Jérémy Comte follows his devastating Oscar-nominated short Fauve with Paradise, an intriguing story of yearning, trust, and empathy set in Ghana and Quebec. He blends realist and dreamlike elements into a semi-autobiographical narrative. The plot is difficult to describe without either revealing too much or misrepresenting it. It is probably best going in blind. The […]
Yellow Letters – Berlinale 2026
With Yellow Letters, Ilker Çatak delivers another pressure cooker following The Teachers’ Lounge. This time, working with an all Turkish cast, he shoots Hamburg as Istanbul and Berlin as Ankara. The film may not try to give you a heart attack as its predecessor did, but the anguish facing its protagonists is no less intense. Özgü […]
I Understand Your Displeasure – Berlinale 2026
In Kilian Armando Friedrich’s Dardennes-influenced I Understand Your Displeasure, we witness cleaning manager Heike’s daily balancing act, as she navigates mounting pressures between her bosses, demanding clients, and the workers caught in between. It is chaotic and intense, and never loses its realism, thanks in part to the non-professional actors, lead by Sabine Thalau, many of […]
Josephine – Sundance 2026
Beth de Araújo’s heart-rending psychological thriller Josephine, which explores trauma from the viewpoint of a child, instantly makes her a director to watch. She keeps nothing back and the film relentlessly takes hold of you. Miles Ross’ score is utilized exceptionally. The camerawork and the editing are wonderful as well. This would not be the […]
2026 Sundance Film Festival
2026 Sundance Film Festival takes place January 22 to February 1, 2026 in Park City, Utah for one last time before moving to Boulder, Colorado next year. You can also stream some of the selections online from January 29 to February 1. Here are some of the highlights of this year’s lineup: THE INVITE, Olivia […]
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
The story of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is smaller in scope than its predecessor’s. Nia DaCosta uses this to her advantage, crafting an intense film that transports you into its hellish setting. Duran Duran-loving Dr. Kelson is a role Ralph Fiennes was born to play. Jack O’Connell delivers an even more reprehensible villain […]
Or Something
NYC indie Or Something from director Jeffrey Scotti Schroeder and writer, producer, and leads Mary Neely and Kareem Rahma (SubwayTakes) is now available to watch on MUBI. Olivia and Amir, both strapped for cash, meet and connect while trying to collect the money they are owed from a mutual acquaintance in Brooklyn. It is a […]
Goodbye June
Kate Winslet’s directorial debut Goodby June, written by her son Joe Anders, covers similar territory to Azazel Jacobs’ His Three Daughters. I loved how they were able to infuse laugh-out-loud moments into a gloomy atmosphere in the beginning. As the film progresses, it leans more into drama than comedy and never quite reaches the heights […]
Eternity
Romantic films that include love triangles are nothing new, but we seem to be getting better ones after Challengers. Eternity takes its cues from Defending Your Life and other afterlife films, yet feels fresh thanks to its imaginative script. Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, and Miles Teller share wonderful chemistry. Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early […]
Hedda
Nia DaCosta’s Ibsen adaptation HEDDA, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last month, is on Prime Video. DaCosta changes the character of Eilert to Eileen and has other surprises in store for those familiar with Ibsen’s play. Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss are exhilarating to watch. Hildur Guðnadóttir’s percussion-heavy jazz score fuels the tension […]