2010s

UPGRADE: Pulpy Violence and Unexpected Humor In Blumhouse Thriller
UPGRADE: Pulpy Violence & Unexpected Humor In Blumhouse Thriller

Upgrade a gleefully nasty film that relies on a unique mixture of futuristic beautiful landscapes and old-school grindhouse fun.

THE YELLOW BIRDS: A Film At War With Itself

It’s received a fair amount of negative response for its allegiance to the cinematic canon, but The Yellow Birds is more than the sum of other films’ parts and makes for a worthwhile adventure.

THE BOOKSHOP: An Adaptation That Flew Too Far From The Sun
THE BOOKSHOP: An Adaptation That Flew Too Far From The Sun

Director Isabel Coixet tries to adapt The Bookshop’s source material in its entirety – and it feels incoherent told as a narrative feature.

AFGHAN CYCLES: A Powerful Ride To Freedom
AFGHAN CYCLES: A Powerful Ride To Freedom

Afghan Cycles is a true and authentic journey, filled with moments of pure happiness and heartbreaking sadness.

IN DARKNESS: Audible Tension Subsides Due To Silly Revelations
IN DARKNESS: Audible Tension Subsides Due To Silly Revelations

In Darkness could have been an exciting thriller with a complex, well-written female protagonist but it instead ends up being a convoluted and messy misfire. 

SHOW DOGS: A Strong Contender For Worst Film Of The Year
SHOW DOGS: A Strong Contender For Worst Film Of The Year

With a barely comprehensible plot and mind-numbing jokes, Show Dogs is a film which feels like a labour to sit through despite its fairly short run-time.

FUTURE WORLD: A Film That's Destined For the Past
FUTURE WORLD: A Film That’s Destined For the Past

Despite its name, Future World, with its interesting premise and a high-caliber cast, is meant to become a film that’s a part of the past.

THE RIDER: A Solemn, Moving, and Elegiac Portrait
THE RIDER: A Solemn, Moving & Elegiac Portrait

With her delicate approach, inspired Western-influenced imagery, and hard-hitting subversive themes, The Rider is a clear indication of Chloe Zao’s talents as a director.

ATTACK OF THE ADULT BABIES: British horror/comedy is disgustingly good fun
ATTACK OF THE ADULT BABIES: Disgustingly Good Fun

Dominic Brunt’s horror comedy Attack of the Adult Babies is equally versed in British toilet humour and the classics of the horror genre.

China Salesman: Will the World Buy?
CHINA SALESMAN: Will The World Buy?

The problem with praising China Salesman is you won’t be taken seriously. But view as the Schlock it unashamedly is, and you’ll be entertained

COUNTERFEITERS: An Auspicious Debut From Bryce Hirschberg
COUNTERFEITERS: An Auspicious Debut From Bryce Hirschberg

Sometimes a film’s low budget can get in the way of its narrative, cohesiveness, and overall watchability. However, viewers won’t be disappointed with Counterfeiters and its quality.

CREATIVE BLOCK: A Relatable Short with an Intimate Interview
CREATIVE BLOCK: A Relatable Short (With Intimate Interview With Director Nicola Rose)

Stephanie Archer reviews Creative Block, a short film that views the blocks of the mind, and shares her interview with director Nicola Rose.

AMERICAN ANIMALS: A Portrait Of American Ugliness
AMERICAN ANIMALS: A Portrait Of American Ugliness

American Animals’ artistic merits are not enough to make the men at the center of the story worth caring about for its duration.

BOYS WHO LIKE GIRLS: Crucial Doc On Men As Allies
BOYS WHO LIKE GIRLS: Crucial Doc On Men As Allies

Inka Achté’s documentary BOYS WHO LIKE GIRLS chronicles the efforts of an organization in India to educate boys and men on pressing gender-based issues.

EVIL GENIUS: THE TRUE STORY OF AMERICA’S MOST DIABOLICAL BANK HEIST: Strangely Gripping
EVIL GENIUS: THE TRUE STORY OF AMERICA’S MOST DIABOLICAL BANK HEIST: Strangely Gripping

It isn’t the glossiest documentary, and there isn’t a significant style or a comfortable flow, but what Evil Genius lacks in pizzazz in makes up for in persistence and unearthing.