I realized Jordan Firstman’s feature debut, Club Kid, was bound to strike a chord with me from the moment it announced its initial style and form to its audience. The camera dizzyingly introduces Peter (Firstman) and his entire crew of party animals within the packed confines of a drunk Uber ride through the East Village. […]
Tag: A24
THE INVITE Finds Olivia Wilde Exploring Truth Through Pain
Despite the immediate negative reception of 2022’s Don’t Worry Darling, it felt like a foolish endeavor to write off Olivia Wilde as a filmmaker. Her brilliant directorial debut, Booksmart, is not the result of an actor-turned-director who got lucky. That film is both deeply thoughtful and emotionally resonant, in addition to being a prime example […]
HIGHEST 2 LOWEST Is Another Propulsive Thriller From Spike Lee
Here’s an announcement for those who might not know, and based on the insane burial of its theatrical release, this may be the case for many: There is a brand new Spike Lee film starring Denzel Washington in theaters right now. Furthermore, it’s an ode to High and Low, the masterful 1963 Akira Kurosawa film. […]
WARFARE Is As Confounding As It Is Haunting
Alex Garland’s latest film, Warfare, is a confounding experience to say the least. And that’s coming from somebody who found themselves completely bowled over by Civil War. The filmmaker has returned rather quickly to the war genre, releasing this basically a year after his previous feature. Though on this go around, he is joined by […]
Alex Garland Further Dissects Humanity With CIVIL WAR
Bound to be one of the most discussed films of 2024, Alex Garland’s Civil War is not what many might have imagined it to be. That shouldn’t be much of a surprise at this point in his career. Garland has long shown himself to be a filmmaker who circumvents expectation in lieu of something far […]
PROBLEMISTA: An Imaginative And Honest Film
One has to admire the commitment to a bit when watching a film like Problemista. In Julio Torres’ debut film, the gags are often hiding just below the surface. Yet, it’s not afraid to display something loud and clear. Take the opening credits. For a quirky indie film to nab Isabella Rossellini, but only as […]