La La Land misunderstands the conventions of the film musical, failing to develop compelling characters through song, dance, or dialogue.
Film Reviews
Here you will find every film review we've written. These include: festival films, new releases, and older films.
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.
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Despite its obvious Oscar-bait trappings, Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea is plagued by outdated ideas about masculinity and weak supporting characters.
Review: Little Sister invites us into the family
Zach Clark’s Little Sister offers a new twist on the Quirky Family Dramedy in which the quirks aren’t mere personality tics, but signs of genuine trauma.
Taking stock: a closer look at Gabe Klinger’s Porto
Gabe Klinger’s Porto is a prime example of a seemingly romantic film that is insidiously misogynistic which uses multiple film stocks as an aesthetic gimmick. The film premiered at the London Film Festival.
Age in Place: Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Aquarius
Jesse Thompson explores sound, place, and gentrification in Aquarius and its parallels to the realities of real estate in Sydney, Australia.