Nelly (Émond, 2016)
Nelly begins with a well-executed though somewhat conventional scene of a teenaged girl at a microphone. She is singing “Those Were the Days,” and she is stiff and self-conscious. Awkward.… Continue reading "Nelly (Émond, 2016)"
Nelly begins with a well-executed though somewhat conventional scene of a teenaged girl at a microphone. She is singing “Those Were the Days,” and she is stiff and self-conscious. Awkward.… Continue reading "Nelly (Émond, 2016)"
A few years ago, the only used bookstore in my small, rural North Carolina town closed for keeps. I found myself in the shop on its final day, taking advantage… Continue reading "The Bookshop (Coixet, 2018)"
Check out Ken’s full review at The Porch Magazine
A pair of new films just off the festival circuit focus on the inner lives of young women with grown-up problems.
Someone I loved died of cancer a few years ago. I spent a good portion of Hope Springs Eternal wondering what she would have thought about the film and trying… Continue reading "Hope Springs Eternal (Newell, 2018)"
Claire’s Knee is my favorite film from my least favorite year of film history.
Near the conclusion of At the End of the Day, a kind Christian woman offers up the film’s coda. It’s not, as you may suspect from the film’s advertising that… Continue reading "At the End of the Day (O’Brien, 2018)"
A documentary about Eugene Debs ought to be a can’t-miss proposition right now. We live in a contentious political climate that makes revisiting past conflicts urgent. But as bad as… Continue reading "American Socialist: The Life and Times of Eugene Victor Debs (Strom, 2017)"
One of the most memorable and problematic images from Slumdog Millionaire is of a young Jamal, covered in excrement, triumphantly raising his arms in and letting out a joyful cry.… Continue reading "Slumdog Millionaire — 10 Years Later (Boyle, 2008)"
Warning: This review contains plot spoilers.