political

LFF 2021: THE NEUTRAL GROUND: The Daily Show-Style Documentary On Confederate Legacy
LFF 2021: THE NEUTRAL GROUND: The Daily Show-Style Documentary On Confederate Legacy

CJ Hunt’s The Neutral Ground explores the political opposition and the debate surrounding Confederate statues across the US.

RUN THIS TOWN: Doesn’t Know What Direction It Wants to Run
RUN THIS TOWN: Doesn’t Know What Direction It Wants to Run

Suffering from poor editing and poor character development, Run This Town seems fated to become lost in a sea of releases.

SO LONG, MY SON: At Three Hours, it Really is
SO LONG, MY SON: At Three Hours, It Really Is

There are plenty of reasons to recommend Wang Xiaoshuai’s So Long, My Son, but the greatness is infuriatingly just out of grasp.

THE TWILIGHT ZONE (S1E5) "The Wunderkind": Satire That Takes Itself Too Seriously
THE TWILIGHT ZONE (S1E5) “The Wunderkind”: Satire That Takes Itself Too Seriously

Wunderkind has solid ideas and the potential to be a potent political satire, yet it falls into the same trappings as previous episodes in the sense that its message is too obvious.

THE BRINK: Gripping Documentary Reaffirms Your Thoughts On Steve Bannon
THE BRINK: Gripping Documentary Reaffirms Your Thoughts On Steve Bannon

The Brink is a well-constructed documentary that offers a lucid view of how the Breitbart founder thinks and operates.

CAPTIVE STATE: A Far From Captivating Alien Invasion Sci-Fi
CAPTIVE STATE: A Far From Captivating Alien Invasion Sci-Fi

With a premise filled with potential and talent both in front of and behind the screen, Captive State is an unfortunate disappointment.

Sundance Film Festival 2019 Report 4: VELVET BUZZSAW, THE REPORT, & THE WOLF HOUR
Sundance Film Festival 2019 Report 4: VELVET BUZZSAW, THE REPORT, & THE WOLF HOUR

My next report from Sundance 2019 finds the festival really hitting its stride. An artsy…

CRYSTAL SWAN: A Charming If Downtrodden Tale Of Seeking The American Dream In Post-Soviet Belarus
CRYSTAL SWAN: A Charming If Downtrodden Tale Of Seeking The American Dream In Post-Soviet Belarus

Crystal Swan is about the murky foundation that the American Dream is built on, but the persistence it instills on those who are willing to fight for it.

The Beginner’s Guide: Park Chan-wook, Director

In this Beginner’s Guide we dive into the works of South Korean director Park Chan-wook, who is best known for his excessive and notorious use of extreme violence.

THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW: 30 Years Later
THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW: 30 Years Later

A classic horror film of Haitian voodoo and zombies, The Serpent and the Rainbow continues to scare and delight viewers with its historical relevance and impressive details.

CHURCHILL: A Fascinating Portrayal Of A Particularly Flawed Man
CHURCHILL: A Fascinating Portrayal Of A Particularly Flawed Man

With poorly constructed flaws, Churchill isn’t an overly powerful reinvention of the traditional biopic film.

MISS SLOANE: Chastain Shines Again In This Tense Political Thriller
MISS SLOANE: Chastain Shines Again In This Tense Political Thriller

Starring Jessica Chastain in one of her best recent roles, Miss Sloane is a triumphant political thriller that only occasionally falters.

AQUARIUS: Vulnerable & Righteously Angry
AQUARIUS: Vulnerable & Righteously Angry

Aquarius is a powerful character study about a woman fighting back against vulnerabilities, anchored by a fine performance from Sônia Braga.

THE DUEL: A Confused And Underwhelming Western
THE DUEL: A Confused And Underwhelming Western

Though starring two A-list actors, The Duel went mostly under the radar when it was first released, opening to limited theaters and VOD. It’s not shocking that audiences wouldn’t flock to see a Western since the genre is not nearly as popular as it used to be, yet in recent years it seems to be making a comeback. Films such as The Hateful Eight, Slow West and Bone Tomahawk have been surprisingly successful, with future Westerns in the pipeline that could be even bigger hits (The Magnificent Seven remake being one example).

A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING: A Rambling Mess of a Film
A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING: A Rambling Mess of a Film

Is there a term for one-hit wonder film directors? Whilst the idea of the one-hit wonder is quite prevalent within music (I’m a sucker for late ’90s, early 2000s one hit wonders, who doesn’t love Breakfast at Tiffany’s?), it’s a concept that’s becoming quite frequent in cinema as well; filmmakers who coast off the success of one film.