Russia

SXSW Film Festival 2023: QUEENDOM
SXSW Film Festival 2023: QUEENDOM

Queendom thus far is one of the best documentaries of the year.

The Meaning of Fathers and Sons On Andrey Zvyagintsev’s THE RETURN
The Meaning of Fathers and Sons: On Andrey Zvyagintsev’s THE RETURN

As a film about fathers and their sons, The Return is about the difficulty certain men have expressing love for one another.

DEAR COMRADES: A Political Moment, Filtered And Paved
DEAR COMRADES: A Political Moment, Filtered And Paved

While the details and historical recreations are impeccable, Andrei Konchalovsky’s Dear Comrades! remains emotionally unmoving.

AGENTS OF CHAOS: The US Election-Themed Film You Must See
AGENTS OF CHAOS: The US Election-Themed Film You Must See

Agents of Chaos is an incredibly rich examination of the most pressing concern around the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election.

RED PENGUINS: Filmmaker Gabe Polsky Returns to Russian Hockey
RED PENGUINS: Filmmaker Gabe Polsky Returns to Russian Hockey

A darkly funny mashup between a sports documentary and gangster drama, it is an incredibly entertaining film that also delves into serious cultural issues.

SPUTNIK: In Soviet Russia, Aliens Invade You
SPUTNIK: In Soviet Russia, Aliens Invade You

Sputnik is a solid alien-driven thriller; it’s when it focuses on the more human elements to its story that it stumbles.

WELCOME TO CHECHNYA: A Harrowing Account of LGBTQ Genocide
WELCOME TO CHECHNYA: A Harrowing Account of LGBTQ Genocide

Welcome to Chechnya is likely to be the most urgent documentary of the year, but makes many exploitative missteps along the way.

CLOSENESS: Kantemir Balagov’s Controversial Debut
CLOSENESS: Kantemir Balagov’s Controversial Debut

Closeness is an intriguing debut film that is marred by one incredibly bad choice on the part of its director.

THE BOLSHEVIK TRILOGY: Resistance Is Not Futile, But Necessary

Flicker Alley’s new two-disc Blu-ray release of The Bolshevik Trilogy is a quality set that provides an ample education on the art of film and the act of rebellion.

THE SONATA: A Sharp Concept Played Flat
THE SONATA: A Sharp Concept Played Flat

The Sonata attempts to be moody, brooding, and dark, only to come off as predictable, cliched, and silly.

CITIZEN K: The Most Compelling Work About Russian Politics In A While

Alex Gibney’s Citizen K, a deep-dive into the life of the oligarch-turned-activist Mikhail Khodorkovsky, brilliantly utilises his recollections.

LETO: The Contradiction Of Rock In The Soviet Union
LETO: The Contradiction Of Rock In The Soviet Union

Leto finds a balance between the reality of early rock under a communist regime and the fantasy rockers imagined.

The World is a Window in THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES
The World Is A Window In THE COLOUR OF POMEGRANATES

The Colour of Pomegranates is not only a window into the age of silent cinema, transplanted to 1969 but a window into a new way of thinking.

THE RUSSIAN FIVE: A Worthy Addition To The Pantheon Of Great Sports Stories
THE RUSSIAN FIVE: A Worthy Addition To The Pantheon Of Great Sports Stories

At its heart, The Russian Five is a sports story, but you don’t have to be a hockey fan to appreciate its impact.

HIGH LIFE: Black Holes and the Science Fiction of Depression
Black Holes & The Science Fiction Of Depression In HIGH LIFE

What happens to those without resources to evacuate a dying world? John Stanford Owen examines life and humanity in High Life.