Star Wars: The Bad Batch – “Battle Scars” (Ep. 7 Review)

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Star Wars: The Bad Batch – “Battle Scars” (Ep. 7 Review)
All My Friends Hate Me: A Great Horror-Comedy for the Socially Anxious (Tribeca Review)
Holler: Strive To Survive (Review)
Infinite: Wahlberg Anchors a Silly but Solid Sci-Fi Actioner (Review)
Sing, Freetown: One Play for the Soul of a Nation (Review)
Last Film Show: A Love Letter to Storytelling (Tribeca Review)
Poser: Questioning the Authenticity of Art (Tribeca Review)
Mark, Mary & Some Other People: The Ups and Downs of an Open Relationship (Tribeca Review)
Loki ‘s Premiere: New (Glorious) Purpose for The God of Mischief (Ep. 1 Review)
Take Me Somewhere Nice: Wandering through Bosnia (Review)
Goodbye, Dragon Inn: A Bittersweet Ode to Cinema (Review)
Vanquish: All (Bad) Style, No Substance (Review)
Mare of Easttown: Winslet Steals The Show (Review)
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It: A Tiresome Threequel (Review)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – “Decommissioned” (Ep. 6 Review)
BPM (Beats Per Minute): Silence Equals Death (Review)
Panic: Overdue Adaptation Fails to Thrill (Review)
Sunflowers: Riveting Documentary on Van Gogh ’s Passion (Review)
Flashback: Psychological Puzzle Thrills (Review)
The Underground Railroad: Brutal, Beautiful Television (Review)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – “Rampage” (Ep. 5 Review)
A Quiet Place Part II Sets a New Standard for Horror Sequels (Review)
Cruella: The Return of Great Disney Storytelling (Review)
The Devil’s Candy Treads on Familiar Ground, But Succeeds in Execution (Review)
Labyrinth of Cinema: An Ode to Filmmaking (Review)
I Used To Be Normal: Fangirling At Its Finest (Review)
Censor: A Throwback to Video Nasties (SIFF Review)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – “Cornered” (Ep. 4 Review)
In The Heights: The Musical Sensation of the Summer (Review)
Army Of The Dead: Snyder’s Zombie Heist Film Hybrid Slays (Review)
It Follows: Modern Low-Budget Horror At Its Best (Review)
Pink: All I Know So Far – “The Truth Underneath” (Review)
Blast Beat: A Jack of All Trades and A Master of None (Review)
Psycho Goreman: Low Budget Glory (Review)
The Woman in The Window: An Uninspired Hitchcockian Fever Dream (Review)
Profile: A Chilling Game Of Cat & Mouse (Review)
Gangs of London: Crime in the Big Smoke (Review)
Those Who Wish Me Dead: Taylor Sheridan’s Grand Actioner (Review)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – “Replacements” (Ep. 3 Review)
Spiral: A Ferocious Return to Form for the Saw Franchise (Review)
Zebra Girl: British Mental Health Thriller Disappoints (Review)
Sequin in a Blue Room: Discoveries, Desire, Danger (Review)
Quiz: A Very British Scandal (Review)
Oxygen on Netflix: Laurent Excels in Surprisingly Philosophical Thriller (Review)
The Prophet and the Space Aliens: Is this Raël life? (Review)
Proper Binge: Gritty but Hopeful Drama (Review)
The Killing of Two Lovers: Slow Burn Family Drama Doesn’t Reach Its Potential (Review)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – “Cut and Run” (Ep. 2 Review)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – “Aftermath” (Ep. 1 Review)
Johnny Mnemonic: What if Keanu Reeves were a USB Stick? (Review)
Never Gonna Snow Again: A Whimsical Modern Fairytale (Kino Polska Review)
Things Heard & Seen: A Ghost Story with Intelligence (Review)
I Never Cry: Life is Short (Kino Polska Review)
Granada Nights: My Heart Will Go On (Review)
Peaks and Valleys: Unlikely bonding in Alaska (Review)
Kill it and Leave This Town: An Animated Nightmare (Kino Polska Review)
Berlin Alexanderplatz: Despair Leads to Damnation (Review)
Eastern: Dystopian Blood and Honour (Kino Polska Review)
Percy vs. Goliath – the Little Guy vs. the Behemoth (Review)
About Endlessness: A Tableau of the Human Condition (Review)
The Resort: Young People Seek Out A Haunted Vacation (Review)
Mortal Kombat Nails the Goofy, Gory Vibe This Property Deserves (Review)
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: One World, One People (Ep. 6 Review)
The Other Side of the Underneath: “Strength is Madness”(Femspectives Review)
Stowaway: Suspenseful Sci-Fi Drama is a Tension-Filled Treat (Review)
The Mitchells vs. the Machines: A Riotous Robot Apocalypse (Review)
Netflix’s Shadow and Bone: Different, in All the Right Ways (Review)
Our People Will Be Healed: Cree Culture (Femspectives Review)
The Kid Detective: A Witty, Stylish Noir Mystery (Review)
Boys from County Hell: Vampiric ‘Craic’ (Review)
Here Are the Young Men: Nihilistic Irish Teens Renegade (Review)
Them: American Racial Horrors in 1950s Suburbia (Review)
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: Truth (Ep. 5 Review)
Wyrm: Popping Collars (SIFF Review)
National Theatre’s Romeo & Juliet: Stage on Screen (Review)
