2010s

UNICORN STORE: Brie Larson's Phenomenal Directorial Debut Oozes With The Thaumaturgy Of Childhood
UNICORN STORE: Larson’s Directorial Debut Oozes With The Thaumaturgy Of Childhood

Unicorn Store, Brie Larson’s directorial debut, marks the beginning of a new chapter in the multi-hyphenate’s career.

THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT: A Movie Without Balance
THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT: A Movie Without Balance

The Hummingbird Project is hell-bent on becoming a conventional thriller, never grappling with the theme of money’s corrupting influence.

SUNSET: Chaos Prevails In Nemes’ Staggering Masterpiece

Nemes’ masterpiece Sunset ruminates on the cyclical ignorance of humanity to blistering effect, eliding our past faults, our present negligence and our future turmoil.

WILD ROSE: A Magnificent Lead Performance In An Underwhelming Underdog Story
WILD ROSE: A Magnificent Lead Performance In An Underwhelming Underdog Story

Jessie Buckley is a star, and the fact she makes Wild Rose almost worth watching is testament to her skill as an actress.

LAUNDROMAT: Small Scale Short Animation With Beautiful Intimacy
LAUNDROMAT: Small Scale Short Animation With Beautiful Intimacy

With a simple premise and gorgeously pared down visuals, Laundromat is a wonderful short that perfectly captures a tiny facet of the human experience.

MEME: A Cluttered, But Invitingly Ambitious Existentialist Mystery

Meme can be a brilliant thriller when it wants to be, but there is a heck of a lot of philosophising bridging those tenser moments.

DIANE: A Sluggish Study Of Servitude

Kent Jones’ Diane struggles to define itself as something more than an average, albeit thoughtful, indie film.

THE WIND: A Breath Of Fresh Air Amongst Modern Horror
THE WIND: A Breath Of Fresh Air Amongst Modern Horror

The Wind reverberates with an eerie tone, and though occasionally uneven, there is enough here to ultimately recommend it, especially for fans of Westerns or horror.  

TAMARA AND THE LADYBUG: Heartbreaking Portrayal Of Female Compassion
TAMARA AND THE LADYBUG: Heartbreaking Portrayal Of Female Compassion

With her film Tamara and The Ladybug, Lucía Carreras has managed to craft a small scale film with a social awareness and universality reminiscent of The Bicycle Thieves.

SXSW 2019 Review: THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA: No Soul To This Tale

The Curse of La Llorona is not original enough to stand on its own, relying too intently on jumpscares and with not enough focus on the characters around them.

PET SEMATARY: Uninspired, Middle-Of-The-Road Adaptation
PET SEMATARY: Uninspired, Middle-Of-The-Road Adaptation

The latest adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary has some interesting new ideas, but it never quite reaches liftoff.

STOCKHOLM: Finds A Perfect Balance Between Broad Humor & Sincerity
STOCKHOLM: Finds A Perfect Balance Between Broad Humor & Sincerity

Stockholm is successful in doing the impossible – making the viewer understand and even empathize with the interpersonal connection between a hostage and her captor, and vice versa.

THE BEST OF ENEMIES: A Complex Story Is Stifled
THE BEST OF ENEMIES: A Complex Story Is Stifled

A promising start quickly descends into troubling formula in The Best of Enemies, wasting two excellent lead performances and a potentially interesting story.

TYREL: A Bold Portrayal Of Race And Masculinity
TYREL: A Bold Portrayal Of Race & Masculinity

With virtually no plot and very little character development, Tyrel works best as an examination of masculinity and race.

SHAZAM!: DC Hits A Heroic Grand Slam
SHAZAM!: DC Hits A Heroic Grand Slam

Shazam! is a walk-off grand slam in extra innings, feeling like a statement from a studio and director working so hard to finally get it all right.