Movie Review: Manchester by the Sea

There’s a tragedy at the core of Manchester by the Sea, but you’d never see it behind that emotionless wall separating Casey Affleck from the rest of the world. His eyes are remote and affectionless, but not unreachable—that tiny thread…

Movie Review: Elle

To read previous VIFF coverage, click here. Paul Verhoeven’s ventures into irreverence and topical discussion have always been assigned to lavish psychosexual entertainment, mostly overlooked however are his films’ dramatic undertones, which are always sincere, biting and deeply self-aware. Elle…

Movie Review: Miss Hokusai

Miss Hokusai doesn’t explore an artist’s plight so much as it explores a certain plight that effects every living person. O-Ei Hokusai, a great painter, lives in the shadow of her father’s accomplishments, resigned—as his daughter—to play second fiddle. The anime opens introducing not…

Movie Review: It’s Only the End of the World

Louis, suffering from an unspecified terminal illness, constantly checks his watch, only realizing for the first time in his life how precious time really is. Xavier Dolan adapted It’s Only the End of the World from the stage play Juste…

VIFF Review: Elle

To read previous VIFF coverage, click here. Paul Verhoeven’s ventures into irreverence and topical discussion have always been assigned to lavish psychosexual entertainment, mostly overlooked however are his films’ dramatic undertones, which are always sincere, biting and deeply self-aware. Elle…

VIFF Review: A Quiet Passion

To read previous VIFF coverage, click here. Terence Davies’ newest film A Quiet Passion is his most talky film, which probably makes it the least characteristic of the acclaimed English director. But considering that every film by the director by this…

First Teaser Trailer for Jackie

The teaser for new movie Jackie, about first woman Jackie Kennedy Onassis, hosts a stream of striking visuals, crowds reflected over Natalie Portman’s sublimely expressive face, a single cellist in a gilt decorated hall, and the retro arc of a 1960’s…