With About Dry Grasses, his latest three-hour-plus study of a superfluous man, Nuri Bilge Ceylan keeps the spirit of classic Russian literature alive.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan, 19th Century Russian Novelist
Category: Sketches
Sweet and enarest dives into the bowels of cinema.
Master Gardener. Master(ful) Filmmaking.
Paul Schrader finds a more tender angle on his tried-and-tested formula in the touching Master Gardener, completing his most recent trilogy.
The Asthenic Syndrome Sleeps Through the End of History
When history ends it’s tempting to sleep through all the chaos. But as The Asthenic Syndrome points out, neither sleep — or art — can change a single thing.
Suzume Soars, Shines, then Sinks.
While the 2D observational moments of Suzume are keenly felt, the overall message is lost in a morass of muddled storytelling and messy CGI.
Brief Encounters. Epic Possibilities
The magic of Kira Muratova’s debut film is finding epic possibilities embedded within the everyday. We look at Brief Encounters, and it’s place in Ukrainian film history.
Tale of Cinema — Wrong Then, Wrong Now
Life isn’t a movie. But Tale of Cinema shows us all the wonderful things that can happen when the line between the two is blurred.
Boris Godunov — The Same as It Ever Was
Boris Godunov transports us into a different world, even if Russia itself seems impervious to any kind of meaningful change.
Triangle of Sadness — Style > Content
The message is obvious. The style is undeniable. Here is why the way Triangle of Sadness is shot is more important than what it’s about.
The Core — Armageddon With the Reserve Team
The Core’s cast of almost entirely B-actors shows the need for star power when saving the world.
The Last Castle — The Illusion of Authority
Classical camerawork subtly tells us who’s really in charge in Rod Lurie’s compelling yet underfortified military-prison drama.