Free form: Zappa embraces the brilliance and complexity of a non-conformist
A documentary about the life and work of Frank Zappa is so obvious that it seems like there should already have been four or five of them. Watching Alex Winter’s […]
Sugar coated: Cambodian refugees chase the American dream in The Donut King
Every chapter of American history, every aspect of American culture, and every American industry has been shaped by immigration. This is more than a political talking point. It’s a concrete […]
Films to rally around at the 2020 VAFF
Many of us have found safe, socially distant ways to do the things we considered normal before the pandemic, such as drive-by birthday parties or outdoor, masked haircuts. When and […]
Worth the struggle: The Glorias takes a long look at Steinem’s stalwart activism
Like the movement it depicts, The Glorias cares so deeply for its subject that it persists through all obstacles and missteps, because where it’s going is worth the struggle. It’s […]
Fresh take: Get Duked! confirms the genius of director Ninian Doff
About halfway through Get Duked!, there comes a moment when you realize this silly little comedy about a group of city-dwelling teenagers in the Scottish Highlands became a bold experiment […]
Returning to class: I Used To Go Here is full of smarts and self-reflection
Kris Rey’s I Used To Go Here examines the many trials and tribulations familiar to any creative person who goes professional, but the film itself is about more than artistic […]
Screens: First Cow is a deftly crafted story of virtue and friendship
As our country struggles with its foundational mythology, we are faced with the question of how the story would be framed if it were written by those whose names are […]
Spike Lee goes deep into the emotion of conflict in Da 5 Bloods
To say that Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods is ripped from the headlines is to give those headlines too much credit. Filming wrapped last summer, but the movie is more […]
New York state of mind: Pete Davidson-Judd Apatow comedy hits home
Pete Davidson is the neighborhood kid everyone hopes will get his act together, except that neighborhood is national TV, and “everyone” is literally everyone. His appeal reminds us of the […]
Staggering steps: Zombie flick Blood Quantum takes on colonialism
Love them or hate them, zombie stories remain popular because they represent the nagging fear that the problems we allow to persist will eventually overpower us. Zombies are husks, barely […]