2010s
It was absolutely inspiring to see so much strong female content at SXSW Conference and Festivals, and Family, the debut feature by Laura Steinel, was no exception.
Despite An Ordinary Man’s ultra slow pace, it contains a superb score, Silberings’s minimalistic story and grand direction, and Kingsley and Hilmar’s respective tour-de-forces, sharpening in tuning slowly towards a gripping climax.
Prepare to be charmed by Peter Lataster and Petra Lataster-Czisch’s documentary Miss Kiet’s Children, a heartwarming ode to the power of education, and the reality of the refugee crisis on European shores.
While tiptoeing on the line of empowering and exploitative, Flower is an unconventional teen film for a new generation that finds its true strength in in its leading lady Zoey Deutch.
Using almost an entirely autistic cast, Keep the Change is a groundbreaking, intimate portrait that humanizes and explores a vast array of people living with Autism.
Paddy Considine’s long-awaited second film in the director’s chair is an emotionally manipulative disappointment, that has replaced the grit of his debut with a stale, maudlin predictability.
Susan Walters’ All I wish offers a minimally interesting story, but serves up some fine performances from Sharon Stone, Ellen Burstyn, Liza Lapira, Tony Goldwyn, and Gilles Marini.
Father Figures is a swing and a miss, lacking enough entertaining or cogent material to sell this half-hearted comedy.
While better than its predecessor, Beyond Skyline is still a sequel to a thinly conceived film, and even the freshest coat doesn’t work to hide the issues underneath.
Custody is an impressive debut feature from Xavier Legrand, that manages to avoid exploitation even as it generates untold amounts of tension from a realistic domestic drama.
Oscar Wilde enthusiasts won’t get too much out of Al Pacino’s Salomé films, though Jessica Chastain fans will want to check them out to see her first performance on the big screen.
California Dreams blurs the line between fact and fiction, focusing on a young man aspiring to make it in the movies and achieve the American Dream.
With poignancy, grit, and proficiency, Sweet Country gazes out at the vast Australian outback while also deeply examining the darkness of humanity within.
This particular re-imagining of Tomb Raider is nothing short of a living, three dimensional video game that Tomb Raider gamers can be over the moon about.
Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One is a truly exhilarating visual experience and a thrilling ode to pop culture. Spielberg’s control of the camera and expertise in crafting an action sequence is nonpareil, ultimately making the film the greatest movie to see in 3D since Avatar.