Under the Open Sky: Kōji Yakusho Excels in Patient Drama (SIFF Review)
Mother’s Milk: An Entrancing Cinematic Odyssey (SIFF Review)
Father: It’s the 21st Century (SIFF Review)
Captains of Zaatari: Skimming the Surface of Refugee Camps (SIFF Review)
Summertime: An Electrifying Portrait of LA (SIFF Review)
The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet: Transient Bliss (SIFF Review)
Criollo: A Culinary Journey through Uruguay (SIFF Review)
Monday Dawns After Wild Weekend (Review)
Athanor – The Alchemical Furnace: Understanding Jan Švankmajer (SIFF Review)
The Unknown Saint: What Do You Believe In? (SIFF Review)
Caterpillars: Central African Republic Documentary Enlightens (SIFF Review)
The Shepherdess and the Seven Songs (SIFF Review)
The Legend of Hei: A Charming, Kid-Friendly Adventure (SIFF Review)
Sweat: The Woman Behind the Screen (SIFF Review)
Preman: Indonesian Thriller Disappoints (SIFF Review)
All Sorts: The Surreal World of the Office (SIFF Review)
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: The World Is Watching (Ep. 4 Review)
Strawberry Mansion: A Journey Through Dreams (SIFF Review)
Sensation: Decidedly Unsensational Sci-fi (Review)
Thunder Force: McCarthy and Spencer Charm in Superhero Comedy (Review)
Voyagers Ends Where It Should Have Begun (Review)
Coded Bias: AI Will Not Save Us (Review)
Hope: Tender Love Heals in Scandinavian Drama (Review)
Moffie: Heavy Themes in Apartheid War Romance (Review)
Slalom: The Journey to Saying “No” (Review)
The Unholy: Familiar but Frightening Faith-Based Horror (Review)
Godzilla vs Kong: A Cinematic Rematch for the Ages (Review)
A Week Away: New Christian Musical Fails to Impress (Review)
Nobody: Better Call Bob Odenkirk (Review)
Dear Comrades!: Remembering Novocherkassk (Review)
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: The Star-Spangled Man (Ep. 2 Review)
Under The Volcano: The “Magic” of AIR Studios Montserrat (SXSW Review)
Bad Trip: Eric André’s Hidden Camera Comedy is Hilarious (Review)
Malmkrog: Death by Discourse (Review)
Rūrangi: Celebrating Trans Representation (BFI Flare Review)
Clerk: Funny and Surprisingly Touching Doc (SXSW Review)
Honeydew: Sawyer Spielberg Stars in Lacklustre Horror (Review)
Reklaw: Quirky Vigilantes Clean Up Well (SXSW Review)
The Good Traitor: Undermining A Rogue’s Achievements (Review)
Silk Road: A Compelling and Dark Crime Thriller (Review)
The One on Netflix: Enjoyable But Flawed DNA-Based Dating Series (Review)
Cowboys: An Intelligent Portrayal of Transgenderism (BFI Flare Review)
Language Lessons: A Heartfelt Ode to Human Connection (SXSW Review)
The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson (SXSW Review)
Jump, Darling: Gloriously Funny, Seriously Touching (BFI Flare Review)
My First Summer: A Tender Tale of Young Sapphic Love (BFI Flare Review)
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: New World Order (Ep. 1 Review)
Drive All Night: Dreamy Noir Takes a Few Wrong Turns (Cinequest Review)
Mama Weed: Isabelle Huppert Elevates Comedic Crime Flick (FFF Review)
Violet: Justine Bateman Gives A Voice to Anxiety (SXSW Review)
Violation: Complex and Dynamic Genre Thrills (SXSW Review)
Sound of Violence: Gory Midnight Fun (SXSW Review)
The Hunt for Planet B: A Masterful Doc of the Stars (SXSW Review)
Alien on Stage: The Best “Alien” Film Since “Aliens” (SXSW Review)
Swan Song: An Aging Hairdresser Looks Back on His Life (SXSW Review)
The Fallout: A Truthful and Traumatic Teenage Tragedy (SXSW Review)
Women Is Losers: Lorenza Izzo Is Winner (SXSW Review)
Witch Hunt: Fantasy Thriller Tackles Today’s Troubles (SXSW Review)
Offseason: Evocative and Exciting Horror (SXSW Review)
The Feast: A Slow-Moving Horror Drama Devoid of Scares (SXSW Review)
Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break: Revenge At Its Most Glam-Rock (SXSW Review)
United States vs. Reality Winner: A Plea for Freedom (SXSW Review)
The Return: Her Life After ISIS (SXSW Review)
Our Father: The Complexities of Sorrow and Sisterhood (SXSW Review)
Broadcast Signal Intrusion: Harry Shum Jr Falls Down a Rabbit Hole (SXSW Review)
Recovery: COVID Road Trip Comedy is a Laugh Riot (SXSW Review)
Here Before: A Compelling Psychological Thriller (SXSW Review)
Potato Dreams of America: Coming of Age Dramedy Delights (SXSW Review)
Poly Styrene: I am a Cliché, Study of a Punk Legend (SXSW Review)
Luchadoras: Harrowing Filmmaking Highlights Heroic Women (SXSW Review)
Banksy Most Wanted: Insightful Documentary Reveals the Pitfalls of the Art Market (Review)
The Courier: A Strong Spy Thriller (Review)
The Banishing: Formulaic Haunted House Horror (Review)
Home Front (Des Hommes): Psychological Wounds of War (FFF Review)
In Bed with Victoria: A Comedic Drama on Modern Women (FFF Review)
Yes Day: Feel-Good Family Comedy Charms (Review)
Night Shift: (Un)Realistic Police Work (FFF Review)
