|
|
Abigail
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Dan Stevens’ performance brought a shred of excitement to the film, but overall, Abigail tried too hard to be funny and felt inconsistent in tone throughout.
Posted Jul 29, 2024
|
|
|
A Quiet Place: Day One
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
While anchored by strong performances from Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn, Day One brought nothing new to the franchise and relied too heavily on jump scares.
Posted Jul 29, 2024
|
|
|
Longlegs
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Perkins’ tightly wound script builds tension and suspense – the main ingredients of pure horror – in a way that is rare today. He takes his time to create a suffocating atmosphere of impending doom.
Posted Jul 29, 2024
|
|
|
Deadpool & Wolverine
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Like its prior two entries, the audacious humor and gratuitous violence is front and center. But after a while, the laughs die down and the humor becomes a bit tedious.
Posted Jul 29, 2024
|
|
|
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Costner does a terrific job setting up the beauty & courage of post-Civil War America before unveiling the brutal reality that came with settling an already inhabited nation. Horizon is a remarkable achievement and a reminder of Costner’s enduring legacy.
Posted Jul 29, 2024
|
|
|
Sorry/Not Sorry
(2023)
|
Megan McLachlan
|
What’s most illuminating about this documentary isn’t what C.K. did—which is both disgusting and degrading to the victims and himself—but what people around him didn’t do.
Posted Jul 26, 2024
|
|
|
Janet Planet
(2023)
|
Joey Moser
|
Baker’s film is a tender lullaby with wry humor and sharp observations.
Posted Jun 29, 2024
|
|
|
Los Frikis
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Los Frikis offers a profoundly emotional journey, revealing new depths of Nilson and Schwartz’s artistry honed over the past five years. Their maturing sensibilities solidify their status as master storytellers.
Posted Jun 26, 2024
|
|
|
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
The film grapples with the question: what defines a hero? For Reeve, it was someone who found strength to persevere despite overwhelming obstacles. To me, it was simply Christopher Reeve.
Posted Jun 24, 2024
|
|
|
Skywalkers: A Love Story
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Skywalkers: A Love Story is a thrilling film that also serves as one of the greatest modern love stories. Its a breathtaking and ballsy accomplishment that makes it a must-watch for both adrenaline junkies and hopeless romantics alike.
Posted Jun 24, 2024
|
|
|
In the Summers
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
...this observational style becomes the film’s primary mode, leading to a narrative that lacks a strong plot or conclusive resolution.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
Porcelain War
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Porcelain War masterfully illustrates the enduring power of art in the face of adversity...a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who refuse to surrender their humanity, even in the darkest of times.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
Never Look Away
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Never Look Away is an inspirational testament of fierce determination and incomparable perseverance, and works as a satisfying eulogy to Moth’s indomitable spirit.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
Ghostlight
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Ghostlight is a profoundly moving and masterfully crafted film that captured my heart from start to finish.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
Good One
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
While I appreciate a gradual build-up in storytelling, the success of a slow burn hinges on an impactful payoff. Good One falls short in delivering that payoff – it ends in an anticlimactic manner that left me puzzled and questioning its purpose.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
Between the Temples
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
The storyline occasionally felt unfocused and lacking in depth. Although I appreciated seeing Schwartzman in a leading role and Weinstein left a strong impression, Between the Temples felt like a missed opportunity in many respects.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
Love Machina
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Sillen offers a refreshing perspective on AI, a topic often clouded by apprehension and uncertainty. Love Machina challenges viewers to embrace AI’s potential as a force for positive change rather than fear its advancement.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
Thelma
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Thelma is a joy to watch. A genuine crowd-pleaser and a laugh riot. Sometimes, the simplicity of a film is its greatest strength.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
Dìdi
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Dìdi is a heartfelt portrayal of the chaotic awkwardness of adolescence with simplicity and effectiveness. Joan Chen is the heart and soul of the film as the weary but determined matriarch.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
Inside Out 2
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
In many ways, Kelsey Mann’s Inside Out 2 was significantly more emotionally resonant, profound, and insightful than its predecessor. I was pleasantly surprised by how deeply it moved me.
