Life is a marathon. You don’t train for it, you probably don’t stretch enough, but it is a marathon. The mistake that most make is perceiving those around them as competition instead of rivals. Competitors are there to defeat you… Read More ›
Oscilloscope Laboratories
Bennett Miller’s low-fi documentary about an eccentric NY tour guide “The Cruise” comes home in a lean, well-crafted Blu-ray release from Oscilloscope Laboratories.
Before he struck critically-acclaimed gold with Capote, Moneyball, and Foxcatcher, director Bennett Miller stepped onto the scene with the 1998 lo-fi, black and white documentary The Cruise. The documentary follows the eccentric tour guide Timothy “Speed” Levitch, a nasally-voiced human… Read More ›
“The Vourdalak” sets a new standard for the genre with Adrien Beau’s fresh take on vampire movies.
If you watched The Vourdalak with no background information, you might think you’d discovered a lost made-for-TV gem from 1980-something. With its grainy appearance, humble sets, and Jim-Henson-esque puppet villain, how could this dark yet charming vampire fantasy not be… Read More ›
Documentarian Dan Partland’s “God & Country” deftly lays out the historical evidence that explains the current rise of Christian Nationalism. [SBIFF]
E Pluribus Unum. This brief Latin phrase meaning “one from many” was first added to United States coins in 1795. It’s a motto that speaks to all citizens of the United States of America, even in an era when those… Read More ›
Benedetta Porcaroli exudes main-character energy as the leading lady in Carolina Cavalli’s “Amanda.”
Carolina Cavalli’s Amanda couldn’t be titled anything else. The protagonist and titular character, 24-year-old Amanda, is the gravitational force that holds this quirky, quietly humorous, and, at times, meandering film together. Portrayed with delightful nuance by Benedetta Porcaroli (The Shadow… Read More ›
Documentary “No Ordinary Man” explores the life of musician Billy Tipton, simultaneously shedding light on the past and offering a beacon for the future.
American jazz musician Billy Tipton started his career playing as part of a big band setup that played radio stations and in clubs. He worked his way up, touring the country, playing as part of an ensemble, as the bandleader,… Read More ›
Bold, loud, and making no apologies, “We Are Little Zombies” is a striking feature debut for Makoto Nagahisa.
In spite of its colorful style and quirky video game motif, We Are Little Zombies is a surprisingly somber and thoughtful experience as it explores loneliness, death, and grief amid several ear worms. Written and directed by Makoto Nagahisa, We… Read More ›
“Clementine” has all the makings of a juicy coming-of-age story, but struggles to pull it all together.
From writer/director Lara Jean Gallagher, Clementine is a psychological drama and emotional think-piece that deals with the consequences of a breakup and the rocky, unstable journey from one stage of life to the next. Aspiring artist Karen (Otmara Marrero) is… Read More ›
Bold political thriller “Run This Town” speaks to millennials and Gen Z’s entering the workforce, posing complex questions about integrity and corruption.
Although we’re just two months into the new year, 2020 has already seen the landmark trials of two immensely powerful figures who were both accused of abusing their power in different ways: President Donald Trump, who was acquitted by the… Read More ›
Dark satire “The Misogynists” is eerily prescient about our modern political times.
With any kind of satire, there’s a balance that must be struck in order for it to achieve its goal, especially when dealing with material that’s sensitive in nature. Most recently, audiences can look to the strangely polarizing response to… Read More ›
“Madeline’s Madeline” can be found at the crossroads of identity and madness.
Reality is a fickle thing. It requires the individual to trust that the world they engage with is the truth. Undeniably, what defines “truth” and “reality” is subjective due to perception. If perception is muddled, warped, or otherwise hindered, then… Read More ›
Documentary “The King” parallels the King of Rock n’ Roll with the King of Democracy.
The statement most citizens of America think of when considering the exceptionalism inherent in their way of life is Thomas Jefferson’s inclusion within the Declaration of Independence that all of America’s citizens are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit… Read More ›