2010s

THE SWAN: A Surreal Journey Down The Rabbit Hole Of Adulthood
THE SWAN: A Surreal Journey Down The Rabbit Hole Of Adulthood

In the sea of stellar coming-of-age films that have recently been released, The Swan’s beautiful blend of human drama and magical realism is still unique enough to stand out.

OUR HOUSE: Unassuming Horror is in the Middle of the Road Territory
OUR HOUSE: Unassuming Horror Is In The Middle Of The Road Territory

Lacking the dirsired jump scares and trust in itself, Our House is a film that will now be stuck in limbo, too tame for modern horror audiences and not emotionally satisfying enough for others.

LIKE FATHER: Surprisingly Effective Father-Daughter Journey
LIKE FATHER: Surprisingly Effective Father-Daughter Journey

Like Father is not a radical or subversive family comedy, but the cast has good chemistry and the big, tear-jerking moments make an impact.

MIFF 2018: I Used to be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story
MIFF 2018 Review: I USED TO BE NORMAL: A Boyband Fangirl Story

I Used to Be Normal is a heartwarming reaffirmation of the power of fandom, a heartwarming, non-judgemental documentary that’s not just for boyband fans.

CASTLE ROCK "Filter" (S1E6): More Buildup Than Payoff
CASTLE ROCK “Filter” (S1E6): More Buildup Than Payoff

Castle Rock’s Filter is an impeccably scored episode, with enamoring performances by Spacek and Holland, that level out the grooves this mixed bag left behind.

DARK TOURIST: Exploring What It Means To Travel (& Interview With David Farrier)
DARK TOURIST: Exploring What It Means To Travel (& Interview With David Farrier)

Dark Tourist transcends its genre and explores what it actually means to travel, making for one of the most remarkable and profound travel shows ever made.

BLEEDING STEEL: Has Jackie Chan Met His Match, a Bad Script?
BLEEDING STEEL: Has Jackie Chan Met His Match, A Bad Script?

Bleeding Steel is a chaotic and extravagant attempt to imitate the futuristic settings of other box office fare of its time, which only highlighted the throwback quality of the central character.

PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH: Gory Slasher Comedy Is An Instant Cult Classic
PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH: Gory Slasher Comedy Is An Instant Cult Classic

For all of its merciless violence, Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is a clever exercise in genre thrills and impossibly twisted humor.

FACES PLACES: Agnès Varda's Swan Song Is Sheer Perfection
FACES PLACES: Agnès Varda’s Swan Song Is Sheer Perfection

It’s been almost a decade since the release of Agnès Varda’s last film, and even though her newest entry, Faces Places, is only slight, it’s still completely worth the wait.

CRAZY RICH ASIANS: Is the World Ready?
CRAZY RICH ASIANS: Is the World Ready?

Frank H. Wu reviews and examines Crazy Rich Asians: It already is a phenomenon. May it inspire much more.

CHAPPAQUIDDICK: Thoughtful Character Study Of The Overshadowed Kennedy Tragedy
CHAPPAQUIDDICK: Thoughtful Character Study Of The Overshadowed Kennedy Tragedy

To watch Chappaquiddick and then ponder the life of Ted Kennedy in such a manner undoubtedly must lead to introspection.

WHITNEY: Portrait Of Popstar Is Vivid, Shocking & Essential
WHITNEY: Portrait Of Popstar Is Vivid, Shocking & Essential

Whitney’s monumental accomplishments as a recording artist and harrowing personal problems are sensitively detailed in Kevin Macdonald’s terrific biography.

SNAPSHOTS: Love, Loss and Longing Across Three Generations
SNAPSHOTS: Love, Loss and Longing Across Three Generations

While Snapshots is far from a perfect film, it made with such an admirable degree of earnestness, with so much feeling, that it is easy to overlook the flaws.

TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE: An Endearing Lana Condor & The Evolution Of The YA Genre
TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE: The Evolution Of The YA Genre

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a testament to how far young adult films have come, resisting stereotypes and cliches despite seeming to fall into a gimmicky premise.

THE MEG: A Hefty Splash Of Summer Fun With Jason Statham

The Meg is not a masterpiece, but it is a perfect Jason Statham vehicle: packed with action and still a ton of fun.