Tag: Film Review
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‘Thelma’ is a Chilling, Hauntingly Beautiful Story of Discovery
Thelma (2017) opens with a startling and chilling scene that perfectly sets the stage for the unnerving, quietly powerful, and hauntingly beautiful story that is about to unfold. A man and a young girl walk through a frozen landscape, hunting. When they stop to shoot a deer, the man, standing behind the girl so she…
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How Subtle is Too Subtle in ‘Nomadland’?
Minor Spoilers Ahead They say home is where the heart is, and Nomadland is all heart…if you project onto it, at least. Following a woman living in her van going from one temporary, minimum-wage job to the next, the film gives some insight into a world often hidden from the on-screen due to its often…
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“Concrete Cowboy” (2021) Review: An Endangered and Unknown Subculture
Ricky Staub’s Concrete Cowboy, based on Greg Neri’s novel “Ghetto Cowboy”, tells the story of a young teenager forced to adapt to a new lifestyle.
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‘Minari’: Authenticity Without The Trauma Porn
When diverse representation is featured on-screen, it oftentimes comes with strings attached that undermine the message they were trying to send. This can be attributed to the fact that behind-the-screen, the industry primarily does not reflect the breadth of diverse difference that is present in daily life. That’s why when something as powerful and authentic…
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How ‘Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry’ Humanizes Child Stars
When they’re young, they’re America’s darlings but, when they become teens and adolescents, they’re instantly perceived as harbingers of immorality. They’re Lindsay Lohan, Macaulay Culkin, Justin Bieber, and Britney Spears. But, despite what many media outlets, politicians, and the general public may think, they are human beings above anything else. The new Billie Eilish documentary,…
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The Invitation (2015): Grief is on The Menu
The Invitation takes a creeping look at two simple premises: reuniting with forgotten friends and new-age spiritualism. Though one seems a bit scarier than the other, the film heightens social awkwardness to a macabre level that puts an uncomfortable look on when the social taboo of grief is put on public display.
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‘Kathak: Dancing With Taboos’ Film Festival Review: A Story of Passion and Perseverance
Eloquent and informative, Hajera Sheikh’s documentary Kathak: Dancing With Taboos tells a story of love for one’s culture and perseverance through adversity.
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Saint Maud & The Madness of Fanaticism
TW: Sexual Assault, Mental Illness, Body Horror // Minor Spoilers Below Rose Glass’ directorial debut, Saint Maud, explores the term “god complex” to an extreme. The film follows Maud, a young nurse who has recently been “saved” by God (through Catholicism) and believes she has a bigger purpose for it. She tries to implement her…
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Violation & The Misused Shock-Horror of Sexual Assault
TW: Sexual Assault, Body Horror, Animal Violence // Spoilers below There is no more delicate a topic to portray than sexual assault and, because of its heaviness, it seldom gets the attention and discussion it deserves. However, when it is represented in some capacity, it is usually in an explicit and exploitative way that is…
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Zack Snyder’s ‘Justice League’ Is the Movie We Deserve
Like millions around the world, I’ve been waiting four years for the renowned #SnyderCut. I’ll never forget sitting in the theater on opening night, witnessing a CGI mouth on Henry Cavill’s face about five seconds into Justice League. That’s a thing of nightmares if I must say. Anyways, right then and there, I knew I…