La La Land misunderstands the conventions of the film musical, failing to develop compelling characters through song, dance, or dialogue.
Review: Lion is a cop-out as a lyrical fairy tale
Lion could have been a sophisticated exploration of identity and alienation but settles for being a disappointingly simple fairy tale.
Alexandra Therese-Keining talks Girls Lost and gender performance
Writer-director Alexandra Therese-Keining discusses her sophomore film, Girls Lost, a smart and sensitive exploration of gender, gender performance, identity, femininity, and masculinity.
Manchester by the Sea embraces conventional stereotypes
Despite its obvious Oscar-bait trappings, Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea is plagued by outdated ideas about masculinity and weak supporting characters.
7 must-see films at the 2016 AFI Fest
Avoid the crowds at La La Land and catch up with some of the best of contemporary world cinema at AFI Fest. Here’s a look at seven must-see films at the 2016 AFI Fest with links to our reviews and/or interviews with the directors from previous festivals. 2016 AFI Fest Galas 1. Elle https://seventh-row.com/2016/09/03/verhoeven-huppert-elle/ World Cinema […]
Two opposing sensibilities: Gianfranco Rosi and Frederick Wiseman
Every documentarian has a unique approach to filmmaking, but you might not expect that Frederick Wiseman and Gianfranco Rosi often have polar opposite approaches to making their films. Based on two interviews with each documentarian, we break down their many points of difference, and a few similarities, in their approaches.