Clemency
Chinonye Chukwu’s CLEMENCY is engaging and thoughtfully constructed, with a stifling atmosphere underscored by Alfre Woodard’s lead performance.
All posts by Jim Ross
Interview: Human Rights Watch Fest
Managing Editor Jim Ross interviewed Leah Sapin of Human Rights Watch Film Festival about moving the 2020 London edition online and the challenges and objectives of the festival’s lineup. The interview was broadcast as part of the May 19th edition of Cinetopia.
The Assistant
THE ASSISTANT lingers, and not because it generates an incandescent rage. Instead, it simmers with a sense of quiet injustice and insidious malfeasance, which is communicated powerfully by Kitty Green, Julia Garner, and the creative team.
Vivarium
For those worried about disappearing into an anonymous suburban hellscape, VIVARIUM will be the descent into fear and confusion it is clearly intended to be. Jim Ross reviews.
Proxima
The production design and visual style of PROXIMA are refreshingly earth-bound and create a tangible emotional connection to the characters, even if Alice Winocour’s symbolic moments lack the subtlety that would elevate the film itself to the stars. Jim Ross reviews at Glasgow Film Festival.
True History of The Kelly Gang
TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG has some striking imagery and engaging performances but seems to lack coherent storytelling to drive home their impact. Jim Ross reviews.
Dark Waters
Despite the real-life resolution to the case, DARK WATERS is not a triumphalist film and goes to great lengths to show its story is merely a battle in an overwhelming war. Jim Ross reviews.
Sin Señas Particulares
A visually stunning first feature from director Fernanda Valadez, SIN SEÑAS PARTICULARES is a beautifully shot story of a maternal odyssey of loss. Jim Ross reviews the 2020 Sundance selection.
Vai
A sprawling and ambitious project involving nine female filmmakers from the South Pacific region, VAI is a superb achievement. The film manages to communicate the essence of common experiences whilst retaining cultural specificity. That the collection achieves this with a visual vibrancy and tonal coherence makes it all the more remarkable. The film’s team describe … Continue reading Vai
Luxor
With a delicate and naturalistic performance at the centre from Andrea Riseborough, Zeina Durra’s LUXOR succeeds at painting a portrait of one of life’s pauses for thought; one of the strange stasis and emotions that develop when contemplating one’s life in a once-familiar place. Jim Ross reviews the Sundance selection.