The Stranger (Ozon, 2025)
Every time I review a new François Ozon film, I have to review my past notes to see if I have ever made this comparison out loud. His career and… Continue reading "The Stranger (Ozon, 2025)"
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Real Genius (Coolidge, 1985)
Author’s note: this review is part of jury deliberations for the 2026 Arts & Faith list of Top 25 Spiritually Significant Films Directed by Women. Long before I identified as… Continue reading "Real Genius (Coolidge, 1985)"
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The Summer Book (McDowell, 2024)
Film paradoxically shows little interest in old characters while venerating aging actors. Think about On Golden Pond and you are more likely to remember Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda than… Continue reading "The Summer Book (McDowell, 2024)"
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The President’s Cake (Hadi, 2025)
For the first thirty minutes or so, The President’s Cake sets up its premise — that an Iraqi girl must overcome poverty and food shortages fueled by economic sanctions against… Continue reading "The President’s Cake (Hadi, 2025)"
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Favorite Film Series: Jesus Christ Superstar (Jewison, 1973)
The parameters of the exercise seemed simple enough: pick a favorite film from each year of my life. Progress on the series has been slow for an unexpected reason. I… Continue reading "Favorite Film Series: Jesus Christ Superstar (Jewison, 1973)"
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An Education (Scherfig, 2009)
The Arts & Faith web site has announced that the theme for the 2026 Top 25 “Spiritually Significant” films list will be Women-Directed films. Deliberations are currently underway for over… Continue reading "An Education (Scherfig, 2009)"
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Favorite Film Series: The Godfather (Coppola, 1972)
There is an irony or a writer’s lesson or something to be gleaned from the fact that I started the “Favorite Film Series” because I wanted an excuse to write… Continue reading "Favorite Film Series: The Godfather (Coppola, 1972)"
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The Bad Patriots (Fraga, 2024)
A seventy-plus minute conversation with Ken Loach and Jeremy Corbyn about corporate media bias and political propaganda can’t help but generate some interest for anyone who knows the first thing… Continue reading "The Bad Patriots (Fraga, 2024)"
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Young Mothers (Dardenne & Dardenne, 2026)
When reviewing a new film by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, the only pertinent question is whether the frame of reference for judgment will be their other films or something broader.… Continue reading "Young Mothers (Dardenne & Dardenne, 2026)"
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2025 Top Ten
When I look at my favorite film experiences of 2025, the movies and performances that resonated with me the most powerfully, the common thread I see running through all of… Continue reading "2025 Top Ten"