New Satire “Greed” Misses the Mark

Throughout years of film criticism, it has become cliché to say that a film “defies categorization” in reference to genre. Many times, the greatest films of this nature find a way to weave together distinct tones and elements from a wide array of classifications, developing something truly unique and memorable. Unfortunately, in other situations, the […]

PARASITE – A Spellbinding Work of Art

So Bong Joon-Ho really made a film that combines family drama, dark comedy, intense social commentary, a Soderbergh-esque heist, Tarantino-style dialogue and scene structure, and Hitchcockian suspense, thrills, and narrative twists? And it all meshed beautifully? This man is a genius! The visual aesthetic of this film is absolutely spellbinding. The sublime manipulation of the […]

12 Angry Men – A Slice of Cinematic Mastery

It blows my mind that a film barely 90 minutes long, and set in a single room for practically the entire runtime, can feel so epic and grand, yet so deeply personal and intimate. The vast range of human emotions and experiences which are explored through a relatively simple premise is astounding. This is perhaps […]

“Socrates” – Not for the Faint of Heart, but a Deeply Personal and Significant Commentary on Society

From the opening shot of director Alexandre Moratto’s Brazilian coming-of-age drama, Socrates, audiences will recognize that they are in for a very personal, brutally honest, and unrelenting emotional journey following the life of a struggling young teen in São Paulo. Inspired by his time volunteering with the UNICEF-supported Querô Institute in Brazil, a “non-profit that […]

Blindspotting: We Can Not Afford to Turn a Blind Eye to These Issues

Director Carlos López Estrada brings forth this deep-cutting, gut-wrenching, socially-convicting, yet heartfelt, side-splittingly hilarious, and charming narrative about two best friends in inner-city Oakland who have known each other for their entire lives. Collin (Daveed Diggs) and Miles (Rafael Casal) come from similar backgrounds, upbringings, and cultures; yet, there is one significant difference separating them: […]

Sorry to Bother You: MARVELOUSLY FREAKY

Hip-hop musician Boots Riley makes his screenwriting and directing debut with 2018’s “Sorry to Bother You.” To describe this film with all synonyms in the English language for the word “bizarre” would not even do it justice. “Sorry to Bother You” is peculiar, quirky, outlandish, ridiculous, and satirical, yet socially-convicting, fleshed out, existential, and richly-themed. […]

Super 8: Social Commentary at its Finest

With Super 8 from 2011, Steven Spielberg reels off another remarkable science-fiction drama and mystery. Taking place in 1979 in a small Midwestern town in Ohio, this story follows a group of middle schoolers who are creating an amateur film for a contest. Spielberg worked with young actors on many of his projects, and Super […]