Tag: Independent Films

No Other Choice Continues Park Chan-wook’s Directorial Mastery

Modern work culture and the future of labor are hot topics in our current moment. The rise of AI and skyrocketing inflation and cost of living in the midst of a recession has many wondering how much more…

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The Audacity of Marty Supreme

Following the release of his brother Benny’s film The Smashing Machine earlier this year, the other half of the Safdie Brothers directing duo Josh Safdie is finally releasing his first solo directorial effort; one that has featured a…

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The Secret Agent Deftly Depicts Quiet Strength in the Midst of Chaos (Middleburg Film Festival)

We are currently in an era of films seeking to explore the global rise in authoritarianism and the way in which our society is responding to the moment. The uptick in this style of storytelling makes cutting through…

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If I Had Legs I’d Kick You Review

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You follows Linda (Rose Byrne) during a particularly trying time in her life as she tries to navigate her daughter’s mysterious illness and the absence of her husband as his work pulls…

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Sentimental Value Lives By Its Actors Empathetic Performances (Middleburg Film Festival)

2021’s The Worst Person in the World was a critical darling upon its release and announced writer/director Joachim Trier and actress Renate Reinsve as two talents on the rise in the film world. Their followup film has finally…

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Christy is a Stark Depiction of the Cycle of Abuse (Middleburg Film Festival)

Christy Martin rose to fame and prominence in the 1990s as the pioneering champion and personality in the burgeoning sport of women’s boxing. Promoted by the legendary Don King and fighting on Mike Tyson undercards, she helped to…

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Die My Love Takes an Unflinching Look at Mental Health

After nearly ten years since her last feature film , director Lynne Ramsey returns to theaters. Die My Love follows Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) and Jackson (Robert Pattinson), a young couple who move from New York City to Jackson’s rural…

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It Was Just An Accident Presents a Compelling Moral Dilemma

Iranian writer/director Jafar Panahi has been through quite a lot in his determination to speak against the Iranian regime. Jailed twice over the past 15 years for being accused of producing propaganda against the state and conducting a…

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Daniel Day-Lewis’ Return Isn’t Enough to Elevate Anemone

After abruptly retiring eight years ago, the film world was abuzz when legendary three-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis announced that he’d be returning to movie theaters to star in a film he co-wrote with his son Ronan…

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The Smashing Machine Largely Accomplishes What It Meant To Do

The hype surrounding Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s latest film has been substantial. After becoming one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars during an era that has seen movie stars become less important than they’ve ever been, a string of…

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