Beans: The Youth Are Starting to Change (Miami Film Festival Review)
Duel: You’ll Never Drive On The Road Again (Review)
Love Affairs: Subtly Complex Love Story Enchants (FFF Review)
Martyr: An Artistic, Meditative Portrayal Of Grief (Review)
Quo Vadis, Aida? – Revisiting A Dark Era (Miami Film Festival Review)
Persona: The Dark Truth Behind Personality Tests – A Good Start (Review)
The Translators: A Whodunnit, a Howdunnit, and a Whydunnit (FFF Review)
WandaVision: The Series Finale, Wanda Says Goodbye (Ep. 9 Review)
Ludi: From Struggles to Strengths (Miami Film Festival Review)
Raya and the Last Dragon: An Action-Packed Animated Epic (Review)
Surge: A Sensory Pursuit for Primal Liberation (GFF Review)
Sin La Habana: Anything for a New Home (Miami Film Festival Review)
Our Midnight: A Captivating Ode To Lost Souls (GFF Review)
Castro’s Spies: Detailed Documentarian Captivates (GFF Review)
A Brixton Tale: A Well-Edited Romance (GFF Review)
Sweetheart: A Charming, Heartfelt Coming of Age Film (GFF Review)
Chaos Walking: finds calm in Tom Holland (Review)
Keep An Eye Out (Au Poste!): Divisive, Intriguing Work (Review)
Tom and Jerry: An Amusing Family Adventure (Review)
Body Brokers: Solid Drama About Addiction Profiteers (Review)
Tina Releases the Singer from her Past (Glasgow Film Festival Review)
Back to the Wharf Values Density Over Simplicity (GFF Review)
Boss Level: Scott Pilgrim Vs The Time Loop (Review)
Vicious Fun: Clever, Ironic and Effortlessly Entertaining (GFF Review)
The Winter Lake: Disturbing Country Life Unveiled (Review)
Iorram (Boat Song): Traditions and Tales of the Scottish Hebrides (Glasgow Film Festival Review)
Dreams on Fire: A Fascinating Slice of Japanese Subculture (GFF Review)
The Toll: Black Comedy Meets Crime From New Welsh Talent (GFF Review)
Pacific Rim: The Black Uncancels the Franchise’s Apocalypse (Review)
WandaVision: Previosly on – Agatha All Along (Ep. 8 Review)
The Mauritanian: Exposé on Guantanamo Bay Educates & Enrages (Review)
Cherry: Tom Holland Captivates with a Career-Best Performance (Review)
The Stylist: Sensitive Slasher Flick is a Ferocious Fright (Review)
Gunda: The Secret Life of Pigs (Glasgow Film Festival Review)
Jumbo: Coming-of-Age Shows Unconventional Love (Glasgow Film Festival Review)
Enemies of the State: A Reminder That Truth is “Never Simple” (Glasgow Film Festival Review)
The Vigil: Religious Thriller Doesn’t Come Together (Review)
Undergods: An Anthology of Despair (Review)
Riders of Justice: Flawless Storytelling (Review)
The Burnt Orange Heresy: Intriguing Pretentiousness (Review)
Da Capo: School of K-Rock (Glasgow Film Festival Review)
WandaVision: Breaking the Fourth Wall (Ep. 7 Review)
The United States vs Billie Holiday: Dull, but Day Delivers (Review)
I Care a Lot: Pike is a Powerhouse in Blistering Black Comedy (Review)
Sex, Drugs & Bicycles: Meet Dutch Social Democracy (Review)
Ham on Rye: A Fresh Take on the Coming-of-age Genre (Review)
Wrong Turn: A Solid Slasher Film For Genre Fans (Review)
The Old School of Capitalism: An Intriguing Study of Workers’ Rights (Review)
WandaVision: All-New Halloween Spooktacular! (Ep. 6 Review)
Land and Freedom: What Does it Take to Win a Revolution? (Review)
To All the Boys: Always and Forever: An Enchanting Ending (Review)
Earwig and the Witch: Disappointing Ghibli Misfire (Review)
Willy’s Wonderland: Nic Cage vs Animatronics- Deathmatch (Review)
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Is Absurd Fun (Review)
Breaking News in Yuba County: Goofy Coen-Style Comedy (Review)
Casino: Scorsese’s Occasionally Overlooked Masterpiece (Review)
It’s A Sin – The Euphoria and Heartbreak of 1980s Britain (Review)
Test Pattern: Racial Inequality in US Healthcare (Review)
The Rental: A Horror That Tries Too Much (Review)
Ruth: Life and Legacy of Justice Ginsburg (Review)
Sia’s “Music” Isn’t Interested In Its Titular Character (Review)
I Blame Society: Dark Mockumentary Blurs Reality (Review)
Flee: Moving Refuge Documentary (Sundance Review)
The World to Come: Smart, Moving Period Romance (Sundance Review)
Dara of Jasenovac: Extremely Well-Made and Extremely Sad (Review)
WandaVision: On a Very Special Episode … the World Cracks (Ep. 5 Review)
Driveways: The Film We All Need Right Now (Review)
Arrival: Language at its Finest (Review)
Land: Robin Wright ’s Solid Directorial Debut (Sundance Review)
Hive: Rebellion In the Face of Patriarchy (Sundance Review)
A Discovery of Witches Season 2 Ep. 5-10: Magic, Love and Danger (Review)
One For The Road: A Heartfelt, Emotional Ride (Sundance Review)
Eight for Silver: Period Werewolf Film Thrills (Sundance Review)
Happy Cleaners: Introspection on the Immigrant Experience (Review)
Judas and the Black Messiah: Kaluuya Dominates Dynamite Drama (Sundance Review)
Prisoners of the Ghostland: Nicolas Cage Fights For Humanity (Sundance Review)
The Sparks Brothers: The Sundance Review Fanfare!
