From the sides of tall buildings to tote bags and earrings, the likeness of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo can be found just about anywhere, so much so that she’s often recognized by just her first name. She is one of the most recognizable painters today, not just of her generation or in Mexican Modernism, but […]

I wish I could erase “The American Society of Magical Negros” from my mind, but the universe doesn’t possess enough fairy dust to make such miracles possible. The feature debut from writer/director Kobi Libii is a wild satirical swing about a secret organization of Black people whose sole job is to put white people at […]

Maybe it’s just a product of my specific schedule, but this Sundance feels like it has more high-concept big swings than usual. I’m seeing a lot fewer of what could be traditionally called “Sundance movies”—usually dramedies about families who learn a thing or two about each other, probably on a road trip. There’s nothing traditional […]

Gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) is introduced with her hand down a clogged toilet. She will spend a lot of the next two hours cleaning up much worse messes in Rose Glass’ powerful “Love Lies Bleeding,” a sexy, brutal, violent, kinetic piece of filmmaking that’s about, well, love, lies, and bleeding. It’s a gut punch […]

It’s always tempting to look for themes at Sundance. Art reflects the world in which it was made, and independent cinema often finds commonality through happenstance. At its best, it captures something we’re all feeling or thinking, without even knowing it. There are about a dozen or so films at Sundance 2024 about the impact […]

With recent hits like “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” and “Kokomo City,” the NEXT program at Sundance Film Festival continues to feature daring new voices unfettered by storytelling conventions. This year brings three boundary pushing films featuring protagonists, who, in some way, feel they’ve been abandoned, either by a lover, a father, or the cover […]

The following table of contents features all of the alphabetized review dispatches filed at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival penned by Brian Tallerico, Robert Daniels, Marya E. Gates and Monica Castillo. “The American Society of Magical Negroes” by Robert Daniels “Brief History of a Family” by Marya E. Gates “Freaky Tales” by Brian Tallerico “Frida” […]

We are pleased to offer an excerpt from the January 2024 issue of the online magazine Bright Wall/Dark Room. Their theme for January 2024 is “The Best of 2024,” and, in addition to Sarah Welch-Larson’s piece about “Showing Up” below, includes new essays on “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Oppenheimer,” “May December,” “La Chimera,” “Evil Dead Rise,” “Monica,” “Reality,” “Infinity Pool” and more.  You […]

Best film – drama Oppenheimer – WINNER Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Past Lives The Zone of Interest Anatomy of a Fall Best female actor in a film – drama Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon – WINNER Carey Mulligan, Maestro Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Annette Bening, Nyad Greta Lee, Past […]