SXSW 2020 - Porno
Porno excels as a piece of genre cinema in its originality and subversion of familiar tropes
Antrum
Antrum is a thematically eerie and uncomfortable viewing, which excels in tormenting the audience with delightful consequence
BERLINALE 2020 - Victoria
On paper, the combination of ideas in Victoria should be a win for both the filmmaker and the audience, but in execution, these elements refute each other's effects
Bacurau
Bacurau does take its time to reveal its hand due to its unfocused first act, ultimately, it provides its promise and morphs into an unexpectedly shocking and thrilling head trip
Selah and the Spades
Selah and the Spades remains squandered potential, remaining just as distant as its lead character
Visions du Réel 2020 - El Father Plays Himself
Mo Scarpelli’s El Father Plays Himself is an unfiltered and profound look into a father-son relationship that gets flipped on its head
Buio (Darkness)
Buio is an excellent example of less is more, despite the lack of conversation in many scenes, the thoughts and emotions of the characters present are deafening
The Dalai Lama: Scientist
Dawn Gifford Engle's The Dalai Lama: Scientist, is an educational and spiritual exploration into the perspective of the film's subject matter
Visions du Réel 2020 - Amor Fati
With over ten different stories in the mix, scenes and sequences gently shuffle into one another, each of them self-contained while remaining mysterious and incomplete
The Goldfish
What The Goldfish lacks in humour it makes up for with its sweet nature
Visions du Réel 2020 - Kombinat
Equally a scathing commentary on the wide-ranging destruction caused by rampant industrial development, as well as an honest snapshot of the human existence with its beauty, mundanity and drama
BERLINALE 2020- The Wolves
Samuel Kishi Leopo's Los Lobos (The Wolves) is a thematically rich and heartbreaking insight into the trials and tribulations of immigration in America
TRIBECA 2020 - Asia
Ruthy Pribar's Asia is a stunning emotionally charged documentation of the hope and tragedy found in love and family, beautifully orchestrated in two seismic performances from Alena Yiv and Shira Haas
The Half of It
At the very least, as imperfect as they are, audiences should be gratified that these stories are being backed and told
CPH:DOX 2020 - Själö (Island of Souls)
The haunting tales of the wronged, silenced women, in Själo - Island of Souls, can leave more of an impression after its trance of melancholy and silent rage is over, and must not be forgotten
Mrs. Noisy
Despite some good performances and thoughtful messages, Mrs. Noisy is too scattershot to truly hit the mark
IFFR 2020 - Labyrinth of Cinema
Labyrinth of Cinema is an original and spectacular imaginative exhibition from start to finish
The Wrong Missy
The Wrong Missy struggles to deliver enough laughs to help it stand out amongst the crowd
Giant Little Ones
Giant Little Ones is a perfectly competent and impressive film when it comes to the more unique set up and technical elements, but sadly fails to be more
TRIBECA 2020 - My Wonderful Wanda
An unnerving study commenting on class relations and the immigrant experience which also successfully challenges a whole host of national stereotypes