December 2021
Licorice Pizza
By: Jolie Featherstone Set in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s, Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest is a wholly immersive ‘endless summer’ following two enterprising misfits in the deliriously light-headed throes of youth.
The Scary of Sixty-First
Until recently, when she was cast in the third season of HBO’s hit series Succession, Dasha Nekrasova was one of those niche internet celebrities that enjoys considerable notoriety in select circles while remaining virtually unknown in the larger public consciousness. She is perhaps best known as the co-host of the popular left-leaning podcast, Red Scare. Much like her podcast, Nekrasova’s debut directorial feature is calculated to invite controversy. Brash and antagonistic, The Scary of Sixty-First…
Red Rocket
By: Jolie Featherstone By beautifully capturing the stories of American communities that are rarely seen on screen, Sean Baker has the makings of a modern auteur.
Benedetta
Set in 17th century Italy, and based on real people and events, writer/director Paul Verhoeven’s latest feature, Benedetta, is the story of a nun from a wealthy family (Virginie Efira) who experiences vivid, and highly erotic, religious visions. After a pretty young novice named Bartolomea (Daphne Patakia) arrives at the convent, Benedetta’s visions become more intense and attract the attention of local religious leaders – threatening the sexual and romantic relationship that is beginning to…
Titane
With all the commitment the production can offer, Titane tells a tall tale of an adult entertainer who uses her sexuality and a violent temper to hide her flaws. Still carrying the near-death trauma she experienced as a kid, Alexia (Agathe Rousselle) projects her heated emotions on to new relationships (which sometimes includes her bizarre fetish for metal).
Letters to Satan Claus
By: Trevor Chartrand Goofy and upbeat, Letters to Satan Claus is a comical send-up of Hallmark holiday movies…with a slasher twist. While it’s never laugh-out-loud funny, this film has a satirical edge that makes for an effective parody of holiday movies.