Written by Eric Zhu "Dominga Sotomayor’s "La Perra" is both perfectly judged and ravishingly beautiful. Set on a remote island in the South of Chile, the film is situated within a community of seaweed harvesters, one of whom, Silvia, has … Continue reading.
Written by Eric Zhu "In a better world, we’d have many more independent films like Zach Weintraub’s "Assets & Liabilities." This is a film that’s formalist but not over-directed, funny and anxious, but not solipsistic. It’s set in a specific … Continue reading.
Written by Eric Zhu "The evocation of 16mm, which once seemed inextricable from Benning’s blue-collar class background, has an obvious connection to these hollowed-out landscapes. These resonances are enhanced by..."… Continue reading.
Written by Eric Zhu "Shot in telephoto long takes with little to no acknowledgment of an outside world, Serra once again works in the present, but molds reality into something elemental and timeless. In a way, the film is..."… Continue reading.
Written by Eric Zhu "Like many of the best films, “Dry Leaf” is endlessly thought-provoking, but gracious and easygoing on a moment-to-moment basis. Unencumbered by narrative, it’s motivated by the simple pleasures of pastoral vistas, rich humanity, and..."… Continue reading.
Written by Eric Zhu "For us, unbound from the burden of direct representation, these images invite speculation of who these people are, of who they might be now, of lives before these images, and of Palestine’s future."… Continue reading.
Written by Eric Zhu "Although various metaphorical dimensions of water are explored, chief among them the feeling of being trapped in a vortex between Lina’s escapist desire and maternal love, “The Currents” is a film about keeping up appearances in … Continue reading.
Written by Eric Zhu "The disruption of daily routine that the darkness inspires, and the corresponding subversion of cinematic legibility, are what enable the film’s expansive sprawl. Perhaps the intimate nocturnal atmosphere is also..."… Continue reading.
Written by Eric Zhu "Despite the references to real-world tensions, “QueerPanorama” exists in a punishingly claustrophobic headspace. This is most obvious in the barren abstraction of Cheung’s apartment, where Cheung’s arrested development is on..."… Continue reading.
Written by Eric Zhu ""The Phoenician Scheme" is at its best when it takes advantage of the relationship between Anderson’s meticulous, dioramic frames and the weight of a guilty conscience. This is Anderson’s most self-critical film in..."… Continue reading.
