Teaching audiences to view films actively
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Christian Petzold
Starring: Barbara Auer | Franz Rogowski | Godehard Giese | Lilien Batman | Maryam Zaree | Paula Beer
Chris says: “It’s a canny move to set the 1942 source material in the present day, and shrewder still for director Christian Petzold (PHOENIX) to indulge in stylistic motifs that one would find in a film from that era (most
Read the review...By Chris Kriofske
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Linda Goldstein Knowlton
Chris says: “The Radical Monarchs are an Oakland-based alternative scouting troop for young girls of color–instead of learning about making crafts or developing camping skills (though they do a little of both), they’re taught about social justice: how to take
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Riley Stearns
Starring: Alessandro Nivola | Imogen Poots | Jesse Eisenberg | Phillip Andre Botello | Steve Terada
Julie says: “I had the pleasure of seeing THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE (TAOSD) at the Coolidge as part of the IFF Boston 2019. It was a late showing (~9:40 pm) and the previous movie left me dosing off at one
Read the review...By Chris Kriofske
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Madeleine Olnek
Starring: Amy Seimetz | Brett Gelman | Jackie Monahan | Kevin Seal | Molly Shannon | Susan Ziegler
Chris says: “Since it plays like a clunky SNL sketch at times, I wasn’t expecting to like this odd little film in the end, but I kinda did. I only appreciated what it was attempting once I realized Mabel Todd’s
Read the review...By Michael Colford
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Paul Downs Calaizzo
Starring: Jillian Bell | Lil Rel Howery | Micah Stock | Michaela Watkins | Utkarsh Ambudkar
Michael says: “I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON, the opening night film of the 21st annual Provincetown International Film Festival. Aimless, out-of-control woman in her late 20’s struggles to get her life on track… by
Read the review...By Chris Kriofske
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Lucio Castro
Starring: Juan Barberini | Mia Maestro | Ramon Pujol
Chris says: “Lucio Castro’s first feature kicks off with ten-to-fifteen dialogue-free minutes; it may well put some viewers to sleep (like the man sitting behind me in the theater, barely two minutes in!), but as I adjusted to its unusual
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Rob Garver
Chris says: “Although never a celebrity like Roger Ebert, Pauline Kael was arguably the most influential film critic of her time and easily one of the more outspoken ones. Her unique career trajectory, from running a Berkeley moviehouse to landing
Read the review...By Chris Kriofske
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Tom Harper
Starring: Craig Parkinson | James Harkness | Jessie Buckley | Julie Walters
Chris says: “Jessie Buckley is so damn good she altogether shreds and transcends this film’s standard “I wanna be a star” trajectory; almost as impressive is how the film itself nearly does the same with its not-entirely-expected, somewhat corny but
Read the review...By Chris Kriofske
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Dava Whisenant
Starring: Chita Rivera | David Letterman | Florence Henderson | Martin Short | Sheldon Harnick | Steve Young | Susan Stroman
Chris says: “If a deep dive into the obscure world of 1960s industrial musicals doesn’t at least pique your interest, then this is not a documentary for you. If it at all does, however, you won’t mind spending ninety minutes
Read the review...By Michael Colford
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Emmanuelle Seignier | Mads Mikkelsen | Mathieu Amalric | Oscar Isaac | Rupert Friend | Willem Dafoe
Chris says: “In theory, Willem Dafoe seems a misguided choice to play Van Gogh, given the age difference, lack of resemblance, etc. Happily, he makes a stunning transformation without resorting to extravagant physical enhancements like Gary Oldman as Churchill–he embodies the
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