Festivals Sundance 2021: “Pleasure” is a painful, provocative viewing By: Matt Cipolla Ninja Thyberg's tale of a woman's attempt to make it in the adult film industry is a feature debut that doesn't pull any punches.
Festivals Sundance 2021: Don’t try to understand “The Blazing World” By: Gena Radcliffe Carlson Young writes, directs and stars in a baffling horror-fantasy about a young woman who disappears into an elaborate alternate universe
Festivals Sundance 2021: “Coming Home in the Dark” loses its way. By: Peter Sobczynski James Ashcroft's hostage horror is nought but bland, sour sadism.
Reviews “The Long Song” – Masterpiece’s end-of-slavery miniseries is excellent By: Oluwatayo Adewole Mahalia Bello's study of the end of slavery in Jamaica, "The Long Song" is incisive, insightful and prioritizes the humanity of the enslaved.
Reviews “The Night” is dark and full of terrors for an Iranian couple in LA By: Beau North Kourosh Ahari's psychological thriller mines anxieties of Iranian-Americans living in the States for bone-chilling effect.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “All Light, Everywhere” knows no bounds By: Matt Cipolla Theo Anthony's new documentary threads together film theory, politics, and philosophy to great success.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “Mass” mines its staginess for heartbreaking effect By: Clint Worthington Fran Kranz's debut is an emotional whopper of a drama, a vivid actor's exercise with incredible performances and passionate ruminations on the aftereffects of tragedy.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “Summer of Soul” is a cultural celebration By: Michael Frank Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson's documentary about the Harlem Cultural Festival is insightful and loving.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “Violation” is a work of shocking cinematic provocation By: Peter Sobczynski Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli's rape revenge thriller tests the boundaries of narrative and sensibility to gruesome effect.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “Censor” is a video nasty throwback suitable for all rages By: Clint Worthington Prano Bailey-Bond makes her debut at Sundance with a chilling ode to the video nasty, featuring a killer turn from Niamh Algar.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “Try Harder!” is a real gem By: Gena Radcliffe Debbie Lum’s engrossing documentary about scary-smart teens and the arduous college application process will make you both nostalgic for and glad to be done with high school.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “In the Earth” never fully blossoms By: Matt Cipolla Ben Wheatley's pandemic-shot sci-fi effort is a derivative and predictable trip through the fog despite a few choice moments.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “John and the Hole” is damn near empty By: Matt Cipolla Pascual Sisto's debut feature is a surprisingly toothless psychological thriller with very little on its mind.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “Cryptozoo” is a visually bonkers trip By: Matt Cipolla The new film from Dash Shaw and Jane Samborski uses its breadth of bold psychedelic inspirations to distract from a tepid script.
Festivals Sundance 2021: “Coda” is a sweetly on key coming of age story By: Gena Radcliffe Sian Heder directs a touching & funny story of having to choose between dreams & obligation.
Reviews “The Dig” explores our aching need to be remembered By: Beau North Simon Stone crafts an exquisite drama about the importance of history on our personal and societal stories, anchored by beautiful turns from Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes.
Filmmaker of the Month “The Reluctant Fundamentalist”’s subterfuge of the American Dream Mira Nair's adaptation of the Mohsin Hamid novel is a probing exploration of the forces that make us who we are.
Reviews Zendaya’s electricity can’t save the self-indulgent “Malcolm & Marie” By: Reyzando Nawara Sam Levinson's Malcolm & Marie has axes to grind about relationships and the role of criticism, but it wastes time whining.
Festivals “Resident Alien” phones home, but it can’t quite find a signal By: Ashley Lara Alan Tudyk hams it up as an alien on a secret mission in a small town in Syfy's mismatched fish out of water comedy.
Filmmaker of the Month “The Namesake” beautifully explores the liminal states of immigrant life Mira Nair's sumptuous adaptation of the Jhumpa Lahiri novel treats the dynamics of multi-generational immigrant families with grace.
Reviews “The Queen of Black Magic” casts a stylish spell By: Marshall Estes Shudder's remake of the 1981 cult horror focuses more on the titular queen's victims, but is still a gory good time.