2016

CLOSET MONSTER: The Queer Film You Need To See
CLOSET MONSTER: The Queer Film You Need To See

Closet Monster is a movie that fluently balances drama and humor, but the very essence within its message is one of defiant and radical hope.

MISS HOKUSAI: Images Of An Artist
MISS HOKUSAI: Images Of An Artist

Miss Hokusai is based on the Japanese manga, and through a series of montages, it tells a powerful story of the struggles of an artist.

OTHER PEOPLE: An Exercise In Personal Narratives
OTHER PEOPLE: An Exercise In Personal Narratives

Other People, a semi-autobiographical film based on writer Chris Kelly’s experiences, works in a beautiful way due to the subtext behind it.

OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY: Lowers The Stoner Christmas Movie Bar
OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY: Lowers The Stoner Christmas Movie Bar

Office Christmas Party is a glaringly unfunny R-rated comedy, which isn’t even saved by the talented crew in front of and behind the camera.

2016's Family Films Phenomenon
2016’s Family Films Phenomenon

With 2016 ending in cinematic glory, we look back at the widespread success of family films and how they are vital to the cinematic landscape

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS: As Elegant & Lavish As It Is Darkly Cynical
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS: As Elegant & Lavish As It Is Darkly Cynical

Nocturnal Animals is Tom Ford’s latest film, presented in lavish and bright neon colors; though it also possesses a hopelessly dark view.

THE UNKNOWN GIRL: A Forgettable Misfire From Europe's Leading Director Duo
THE UNKNOWN GIRL: A Forgettable Misfire From Europe’s Leading Director Duo

The Unknown Girl sees the directors yet again flirt with their beloved recurrent theme of criminality, here taking their most overt detour into procedural thriller territory to date.

COUNTER CLOCKWISE: Counterpoductive Sci-Fi
COUNTER CLOCKWISE: Counterproductive Sci-Fi

Counter Clockwise is a low budget sci-fi film, with horror and thriller inflections, in which a scientist stumbles upon the creation of a time machine.

ALL WE HAD: Katie Holmes's Poignant Directorial Debut
ALL WE HAD: Katie Holmes’s Poignant Directorial Debut

All We Had tells the story of a homeless woman and her daughter and their struggles of having to refind a place in the world for themselves.

JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK: Tom Cruise Doesn't Reach Far Enough
JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK: Tom Cruise Doesn’t Reach Far Enough

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is a sequel that falls flat and misses the opportunity to create something worthwhile.

SUGAR MOUNTAIN: Finding The Heart Of Deceit
SUGAR MOUNTAIN: Finding The Heart Of Deceit

Sugar Mountain is a dark thriller about life in small-town America; with fine character acting and tension building, it’s a unique hit.

OFF THE RAILS: A Moving Ride On the Tracks Of A Troubled Life
OFF THE RAILS: A Moving Ride On the Tracks Of A Troubled Life

The documentary Off The Rails tells the unusual story of a man with Asperger’s whose extreme love for transit has landed him in jail 32 times.

FRANK & LOLA: Soul Affirming Neon Noir
FRANK & LOLA: Soul Affirming Neon Noir

Frank & Lola is an original look at a romantic relationship affected by past sexual abuse, and is presented in a mezmorizing noir tone.

ACCIDENTAL COURTESY: DARYL DAVIS, RACE & AMERICA: A Timely Examination Of US Race Relations
ACCIDENTAL COURTESY: DARYL DAVIS, RACE & AMERICA: A Timely Examination Of US Race Relations

With the spectre of white nationalism once again rearing its ugly head in the guise of the so-called ‘Alt-Right’, Matthew Ornstein’s profile of the musician, author, actor and lecturer Daryl Davis,  Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America couldn’t be more relevant. Davis has an unusual hobby for a black man:

ANONYMOUS: Anarchy & Adolescence
ANONYMOUS: Anarchy & Adolescence

Anonymous is a film based on computer hacking, yet, with a less than subtle focus, it feels much like a tamer version of the show Mr. Robot.