A Nightmare Wakes: A Monstruous Mary Shelley Rises (Review)
Prime Time: A Claustrophobic Thriller With No Thrills (Sundance Review)
John and the Hole: Mesmerizing Pyschological Thriller (Sundance Review)
Passing: Well-made Directorial Debut for Rebecca Hall (Sundance Review)
Cryptozoo: A Kaleidoscopic Adventure in Animation (Sundance Review)
M.C. Escher: Journey to Infinity, The Dimensions of an Artist (Review)
Mass: An Immaculate Acting Showpiece (Sundance Review)
Try Harder!: The Hidden Cost of Being the Best (Sundance Review)
Little Fish: Memories Are All We Have (Review)
On the Count of Three: A Tense, Exciting Black Comedy (Sundance Review)
How It Ends: Amusing Episodic Comedy (Sundance Review)
The Pink Cloud: Vibrant Surreal Cinema Anticipates Reality (Sundance Review)
WandaVision: We Interrupt This Program (to Join the MCU) – Ep. 4 Review
CODA: Silence is Golden in Deaf Family Dramedy (Sundance Review)
Palmer: Timberlake is Terrific in Touching Redemption Tale (Review)
Seeds of Deceit: Thought-Provoking Fertility Doctor Case Study (Sundance Review)
When We Were Bullies: Meandering Nostalgia (Sundance Review)
The Little Things: Retro Serial Killer Story Slays (Review)
Vitalina Varela: Wandering Through the Maze of Living (Review)
Two of Us: a Moving, Heartfelt Romance (Review)
The Dig: A Handsomely Mounted History Lesson (Review)
The Funeral Home: Stylish Horror Marks a Solid Debut (Review)
Euphoria: Second Special Episode is Schafer’s Shining Moment (Review)
La Llorona: Slow Burn, Great Visuals, No Scares (Review)
WandaVision: Now in Color Starts to Explore the Show’s Mystery (Ep. 3 Review)
Malcolm & Marie: Zendaya & Washington Wow as Couple in Chaos (Review)
Speaking Parts: Life Mediated Through Screens (Review)
Beautiful Boy: An Emotional Rollercoaster with No End In Sight (Review)
Atlantis: Post-war Realities with Sci-fi Elements (Review)
Baby Done: Dramatic Rom-Com Gets Serious (Review)
Lady Bird: A Film for All Ages (Review)
Our Friend: Affleck, Johnson, and Segel Shine in True Story (Review)
The Mole Agent: Charming Spy Underlines Social Injustice (Review)
Dick Johnson is Dead: A Profound Meditation on Legacy and Loss (Review)
The Exception (Undtagelsen): Visually Stylish, Narratively Messy (Review)
Identifying Features: Mexican Drama Led by Unique Ambitions (Review)
Clapboard Jungle: The Behind-The-Scenes You Don’t Normally See (Review)
WandaVision: Episodes 1 and 2, A Delightful Beginning (Review)
Acasa, My Home: Between the City and the Sky (Review)
Locked Down: A Flawed but Interesting COVID Time Capsule (Review)
Outside the Wire: A Pleasant Throwback to Trashy 90s Sci-Fi (Review)
The Marksman: Neeson’s Eastwoodian Drama is Derivative but Diverting (Review)
Battle in Space: The Armada Attacks – Action-packed Sci-Fi Anthology (Review)
Spoor: Agniezska Holland Goes Hunting for the Human Condition (Review)
Black Bear: Plaza and Abbot Excel in Intriguing Indie (Review)
Imperial Blue Offers Realism and Fantasy in Unequal Doses (Review)
Dr Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets: Psychedelic Mastery (Review)
Bedlam: a Safari Through the US Psychiatric Jungle (Review)
Deliver Us from Evil: An Absolute Pleasure for Action Fans (Review)
Lovecraft Country: The Horror and Drama of 1950s America (Review)
News of the World: Tom Hanks Western is Touching and Timely (Review)
A Discovery of Witches Season 2 Ep. 1-4: Diana and Matthew are Back (Review)
Alex Wheatle and Education: the Weaker Section of a Remarkable Series (Small Axe Review)
