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TIFF Review: ‘The Last Photograph’ is a Miserable Experience
When the Toronto International Film Festival added Zack Snyder‘s passion project, The Last Photograph, as a surprise to their lineup, I was genuinely curious. I usually like Snyder’s movies well enough, though rarely are over the moon for them. I’m on record thinking the Snyder Cut is an improvement on Justice League, for example. I […] More
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TIFF Review: ‘Everybody Wants to Fuck Me’ Mixes Satirical Comedy and Dark Thriller to (Mostly) Solid Effect
A good high concept can be a great starting point for a genre work. In the case of Everybody Wants to Fuck Me, the high concept is able to travel across genres, which you don’t always see. What if Obsession was, at least initially, more of a comedy? In broad strokes, that’s the set up […] More
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TIFF Review: ‘Evil Genius’ is a Devilishly Assured Directorial Effort From Courteney Cox
It has been over a decade since Courteney Cox made her directorial debut with Just Before I Go. Now, she’s back with Evil Genius, which shows massive growth as a filmmaker from her. This is a dark, funny, and deeply assured work, with strong acting, crisp visuals, and a real sense of pacing. I sure […] More
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TIFF Review: ‘Fjord’ is a Captivating Legal Drama with a Moral Dilemma at the Center You Won’t Easily Shake Off
There’s a bad version of the plot of Fjord that comes off like straight up right wing conservative propaganda. Seeing a conservative Christian family having to fight the bureaucracy of a liberal government feels like the stuff of Pure Flix’s cinematic dreams. So, the fact that this film is not just good, but won the […] More
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TIFF Review: ‘Gentle Monster’ Has a Great Léa Seydoux Performance Surrounded by a Film That Can’t Quite Keep Up With Her
I love getting to see the supremely talented Léa Seydoux get a leading role. Even more so, when she’s given a challenging one. That’s certainly the case with Gentle Monster, a dark drama that starts with an unsettling premise and goes from there. Unfortunately, while Seydoux is great, the movie is not. It’s a first […] More
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TIFF Review: ‘Being Heumann’ is a Rousing and Crowd-Pleasing Call for Equal Rights
Following up a Best Picture winner is always a challenge for any filmmaker. What do you do for an encore? Sometimes, they have a blank check to pursue a passion project. Other times, they just struggle to recapture the magic. In the case of Siân Heder, she’s managed to follow up CODA with Being Heumann, […] More
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Film Review: Paul Greengrass’ Style is a Poor Fit for ‘The Uprising’ (Which Didn’t Need to Be a Backdoor Robin Hood Origin Story)
Not every filmmaker is a match for every film. There’s no denying that Paul Greengrass is a supremely talented director. Just look to United 93 for an example of masterful filmmaking, even given difficult subject matter. Unfortunately, The Uprising proves to be a poor fit for Greengrass’ style, and that’s before we even get into […] More
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Film Review: ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger’ is a (Very) Loud and Emotional Celebration
Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger is a genuinely emotional experience in the cinema, even if the sound design is extremely loud. More
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Telluride Film Festival Review: ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York’ Features a Career Best Turn from John Turturro in a Wonderful Character Study
John Turturro has, somehow, never been nominated for an Academy Award. With The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, he has his best chance in years to finally break that Oscar drought. He’s never been better than in this wonderful character study, one that makes perfect use of him. Turturro is the highlight, of course, […] More
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Telluride Film Festival Review: ‘La bola negra’ is an Ambitious and Epic Beating Heart of a Movie
Seeing a filmmaker (or in this case, two filmmakers) really break out with something original is a sight to behold. In the case of La bola negra and the pair known as Los Javis (Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo), they’ve really pulled something off. Even if I don’t quite love the film quite as much […] More
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Telluride Film Festival Review: ‘You Can See Everything’ is One of the Most Jaw-Dropping Documentaries Ever Made
It is nearly impossible to explain why Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim‘s You Can See Everything is one of the all-time documentary experiences without going into major spoiler territory. Hell, even Fielder himself, in the post screening Q&A here at the Telluride Film Festival, where it had a surprise World Premiere, stated “I’m struggling to […] More
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Telluride Film Festival Review: ‘Club Kid’ is an Utter Revelation by Jordan Firstman
Consider me shocked. I went into Club Kid knowing that it’s been beloved by all who’ve seen it, but I truly didn’t realize what I was about to witness. This film, the feature filmmaking debut of actor Jordan Firstman, is so assured and well realized, it sneaks up on you. The movie begins funny and […] More
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