Ava DuVernay explores the universality of caste in the always compelling and beautifully shot ORIGIN, which had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is spectacular as the grief-stricken Isabel. It’s impossible to hold back the tears during several gorgeous looking scenes. The dramatic elements might be distracting for those who prefer a […]
The Teacher’s Lounge
If you’ve ever considered becoming a teacher and ended up choosing a different career path, you might be you did glad after watching Ilker Çatak’s The Teacher’s Lounge. Idealistic and beloved teacher Carla Nowak, played convincingly by Leonor Benesch, is not happy when one of her students is suspected of theft and would like to […]
Housekeeping For Beginners
Goran Stolevski’s HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS, which just screened at NewFest, breaks your heart and then warms it while keeping you occupied with a fast moving story that does not waste a minute. It is joyful to watch a found family film in which people are there for one another without expecting anything in return. The […]
Saltburn
The first secret screening of 2023 Fantastic Fest turned out to be SALTBURN. Emerald Fennell’s follow-up to Promising Young Woman works as a shocking comedy. I and many others in the theater laughed loudly throughout. If it ultimately amounts to less than its many entertaining parts, it is still a must-see thanks in large part […]
Fallen Leaves
There is constant news of the war in Ukraine on the radio. Ansa gets fired from her job at the supermarket for taking an expired sandwich she was supposed to throw away. Holappa is not sure whether he is drinking because he is depressed or he is depressed because he is drinking. Their world, and […]
Without Air
In Hungarian filmmaker Katalin Moldovai’s WITHOUT AIR, which just had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, a beloved high school teacher has to endure a scandal after recommending a film to her literature class. The plot has some similar elements to Dead Poets Society and Radu Jude’s equally wonderful Bad Luck Banging […]
NewFest35
NewFest has announced the lineup of their 35th Edition including many highly anticipated queer films from around the world. The festival will open with George C. Wolfe’s Netflix film RUSTIN that garnered high praise in Toronto for Colman Domingo’s portrayal of the gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. NYAD from Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy […]
2023 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival
Brooklyn Horror Film Festival has announced another stellar lineup for its 2023 edition. It will open with the World Premiere of KILL YOUR LOVER from directors Alix Austin and Kier Siewert. The Centerpiece of the festival is Pascal Plante’s disturbing psychological serial killer thriller RED ROOMS, which won the top prizes at Karlovy Vary and […]
61st New York Film Festival Lineup
New York Film Festival’s 61st edition will take place from September 29 to October 15, 2023. Their lineups are always exciting, but this year’s seems especially loaded with acclaimed new films from all around the world. Todd Haynes’ MAY DECEMBER starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore will open the festival. Sofia Coppola’s PRISCILLA depicting the […]
Bottoms
Director Emma Seligman at AMC Lincoln Square Q&A for BOTTOMS, her follow-up to Shiva Baby starring Ayo Edebiri and co-writer Rachel Sennott. The laugh a minute high school comedy is the funniest film of the year. While it is built upon an established formula, the characters and the story are refreshingly original and the comedy […]