SXSW 2021 Review: R#J: A Horribly Misguided Experiment
SXSW 2021 Review: R#J: A Horribly Misguided Experiment

Even though I can feel everything is well-intentioned, little to none of it resonated. Thy movie is amiss.

SLAXX: Fun And Thoughtful Film About Sentient Killer Jeans
SLAXX: Fun And Thoughtful Film About Sentient Killer Jeans

Slaxx offers plenty of fun and amusing gory moments with a heartfelt story showcasing the evils of the fashion industry.

NOBODY: Maybe It's Time To Let The Old Ways Die
NOBODY: Maybe It’s Time To Let The Old Ways Die

A sturdy but familiar entry, Nobody hews so close to standards that it brings the whole genre into question.

SXSW Dispatch #1: I'M FINE (THANKS FOR ASKING), LANGUAGE LESSONS, & ISLANDS
SXSW Dispatch #1: I’M FINE (THANKS FOR ASKING), LANGUAGE LESSONS, & ISLANDS

In his first report from SXSW Film Festival, Soham reviews I’m Fine (Thanks For Asking), Language Lessons and Islands!

SXSW 2021: KID CANDIDATE, WEWORK & THE LOST SONS
SXSW 2021: KID CANDIDATE, WEWORK & THE LOST SONS

In his first report from the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, Musanna reviews Kid Candidate, WeWork and The Lost Sons!

LISTEN TO THE UNIVERSE: A Traditional Competition Film, With Something Extra
LISTEN TO THE UNIVERSE: A Traditional Competition Film, With Something Extra

In its styles, structures, and personal relationships, Listen to the Universe does the rare feat of turning a competition against itself.

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER A Flawed Reimagining of a Feminist Classic
THE YELLOW WALLPAPER: A Flawed Reimagining of a Feminist Classic

Based on the 1892 Charlotte Perkins Gilman short story by the same name, The Yellow Wallpaper is a thriller that stumbles with uneven performances.

KEEP AN EYE OUT: Surrealist Murder Mystery Mayhem
KEEP AN EYE OUT: Surrealist Murder Mystery Mayhem

While Keep an Eye Out feels more like an extended comedy sketch than a feature film, it is definitely entertaining.

THE WINTER LAKE: A Grim, Well-Acted Irish Thriller
THE WINTER LAKE: A Grim, Well-Acted Irish Thriller

While underdeveloped and sluggish in approach, Phil Sheerin’s The Winter Lake is a sedate, rustic thriller examining familial complexities.

The film has a vibrant authenticity to it, and not just in the casting and locations — cinematographer Katelin Arizmendi gives Baltimore’s streets an oceanic sway and the conversations a realistic rhythm. And when we follow the Clique, engines rev, the riders lean back and lift, and we see them silhouetted against the sun, arms extended toward us, totally in the moment. Both Pug and Mouse talk about “going 12” like it’s the greatest sense of freedom you could achieve. It’s just you, the bike, and the road, and the only thing keeping you airborne is your innate talent and will to stay upright. The more expressionistic elements of Charm City Kings recall Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, a film that similarly blends realistic characters and dialogue with neon lighting, Nicholas Britell’s otherworldly music, and emotionally motivated camera movements and editing. That’s not accidental — Jenkins, alongside Kirk Sullivan and Chris Boyd, developed the story for Charm City Kings, while Sherman Payne, a TV writer known for his work on Shameless and Scream, wrote the script. The result is a story soaked with realism and augmented by stylistic flourishes and a poignant, subversive orchestral score from Alex Somers.
CHARM CITY KINGS: A Powerful Black Coming-of-Age Story

Charm City Kings is an expressionistic, powerful look at a neglected community that gets little attention on-screen.

Satyajit Ray - THE HERO at Berlinale
Satyajit Ray – THE HERO at Berlinale

Legend of the Berlindale Film Festival, Satyajit Ray’s award-winning 1966 Indian drama The Hero (Nayak) showcases the filmmaker’s talents.

WILDFIRE: Irish Eyes No Longer Smile In Affecting Sibling Drama
WILDFIRE: Irish Eyes No Longer Smile In Affecting Sibling Drama

Wildfire is a commanding calling card for Brady, showcasing kitchen-sink realism and a powerful portrayal of sibling heartbreak.

RED POST ON ESCHER STREET: The World Is Your Stage. Are You At Its Center?
RED POST ON ESCHER STREET: The World Is Your Stage. Are You At Its Center?

It embodies the theory of a movie’s intricate parts, and bit players function initially as individualistic entities that coalesce into a collective.

CHERRY: Excess Is Just Its Character
CHERRY: Excess Is Just Its Character

Cherry wants to be a movie about tragedy and weighty thematic issues but is too concerned with showing off for points on a scoreboard.

BERLINALE 2021: ALBATROS (DRIFT AWAY)
BERLINALE 2021: ALBATROS (DRIFT AWAY)

Xavier Beauvois’ Albatros starts off as a low-key police procedural drama before transforming into a generic meditation on guilt and grief.