Film-Forward

Indie

Your Sister’s Sister

Written & Directed by Lynn Shelton Produced by Steven Schardt Released by IFC Films USA. 90 min. Rated R With Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt & Mark Duplass I’m amazed to find myself saying this, but thanks to Mark Duplass, director Lynn Shelton’s latest film is worth seeing. Barely. Well, this isn’t entirely true—it’s actually thanks […]

Safety Not Guaranteed

Directed by Colin Trevorrow Produced by Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf, Stephanie Langhoff, Trevorrow & Derek Connolly Written by Connolly Released by FilmDistrict USA. 95 min. Rated R With Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni, Jenica Bergere, Kristen Bell, Jeff Garlin & Mary Lynn Rajskub In a parallel universe, Safety Not Guaranteed would get […]

Beyond the Black Rainbow

Written & Directed by Panos Cosmatos Produced by Oliver Linsley Released by Magnet Releasing USA. 113 min. Rated R With Michael Rogers & Eva Allan I saw Beyond the Black Rainbow weeks ago, and decided perhaps against my better judgment not to take notes as I watched the film. I attended it with a friend […]

God Bless America

Written & Directed by Bobcat Goldthwait Produced by Sean McKittrick and Jeff Culotta Released by Magnet Releasing USA. 98 min. Rated R. With Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr, Mackenzie Brooke Smith, Melissa Page Hamilton, Rich McDonald, Aris Alvarado, Maddie Hasson & Larry Miller You might recall Bobcat Goldthwait from the 1980s and ’90s as that […]

Natural Selection

Written & Directed by Robbie Pickering Produced by Brion Hambel & Paul Jensen Released by the Cinema Guild. USA. 90 min. Rated R With Rachael Harris, Matt O’Leary, John Diehl, Gayland Williams & Jon Gries One could debate exactly what kind of film this is. It’s a comedy, or at least it attempts to be […]

Return

Written & Directed by Liza Johnson Produced by Noah Harlan, Ben Howe & Johnson Teleased by DADA Films. USA. 97 min. Not rated With Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon, John Slattery, Talia Balsam, Bonnie Swencionis, Emma Rayne Lyle & Paul Sparks This may be the year of the relapse movie. In the case of Return, the […]

Pariah

Written & Directed by Dee Rees Produced by Nekisa Cooper Released by Focus Features USA. 86 min. Rated R With Adepero Oduye, Pernell Walker, Aasha Davis, Charles Parnell, Sahra Mellesse, Kim Wayans & Shamika Cotton Every year another indie could be the last one ever shot on film. But 35mm keeps hanging on, and beautifully […]

Another Happy Day

Written & Directed by Sam Levinson Produced by Ellen Barkin, Pamela Fielder, Johnny Lin, Michael Nardelli, Salli Newman, Celine Rattray & Todd Traina Released by Phase 4 Films USA. 115 min. Rated R With Ellen Barkin, Ezra Miller, Kate Bosworth, Demi Moore, Thomas Haden Church, George Kennedy, Ellen Burstyn, Siobhan Fallon & Michael Nardelli …And the […]

The Son of No One

Written & Directed by Dito Montiel Produced by John Thompson, Holly Wiersma & Montiel Released by Anchor Bay Films USA. 90 min. Rated R With Channing Tatum, Tracy Morgan, Katie Holmes, Ray Liotta, Juliette Binoche, Jake Cherry, Brian Gilbert & Al Pacino Dito Montiel’s forte is the gritty dramatic thriller, with meaty New York City […]