Festival Reviews

| Print |

Written by Jim Dunn Monday, 06 May 2013 20:33

Hot Docs just might be the best-run film festival ever.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 06 May 2013 20:21

The Crash Reel also raises philosophical questions about the addictiveness of adrenaline sports and the sometimes blurry line between determined and foolish.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Saturday, 04 May 2013 19:24

In Gideon’s Army, three public defenders try to do their best for a roster of clients whose experiences with the legal system are exacerbated by their poverty.

| Print |

Written by Jim Dunn Saturday, 04 May 2013 19:09

How should we deal with people who commit horrifying, violent acts against others, but are mentally ill at the time of their actions?

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Thursday, 02 May 2013 21:45

American Commune, directed by Rena Mundo Croshere and Nadine Mundo, offers an insider’s look at The Farm, once the largest agricultural commune in the U.S.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Thursday, 02 May 2013 21:31

The immediate subject of The Kill Team is the trial of several American soldiers who were accused of killing Afghan civilians for sport.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 30 April 2013 20:31

The adrenaline high of pointing an AK-47 at an adult when you’re only 10 years old is something that can be really difficult for kids to give up.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 30 April 2013 20:26

In Valentine Road, Marta Cunningham digs beyond the obvious and uncovers many wrongs on the part of the adults who should have been helping these two young men grow up.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 28 April 2013 16:42

Part of the appeal of covering a festival, of course, is the fact that people connected with the films being shown are present to discuss their work and answer questions.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 26 March 2013 19:56

Award winners for the 2013 Atlanta Film Festival were announced on March 23.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 24 March 2013 12:10

The fact that George Plimpton was terrible at nearly every stunt he tried was part of the charm.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Thursday, 21 March 2013 22:02

Among some people, the love for unrealistic absolutes knows no bounds, particularly when forcing them on others makes them feel superior.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Thursday, 14 March 2013 20:01

Winners of the Jury and Special Awards for the 2013 South by Southwest Film Festival were announced on March 12, 2013.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 12 March 2013 22:04

Holy Ghost People is a satisfying thriller with enough psychological complexity to make it interesting, and several fine acting performances to keep it real.

| Print |

Written by Jim Dunn Tuesday, 12 March 2013 21:49

The Punk Singer is imbued through and through with Kathleen Hanna’s spirit, which is as evident in her comeback from a serious illness as it is in her musical career.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 12 March 2013 21:42

It’s great to hear some of New York’s old guard recall the good old days before nameless sex became so closely associated with death.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 10 March 2013 17:11

According to Danny Boyle, many directors started out wanting to be priests: They both deal in secrets, and both get to order people around.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Saturday, 09 March 2013 12:44

My catch of the day was Touba, an unconventional documentary on a subject of which I was completely unaware until seeing this film.

| Print |

Written by Matthew Newlin Monday, 04 March 2013 21:58

Despite the unrelenting cold and long queue lines, I very much enjoyed my first True/False experience.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 11 February 2013 21:41

Events in Future Weather sometimes test even the most patient audience member’s willingness to suspend disbelief, but Perla Haney-Jardine’s performance is so strong that it holds the film together.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 11 February 2013 21:23

It’s a tribute to David Riker’s skill as a writer and director that, even when Ashley is behaving in ways that should make her totally unlikeable, you don’t completely write her off.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Saturday, 09 February 2013 12:07

The plot of Middle of Nowhere has many characteristics of the standard-issue melodrama, but it’s a much more subtle and complex than that term implies.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Thursday, 07 February 2013 16:48

The festival highlights films that show girls and women in leadership roles, and honors women who have distinguished themselves in the industry.

| Print |

Written by Pete Timmermann Wednesday, 28 November 2012 22:15

Two films per day, each day, equals 14 total Ghibli films you can see in the theater in a week. And you should damned well go to all of them, if your schedule allows it.

| Print |

Written by Adrienne Jones Tuesday, 06 November 2012 19:34

Kids with issues are nothing new to film, but Liars, Fires and Bears takes the subject to the extreme, with good results.

| Print |

Written by Pete Timmermann Tuesday, 06 November 2012 12:11

A scene in The Institute where someone is instructed to dance by a person he’s talking to on a pay phone may be the best scene you see in a SLIFF film this year.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 06 November 2012 12:05

You can experience worlds far removed from your own, for just the price of an admission ticket and a few hours of your time.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Thursday, 27 September 2012 11:14

The film is a celebration of kid culture from a time when fun meant riding your bike and playing D&D with your friends.

| Print |

Written by Pete Timmermann Thursday, 27 September 2012 11:06

Any self-respecting lover of seeing weird shit with a crowd should put the Found Footage Festival at the top of their list.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Wednesday, 18 April 2012 21:48

Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker star as an elderly lesbian couple in this year’s QFest opener, Cloudburst. Both women are suffering from age-related afflictions, and their families are not inclined to recognize their 31-year relationship.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 26 March 2012 00:00

Judging from this documentary, his character is as exuberant as his work, and he seems to be one of those lucky people who simply can’t stop creating: It’s almost as if he simply lacks the inhibitions that make many people stop and question themselves.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 26 March 2012 00:00

The 2012 Atlanta Film Festival has come and gone—10 days, over 125 films including over 50 with Georgia connections, and tons of celebrity appearances and photo-ops—and its time to announce the Grand Jury prize winners.

| Print |

Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 25 March 2012 11:04

“Appropriate” is not in Varla Jean Merman’s vocabulary, while “inappropriate” certainly is.

| Print |

Written by Matthew F. Newlin Wednesday, 14 March 2012 21:10

The sheer volume of captivating films should convince any non-SXSW fan that this is one of the premier film festivals in the country.

| Print |

Written by Matthew F. Newlin Wednesday, 14 March 2012 21:07

South by Southwest 2012 was an undeniable success. The final day in Austin saw not only the most fascinating and disturbing documentary of the festival, but also the announcement of the jury and audience awards.

| Print |

Written by Matthew F. Newlin Wednesday, 14 March 2012 21:02

Without a doubt, Chris O’Dowd is the star of Frankie Go Boom.