499: A Hypnotic Blend of Fact, Fiction, and History (Review)
Soul: Pixar ’s Latest is an Epic and Emotional Look at Life Itself (Review)
The Midnight Sky: Elegiac Astronaut Film Ascends (Review)
Wonder Woman 1984: Superhero Sequel is Earnest and Exhilarating (Review)
The Blackout: Invasion Earth – Tone-deaf Sci-fi Spectacle (Review)
The Mandalorian’s Season 2: Great Star Wars Has Become Iconic TV
Fatale: Hilary Swank Steals the Show in Twisted Thriller (Review)
Monster Hunter: Visually Arresting Action Epic Entertains (Review)
Climate of the Hunter: A Bizarre, Captivating Monster Flick (Review)
We Are Who We Are: Guadagnino’s Small Screen Self-Discoveries (Review)
The Flight Attendant: A Career-High for Kaley Cuoco (Review)
Greenland: Character Driven Disaster Movie Excites (Review)
Skylin3s: Madcap Action For Genre Movie Fans (Review)
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is the Perfect Quarantine Watch (Review)
Let Them All Talk: a Tremendous Improvisational Acting Showpiece (Review)
‘The Crown’ Season 4: a Royal Upheaval of the Status Quo (Review)
Beasts Clawing At Straws: A Shark-Tattooed Debut (Review)
Promising Young Woman: Mulligan Mystifies in Scathing Social Screed (Review)
Days (Rizi): Embracing Stillness (Review)
The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone: A More Fitting End (Review)
Songbird: COVID-19’s First Film is an Innocuous, Glossy Horror Thriller (Review)
The Prom: The Star-Studded Musical Sensation of the Season (Review)
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom: Boseman & Davis Will Blow Audiences Away (Review)
Wild Mountain Thyme: A Movie Lost to Time (Review)
My Darling Vivian: A Nuanced Portrait of Vivian Cash (Review)
Queer Japan: Strong Message Undermined by Lackluster Filmmaking (Review)
All My Life: A Conventional Tearjerker Carried by Committed Leads (Review)
Godmothered: Bell and Fisher Charm Despite a Weak Screenplay (Review)
Safe Spaces: The Importance of Shutting Up (Review)
Minor Premise: A Study of Psychological Suspense (Review)
Cocoon: Delicate Coming-of-Age Story Follows a Familiar Path (Review)
Mank: The Finchers Take On Citizen Kane’s Origins (Review)
Dear Santa: USPS Christmas Spirit Remains Undefeated (Review)
Superintelligence: McCarthy Deserves Better (Review)
The Croods: A New Age: DreamWorks’ Stellar Sequel is a Delight (Review)
Thirst: A Cult Classic in the Making (Review)
The End of the Storm Puts Personal Twist on Liverpool Title Run (Review)
The Mandalorian Season 2 Episodes 1-4: This Is (Still) the Way
Hillbilly Elegy: Howard Crafts an Elegy to Nothing (Review)
A Teacher (Fx on Hulu): Reflections on Morality (Review)
The Ringmaster: Why Do We Find Entertainment in Suffering? (Review)
A Christmas Carol: A Radical Retelling of the Timeless Tale (Review)
Paranormal: A Stand-out New Show from Up-and-Coming Talent (Review)
The Princess Switch: Switched Again – Hudgens Elevates Christmas Trifle (Review)
Operation Christmas Drop: Tropical Christmas Needs Snow (Review)
Embattled Fails to Grapple with the Spirit of MMA (Review)
Happiest Season: A Queer Christmas Comedy Classic (Review)
The Twentieth Century: Disruptive Debuts and Where To Find Them (Review)
A Brighter Summer Day: Defining the Taiwanese New Wave (Review)
Run: Sarah Paulson is Petrifying in Hulu’s Horror Thriller (Review)
The Gesture and the Word: It’s The Little Things That Count (Review)
Manos: The Hands of Fate – Worst Film Ever or Pure Genius?
