Theatrical Reviews

Reviews of selected general release films

Ben Kawaller’s This Isn’t Me: CINEQUEST/SXSW REVIEWS: comedy pilot finds the funny and brightness in the small jokes while navigating darker situations

By Daniel Pappas 6 years ago

Those could be dark moments but in director Adrian Rojas Elliott’s hands it plays as sweet and sensitive. The show entirely dodges drafty conversations or harrowing gender harassment, focusing on a day in Fred’s life. Whether the subjects therein should be treated so seriously are beyond my purview, but it feels exciting to see these characters interact and rebound off each other without all the sobbing and scolding.

Chris Hansen’s SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE: CINEQUEST REVIEWS; much more than a happy reminder of love

By Daniel Pappas 6 years ago

What works so well for this film is its vignette aesthetic. By pairing down the production to essentially seven scenes it allows the script to shine, the actors to perform, and every department thereafter to simplify and focus on it’s work. Rarely is anything shot outside of a close up and light softly fills their heads or faces and warms up the scene. It can feel extremely shot-reverse shot but only because it’s making the most of it’s best element: the acting. As an exercise in strategic filmmaking Seven Short Films works on an aesthetic AND technical level.

TRIBECA 2019 REVIEWS: Shosh Shlam’s & Hilla Medalia’s excellent LEFTOVER WOMEN looks at how the Chinese “force” women to marry

By Miguel Cima 7 years ago

As we follow the three ladies, we see varying degrees of acquiescence, and in one case, open rebellion. Imagine your own sister telling them you’ve dishonored the family by not being married and having kids by your early thirties, that all the educational goals you’ve achieved and high-paying jobs you keep mean nothing.