After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, over 15 million people were forced to evacuate their home country to seek refuge in Poland and nearby regions. In the Rearview takes viewers in the backseat of filmmaker Maciek Hamela's car as…
Read moreUnassuming Japanese master Ryusuke Hamaguchi was jolted into the dehumanizing glare of the Oscar machine after “Drive My Car” became an unexpected cause célèbre a few years ago. That generational masterpiece saw him ascend to the pinnacle of instant and…
Read moreA young girl struggles to survive in a dystopian school for future celebrities in Wylie Anderson’s short film, How to Cry on Command. Eleven-year-old Mattie’s (Colyse Harger) future hangs in the balance as she is in a counselor’s meeting at…
Read moreThis review was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the film being covered here wouldn't exist.At the end of Ted Kotcheff’s 1982 film, First Blood — about…
Read moreThis review was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the film being covered here wouldn't exist.When it comes to the best horror movies, specificity of vision is…
Read moreI have to begin this I Am Sirat review with a full disclosure: I am not someone who seeks out documentaries. I can admire and appreciate their subject matter and the technical talent that goes behind documentary storytelling, but it’s…
Read moreThales Corrêa’s episodic series, Doggy Bank, is a modern Latin-American adaptation of Quincas Borba by Brazilian author Machado de Assis. Uber driver Rubian (Thales Corrêa) grinds it out, trying to make it to the next day. After a particularly problematic ride, Rubian receives…
Read moreFor most Americans, the name Nasubi doesn’t mean anything. However, his impact on the world of television is immeasurable. Hell, he’s most likely the reason the eggplant emoji is used as a penis in text messaging. Seriously. But the cause…
Read moreSummary It Lives Inside weaves the immigrant experience and Hindu mythology into its horror narrative, but falls short in delivering real scares. The mother-daughter relationship in the film provides tension and depth, exploring the impact of the immigrant experience on…
Read moreThe concept of separate but intertwining narratives isn’t a new one. From Oscar-winning films like Crash and Babel to holiday classics like Love Actually and Valentine’s Day, filmmakers have used the technique of interconnected stories for ages — some more…
Read moreThis review was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn't exist.Television is gonna be a whole lot less horny and heartfelt without…
Read moreRoger Ross Williams‘ narrative directorial debut, Cassandro, tells the compelling and inspiring story of Saúl Armendáriz, a gay wrestler from El Paso, Texas, who transforms into the flamboyant and resilient lucha libre sensation, Cassandro. The film explores themes of identity,…
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