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.
Critical Zone Fails to Hold Interest
Category: Concorso Internazionale
“Any kind of worker has to put on a costume every day” — Sofia Exarchou on Animal
Sofia Exarchou, director of Animal, joins Journey Into Cinema to discuss sex, tourism, cheesy music and capitalism — live from Locarno Film Festival.
Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World / Malleable Monochrome Monotony Unfurls
History, traffic, corporate malfeasance and toxic online culture combine in Radu Jude’s genre-bending new film Do Not Expect Too Much From The End of the World.
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.
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.
Animal Oozes with Summertime Sadness
The pitfalls of always providing entertainment are perfectly probed in Animal, Sofia Exarchou’s excellent sophomore film.