Hot Docs 2018: ‘The Cleaners’ and ‘Turning Tables’
The Cleaners (DIR. Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck) Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck’s The Cleaners is a documentary that claims to be one thing, but is really about another topic.
April 2018
Adventures in Public School
Everyone’s weird, and there’s nothing wrong with that. At least, that’s the message driving Kyle Rideout’s outrageous Canadian teen comedy Adventures in Public School.
Hot Docs 2018: ‘Golden Dawn Girls’ and ‘Transformer’
Golden Dawn Girls (DIR. Håvard Bustnes) Håvard Bustnes’ Golden Dawn Girls is a feature-length interview-of-sorts with several female relatives of Nikolaos Michaloliakos, the head of the far-right, Greek “social nationalist” party known as Golden Dawn.
Kodachrome
Before making Kodachrome, filmmaker Mark Raso directed Copenhagen and screenwriter Jonathan Tropper wrote This Is Where I Leave You. Both of those were modest movies with family drama and pleasant dynamics. Kodachrome is more of the same from these two men, which is good for Netflix audiences looking for an easy watch, but slightly disappointing for movie goers expecting more than unchallenging schmaltz.
Mobile Homes
I can’t decide whether Mobile Homes is genuine or not. Its portrait of off-the-grid living and underground ugliness looks real to an upsetting extent, but the characters are unbelievable.
The Scent of Rain and Lightning
The Scent of Rain and Lightning is a tense and beautifully shot thriller that regretfully unravels in its third act.
Super Troopers 2
After 17 years, the sporadically-anticipated sequel to the 2001’s Super Troopers has pulled into cinemas. Written and starring the Broken Lizard comedy troupe (Jay Chandrasekhar, Paul Soter, Steve Lemme, Erik Stolhanske, Kevin Heffernan) and directed by their very own Chandrasekhar, Super Troopers 2 is what you would expect from a sequel of a cult classic.
I Feel Pretty
By: Jessica Goddard Blandly written and clunkily delivered, I Feel Pretty has its moments but is mediocre to the point of vexation. A sort of cross between Shallow Hal and 13 Going on 30, the premise is probably well-intentioned as far as messaging is concerned, but it’s almost like this movie gives up on itself midway through. Indeed, it’s getting hard out here for those of us rooting for Amy Schumer’s film career.
