For decades, athletics have been used to signal a belief in national pride. The Olympics, World Cup, and World Baseball Classic allow athletes to become international celebrities. For Kalakov Mulakhil and Khaiber Azbarzada, the stakes are far higher. The nephews of a famed athlete who was executed in Afgahnistan's Civil War, they hope to bring … Continue reading SXSW 2023: ‘Riders on the Storm’ Delivers a Harrowing Look at the Fall of Kabul
Review: ‘One Fine Morning’ – A Choice Between Love and Responsibility
Few directors quite hit the heart of an internal struggle like Mia Hansen-Løve. Her film Bergman Island was sneakily one of the best films of 2020. Her quiet ability to put her protagonists through mental and emotional anguish makes her stories feel remarkably human. This case proves true again for One Fine Morning, her latest … Continue reading Review: ‘One Fine Morning’ – A Choice Between Love and Responsibility
SXSW 2023: ‘My Drywall Cocoon’ Overrelies on Provocative Melodrama
The world of the haves versus the have-nots remains one of the most common sources for storytelling. Having the ability to dissect greed, privilege, and power aesthetics will always fascinate audiences. Yet, its consistent use as the basis of narratives also means audiences are savvy to the tropes. At times, My Drywall Cocoon explores self-hate … Continue reading SXSW 2023: ‘My Drywall Cocoon’ Overrelies on Provocative Melodrama
Berlinale: ‘Zeevonk (Sea Sparkle)’ – A Portrait of Unexplainable Grief
The lengths that we reach to find closure are impossible to quantify. As we experience trauma and despair, we struggle to hold ourselves together. When death comes suddenly or in unexplained moments, the search for understanding can consume us. Premiering at the Berlinale, Zeevonk (Sea Sparkle) pushes a girl to search for answers. A portrait … Continue reading Berlinale: ‘Zeevonk (Sea Sparkle)’ – A Portrait of Unexplainable Grief
Review: ‘Huesera: The Bone Woman’ Unsettles and Frights While Discussing Motherhood
Folk tales and legends in horror have long been helpful to filmmakers. After all, the first ghost stories we told in the dark were often meant to scare each other into behaving. In many ways, modern horror draws heavily from the oral traditions of centuries past. In the case of Huesera: The Bone Woman, director … Continue reading Review: ‘Huesera: The Bone Woman’ Unsettles and Frights While Discussing Motherhood
Review: ‘Irréversible: The Straight Cut’ Barely Adds Sympathy to an Already Cruel Story
Few films have ever inspired genuine shock like Irréversible when it released over twenty years ago. Director Gaspar Noé was mostly unknown outside of cinephile until Irréversible landed at Cannes. Upon its release, the story of a woman's rape and the lengths her boyfriend and ex-lover would go to avenge her became wildly controversial. While … Continue reading Review: ‘Irréversible: The Straight Cut’ Barely Adds Sympathy to an Already Cruel Story
Sundance 2023: ’20 Days in Mariupol’ Shows the Horrors Experienced By Wartime Journalists
Almost one year ago, the world froze in fear. The war between the Ukraine and Russia drew the entire world's attention, and questions about intervention swam through conversations. As Russian soldiers advanced into the former USSR nation, horrifying videos and images began leaking out of Ukraine. The battles were terrible enough, but the true horrors … Continue reading Sundance 2023: ’20 Days in Mariupol’ Shows the Horrors Experienced By Wartime Journalists
Sundance 2023: ‘La Pecera (The Fishbowl)’ Rides the Wave of Isel Rodríguez’s Excellence
Cancer wreaks havoc on the human body, but it’s toll on the mind can often be just as harmful. While the person fighting the disease struggles with their mortality, their friends and family must rely on faith or medicine to pull them through. Even when that’s the case, the danger is often too upsetting to … Continue reading Sundance 2023: ‘La Pecera (The Fishbowl)’ Rides the Wave of Isel Rodríguez’s Excellence
Sundance 2023: ‘Iron Butterflies’ Confronts Disinformation in Tragedy
There's room for experimentation on topics that are well-known to the masses. Sadly, the tragedy of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 qualifies as one of those events. After Klondike made waves at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, Iron Butterflies puts focus back on the topic. As the war in Ukraine rages on, documentarian Roman Liubyi asks … Continue reading Sundance 2023: ‘Iron Butterflies’ Confronts Disinformation in Tragedy
Sundance 2023: ‘Smoke Sauna Sisterhood’ – The Women are Talking
Sometimes it's odd when works of art feel as if they were made to co-exist. The 2022-2023 Oscar season featured continual discussions of Sarah Polley's Women Talking, a film where women discussed the harms men do to them. While it was a fictional tale, the stories are too common to ignore. Meanwhile, thousands of miles … Continue reading Sundance 2023: ‘Smoke Sauna Sisterhood’ – The Women are Talking