film criticism by maryann johanson | since 1997
The brilliantly unsettling “Two Distant Strangers” is not only the most important of the nominees but one of the movies of the year, of any length. Its surprises are more brutal than mere plot twists.
A free first peek at zeitgeisty film roundups to come…
This zingy satire is so perfectly, beautifully Jon Stewart: big and brash, raging with fury at the state of American politics but also underlain with hope that it might be changed for the better.
A brief rundown of some of the film- and TV-related winners…
Hugely watchable cautionary tale of Shakespearean proportions about 21st-century politics. Beautifully, nastily perfect in its ironies and twists.
All homophobic, xenophobic, scatological grossout, with some rape and pedophilia “jokes” for flavor. How did this happen?
[This post is not behind the paywall.]
Jon Stewart’s first film is passionate and principled, as I expected, but also hopeful, almost serene, and even gently amusing, which I did not.
LFF is a veritable orgy of cinema, and I love it. It’s exhausting, but I love it.
Cuz smart and funny is always hot. But Stewart is pretty much just plain hot-hot, too.
