What went into the creation of this list? Mostly strong first impressions, followed by second (or third or fourth opinions) and a second viewing, confirming that there is some “there” there. Because this compilation is made right at the end of the year, it’s a judgment of its time made under at least condition since […]
Produced and Directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White Released by HBO Documentary Films USA. 112 min. Not rated In comparison to some of the acute, trenchant social issues currently informing U.S. political discourse—racial injustice, police brutality, biased judicial systems, third-wave feminism—the dialogue concerning same-sex marriage may now seem, to some, to be a bit […]
Directed by Rob Marshall Produced by John DeLuca, Rob Marshall, Marc Platt, Callum McDougall Written by James Lapine, based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and Lapine Released by Walt Disney Studios USA. 124 min. Rated PG With Anna Kendrick, Daniel Huttlestone, James Corden, Emily Blunt, Christine Baranski, Tammy Blanchard, Lucy Punch, Tracey Ullman, Lilla […]
Written and Directed by J.C. Chandor Produced by Neal Dodson, Anna Gerb, and Chandor Released by A24 USA. 124 min. Rated R With Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola, Elyes Gabel, Albert Brooks, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Peter Gerety, and Christopher Abbott A Most Violent Man is not particularly violent, and it only takes […]
Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev Produced by Alexander Rodnyansky and Sergey Melkumov Written by Oleg Negin and Zvyagintsev Released by Sony Pictures Classics Russian with English subtitles Russia. 142 min Rated R With Alexey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, Vladimir Vdovitchenkov, Roman Madyanov, Anna Ukolova, Alexey Rozin, Sergey Pokhodaev How is it that, in the real world, the […]
Directed by Sam Fleischner Produced by Andrew Neel, Veronica Nickel, Dave Saltzman and Craig Shilowich Written by Rose Lichter-Marck and Micah Bloomberg, based on a story by Lichter-Marck Released by Oscilloscope Laboratories. USA. 100 min. Not rated With Andrea Suarez Paz, Jesus Sanchez-Velez, Azul Zorrilla, Tenoch Huerta Mejía and Marsha Stephanie Blake Director Sam Fleischner […]
Written and Directed by Sophie Fillières Produced by Maurice Tinchant and Martine Marignac Released by Film Movement French with English subtitles France. 102 min. Not rated With Emmanuelle Devos, Mathieu Amalric, Anne Brochet, Joséphine de La Baume, and Nelson Delapalme French writer and director Sophie Fillières examines a married couple’s descent into separation, embodied by […]
Written and Directed by Damiel Chazelle Produced by Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, and Michel Litvak Released by Sony Pictures Classics USA. 105 min. Rated R With Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, and Paul Reiser Possibly the most intense/best film of the year, Whiplash appears to have been made for a niche audience. […]
Directed by David Mackenzie Written by Jonathan Asser Produced by Gillian Berrie Released by Tribeca Film UK. 106 min. Not rated With Jack O’Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, Rupert Friend, Sam Spruell, Anthony Welsh, David Ajala and Peter Ferdinando Starred Up, written by real-life prison psychiatrist Jonathan Asser, feels like necessary corrective medicine for our cultural obsession […]