By: Graeme Howard Lou Simon’s 3: An Eye for an Eye is a revenge thriller with a healthy amount of twists to subvert viewer expectations. Unfortunately, the stiff and unconvincing performances lead to an experience that will be predictable, drab, and confusing for most.
By: Trevor Chartrand Helmed by Finnish filmmaker Teemu Nikki, Euthanizer is one moody, atmospheric and, frankly, zany thriller. Between overlapping tones and strategic musical cues, this movie blends genres in a way that just shouldn’t work, but somehow does – it’s like combining the sweetest strawberries with jalapenos and raw sewage. Euthanizer somehow creates a sweet, yet spicy, story that will leave a bad taste in your mouth (in a good way).
By: Jessica Goddard A film as heartbreaking as it is necessary, Bo Burnham’s feature directorial debut Eighth Grade earnestly tackles the varied intricacies of growing up in the age of smartphones, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram.
By: Jessica Goddard A film that could’ve been a standard biographical piece turns unexpectedly investigative in Whitney, a new documentary from Kevin Macdonald (Touching the Void, Life in a Day) about the life and legend of superstar Whitney Houston. This is the first and only Whitney Houston documentary to be authorized by the family, and their participation and exclusive footage adds credibility.
By: Graeme Howard When a live concert film is done right, it can create a viewing experience that is wholly unique to the live counterpart. Muse: Drones World Tour is an exciting live concert experience on the big screen, providing a non-stop hour-and-a-half of music and sensory overload. That being said, there are a few minor criticisms that hold this live concert experience from a wider appeal to the masses as opposed to being just fan…
By: Jessica Goddard A well-paced timeline of the 1990s peace negotiations in the Middle East, The Oslo Diaries skillfully articulates the sense of both hope and skepticism in the period. Directed by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan, the filmmakers use diary excerpts, historical footage, news clips, and participant commentary to paint a picture of simultaneous optimism and doubt surrounding the Oslo Accords.
By: Jessica Goddard Architectural opulence meets pop culture royalty in Matthew Miele’s Always at The Carlyle, a documentary about the literal ins-and-outs of the discreetly famous 88-year-old Upper East Side Manhattan hotel.
By: Nick van Dinther In Boundaries, director Shana Feste tells a story that’s loosely based on her relationship with her father and their shared life experience; which makes it surprising that one of the movie’s biggest setbacks is how cliché it is, and how it lacks realism.
By: Graeme Howard Considering the fact that Uncle Drew originated as a Pepsi advertisement campaign, it is surprising that the film is not a complete and utter train wreck. Instead viewers are treated to a passable film that will appeal to NBA fans. However the abundance of product placements and issues with pacing lead to a largely by-the-book film that misses more than it dunks.
By: Leah Kuperman In Darkness stars a blind protagonist who gets caught in the violent crimes of the London underground. Writer/director Anthony Byrne (BBC’s Peaky Blinders) offers viewers a gripping film with ample twists and turns but most interesting, however, was the way his movie portrayed the life and disability of its protagonist.