“Urban Transport Planning” amps up on the ambiguity as more and more character motives start to interweave into a more unsettling conflict of interest—the most disconcerting of these must be the ones between Oleg, Stan and Philip. As we know,…
The Americans 6×02 Review: “Tchaikovsky”
The second episode of The Americans, “Tchaikovsky,” continues “Dead Man’s” sense of impending demise—Ronald Reagan’s senility is mentioned (referencing the president’s onset of early Alzheimer’s) and the bedridden wife of the weapons negotiator is staking out plans with her husband…
The Americans 6×01 Review: “Dead Hand”
The American’s sixth and final season begins just as the Soviet Union’s dissolution does, perfectly fitting as both—in their own way—spell the beginning of the end of something. One is the end of a communist state, and the other the…
Claire’s Camera Movie Review: Hong Sang-soo is a master of humanism
Hong Sang-soo is one of South Korea’s most prolific filmmakers, but his body of work is comprised of titles not as widely known to international film audiences. His films exist on the fringes of an industry in South Korea which…
Western Movie Review
In an interview with Film Comment, Western’s director Valeska Grisebach had some curious words when describing her leading man, nonprofessional actor Meinhard Neumann. “I saw him in a horse market near Berlin. He was sitting there in a cowboy hat, but…
Golden Exits Movie Review: A new face shakes up the status quo
In this decidedly unmelodious yet resoundingly affectionate Brooklyn saga, a network of family and familiars become severed to near irreparability with the appearance of a new face in their personal and work space. Channeling Cassavetes (à la Faces and Husbands),…
Movie Review: Happy End
The opening few moments of Michael Haneke’s newest button-pusher Happy End leaves a few open-ended questions—the one I’m most eager to talk about involves a possible animal rights violation. Of course, animal torture isn’t the core question of Haneke’s film,…
