The film noir genre is easily recognized by a dark mood, a high-contrast setting, or a protagonist with a tight tongue and a loose code of ethics. It reeks of doom and stale cigarettes, and is always about a bad idea, a bad guy, a bad girl, and a bad outcome. It is insistently pessimistic. […]
Sara Colangelo’s debut feature is wonderfully acted and beautifully filmed, but its narrative strength is constantly hampered by Colangelo’s refusal to linger on any kind of nuance or subtlety.
Even if Medeas’ narrative strength isn’t always up to par, it’s a consistently engaging visual experience from one of the year’s most promising new directors.
"Ex Machina" is a refreshingly chilling and complex story with some faultless performances; the moments that make us gasp in horror are masterfully balanced with the thought-provoking and the humorous, thus keeping the darker elements from overshadowing the final intent.
“August Winds” is, at its best, an original and unflinching look at a small Brazilian community, but it’s also slow, bleak, and occasionally aimless in its pursuits.
“Bx46” is beautifully filmed and features hilarious and fascinating interviews with some of New York’s Fulton Fish Market employees, even though it sometimes has trouble establishing a consistent rhythm.
“Charlie’s Country” is nice to look at, and David Gulpili’s award-winning performance lives up to the hype, but its heavy-handed political message often gets in the way of the various subtleties and character moments presented throughout.