Freaky: Brilliant Body Swap Slasher Comedy is a Blast (Review)
The Broken Hearts Gallery: Actresses Shine in Pleasant Romcom (Review)
The Life Ahead: Sophia Loren’s Radiant Return to Cinema (Review)
November: The Price of Love, the Price of a Soul (Review)
Force of Habit: a Claustrophobic Contour of the Female Gaze (Raindance Review)
The Nest: An Eerie Drama About a Dysfunctional Family (Review)
Stardust: A Bowie-Inspired, Bowie-Less Drama (Raindance Review)
Descent: A Free Dive into the Depth of the Human Mind (Raindance Review)
Let Him Go: Costner and Lane Wow In Tense Western Thriller (Review)
Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight, Due to the Lunatics Running Around (Review)
Sublet: The Lessons We Learn From Strangers (Newfest Review)
Looted: Gritty Crime Debut is Touching, if a Little Bland (Review)
Jungleland: Jack O’Connell Brings True Grit to Boxing Tale (Review)
The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo: Inorganic Sexiness and How to Give In (Raindance Review)
Antarctica: a cynically comic high school drama (Raindance Review)
Proxima: Eva Green Excels in Compelling French Astronaut Drama (Review)
Lucky Grandma: Tsai Chin’s Crime Comedy is Charmingly Chaotic (Review)
Ronnie’s: For the Love of Jazz (Review)
Materna: a Female Portrait of the True New York Life (Raindance Review)
The Craft: Legacy – Modern Teen Drama Featuring Witches (Review)
Wendy: As Beautiful a Mess Can Be (Review)
Holidate: Raunchy Romcom is Simultaneously Snarky and Sweet (Review)
Under the Open Sky: A Clouded and Bleak Japanese Drama (AFI Fest Review)
Non Western: Love, Conservatism and Modern Women (Raindance Review)
Apples: New Memories, New Lives (AFI Fest Review)
Song Without a Name: Gorgeous Historical Mystery Puts its Characters First (Review)
Smith: Local Crime Mystery is Worth Supporting (Indie Memphis 2020 Review)
Hall: Timely Horror/Thriller is Beautifully Horrifying (Review)
Monsoon: A Smart Allegory for Vietnam’s Relationship with the West (NewFest Review)
Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm – Brilliant Satire Returns at the Right Time (Review)
So Late So Soon: Art in the Face of Death (Indie Memphis 2020 Review)
Ratched: Terrific Psychological Drama Hits a Nerve (Review)
Over the Moon: Netflix’s Moving and Multicolored Musical is Magnificent (Review)
The Witches: a Perfectly Cromulent Take on Roald Dahl’s Classic (Review)
The Intruder: A Little Too Much Is Left to the Imagination (AFI Fest Review)
The Place of No Words: A Mystical Journey Towards Acceptance (Review)
Nuevo Orden: Stimulating But Divisive Story of A Dystopian Mexico (AFI Fest Review)
Love and Monsters: A Peppy Post-Apocalyptic Story With Spunk and Soul (Review)
La Lutte des Classes: A Marxist Guide For Children (Review)
Rebecca: Modern Update Lacks Flair of Hitchcock’s Masterpiece (Review)
Shadow in the Cloud: Deliriously Dopey Genre Fun (AFI Fest Review)
Collective: Timely Documentary Rewards Patient Viewers (AFI Fest Review)
After Love: a Film about Love and Revelations Distanced by the Channel (LFF Review)
I Am (Everything You Already Knew About) Greta (Review)
The Trial of the Chicago 7: Inspiring Political Mythology (Review)
Synchronic: Time Travel and the Search for Human Connection (Review)
Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is a Loving Tribute to Small-Town Bars (Review)
American Thief: a Muddled Narrative Overshadows Some Good Ideas (Indie Memphis 2020 Review)
A Call to Spy: a Feminist WWII Spy Film that has a Lot More to Tell than is Shown (Review)
Ammonite: A Story Of Opposites Told Best By Hands (LFF Review)
Nocturne: Beautiful Visuals Accompany Two Prodigy Sisters (Review)
Honest Thief: Liam Neeson ’s Latest Thriller Plays to the Star’s Strengths (Review)
Rose: A Love Story – A Dark and Tender Romance Challenged By Illness (LFF Review)
The Forty-Year-Old Version: A Bold, Witty Debut, Despite Its Stumbles (Review)
Belushi: a Moving, Textured Portrait of the Beloved Comedic Actor (AFI Fest Review)
Nine Days: A Stunning Investigation on Life (AFI Fest Review)
Sound of Metal: The Beauty of Silence (AFI Fest Review)
Evil Eye: A Dubious Boyfriend and a Misleading Marketing Campaign (Review)
The Old Ways: Folk Elements Keep an Uneven Horror Film Interesting (Review)
Shiva Baby: A Short Film’s Evolution Into One of The Year’s Best Indies (Indie Memphis 2020 Review)
Cicada: A Tender Love Story Bolstered by Authentic Performances (NewFest Review)
Limbo: An Ode to A Past Identity (LFF Review)
Wildfire: a Slightly Allegoric Tale of (Northern) Ireland’s Traumatic Past (LFF Review)
A Common Crime (Un Crimen Común): a Political Drama Disguised as a Thriller (LFF Review)
The Reason I Jump: a Sensorial Experience about Non-Verbal Autism (LFF Review)
Shithouse: Loneliness and Unexpected Connections (Review)
Minari: A Beautiful Family Drama Steeped in Detail (Review)
French Exit: Michelle Pfeiffer Shines in a Surrealist Comedy (NYFF Review)
Black Box: Compelling Sci-Fi Supported by a Strong Cast (Review)
Chess of the Wind: Rediscovered Iranian Drama is a Revelation (LFF Review)
