Indie Movies
Independent movie reviews from film festivals, theaterical releases, video-on-demand, home video and streaming.
-
Martyrs
A remake whose irrelevance dominates every frame.
-
45 Years
The frailty of the human ego threatens to topple the might of a long marriage in this measured but mesmerizing love story.
-
Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party
Secrets and lies rise to the surface in this sensitive drama about the struggle between devotion and desire.
-
Anomalisa
Kaufman's inventive and intricately crafted stop-motion drama is undermined by the emptiness of its miserablist existentialism.
-
Those Who Feel The Fire Burning
A provocative, hypnotic film dealing with the plight of immigrants stuck in Europe.
-
Arabian Nights: Volume 3 – The Enchanted One
Not the strongest chapter of Miguel Gomes' otherwise masterful work in his Arabian Nights series.
-
Arabian Nights: Volume 2 – The Desolate One
Arabian Nights: Volume 2 - The Desolate One may just be the most haunting movement in Gomes' glorious, deeply melancholic, symphony.
-
Arabian Nights: Volume 1- The Restless One
Miguel Gomes creates a work of surreal, humorous, and vigorously compelling cinematic art in Arabian Nights: Volume 1 - The Restless One.
-
Christmas, Again
An unorthodox, somewhat listless take on the Christmas movie.
-
Entertainment
A dark, surreal road trip brings out laughter and pain in this subversive, provocative anti-comedy.
-
Funny Bunny (AFI FEST)
Eccentricity abounds in this tale of three outliers, but all it produces is boredom.
-
Flowers (Another Hole in the Head Review)
A surreal, effective, and deeply experimental horror film from extreme horror filmmaker Phil Stevens which manages to get under one's skin.
-
In Jackson Heights
Kaleidoscopic in a most humanitarian and intimate sense, Frederick Wiseman's 40th documentary is an observance of beauty in culture and everyday life.
-
In the Basement
A documentary focused on the oddities in people's basements isn't as shocking as it wishes.
-
Of Men and War
A harrowing, powerful documentary about soldiers suffering from PTSD that places emotions at the forefront.
-
Bone Tomahawk
A surprising horror/western mash-up with a terrific cast, 'Bone Tomahawk' is an impressive debut.
-
The Keeping Room
Great performances can't save this lackluster western from constant frustration.
-
The Wonders
A family of beekeepers in the Italian countryside have their isolated, harmonious existence threatened in Alice Rohrwacher's warm, naturalistic hit from Cannes.
-
Meadowland
Anesthetized grievers make for a bummed out viewing experience in this drama from first-timer Reed Morano.
-
Nasty Baby
Sebastián Silva's meditation on the universal balance of creation and destruction in Nasty Baby is undermined by an inconceivable third act.
-
Jason and Shirley
Jason and Shirley recklessly imagines events surrounding the filming of a very real, incredibly important documentary.
-
Homemakers
A engaging and comedic take on the punk rock lifestyle.
-
The Inhabitants
Too many horror tropes distract the Rasmussen Brothers from achieving their true intention, mostly a collection of undeveloped ideas.
-
This Changes Everything
Naomi Klein's attempt to redefine the climate change debate only frames it in a childish and overly simplistic way.
-
Manson Family Vacation
Despite a few missteps along the way, Manson Family Vacation's fast pace keeps things moving towards its satisfying conclusion.
-
Parallax
This '80s-set dramedy is as cumbersome as the nascent technology at the center of its plot.
-
Everything Is Copy (NYFF 2015)
A slick tribute to the writer and filmmaker Nora Ephron, knowingly directed by her son.
-
Homesick (TIFF Review)
A wonderful, audacious film that challenges its audience, and serves as a brilliant debut for its lead actress and director.
-
The Ones Below (TIFF Review)
Unexpected twists, empathetic characters, and an unshakable darkness, 'The Ones Below' is one of the most suspenseful films of the year.
-
Our Loved Ones (TIFF Review)
This tender, decades-spanning film about one man's life and family takes an unstructured observational approach to wonderful heights.