A not-quite musical filled with loveliness and laughs, Chuck Chuck Baby is the operatic soap opera I never knew I needed — live from Edinburgh Film Festival.
Chuck Chuck Baby. I Said Maybe!
Redmond Bacon
Redmond is the editor-in-chief of Journey Into Cinema.
Critical Zone Fails to Hold Interest
A stoner comedy without the comedy; an arthouse drama without the art; a deep dive into social ills without going too deep; Critical Zone is inessential.
First Case Cross-Examines Coming-of-Age
Work and sex inevitably tangle in First Case, a classically French throwback to the golden era of sexy 90s legal thrillers — live from Locarno Film Festival.
Go With the Sensual Flow of On The Go
The spirit of Godard, Greenaway and Gregg Araki combine in this Andulasian road trip filled with spontaneity, creativity and a sense of open discovery.
Stepne Ploddingly Trudges Through Ukraine’s Tragic Past
Dull visuals and an unengaging plot make Ukrainian village tale Stepne, playing in competition, an enervating watch — live from Locarno Film Festival.
All The Fires Flickers Weakly
Mexican LGBTQI+ coming-of-age drama All The Fires is well-meaning and well-acted, yet fails to leave much of a lasting impression — live from Locarno.
Once Bitten, Twice Enchanted
The Young Adult vampire tale is imbued with possibility and tenderness in breakout French debut Bitten from Romain de Saint-Blanquat – live from Locarno!
The Vanishing Soldier. Israel Smoulders.
The Vanishing Soldier uses its picarasque, free-wheeling form to investigate the complexities and paradoxes of modern Isreal — to mixed results.
Beautiful Summer Starts a Conversation That It Never Finishes
Promising a new look at female nudity in art and on-screen, Italian drama Beautiful Summer slowly gives into a panoply of clichés — live from Locarno.
Family Portrait Zooms In, Zooms Out, Hiding the Full Picture
The difficulties of ever seeing the full picture are acutely observed in Lucy Kerr’s arthouse debut Family Portrait, debuting at the Locarno Film Festival.