Movie Reviews
Seen a lot of movies, got a lot of opinions.
Let’s get Lily Gladstone her Oscar.
“Inside” - Film Review
Like the penthouse, Inside is a lavishly decorated, but ultimately sparse, reflection on art.
“Blackberry” - Film Review
BlackBerry is a compelling blend of technology history, human relationships, and the ever-looming fear of becoming irrelevant.
"Creed III" - Film Review
Creed III is not a complete knockout, but certain moments are. There are gut punches and there are swings and misses. Above all, though, Creed III is an exciting directorial debut for Jordan and a pure, powerhouse showcase for Majors.
"God's Time" - Film Review
God’s Time is a more-than-impressive debut for Antebi and the entire cast. The film has a magnetic presence that forces the audience to really pause and take everything in. It’s a cacophony of chaos, love, and hope.
"Huesera" - Film Review
Huesera is The Lost Daughter’s spooky sister and Rosemary’s Baby’s modern daughter. Motherhood, in Huesera, is a supernatural curse on Valeria. She’s bound by the parameters of this societal curse and she’s not alone. Huesera is stifling, angry, and a plea for change on a large scale.
"Knock at the Cabin" - Film Review
Knock at the Cabin is middle-of-the-road fare for Shyamalan. It doesn’t reach his directorial heights, but is well above his lows. If nothing else, it’s still refreshing to see a director consistently swinging for the fences.
"Skinamarink" - Film Review
It’s not the sort of film that can be casually turned on at a sleepover, nor will it please every crowd. However, for those who allow themselves to exist in the world of Skinamarink, it will be impossible to shake.
“Infinity Pool” - Film Review
The set up, characters, and ideas are all there—Infinity Pool just could not find a way to blend them all together.
Slamdance: "Silent Love" Review
It’s difficult to define “family.” When you’re young, you think it’s all about blood relations, but it’s only as you grow older that you learn it’s about who shows up for you. When life is hard and you’re at your lowest, it’s who is standing there to keep you afloat. Silent Love answers those questions with its heart on its sleeve.
Slamdance: "Starring Jerry as Himself" Review
“What is a true story?” asks the opening title cards of Starring Jerry as Himself. It’s a valiant question to ask, and one that documentaries pose every time they put a subject in front of their camera and press record.
"Back to the Wharf" - Film Review
All of Back to the Wharf’s major plot points rely on a shared history between the two lead characters. There should be unbearable tension between Li Tang and Song Hao. Former friends whose lives could not be more different because of a decision that neither of them made fifteen years ago.
“Missing” - Film Review
Missing is a time capsule of our modern digital age that proves the love between a mother and a daughter is fierce, confusing, and timeless.
"Human Resources" - Film Review
Human Resources is a bloody fight for the right to do more with life than merely clock in and out.
"Beautiful Beings" - Film Review
Despite its anger, Beautiful Beings remains deeply hopeful. The kids aren’t alright, but they were never given the space to be alright.
"M3GAN" - Film Review
M3GAN is a safe play. It’s a little weird, but nothing truly off-putting, vague enough to appeal to a multitude of demographics.
“White Noise” - Film Review
White Noise is a mumblecore indie film with a Spielbergian disaster at its core.
"Tár" - Film Review
Tár does not make heavy-handed accusations about the state of our society and people in power. Instead, it asks the audience to look at Lydia, to see her as the totality of who she is.
"EO" - Film Review
EO is a stark and oftentimes angry look at humanity’s impact on the natural world. More than the human characters’ treatment of EO, it’s the film’s duality of man-made spaces vs. the open grasslands of nature.
"Aftersun" - Film Review
Aftersun is left open-ended, and that’s a perfect conclusion to this portrait of a father and daughter relationship. It speaks to the inability of a child to truly understand their parents, no matter how valiantly they try.
"The Banshees of Inisherin" - Film Review
Loneliness is isolating, painfully so. You can be surrounded by people and still feel the stifling ache of being alone. The things that help keep despair at bay (friends, music, animals) are the most fragile and need the most care. And yet, those are the aspects of life that people view as frivolous. The Banshees of Inisherin fluctuates from deeply sad to darkly humorous, a mirror of life itself.