film criticism by maryann johanson | handcrafted since 1997
The chill zen and goofy charm of GenX’s philosopher-fools remains intact, but their latest adventure is too familiar a retelling. Still, “Be excellent to each other” won’t ever not be worth heeding.
Jennifer Lopez stars in romantic comedy Second Act; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
Suzi Yoonessi directs dramedy Unlovable; Nosipho Dumisa directs thriller Number 37; more…
A significant new retrospective of the legendary and hugely influential Russian filmmaker is a fresh opportunity to see some gorgeous films on a big screen.
The male dominance of filmmaking sometimes smacks at you from a direction you weren’t expecting.
See it if you love movies with compelling characters doing fascinating things and overcoming tremendous obstacles to get to an immensely satisfying end. You know: the things that movies are supposed to do, but rarely seem to manage.
A superb contemporary example of cinema du serpent, wittily harkening back to its thematic progenitors, but it is a marvelous achievement in its own right, too…
