Border control in the United States has been a topic that often triggers heated discussions in recent years. Fuelled by a (former) president who constantly incited hateful ideologies in his public remarks, any discourse on the subject often feels highly politicized. In Maisie Crow‘s At the Ready, political messaging takes a backseat to the much more…
If you were thinking you’d go into Prisoners of the Ghostland, the latest from director Sion Sono with Nicolas Cage in the lead role, and it wouldn’t be a wild ride – you are going to be exceptionally wrong. Of course, Cage does Cage best in the role of Hero, as his brazen, intense self, and it is…
Congratulations to the Sundance Institute for a successful virtual film festival with a near-impeccable screener platform. We can’t wait to get back to seeing films on the big screen in Park City, but if we ever have to do this thing remotely again, we know we’ll be in good hands. The special circumstances of the…
Nevermind the anxiety of Symone – the frontrunner of the competition – not knowing how to sew during the sewing challenge or the fact that the queens had to dress up as babies for a mini challenge; this week’s episode + Untucked is about some real drama and it is an actual gift! From the…
This story was originally published in The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Billions of cicadas that have spent 17 years underground are set to emerge across large areas of the eastern United States, bringing swarming numbers and loud mating calls to major towns and cities. Read moreA Guide to…
(trigger warnings: suicide, depression, suicidal thoughts, trauma, assault.) There’s one moment in Jerrod Carmichael‘s directorial debut, the dark bromance comedy On the Count of Three, where one character utters a line that will undoubtedly resonate with everyone who’s had suicidal thoughts before. “Not waking up tomorrow,” he says. “It’s the most beautiful thought I’ve had…
Edgar Wright really wants you to listen to the music of Russell and Ron Mael, also known as Sparks. And instead of just recommending a song, or making a playlist, he’s assembled “The Sparks Brothers,” a 140-minute tribute to the brotherly duo’s long career. Wright has brought in a group of famous faces to show just how well-known they are by…
The following two reviews come from first time feature film directors, which seems to be a trend at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Both Marvelous and the Black Hole and Land capture the intricacies of grief, with Kate Tsang and Robin Wright, respectively, tackling rather difficult subject matter in very different ways. There isn’t one…
Funivia del Colle (Kohlerer Bahn) is an aerial lift connecting the city of Bolzano with nearby Monte Pozza, known locally as Colle. The lift starts at an elevation of about 853 feet (260 meters) and reaches the village of Colle di Villa at an elevation of over 3,000 feet (1,100 meters). The trip takes a…
Outside the Schloss Bellevue stands a red pillar that many confuse with a postbox. The pillar is actually a feuermelder, essentially a public fire alarm station. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThese old fire alarms date back to a time when having a landline inside your house was considered a luxury. These stations were utilized…
Although now the site of hiking trails open to the public, Neversink Mountain in Reading, Pennsylvania, was once the site of a complex of exclusive hotels. In warm months, wealthy vacationers arrived from New York and Philadelphia by a train that went right up the hillside, drawn by the prospect of escaping summer in the city…
A family must adjust to a new life in French Exit, the latest from director Azazel Jacobs. The film follows Frances and Malcolm Price, a previously wealthy mother and son who have burned through the family inheritance. They’re so low on funds that they take an offer to stay at a small apartment in Paris, but…
The Res Gestae Divi Augusti (The Deeds of the Divine Augustus) was a monumental inscription narrating and celebrating the life and accomplishments of Augustus, the first Roman Emperor. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThe long text was written during the life of the emperor and completed just before his death in 14…
For the first 20 years of his life, Wu Tseng-dong lived in a war zone. Growing up on Kinmen Island, a small Taiwanese territory four miles off the coast of mainland China, bombs were a constant threat. “It was terrifying. We were always panic-stricken,” Wu says. “We had to scout out places to hide when…
Great performances are worth seeking out in great movies, obviously, but what about bad ones? Would you watch a lousy movie in order to witness a single, stellar performance? Is it worth our time, for example, to revisit “The Lonely Bones” to see Stanley Tucci’s justifiably Oscar-nominated work in Peter Jackson’s failure of a literary…
The minor debate over First Lady Dr. Jill Biden’s title, which came up shortly after her husband’s election, may seem completely ridiculous and insulting, which it is, but it’s also the latest in a line of kerfuffles relating to how people in power in the United States present themselves. The extensive intricacies of British titling,…
Mayday, mayday! It’s time to fight the patriarchy! One of my favorite premieres from the 2021 Sundance Film Festival is this gritty war film Mayday, written & directed by filmmaker Karen Cinorre making her feature directorial debut. There are many, many films being made these days about fighting the patriarchy and the power of modern…
By now, it’s almost a universal sentiment that the world has developed an aversion to the virtual meeting environment. The thought of seeing entertainment through a Zoom or FaceTime screen is sure to trigger a sense of dread, rather than excitement. And this is perhaps what makes These Days, a new series from Adam Brooks,…
With my second report at this year’s virtual Sundance Film Festival, I found myself even more impressed than I had been so far. All three of the films resonated in different ways, generally combining awe, curiosity, and a sense of fulfillment. As always, thank you, creators and festival runners, for instilling the power of film….
One of the best films of this year’s Sundance Film Festival was also one of its most controversial, the haunting and powerful “Cusp” from directors Parker Hill and Isabel Bethencourt, who won an award on Tuesday night from the jury for Emerging Filmmaker. “Cusp” is a tough watch, a film about how difficult it is…
There’s never any shortage of new talent to be discovered at Sundance, and that is certainly the case again for this year’s edition of the festival. In addition to showcasing features from 38 first time directors, the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival continues to rally behind bold and innovative creative choices that push…