Sundance 2022: ‘Girl Picture’ is for Gen-Z, not just about Gen-Z

Directed by Alli Haapasalo and written by Ilona Ahti and Daniela Hakulinen, Girl Picture stars Aamu Milonoff, Eleonoora Kauhanen, and Linnea Leino. It’s part of the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.  Coming-of-age films are…

Sundance 2022: ‘Speak No Evil’ is a disturbing social commentary about the horrors of being social

Speak No Evil is part of the Midnight Official Selection at the Sundance Film Festival (2022). It was recently acquired by Shudder. Christian Tafdrup’s Speak No Evil constantly reminds of a rule that parents often tell their children: Don’t talk…

Sundance 2022: ‘A Love Song’ is a both poignant and hopeful ballad

Directed and written by Max Walker-Silverman, A Love Song stars Dale Dickey, Wes Studi, Michelle Wilson, Benja K. Thomas, John Way, and Marty Grace Dennis. It’s part of the Premieres section at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. At a lakeside…

‘Zola’ review: A Twitter sensation turns into a big-screen movie sensation

In 2015, Aziah “Zola” King’s 148-tweet epic took the internet by storm. The viral thread read like a Jack Kerouac novel and captured people’s attentions with every 165 characters. When it was announced that it would be made into a…

‘Land’ Review: Like its main character, Robin Wright’s directorial debut just doesn’t really go anywhere

It’s never a good sign when the most interesting thing about a film festival drama is its novelty as a feature directorial debut from the person who also stars in it. For every Citizen Kane and Wanda, we have just…

Sundance 2021: ‘The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet’ is a calming portrait of life’s disruptions

Strange prophecy abounds in The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet, written and directed by Ana Katz. An understated exploration of human connection, the film follows thirty-something Sebastian (Daniel Katz) through a series of vignettes as he moves from job to…

Sundance 2021: ‘Searchers’ is looking for love in all the online places

In Pacho Velez’s new documentary, Searchers (formally The Browsers), a rotation of about 75 New Yorkers—including the director himself—are interviewed, examined, and observed as they use a swath of online dating apps in real-time. Some are looking for love, others…