This Take on the True Story Is a Loser

Category: Reviews

This Take on the True Story Is a Loser

The Big Picture Winner attempts to turn the serious story of Reality Winner into a comedy with jokes that fall flat. The film emphasizes Winner's backstory, but it feels irrelevant to her decision to leak a classified document. The post-arrest…

‘American Star’ Review — Move Over John Wick, Now Ian McShane Is a Hitman

The Big Picture American Star is a hitman drama that focuses on character development rather than action. Ian McShane delivers a captivating lead performance, showcasing his range as an actor. The film's desolate Canary Islands setting adds to the compelling…

Terra Mater Featured, Reviews Film Threat

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! We often think of an invasion of a country as one’s enemies crossing the border, but often, that invasion starts from within, and no one notices it until it is too late. Kantarama Gahigiri’s short…

American Star Review: The Cruel Predicament of an Assassin

The story of American Star, a suspenseful thriller directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego and written by Nacho Faerna, attempts to capitalize on the vague anxieties of an unfamiliar territory and the anticipation of a long-awaited hunt. Although the concept promises intrigue…

Harrowing Drama Paints A Triggering Picture Of Generational Trauma

Summary Titus Kaphar's script in Exhibiting Forgiveness touches upon parental abuse. Kaphar's film is like poetry in motion, capturing a fragile family dynamic with authenticity. André Holland delivers a phenomenal performance, portraying a character struggling with past trauma and the…

Australian Social-Horror Is A Blunt Force Allegory About The Stolen Generations [Sundance]

An exploration of the generational trauma surrounding the “stolen generations” of Aboriginal children by the Australian government, Jon Bell’s feature debut “The Moogai” fits all the criteria of what we would, perhaps pejoratively, describe as “elevated horror.” A fraught term,…

A Connor Ratliff Story Featured, Reviews Film Threat

SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! What defines failure or success in our lives? Surely, it can’t be the old tropes of money and fame. This major existential question is the theme in director Ryan Jacobi’s amusing documentary I’m “George Lucas”: A…

Beautiful Wedding Review: You’ll Say ‘I Don’t’

Beautiful Wedding is a romantic drama directed by Roger Kumble, a continuation of the Beautiful Disaster series based on Jamie McGuire’s 2013 novel, A Beautiful Wedding. With co-writer McGuire, the pair paint a disjointed love story trying to be dramatic…

A Meditation On Non-Linear Time Hiding Inside A Touching Family Drama

Summary Tótem uses intimate camera work to study the actors, capturing their emotions and creating a child-like perspective. The film explores the dynamics of a family gathering, highlighting how each member copes with a loved one's impending death in their…

A Nakedly Solipsistic Quarter-Life Crisis About A Sex Worker [Sundance]

It’s notoriously difficult to make films about writers. Writing — literally sitting down at a keyboard and banging out words — is about as fun to watch as paint drying. So filmmakers make much of the research process, the uneven…

‘The Moogai’ Review — A Horror That Dies in the Shadow of ‘The Babadook’

The Big Picture The Moogai falls short of being a truly scary or insightful horror film, relying on repetitive scares and lacking depth in its characters. The film attempts to explore generational trauma but lacks the patience and thoughtfulness needed…

‘The American Society of Magical Negroes’ Review — A Satire That Plays It Safe

The Big Picture The film The American Society of Magical Negroes attempts to parody the trope, but lacks the teeth to do justice to the concept. The middle section of the film prioritizes romance and forgets the more pointed criticism…

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