When first entering the gallery, I found myself momentarily stunned by the colors, movement, and scale of his works. Ushio Shinohara modernizes violence, anger and sorrow, making it his own. With each punch, a bout of catharsis is imprinted onto the canvas. … read more
Directed by a 26-year-old, first-time feature filmmaker, Fruitvale is a near-perfect, emotionally driven drama with a strong-hitting political agenda. … read more
In the 12 years I have been coming to Sundance, I have never seen the Animation Spotlight program contain such risqué subject matter, which is fully embraced by this film critic. It’s nice to enjoy some lewd material with a sold-out theater of guests. … read more
From the creators of Reno 911! comes a wickedly funny horror-comedy that explores horror film conventions in such an over-the-top and self-aware way that I’ll never be able to take a haunted house, exorcism or demonic baby films seriously again. … read more
2 Chainz pretty much did every song I wanted to hear, from “Beez in the Trap,” “I Luv Dem Strippers,” “Dope Dealer,” “Birthday Song” and “Bandz a Make Her Dance.” His energy on stage was magnetic. … read more
Everybody around Alicia (Juno Temple) is acting weird. Nobody is making any sense and there is an undercurrent of maliciousness behind everyone’s smiles. Alicia, an American girl travelling in Chile, is driving with her cousin Sarah (Emily Browning) and Sarah’s friends to a cabin in remote southern Chile. … read more
The idea of following the occupational responsibilities of an alcoholic German headhunter whose marriage is on the rocks is about as appealing as it sounds. When Clemens Trunschka (Ulrich Tukur) is given the task to locate and make contact with an American CEO for a large German organization, the task takes our leading man to the Lone Star state where his life continues to sink deeper into despair with every passing moment. … read more
Director David Gordon Green returns to his independent origins at the Sundance Film Festival after helming a handful of raunchy Hollywood comedies (Pineapple Express, Your Highness and The Sitter) and attempts to reignite a sense of grounded and heartfelt substance, but the result is a lingering nature video that neglects its actor’s potential with copious amounts of silence. … read more
This story takes place in the rural woods of the Deep South, and it may just be the most dark and bloody films about pottery ever made. A tight-knit community of moonshine-making hillbillies devote themselves to an evil pit in the ground, which they keep happy by occasionally sacrificing one of their people. … read more
Following the lives of six very different people, Without Shepherds provides a fresh, encouraging view of the occasionally tumultuous country of Pakistan. The film weaves together stories from Imran Khan, a former cricket star and rising politician; Vaneeza Ahmad, a feminist-empowering fashion model; Arieb Azher, an enlightened musician; Mohammed Ibrahim, a student and ex-mujahid; Laiba Yousafzai, a female reporter/journalist; and Abdullah Khan, a truck driver providing for his large family. … read more
Adapted from an essay of the same name in Sedaris’ 1997 autobiographical book, Naked, the film couldn’t have been more in-line with Sedaris’ dry wit and humorous yet terrifying experiences. … read more
In this hip, light drama, Lynn Shelton returns from last year’s Sundance success (Your Sister’s Sister) with Rosemarie DeWitt as her leading lady once again, this time, in a quiet and, well, touchy feely kinda flick. … read more
