DominicPino_ShadowOfaGun_2 6.5

SHADOW OF A GUN Review

Shadow of a Gun seems to have taken the concept of ‘Chekhov’s Gun’ to a new level by employing it long before any acts have transpired.

Charm-City 8

CHARM CITY Review

Soon after the death of Freddie Gray, at the hands of the Baltimore Police Department, is where documentary filmmaker Marilyn Ness places herself for her latest film, Charm City.

FailtoAppear (2) 8

FAIL TO APPEAR Review

Fail to Appear is a showcase of the power of help and support, both big and small, with small sometimes being the most important.

GAH 9

FOR FUTURE REFERENCE: GIRLS ALWAYS HAPPY

Girls Always Happy is at once light and breezy, much in the way that Wu (Yang) maneuvers through the alleyways on her scooter, while also being acerbic and gloomy as its lightness is intermittently pulled towards the latter, attaining a certain poignancy therein.

Mobius 8

ND/NF 2018: MÖBIUS Review

Writer/director Sam Kuhn seems to have an affinity for the forest; seeing it as a miraculous space, beckoning those to enter and explore, enticing any and all with the allure of some fantastical quest or an objective that will reveal one or two illuminating truths or, at the very least, the promise of respite from the day-to-day trivialities life has to offer.

NoaA2 8

ND/NF 2018: NOTES ON AN APPEARANCE Review

Viewers acquainted with the work of writer/director Ricky D’Ambrose will find themselves in familiar territory with his first toe-dip into feature-length filmmaking with Notes on an Appearance.

Drift 8

ND/NF 2018: DRIFT Review

directed by HELENA WITTMANN // Germany // 95 minutes

With a gossamer thread, Helena Wittmann fashions a scant narrative with her feature-length debut, Drift; delicate and nearly non-existent, it is the type of

iffrdjon_copy_0 8

ND/NF 2018: DJON ÁFRICA Review

Reis and Guerra’s Djon África is a travelogue, broadly covering the numerous corners of the island nation of Cape Verde while a journey of self-discovery plays out concurrently with Miguel inhabiting the role of main character and an unknowing host, of sorts, treated like a tourist in his own homeland.

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Slamdance 2018: HUMAN AFFAIRS Review

Just recently I stated that, when it comes to films featuring cinematography from Sean Price Williams, it would be nearly impossible for me to view the overall project as anything less than worthwhile based on this simple fact alone.

Slamdance-Film-Festival-Birds-Without-Feathers-1-800x480 5

Slamdance 2018: BIRDS WITHOUT FEATHERS Review

Perhaps, the most hindering aspect of the film would be its structure, which is comprised of six separate storylines, shuffled throughout the film with occasional overlap and interaction, and (to a certain extent) the characters who inhabit that structure.

staycation

STREAMING: Zach Fleming’s STAYCATION + Q & A

We sat down with independent filmmaker Zach Fleming to discuss his latest short, Staycation (available to stream). We also go a bit deeper, further discussing his other works, the supernatural, and some of his film's themes.

HHTH1

TOP 50 of 2017 (#50 – #26): KEVIN RAKESTRAW

Here is a list of what I believe to be the best films of 2017; or, more specifically, the first half of my list of best films from 2017 along with one honorable mention for a grand total of 51 films. A mix of features and shorts, theatrical and online releases, anywhere from Mubi, Festival Scope, NoBudge, Vimeo, Flix Premiere, Topic, or Refinery29 (including one from our own website). Streaming links provided in some instances.

Min-hee

2017 Performance Overview – Female (Lead/Supporting)

Yesterday saw the publication of what I believed to be the standout male performances from 2017 while today’s list is a rundown of the most impressive female performances of the year. And, much like yesterday’s list, this overview will also feature a number of omissions for various reasons, mainly my inability to see certain films. Cynthia Nixon in Terence Davies’ A Quiet Passion comes to mind and one that I have seen show up on several lists.