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TIFF 50: "Sentimental Value" falls victim to high expectations
by Cláudio Alves To be loved so intensely, showered in adoration by a captive captivated crowd and the world beyond, can be as much of a curse as it is a blessing. Those who follow film festivals and...
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Venice: "Scarlet" is an ambitious misstep
Elisa Giudici reporting from Venice With Scarlet, Mamoru Hosoda takes his boldest swing yet, and lands his weakest film. Even compared with his early commercial outings (Digimon, One Piece), this...
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TIFF 50: "Noviembre" makes for a formidable debut
by Cláudio Alves Dedicated to the memory of the victims, their families, and those still looking for the missing, Tomás Corredor's directorial debut reflects on the Palace of Justice siege in Bogotá,...
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TIFF 50: Benoit Blanc looks for grace in "Wake Up Dead Man"
by Cláudio Alves If Wake Up Dead Man is the weakest Knives Out mystery yet, the blame lies at the feet of its outsized thematic ambition. In that regard, the new flick outdoes its predecessors and then...
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Venice Film Festival - The Winners
by Nathaniel R While Elisa makes her way home (thanks for the great coverage!) here are the winners of the 82nd annual edition of the reknowned film festival. MAIN SLATE Alexander Payne (Jury Chair)...
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TIFF 50: Théodore Pellerin delivers a career-best performance in “Nino”
by Cláudio Alves When describing new films, there's often the temptation to force analogies with past, unrelated works. It's an understandable impulse, akin to shorthand that tends to convey ideas that...
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TIFF 50: Sweden's "Eagles of the Republic" and Taiwan's "Left-Handed Girl"
by Cláudio Alves For the past three years, a big part of my TIFF journey has revolved around the Best International Film Oscar submissions. Although I try not to limit myself to award contenders when...
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Say Goodbye Together with "The Conjuring: Last Rites"
by Nick Taylor After twelve years, the main branch of The Conjuring film series has seemingly closed its doors. Whether we get any more Annabelles or The Nuns or a subsequent cash-grab inspired by the...
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TIFF 50: Finding hope in "The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo"
by Cláudio Alves Gazes, whether averted or confrontational, flirtatiously elusive or probingly direct, have been one of the cornerstones of queer desire on screen. In the 21st century, the state of...
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TIFF 50: A Linklater Double Feature
by Cláudio Alves Nowadays, if you're not named Hong Sang-soo, it's rare for a director to release multiple features in the same year. Rarer still for these projects to land on the main competition of...
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Golden Lion Winner Reviewed: "Father Mother Sister Brother"
by Elisa Giudici Tom Wait in Jim Jarmusch's FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER On the closing night of Venice 82, the Golden Lion went to Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother. The decision immediately...
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TIFF 50: The cranes are flying in "The Tale of Silyan"
by Cláudio Alves According to Macedonian legend, there was once a boy called Silyan who wished to go far away, leave his village behind, and spread his wings into the world beyond. But when he told his...
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Halfway done with the Best International Film list?
by Nathaniel R Behind the scenes I've been updating the Best International Film submission charts daily. At this writing we have 43 titles, which means we're about halfway done. We still haven't heard...
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TIFF 50: Xin Zhilei earns the Volpi Cup in "The Sun Rises on Us All"
by Cláudio Alves Every year, folks think they can predict the wiles and ways of festival juries, forgetting that the smallness of such groups often privileges idiosyncratic tastes and produces shocking...
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"The History of Sound" Hits Highs and Lows
by Eurocheese Josh O'Connor and Paul Mescal in THE HISTORY OF SOUND Memories, like music, can take on new meaning as we sit with them over time. The History of Sound opens on beautiful, panoramic shots...
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Venice: Oscar Contender "The Voice of Hind Rajab"
by Elisa Giudici THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB © Venice Film Festival Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania has always worked at the intersection of personal tragedy and political urgency. From The Man Who...
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"Hamnet" wins the People's Choice at TIFF. Can it win Best Picture?
by Nathaniel R HAMNET © Focus Features With TIFF wrapping up today, it's time to update the Oscar charts (which we will be doing soon). Chloe Zhao's adaptation of the acclaimed novel Hamnet, historical...
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TIFF 50: "Hamnet" is Chloé Zhao's best film to date
by Cláudio Alves Another year, another TIFF coverage extended far past the festival's end. When one watches as many films as I try to at such events, I guess this is inevitable. Getting sick just as I...
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TIFF 50: "Frankenstein" has great gowns, beautiful gowns
by Cláudio Alves Last year, Emilia Pérez finished in second place for TIFF's People's Choice Award, and, while not as bad, this year's runner-up left me similarly displeased. You can deduce that the...
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TIFF 50: "Mārama" serves Gothic horror with an anticolonial twist
by Cláudio Alves Before even its company credits unfold on screen, Mārama hits the audience with a smash of historical context. A short text positions the narrative to come within the legacy of...
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