Undine: A Smart and Intoxicating Mythic Romance (LFF Review)
I Carry You with Me: a Deeply Moving Immigrant Love Story (Review)
Time: Delicately Made Documentary Beautifully Balances Hurting with Hope (LFF Review)
Supernova: Firth and Tucci Shine, But the Fireworks Do Not Go Off (LFF Review)
Farewell Amor: “So We Danced” (LFF Review)
Honeymood: What it Means to Be in Love with Someone, and with Yourself (LFF Review)
Spontaneous: Teen Comedy is Unexpectedly Terrific (Review)
Herself: Dublin’s Heartfelt Story of Emancipation and Humanity (LFF Review)
180 Degree Rule: A Somewhat Predictable Yet Darkly Compelling Debut (LFF Review)
The Lie: How far would you go to protect your family? (Review)
The Painter and the Thief explores the Strange Places Inspiration Leads Us (LFF Review)
Small Axe: Steve McQueen’s Remarkable Achievement (Review)
Mogul Mowgli: Riz Ahmed Excels, but the Film Stumbles (Review)
Saint Maud: The Newest Soon-to-Be-Polarizing Addition to Arthouse Horror (Review)
The Town of Headcounts (Ninzu No Machi) is the Best Dystopian Drama You’ll See This Year (VIFF Review)
Wolfwalkers: A Fantastical Folk Tale Full of Heart and Humanity (Review)
District 9: Still Poignant and Depressingly Relevant Eleven Years Later (Review)
The Boys in the Band: An Affecting Adaptation of the Acclaimed LGBTQ+ Play (Review)
Kajillionaire: A Strange Yet Sweetly Sensitive Study of Toxic Familial Ties (Review)
The Glorias: 2020’s Second Best Gloria Steinem Story (Review)
MLK/FBI: One of the Year’s Best, Most Essential Docs (NYFF58 Review)
Waikiki: A Psychedelic Exploration of Trauma and Cultural Survival (Review)
Rialto: A Dour, Mid-Life Crisis Film Carried by its Leads (Review)
On the Rocks: Sofia Coppola’s Caper Comedy is Classically Charming (NYFF Review)
LX 2048: Sci-fi Thriller Can’t Be Saved by a Capable Lead Performance (Review)
Enola Holmes: A Lively Adaptation That Has Something for Everyone to Enjoy (Review)
Howl’s Moving Castle: A Dazzling Animated Adventure for Grown-Ups (Review)
This is England: A Coming of Age Story of Identity, Belonging and Redemption (Review)
The Way I See It: A Look at Two Presidencies Through Pete Souza’s Lens (Review)
Antebellum: Immense Potential With A Disappointing Outcome (Review)
Lost in London: Fantastic Technical Achievement Tied to a Cliché Story (Review)
Spiral: Rudimentary Social Horror With A Great Leading Turn (Review)
Pieces of a Woman: Vanessa Kirby Shines as the Film Flounders (Review)
Summer of 85 (Été 85): Raw, Wise and Heart-Wrenchingly Good (Review)
The Palace on the Sea: A Poignant Look at Life After Death (Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh)
The Father: Hopkins Ages Like a Nice Chianti (Review)
I’ve Got Issues: Dark Comedy Heart with a Gentler Soul (Review)
White Riot: An Energetic, Rebellious Documentary About Punk Versus Racism (Review)
The Devil All The Time: Slow-Burning, Gothic Crime Drama Achieves Greatness At The End (Review)
Where the Seagull Flies: Conventional Melodrama Doesn’t Take Off (Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh)
Another Round (Druk): A Boozy Joy Highlighted By A Splendid Mads Mikkelsen (Review)
One Night in Miami: “It’s Been A Long Time Coming, But A Change Is Gonna Come” (Review)
The Bay of Silence: A Thriller With Payoff, But Not Enough Setup (Review)
Akilla’s Escape: Classic Noir Style Melds Beautifully with Modern Themes (Review)
Penguin Bloom: Naomi Watts elevates a formulaic drama (Review)
Nomadland: Frances McDormand Anchors an American Odyssey for the Ages (Review)
Genus Pan (Lahi, Hayop): Looking Back to Find Ourselves (Review)
The Bride Who Has Returned From Hell: An Entertaining Yet Flawed Drama (Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh)
Six Suspects: A Melodramatic Murder Mystery that Delivers All the Genre Tropes (Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh)
Unpregnant: Female-Led Road Trip Comedy is Touching, Timely, and Terrific (Review)
The Book of Vision: Sincere but Reductive (Venice Film Festival Review)
Get the Hell Out: A Riotous, Albeit Unfocused Zombie Comedy (TIFF 2020 Review)
Sons of Denmark: A Provocative Political Thriller and an Urgent Warning (Review)
A City Called Dragon: A Solid, Crowd-Pleasing Wuxia Thriller (Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh)
Mainstream: “No-One-Special” To Fill Up Your Life (Review)
Buoyancy: A Thrilling Drama on Thailand’s Human Trafficking Industry (Review)
Ice Poison: A Desperate Life on the Edge of Poverty (Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh)
The Hot Zone: A Contagiously Gripping Science Thriller (Review)
Rent-A-Pal: A Bizarre Look Into Loneliness (Review)
Nocturnal: A profound Portrait of Fragility (Review)
Bacurau: a gripping Western Parody with All the Good and Bad Elements of Brazil’s Society
I’m Thinking of Ending Things: Charlie Kaufman’s Latest Is Cryptic Yet Captivating (Review)
Mulan (2020): Honorable Adaptation Misses the Mark (Review)
Get Duked!: Scotland’s Version of “The Hunt” Brings the Laughs (Review)
A Kid Like Jake: Tepid Family Drama Lacks Direction (Review)
Waiting for the Barbarians: Mark Rylance Excels in Poignant Drama (Review)
