5 to 7 — Review

April 7, 2017April 7, 2017 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

Bérénice Marlohe and Anton Yelchin in a scene from Victor Levin’s 5 to 7.

“A largely traditional movie, stoically lumbering through its takes on love without taking any particular risks.”

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The Invitation — Review

August 27, 2016January 18, 2018 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

Logan Marshall-Green in a scene from Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation.

25Star

“The film’s final half-hour is fully realized and thoroughly engaging. The problem is that getting there requires sitting through a stretch of time twice that length which is generally tedious.”

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Prince (Prins) — Review

July 31, 2016July 31, 2016 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

Ayoub Elasri in a scene from Sam de Jong’s Prince.

25Star

“[Director Sam] de Jong firmly establishes himself as a director to watch, and it’s not hard to imagine future projects in which he further explores bold stylistic drama, hopefully enhancing the complexity of his screenplays as well.”

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Casa Grande — Review

July 7, 2016 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

Thales Cavalcanti (l) and and Clarissa Pinheiro (r) in a scene from Fellipe Barbosa’s Casa Grande.

25Star

“While taking advantage of an anchored and stormy lead performance, Casa Grande is otherwise full of only partially-realized ideas and themes.”

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White God (Fehér isten) — Review

June 15, 2016June 15, 2016 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

2Star

“The film is so primarily affixed with connecting itself to its subtext that it fails to be a particularly well-told story on its own merits.”

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Taxi (2015) — Review

May 30, 2016May 30, 2016 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

Jafar Panahi’s taxi in Jafar Panahi’s Taxi.

3Star

“The entertainment value in Taxi comes from trying to guess where Panahi draws the line between documentary and drama.”

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99 Homes — Review

May 23, 2016May 23, 2016 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

25Star

“99 Homes deals with relevant, dramatic subject matter, but often stumbles around in finding the right approach.”

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Eden — Review

May 17, 2016May 18, 2016 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

Félix de Givry (l) and Pauline Etienne (r) in a scene from Mia Hansen-Løve’s Eden.

3Star

“[An] insightful character portrait.”

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Rise — Review

May 11, 2016May 11, 2016 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

Nathan Wilson in a scene from Mack Lindon’s Rise.

2Star

“A vast land of almost-was and could-have-been, falling into a gray area where the positives and negatives cancel each other out, leaving a faint, unremarkable impression.”

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Carol — Review

April 30, 2016April 30, 2016 / filmreviews12 / Leave a comment

4Star

“An incredibly beautiful movie in every sense of the word.”

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The Reviews

Movie reviews, bad jokes, and other miscellany.

2015

5 to 7 — Review

“A largely traditional movie, stoically lumbering through its takes on love without taking any particular risks.”

The Invitation — Review

“The film’s final half-hour is fully realized and thoroughly engaging. The problem is that getting there requires sitting through a stretch of time twice that length which is generally tedious.”

Prince (Prins) — Review

“[Director Sam] de Jong firmly establishes himself as a director to watch, and it’s not hard to imagine future projects in which he further explores bold stylistic drama, hopefully enhancing the complexity of his screenplays as well.”

Casa Grande — Review

“While taking advantage of an anchored and stormy lead performance, Casa Grande is otherwise full of only partially-realized ideas and themes.”

White God (Fehér isten) — Review

“The film is so primarily affixed with connecting itself to its subtext that it fails to be a particularly well-told story on its own merits.”

Taxi (2015) — Review

“The entertainment value in Taxi comes from trying to guess where Panahi draws the line between documentary and drama.”

99 Homes — Review

“99 Homes deals with relevant, dramatic subject matter, but often stumbles around in finding the right approach.”

Eden — Review

“[An] insightful character portrait.”

Rise — Review

“A vast land of almost-was and could-have-been, falling into a gray area where the positives and negatives cancel each other out, leaving a faint, unremarkable impression.”

Carol — Review

“An incredibly beautiful movie in every sense of the word.”