DC/DOX: “baby/girls” is an Empathetic Look at Teen Pregnancy
baby/girls is profoundly vulnerable. It’s an act of bravery to share such deeply personal moments with the rest of the world in the hope of capturing their reality to ask for change.
DC/DOX: “Hell’s Army” Captures Investigative Journalism’s Power
Hell’s Army is difficult to watch, but it needs to be recognized and amplified.
DC/DOX: “The Siege of Paradise” Asks What Kind of Tourist We Should Be
The Siege of Paradise may only focus on Cinque Terre, but this is happening all over the world. The documentary is not only a carefully constructed critique of what it means to be a tourist, but also a deeply compelling character study of humans in the summertime.
“Backrooms” is Lost in its Own Lore
It’s exciting that a film based on an internet story could make it to the big screen helmed by a teenager, but Backrooms needed to plot its path in a more honed-in fashion.
“The Saviors” Finds Discomfort in Suburbia
The Saviors is a Twilight Zone episode for the age of paranoid xenophobia we live in today and maybe, unfortunately, always have.
Tribeca: “4000 Days” Finds Resilience and Lasting Change in Loss
4000 Days is a vital piece of filmmaking that highlights resilience in the time of a profound loss that no one should ever experience.
Tribeca: “Death Boom” Empathetically Reflects on Mortality
Death Boom has an empathetic and sometimes gently comedic look at death, which is perhaps how all of us should start thinking about the end of the road.
Tribeca: “Summer War” Meticulously Plots its Moves
There’s style here to Scherson’s vision, and the collection of characters milling about the hotel is an interesting group, but Summer War’s weak spot keeps the film more muted than it should be.
Tribeca: “Deepfake” Gets to the Heart of the Matter
Deepfake is absurd and mimics the downward spiral of an existential crisis, but its humor and darkness create something transcendent and honest.
Tribeca: “Harvest” Reaps and Sows Love
Harvest is perseverance, rebirth, and for the dreamers.
Tribeca: “Memorizu” Creates Nostalgia for the Moment it’s In
In its gentle, wholehearted approach to the fallacy of memories, Memorizu has constructed a film that celebrates humans for their insatiable desire to remember everything.
Tribeca: “Rare Birds” is in Rare Form
Jerry and Candice are kindred spirits, if you want a simple explanation. Rare Birds transcends that by reveling in its two main characters who, like the antique store much of the film takes place in, are hidden gems.
Tribeca: “Micronations” Proves Tiny Can Be Mighty
Whatever it may be, Micronations captures this world and the people who celebrate what micronations have the possibility to be.
Tribeca: “Stealing Magic” is Stranger Than Any Illusion
Stealing Magic may focus on pirating in the world of illusions, but speaks to the larger issue of art being stolen for a quick buck.
“Carolina Caroline” is a Sweaty, Southern Gothic Crime Spree
Carolina Caroline is sweaty, steamy, and savory, a road trip whose end is known, but whose journey lights a fire.
Tribeca: “American Zoo” Holds Decades of Secrets
American Zoo is a searing look at how something as seemingly disconnected as a zoo can actually be a tool for the rise of fascism.
Tribeca: “Kingston” Ruthlessly Skewers Higher Education
Kingston, so vital and conversation-changing, speaks directly to the young people it captures.
Tribeca: “Odessa” Dwells on the Banality of Evil
Odessa is a disquieting look at the pervasiveness of evil and the way it can permeate life, even when war is said to have ended.
Tribeca: “Sad Girlz” Captures Girlhood Trauma
Writer/director Fernanda Tovar’s Sad Girlz spectacularly captures girlhood, even when what’s being shown isn’t so rosy.
“Song Silenced: Coming Out in Christian Music” Makes a Joyful Noise
Song Silenced: Coming Out in Christian Music is beautiful truth that is far louder than those who try to take the music away.