2018
Imitation Girl is an interesting character study focusing on women asking the questions: Who am I? and What do I have to show for my life? Lauren Ashley Carter gives strong performances as both Julianna and her imitation in this unique and captivating film about identity.
With exceptional performances from Hill, Phoenix, Mara, and Black, an inventive score from Elfman, spasmodically calculated direction by Van Sant, and an incredible true story, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot succeeds as a biopic.
With energetic sports play, a respect for its story and characters, and a slightly heavier final takeaway, The Miracle Season rises above the pitfalls that many feel-good biopics often fall into.
It is always a breath of fresh air when a documentary like Skid Row Marathon comes along, which is so heartwarming and heartfelt that you can’t help but be moved emotionally.
Western is Valeska Grisebach’s homage to the classic genre, focusing on a group of German construction workers in Bulgaria while playing with themes of overt masculinity and identity.
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami highlights the unique life of the legendary singer, delving into her personal background and daily activities, and of course showcasing several of her mighty performances.
Though grounded by a strong presence in the young Madison Wolfe, I Kill Giants is often too dreary to be truly engaging, and too under-realized to be an immersive escape into a fantastical world.
Les Gardiennes is another gracefully-directed film by Beauvois, and it gifts the audience with another perfect arrangement from Legrand, three gripping performances from Smet, Bay, and Bry, and plenty of eye-catching imagery to make up for its lagging pace.
Sorry To Bother You is an intelligent, batshit crazy satire that offers plenty of the theater of the absurd, a standout performance from Lakeith Stanfield, the most original script of the past two years, and plenty of laughs and food for thought.
Tully is a return to form for both director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody, with this “hipster Mary Poppins” tale feeling like a thematic sequel to their beloved Juno.
Field Guide to Evil will likely please genre aficionados and horror buffs, but on the whole, its lack of tonal cohesion will leave others underwhelmed.
Appropriately and beautifully shot on 35mm celluloid by Raso, Kodachrome is a touching, hilarious, and contemplative gem of a film with three wildly meritorious performances by Harris, Sudeikis, and Olsen, and timely themes.
A trio of staggering performances by Hawke, Seyfried, and Cedric the Entertainer, a gripping story that mines our current sociopolitical landscape for philosophical fodder, and typically formidable writing make First Reformed a mandatory watch for everyone.
Bolstered by the quiet compassion that has always been her strong suit, Lynn Shelton has turned in another stunning independent feature with Outside In that no one who enjoys the quieter side of life should miss.
Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson’s adaptation of their hit stage play Ghost Stories is a serviceable British horror – but with so many recent gems in the genre, is being “serviceable” enough to justify its existence?