“You want me to tell you what’s immoral? War is immoral. Poverty is immoral. Racism is immoral. Police brutality is immoral.” — a defendant in Punishment Park I read that director Peter Watkins had passed away last week and realized I’d never heard of him. As it turns...
Lulu Wang's directorial debut, The Farewell, explores the morality of lies and the complexities of family dynamics. Lulu Wang's The Farewell features a scene where Billi, played by Awkwafina, learns from her grandmother, or Nai Nai, how to dispel toxins from her body. The routine involves exhaling and then forcefully thrusting one's arms in front...
Featuring Jane Fonda at her early-70s best, this atmospheric mystery from Alan J. Pakula shines in its new Criterion Collection reissue. Successful producer-turned-director Alan J. Pakula hit a hot streak in the 1970s, beginning with his “Paranoia Trilogy” -- three films with a visceral sense of atmosphere and a Hitchcock-ian sense of voyeurism,...
In his latest film, director Riley Stearns takes on deceptive ideologies to shock audiences with humor and horror. In our modern age of fast information and lack of fact-checking, it has become easier than ever to indoctrinate and brainwash populations. This is seen in the rise of the Alt-Right in particular, as well as the general rise of...
In a film adapted from star Jimmie Fails' own life experiences, The Last Black Man in San Francisco examines one man's relationship with history, gentrification, and the city he comes from. The Last Black Man in San Francisco details the many complex relationships present in Jimmie Fails’ life. The main focus is his nostalgic and loving...
In Midsommar, the horror of a Swedish cult ritual takes a backseat to the horror of a decaying, toxic relationship. Nothing is worse than hanging out with a couple at the end of their relationship. The snide remarks, the palpable tension in the air, the frustrating lack of action. These situations can be unbearable, and only seem worse once the...
When going back through memories of past events, old friends, and lost loves, it’s easy to get lost in them like a daydream. Trying to remember and re-experience every emotion and sensation like the first time, making sure you can recount as many details as possible. These experiences are not just fun to look back on, but they can also be...
Will Rosenstock, Bust Crew, and Venue Skateboards are bringing Richmond's best skateboarders to the Byrd Theatre next Friday with Nightmare Van. The crusty, gritty streets of Richmond are a haven for a familial group of skaters that seems to keep on growing. And on June 28, they'll hit the big screen, as Nightmare Van, a video by Will Rosenstock,...
Is it true? Mmhm, we do, we do, we do-oooooo... Conventions are easy to get lost and overwhelmed in. Between Pikachu and Ms. Frizzle cosplayers on your left and volunteers on your right screaming to see your badge, it’s a lot. But they are absolutely worth it. A couple weeks ago, one of the biggest fan conventions in rotation right now,...
The Criterion Collection edition of silent-era comic Harold Lloyd's classic film, The Kid Brother, proves that Lloyd could absolutely stand alongside his more well-remembered peers, Chaplin and Keaton. Few silent-era comedy personas could top the legendary career that was Harold Lloyd’s. There were, of course, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin,...
