In Schneider vs. Bax, the tension is always high, but there’s less of van Warmerdam’s characteristic black humour.
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Barbet Schroeder’s Amnesia reckons with Germany’s holocaust guilt
Barbet Schroeder’s Amnesia is the latest in a series of recent films about whether Germany has reckoned with its past from World War II. Set in the early 1990s at another pivotal point in German history, the film looks back into the past through its protagonist Martha (Marthe Keller) and her interactions with other Germans. Rather […]
My Internship in Canada is a smart farce
We review Philippe Falardeau’s hilarious political satire My Internship in Canada, which was selected as one of Canada’s Top Ten Films of 2015. Read our interview with director Falardeau here.
Crimson Peak is a loving homage to the Gothic
“Crimson Peak” is a sensory feast rather than a character drama. In this, the film takes its cue from the mechanics of gothic literature, which is less about plot and more about atmosphere. Gothic imagery is always over the top, with themes literalized and cranked up to eleven. The film’s luxuriant costumes exemplify this extravagance. The innocent Edith has golden hair and wears billowing virginal white, whereas Lucille’s red satin gown calls to mind a freezing Elizabeth Bathory, ready to prey upon her sister-in-law. Our eyes linger on their rich textures and theatrical shapes.
Please Like Me gets even better in season 3
Here in the third season, we get the sense that everything’s going to be OK — Josh, Tom, and Alan even repeat this mantra in unison — even if there are more storms to weather. Josh is finally in a loving, stable relationship in which he’s the rock. Tom is slowly figuring out how to grow up, as he plays third wheel to Josh and Arnold. Rose is living independently with her twenty-something friend Hannah, whom she met at the psychiatric facility last season, and their storylines are often independent of Josh. Josh still spends time with both of his parents, but he actually gets support from them rather than merely putting out their fires.
Jafar Panahi’s Taxi is an absorbing day out in Tehran
As Jafar picks up passengers, meets friends, and runs into others, key political and economic issues get discussed. The film feels realistic, much like the conversations and performances in “Before Sunset” and “Conversations with Other Women” have the ring of real interactions. But even as the film touches on imprisonment from unsubstantiated charges, interrogation and torture, rampant crime, and government censorship of films, it does so with a light touch. Because the characters treat these things as commonplace, as casual conversation topics, we understand just how deep the problems run. And Jafar remains an affable presence even as some of his passengers’ actions would try anyone’s patience.