By Jeremy Carr. Apparently supporting the film’s well-intentioned attempt at accuracy, Chief Chauncey Yellow Robe, in a sound prologue to this otherwise silent 1930 film, thus urges viewers to not see those performing in the film as actors, but to consider that what is shown ‘is as it always has […]
A Culture of Violence, with Questions Unanswered: Teodora Ana Miha’s La Civil
By Yun-hua Chen. A compelling portrait of not only a society plagued by violence, and one that conditions its members to be indifferent, irresponsive, and numb.” In Northern Mexico, Cielo’s (Arcelia Ramírez) day starts like any mundane morning. Her daughter Laura lovingly makes her up, jokingly self-compliments their beauty (“like […]
Strange Hits: The Birth (and Deaths) of Cocaine Bear
The reviewer confounded, a “poet” responds…. For the few happy stoners who loved Strange Wilderness…. Three of them were back to the multiplex in early ‘08, night after night (while their supply lasted) bringing the only box office before it closed after a week. Late-night conversations, fueled by caffeine, conjured desires for a sequel. Back to […]
Strain in Communities: Three from Berlinale 2023
By Ali Moosavi. The best kind of humour has roots in tragedy.” Silver Haze premiered at the Panorama section of Berlin Film Festival. In most movie productions the starting point is a script (original or adaptation) or at least an idea expanded into a treatment. Sometimes a script is modified […]
Out to Pasture: Nicholas Winding Refn’s Copenhagen Cowboy (Netflix Series, 2023)
By James Slaymaker. A glacially paced revenge-thriller which deliberately denies the audience any sense of tension, excitement or catharsis.” It’s remarkable to think that a scant decade ago, Nicolas Winding Refn was tipped to be the next major player in international art cinema. The rapturous reception of Drive (2011) represented […]
Stirring, if Incomplete: Patricio Guzman’s My Imaginary Country
By Anees Aref. Even if doesn’t quite cover the full breadth of recent Chilean history, Patricio Guzman’s My Imaginary Country does powerfully capture the yearning and communal passion that drives the revolution to this day.” Released in the fall of 2022 and now available on DVD, My Imaginary Country is […]
“Starting with a Lie to Gather Unity” – Abbas Kiarostami: Interviews
A Book Review by Ali Moosavi. The collection, edited by Monika Raesch, is really two books under one cover – an extensive critical introduction to Kiarostami, authored by Raesch, and roughly 100 pages of interviews in which the filmmaker proves to be surprisingly open and eminently quotable.” Though the renowned […]
Horror and Feminist Reconstruction – An Interview with Michelle Garza Cevera on Huesera: The Bone Woman
By Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. It was very important to start the film as one that portrayed how big motherhood feels in society, how sacred and untouchable it is, and in certain ways, how it rules our lives – as women we’re trying to feed that unreachable goal of becoming this perfect caring […]
Gentle Mary: Michelle Garza Cervera’s Huesera: The Bone Woman (2022)
By Thomas M. Puhr. The scariest thing in Huesera is not the ghostly bone woman, but the all-too-real fear that one may choose the wrong path when faced with one of life’s many forked roads.” Among a throng of worshippers, a young woman climbs the stone steps leading to a […]
Family Dynamics: Corey Deshon’s Daughter (2022)
By Jeremy Carr. It’s a pressure cooker scenario executed by debuting writer-director Corey Deshon with an acute tonal balance, and Vivien Ngô’s performance, in the title role, is the obvious catalyst for Daughter’s swift narrative momentum.” A young woman flees through a desolate landscape, pursued by two individuals. They’re first […]