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2008

“Doubt” casts a shadow, but not the darkest one

Doubt
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John Patrick Shanley’s Catholic Church-set drama is mildly effective and well-acted but too tidy for its subject matter.

Jonah Koslofsky Posted on November 30, 2020November 30, 2020

“Synecdoche, New York” is an excruciating, exciting trip to nowhere

Synecdoche, New York
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Charlie Kaufman’s minimalist meditation on mortality is as hard to get through as it is oddly rewarding.

Jonah Koslofsky Posted on August 31, 2020August 31, 2020

Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” has soured with time

Milk
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Gus Van Sant’s squeaky clean biopic about the famed gay rights activist marks a myopic and pandering misstep in the director’s filmography.

Oluwatayo Adewole Posted on June 24, 2020July 2, 2020

The quiet realism of “Paranoid Park” showed Gus Van Sant at his indie best

Paranoid Park
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Both tactile and ethereal, Gus Van Sant’s skateboarding drama saw him expand upon his neorealist work that spanned the 2000s.

Patrick Glennon Posted on June 23, 2020July 2, 2020

“Iron Man” built a hero – and a blueprint for a franchise

Iron Man
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Jon Favreau’s acerbic superhero adventure set the template for the Marvel Cinematic Universe — and rehabilitated Robert Downey Jr. into a movie star once again.

Jonah Koslofsky Posted on April 6, 2020April 6, 2020

“Rachel Getting Married” Is Harrowing, Messy, and Real

Rachel Getting Married
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With its lo-fi aesthetics and quietly chaotic presentation, Jonathan Demme’s 2008 drama never goes for the easy conflicts at hand.

Andrew Bloom Posted on February 24, 2020February 22, 2020

“Revolutionary Road” and the Lost Art of Knowing What Isn’t Special

Revolutionary Road
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Sam Mendes’s tale of forlorn love works best as a study of the pitfalls that litter the American Dream.

Ben Kaye Posted on December 26, 2019December 26, 2019

Scorsese Captures the Rolling Stones’ Energy in “Shine a Light”

Shine a Light
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Martin Scorsese shone a light on The Rolling Stones for this rollicking concert film, two cultural titans at the top of their game.

Colin Jackson Posted on October 30, 2019October 29, 2019

Remembering the Candy-Coated Spectacle of “Speed Racer”

Speed Racer
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The Wachowskis’ kaleidoscopic 2008 adaptation of the clasic ’60s anime is as bright, bold and weird as the rest of their late-period output.

Chris Ludovici Posted on June 23, 2019August 11, 2020

The Simple Pleasures of “Ponyo”

Ponyo
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One of Hayao Miyazaki’s lighter, sentimental films is a celebration of ordinary life & parental love as seen through the eyes of a child.

Gena Radcliffe Posted on May 28, 2019August 10, 2020
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