Beans
Coming-of-age stories set against monumental national or world events are a cinematic constant. BEANS excels at both portions of its story, even if it sometimes struggles to connect them.
Category Archives: Reviews
Night Raiders
Goulet’s balancing act between social horror and mythic hope is a masterful cinematic parable.
Back to the Wharf
Taking a decidedly more casual approach to its noirish stylings than Diao Yi’nan’s THE WILD GOOSE LAKE (or even the second chapter of Jia Zhang-ke’s ASH IS PUREST WHITE), Li Xiaofeng’s BACK TO THE WHARF has a quality that could trip a viewer up on occasion.
Dreams on Fire
DREAMS ON FIRE is a film about graft, inspiration, camaraderie and the struggles of flourishing in the real world; in all its awful and wonderful surrealness. Clara Strachan reviews at Glasgow Film Festival.
White Lie
On top of Kacey Rohl’s mesmerising Katie, the performances are all realistic and well-judged and the technical credits impressive in WHITE LIE.
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY has grand ambitions but skirts around too many weighty topics. Murray Ferguson reviews.
The Mauritanian
While some areas of THE MAURITANIAN are slightly rough around the edges, it is more than certainly a film of merit; as an informed, thought-provoking and emotionally charged piece of cinema.
Creation Stories
CREATION STORIES occasionally hits a good note, but after the cacophonous entropy it generates getting tuned up, it struggles to recover anything harmonious from its orchestra of creative talents.
Black Bear
In the end, BLACK BEAR is a bit of a Penrose triangle of a film. Viewed from certain angles, it may make little sense, but when considered from a new vantage point or spun around, it paradoxically comes together elegantly and beautifully.
Minari
MINARI is an emotionally graceful portrait of a family whose members are trying to find their way in the world and amongst each other. Lee Isaac Chung lays out the path for their story with skill and a beautifully light touch.