"'Miss and the Doctors' reminds of François Truffaut with a shade of Demy; 'Jules et Jim' holding 'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.'"
Posted Jun 28, 2022
|
|
|
Vandal
(2013)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"Cisterne poses important questions about adolescent identity and touches on the blossoming of artistic expression in 'Vandal,' but the concealed fury of each character ultimately remains an enigma (along with their understanding of the real world)."
Posted Jun 28, 2022
|
|
|
The Overnighters
(2014)
|
Q.V. Hough
|
"Moss highlights the personal struggles of many who find themselves re-awakened in northwestern North Dakota, and others who simply fade in and fade out."
Posted Jun 28, 2022
|
