Review: “Sputnik”

When most people hear the word “sputnik,” they likely think of the name of the first satellite launched into space by the Soviet Union. But the word itself roughly translates to “fellow traveler,” making it the perfect title for director Egor Abramenko’s less-than-perfect debut feature based on his award-winning short film “The Passenger,” which continues […]

Review: “Made in Italy”

Sometimes, elements of a movie will come together in a way that seems like what can only be described as fate. You can certainly say that regarding the casting of the leads for “Made in Italy,” a new comedy/drama that’s actor James D’Arcy’s feature debut as writer and director. The film stars Liam Neeson and […]

Review: “Summerland”

“Summerland” is a period piece that is exactly as pleasant as it looks and sounds. But by injecting a rather traditional and sentimental narrative with a more contemporary attitude, and through Gemma Arterton’s winning performance, writer and director Jessica Swale’s debut feature is a sumptuous treat. Set during World War II, “Summerland” stars Arterton as […]

Review: “The Rental”

You may think twice about booking that weekend at someone’s Airbnb after watching “The Rental,” the thriller that’s Dave Franco’s directorial debut. The film, which is co-written by Franco and Joe Swanberg, follows two couples: Michelle (Alison Brie) and Charlie (Dan Stevens) and Charlie’s brother Josh (Jeremy Allen White) and his girlfriend Mina (Shelia Vand). […]

Review: “The Painted Bird”

Toward the beginning of “The Painted Bird,” we see the nameless young protagonist (played by Petr Kotlár) watch Lekh (Lech Dyblik), the bird breeder he is staying with, paint the wings of a small bird he has captured before releasing it to rejoin its flock. But because the painted bird is different from the rest, […]

Review: “Relic”

The scariest aspect of “Relic” isn’t the unseen presence supposedly lurking in the rural Australian home of elderly Edna (Robyn Nevin). Rather, it’s something that many people have experienced within their own families: watching dementia or an illness such as Alzheimer’s overtake an older relative until they no longer know who you are. They’re still […]

Review: “Babyteeth”

A romance with a terminally ill teen is practically a subgenre within the universe of young adult novels and films, often weepy, often tender, and often dwelling a lot on the illness itself. “Babyteeth,” a new release from IFC Films and the debut feature from director Shannon Murphy, is none of those things. “Babyteeth” centers […]

Review: “The Trip to Greece”

Michael Winterbottom’s “Trip” film series starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are truly unique in nature. Starting in 2010 with the television series “The Trip” that was later edited into a feature film and followed with “The Trip to Italy” and “The Trip to Spain,” the series follows Coogan and Brydon as they travel and […]

Review: “How to Build a Girl”

The coming-of-age story is a familiar one in film, but rarely does the protagonist go through as many incarnations as Johanna Morrigan does in “How to Build a Girl.” The new movie from IFC Films, which is directed by Coky Giedroyc with a screenplay by Caitlin Moran adapted from her novel of the same name, […]

Review: “The Wretched”

“Fun” is not a word I’d use to describe a lot of modern horror movies. But fun is exactly what “The Wretched,”—a new horror movie from IFC Midnight written and directed by brothers Brett and Drew T. Pierce—is. “The Wretched” followed Ben (John-Paul Howard), a teenager grappling with his parents’ separation who goes to spend […]