SXSW Review: Mama Bears
“Mama Bears” is both a heartbreaking and uplifting portrait of families who have had their lives thrown into turmoil on a personal and increasingly, on a legislative level. Continue reading SXSW Review: Mama Bears
Category: LGBTQ Cinema
Sundance 2022 Review: “Sirens”
Year: 2022 Runtime: 78 minutes Director: Rita Baghdadi By Morgan Roberts “Sirens”(2022) is a documentary film which gives audiences an intimate look into lives of the women of the band Slave to Sirens. Slave to Sirens is a metal band from Beirut, Lebanon. The two central individuals of focus are guitarists Lilas and Shery. Lilas and Shery are creative partners, writing many songs together. As … Continue reading Sundance 2022 Review: “Sirens”
Sundance 2022 Review: “Framing Agnes”
Year: 2022 Runtime: 75 Minutes Director: Chase Joynt Writers: Chase Joynt & Morgan M. Page Stars: Angelica Ross, Jen Richards, Silas Howard, Zackary Drucker, Max Wolf Valerio, Stephen Ira, with Jules Gill-Peterson By Morgan Roberts There are many stories omitted from history books. So, when filmmaker Chase Joynt and sociologist Kristen Schilt began archiving the work of UCLA’s Harold Garfinkel, they uncovered a trove of … Continue reading Sundance 2022 Review: “Framing Agnes”
Sundance Interview: “Framing Agnes” Director Chase Joynt
By Morgan Roberts Premiering at Sundance, documentary film “Framing Agnes”(2022) explores the lives of trans participants of a 1950’s gender study through the University of California, Los Angeles. The face of the project, Agnes, spoke with sociologist Harold Garfinkel. The film brings to life the interviews between Garfinkel and Agnes, as well as the other members of the project. “Framing Agnes” is the debut documentary … Continue reading Sundance Interview: “Framing Agnes” Director Chase Joynt
Girl Like You: Review
This honest documentary is an open discussion about gender transition, and the impact it has on a person’s wider relationships. Filmed over 4 years, we’re given an insight into the evolving nature of this difficult journey. Continue reading Girl Like You: Review
3 Films from the Edinburgh College of Art Graduate Show 2021
The students each researched, shot and edited a short documentary over the course of a year. And in this case, during a pandemic. Continue reading 3 Films from the Edinburgh College of Art Graduate Show 2021
GFF2021 Review: Truman & Tennessee
Year: 2020Duration: 1h 26mDirector: Lisa ImmordinoStarring: Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto By Caz Armstrong Lisa Immordino Vreeland’s latest documentary shows us the 40 year friendship between literary giants Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams in their own words. Despite the 13 year age difference, the men were very alike in many ways. This documentary serves as more of a compare-and-contrast than focusing particularly on their relationship. Indeed, … Continue reading GFF2021 Review: Truman & Tennessee
Review: Beanpole
Perhaps it goes without saying that the Russian historical drama “Beanpole” (2019) is bleak. Directed by Kantemir Balagov, it’s a look at Leningrad after World War II as soldiers trickle back in from the front and people try to put their lives back together after the trauma of war. However, nothing could have prepared me for how twisted and depressing the film is. Continue reading Review: Beanpole
Review: Supernova
Year: 2021 Runtime: 94 minutes Writer/Director: Harry Macqueen Stars: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci By Nicole Ackman This year has not only one, but two poignant films about dementia between “The Father”(2021) and Harry Macqueen’s “Supernova“(2021). While the former is more focused on the experience of having dementia, Macqueen’s film examines the way that it puts strain on even the most solid of relationships as a … Continue reading Review: Supernova
Review: Ammonite
Year: 2020 Runtime: 120 minutes Writer/Director: Francis Lee Stars: Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones, James McArdle, Fiona Shaw By Nicole Ackman With a starry cast and a fascinating premise, “Ammonite” has garnered much attention from the moment it was announced. The period drama is written and directed by Francis Lee and loosely inspired by the life of British paleontologist Mary Anning. The film revolves … Continue reading Review: Ammonite
In Their Own League 