The Exigency: Cinematic Passion Shines Through Inferior Animation (Review)
The New Mutants: Not worth the Wait After Three Years of Development Hell (Review)
Bill & Ted Face the Music: Another ‘Most Triumphant’ Trek Through Time (Review)
The Binge: Yet Another Teen Movie (Review)
Tenet: Christopher Nolan’s Time-Bending Thriller is Magnificent (Review)
Away: A Compelling Animated Survival Story (Review)
System Crasher: Lightly Denting the System (Review)
Epicentro: A Dense Documentary With a Lot to Say (Review)
Hidden Away (Volevo Nascondermi): How to Call Ourselves Living Things (Review)
The Sleepover: Spy Kids 2020 is a Blasé Disappointment (Review)
Chemical Hearts: Teen Melodrama Connects Thanks to Great Leads (Review)
Unhinged: Russell Crowe’s Raucous Road Rage Thriller Terrifies (Review)
The One and Only Ivan Struggles to Walk the Tightrope of Drama and Wonder (Review)
Words on Bathroom Walls: Love, Schizophrenia & Teenage Wisdom (Review)
Ava: Intimate Family Drama Lacks Dynamism but Tackles Worthy Subjects (Review)
Random Acts of Violence: Ambitious but Flawed Horror Is Catnip for Gorehounds (Review)
Tesla: An Unconventional Biopic With Little Spark (Review)
Jallikattu: Visceral Thriller Explores the Brutality of Man (Review)
The Morning Show: A Tremendous Take on Today’s #MeToo Movement (Review)
Boys State: The Case For and Against the Future of American Politics (Review)
Project Power: Bland Superhero Drama Fails to Thrill (Review)
The Great Gatsby: An Iconic Narrative in Baz Luhrmann’s Signature Style (Review)
The Tax Collector: LaBeouf is Great, the Film is Not (Review)
An American Pickle: Effective Dramedy Showcases Rogen’s Talents (Review)
The Secret Garden: Gunfire and Birdsong (Review)
37 Seconds: A Heartwarming Journey of Self-Discovery (Review)
You’ve Been Trumped Too: A Brave Investigation On Politics, Power and Greed (Review)
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) – Hollywood’s Shining Moment in A Forgotten Era (Review)
Howard: Honoring the Legacy of Disney’s Legendary Lyricist (Review)
Perfect 10: A Breezy, Middle-Class Twist on the Teen Crime Drama (Review)
Yes, God, Yes: Short Film Narrative In Feature-Length Time (Review)
I Used to Go Here: Life at its Most Authentic (Review)
She Dies Tomorrow: A Compelling Pandemic of Existential Dread (Review)
The Way Back: Ben Affleck’s Career Best Performance (Review)
Peripheral: Psychedelic Paranoia meets Tech Body Horror (Review)
Miss Americana: Taylor Swift Sheds Her Secrecy and Shares Her Story (Review)
The Hater: Overbreadth and Inconsistent Tone Sink a Good Premise (Review)
Cold War: An Epic Romance on a Small Scale (Review)
red penguins
Red Penguins: How American Capitalism Tried to Infiltrate Russian Hockey (Review)
Unbelievable: Seriously uncomfortable, and rightly so (Review)
Circus of Books: An Endearing Family Saga and a Feat of Cultural Nostalgia (Review)
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”: One Year Later
The Rifleman: Previously Banned WWI True Story Successfully Captures the Intensity of War (Review)
The Kissing Booth 2: A Surprisingly Improved Sequel (Review)
Radioactive: Poor Writing Stops the Film from Glowing (Review)
Mulan: A Flawless Feminist Fable That Stands the Test of Time (Review)
Miss Juneteenth: “Looks Ain’t Enough to Survive” (Review)
Euphoria: A Deep Dive into the Darkness of American Adolescence (Review)
The Spook Who Sat by the Door: Revolution in Action (Review)
The Outpost: an Excellent War Film Elevated by Smart Direction (Review)
First Cow: A Minimalist Frontier (Review)
The Boat People: A Filipino Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy (Review)
Fatal Affair: Netflix’s Lifetime Movie is a Bumbling Mess of Bad Writing (Review)
Inception: Nolan’s Engrossing and Enigmatic Epic Endures (Review)
Rebuilding Paradise: Ron Howard’s Crisp Next Step as a Documentarian (Review)
The Goldfinch: An Adaptation that Failed to Take Flight (Review)
An Elephant Sitting Still: A Masterclass in Despair (Review)
The Painted Bird: Torture Porn for Intellectuals (Review)
The End Of The F***ing World ‘s Season 2: Rebellious Teenagers Facing Adult Problems (Review)
“Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot”: A Return to the Myth’s Origins (with some hesitation)
House of Hummingbird: Poetry in Motion (Review)
Love Sarah: No Sarah, but Plenty of Love (Review)
The Old Guard: Humanity Elevates Comic Book Action (Review)
Palm Springs: The Terrific “Time Loop” Comedy for the Troubles of Today (Review)
Greyhound: Lean WWII Thriller Excites with a Detail Oriented Approach (Review)
Don’t F**K With Cats: There’s No Such Thing as a Fair Trial Online (Review)
Masters of Love: A Refreshing Take on Recognizable Rom-Com Tropes (Review)
Guest of Honour: An Entertaining yet Messy Exploration of Family (Review)
Succession: The Kardashians Meet Shakespeare (Review)
Relic: Australian Indie Horror Disguised as a Family Drama (Review)
Disappearance at Clifton Hill: A Mesmerizing, Mind-Bending Mystery (Review)
Hanagatami: Nobuhiko Obayashi’s Cinematic Testament Mesmerizes Audiences (Review)