Film Reviews
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Brightburn (David Yarovesky)
Inspired by the Superman mythos, Brightburn promises to subvert the conventions of the superhero genre before succumbing to threadbare horror clichés.
Kirk Sever reviews... -
Under the Silver Lake (David Robert Mitchell)
Under the Silver Lake, David Robert Mitchell's follow-up to It Follows, sees Andrew Garfield on a comically convoluted quest around the surreal nooks-and-crannies of Los Angeles.
Kirk Sever reviews... -
20th Century Women (Mike Mills)
Strengthened by a sophisticated autobiographical screenplay, the film's poignant and warmly amusing scenes capture an enriching spectrum of resilient personalities in 1979 Santa Barbara, CA.
Grant Phipps regards... -
Certain Women (Kelly Reichardt)
The film perceptively elevates Meloy's Montana-based short stories in examination of serendipitous intersections that progressively delve deeper into the details of four working women's lives.
Grant Phipps knows... -
The Club (Pablo Larraín)
This inquisitive, unnerving chamber drama, which culls from the sexual abuse scandal within the Catholic Church, is dulled by conflicting messages of forgiveness and vengeance as well as the transparency of a victim's characterization.
Grant Phipps declines the invitation... -
Some Beasts (Cameron Bruce Nelson)
The Appalachian drama of a romantic couple weathering physical separation tenderly renders poetic truths about diverging paths in life and the meaning of family.
Grant Phipps "widens his gaze on the dews of a delicate world"... -
The Neon Demon (Nicolas Winding Refn)
Refn's morbidly satirical exposé of the fashion industry and competitive world of modeling is more cinematographically inspired but substantively underwhelming kitsch.
Grant Phipps slowly descends into the City of Angels... -
Right Now, Wrong Then (Hong Sang-soo)
This self-reflexive parallel timeline variation on the meet-cute offers invigoratingly light and accessible consideration of gender perspectives and human adaptiveness.
Grant Phipps strikes that, reverses it... -
The Forbidden Room (Guy Maddin and Evan Johnson)
While slightly overlong, this surreal montage film synthesizes a broad range of silent and sound artifacts in rapturous, volcanic eruptions of pure cinematic curio.
Grant Phipps enters... -
Knight of Cups (Terrence Malick)
In the latest film in Malick's late-career period of prolificacy, the director turns his attention to Hollywood.
Brad Hanford reviews...