Posted Jun 23, 2024
|
|
|
All We Imagine as Light
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
All We Imagine as Light dazzles with its lyrical, quietly moving dissection of womanhood and the immigrant experience in Mumbai today.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
Grand Tour
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
Hypnotically strange and beautiful, Grand Tour travels across borders of time and space, fiction and documentary, reality and dream, and ends on an appropriately poetic note.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
Caught by the Tides
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
Its free-flowing, image-driven form will no doubt alienate many viewers, but those willing to just let its singular cinematic language wash over them would be rewarded with something barely articulated yet quietly profound.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
Anora
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
Written and directed with an infectious, propulsive energy and featuring a star-making performance by Mikey Madison, it’s one wild joyride you don’t want to miss.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
The Apprentice
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
A sometimes funny, sometimes sobering character study that never veers into comedy/thriller territory.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
Armand
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
Some of its themes and plot devices feel déjà vu, but that doesn’t make this intense, strikingly stylistic first film any less impressive.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
The Substance
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
Relentless, thought-provoking and morbidly fun, The Substance is a new horror classic.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
Kinds of Kindness
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
Although Kinds of Kindness is much more malevolent in tone than say, Poor Things or The Favourite, Lanthimos still managed to craft LOL moments that catch you completely off guard.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
An Unfinished Film
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
A fascinating formal hybrid that deals with censorship, COVID and civil courage. It’s the work of a group of fearless artists that gives you rare insights into the challenges faced by creatives in China today.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
The Girl with the Needle
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
The historical drama provides a chilling, comprehensive account of the serial infanticides that happened in early 20th century Copenhagen. But I suspect a pared-down version would have made for a leaner, meaner period horror that works even better.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
Bird
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
Adams is a natural and a star, while Rogowski charms once again with the creation of yet another memorably unique character.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
Megalopolis
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
The film’s second half features gorgeously eloquent visual flourishes which make it increasingly clear that Coppola is addressing some big, essential ideas and the sheer scope of his ambition stuns.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
When The Light Breaks
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
I think Rúnarsson’s screenplay falls a bit on the thin side even for a 82-min film. Having said that, I do like how the story organically turns into one about the two women and how it depicts this dynamic haunted by both rivalry and understanding.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
Wild Diamond
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
It’s a hard-hitting, hot-blooded social drama/character study that shows promise of a new, fiercely assured cinematic voice, even if the story it tells isn’t breaking any ground.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
The Second Act
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
The line between truth and fiction becomes deliciously blurred.
Posted Jun 12, 2024
|
|
|
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
While the action sequences, imaginative world-building, stunning visuals, and bleak narrative masterfully connect the films, Taylor-Joy brings a thematic and poignant weight to Furiosa that adds depth to the Mad Max saga.
Posted May 31, 2024
|
|
|
IF
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
The real star of IF is composer Michael Giacchino, who turns out another banger score. For over 20 years, we’ve been privileged to witness his genius. It’s time to recognize Giacchino as one of the all-time great film composers.
Posted May 31, 2024
|
|
|
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
At 2 hours 25 minutes, Kingdom could have benefitted from tighter editing. Despite plenty of exciting confrontations and action sequences, for every step forward, the story takes two steps back into a lull.
Posted May 31, 2024
|
|
|
The Fall Guy
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
A film as silly as this MUST be consistently funny for the premise to work. At the very least, the chemistry between the two leads is non-negotiable. And on both ends, The Fall Guy crashes to the floor with no safety net.
Posted May 31, 2024
|
|
|
His Three Daughters
(2023)
|
Joey Moser
|
A fraught, gorgeously complex drama
Posted May 08, 2024
|
|
|
Civil War
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
While I admired its unbiased portrayal of a troubling hypothetical, the narrative’s execution left something to be desired, veering into a rather predictable finale.
Posted May 03, 2024
|
|
|
Monkey Man
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Monkey Man delivers a high-octane action/thriller reminiscent of the adrenaline-fueled John Wick series. It may appeal to fans seeking intense action, I found the emphasis on gratuitous violence and minimal plot development to be less satisfying.
Posted May 03, 2024
|
|
|
Challengers
(2024)
|
Mark Johnson
|
Challengers stands out as Guadagnino’s most accessible film yet, offering audiences entertainment over art... a mostly captivating blend of steamy suspense and intrigue cleverly disguised within the framework of a sports film.
Posted May 03, 2024
|
|
|
The Lie: The Murder of Grace Millane
(2024)
|
Megan McLachlan
|
Struggling to remember this particular news story? That’s an underlying point of this gripping documentary, that Millane’s murder sounds like so many other tragedies of “women doing things alone." [...] Coan’s doc reveals itself like a horror film.
Posted Mar 29, 2024
|
|
|
Femme
(2023)
|
Joey Moser
|
Femme is an electric examination of how our fears intermingle with our darkest desires.
Posted Mar 22, 2024
|
|
|
Who Do I Belong To
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
That a first-time feature writer/director made a film that works on just about every level is pretty remarkable.
Posted Feb 26, 2024
|
|
|
Crossing
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
Crossing never preaches; it speaks to empathy and decency. When there’s so much hate that seeks to segregate and deny, I for one am grateful for such merciful, quietly urgent storytelling.
Posted Feb 26, 2024
|
|
|
Langue Étrangère
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
More on the mainstream side, which often means no jury love, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Burger made a consistently enjoyable film that has a lot to say and introduces the revelatory performance of a promising new talent.
Posted Feb 26, 2024
|
|
|
Dying
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
The last hour of Dying struggles to find the same level of sharpness so the whole thing doesn't land on a high note. That said, I'm impressed overall by Glasner's writing and the individual performances from this talented ensemble.
Posted Feb 26, 2024
|
|
|
Dahomey
(2024)
|
Zhuo-Ning Su
|
Clocking in at just 67 minutes, Dahomey provides a compact, thought-provoking look at the restitution of looted African art by former colonial powers.
Posted Feb 26, 2024
|
>
