Freedom Is an Endless Meeting: The Utopian Vision in ‘Women Talking’
In Women Talking, director Sarah Polley masterfully illustrates how new futures can be possible by reckoning and wrestling with the past and present.
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The High Before the Fall: Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Adventures of Baron Munchausen’
Stranger than Terry Gilliam’s 1990s hits and less aggressive than his later work, the glorious fantasy The Adventures of Baron Munchausen was the last film where his talents fully flowered.
‘Bliss Montage Is a Surrealistic Meditation on the Human Condition
Ling Ma’s short story collection, Bliss Montage, brilliantly explores the absurdity and alienation of living under late-stage capitalism.
Hypochondria Sets the Rules for ‘Here Is a Game We Could Play’
Hypochondria, obsession, and confusion set the rules for a love affair in Jenny Bitner’s excellent debut novel, Here Is a Game We Could Play.
‘Devil in a Blue Dress’ Is Among Neo-Noir’s Finest Films
Denzel Washington’s voiceover in neo-noir Devil in a Blue Dress is an equal mix of deadpan charm and wide-eyed innocence, which textures and nuances his performance.
Different Countries, Same Troubled Planet: Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project, No. 4
Although the films in Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project No. 4 come from different countries, decades, and languages, they reveal similarities in social conscience and film experiments.
Debut ‘The Novelist’ Is Among the Best Books About Addiction
Jordan Castro’s debut The Novelist is a relatable and humorous study of the economy of plotting, ironic description, and the addictive nature of the self.
The Making of Our “Viral Underclass”
The Viral Underclass digs into capitalism, Big Pharma, “Gay-Inc.” and other factors surrounding Covid-19 and HIV that force a greater toll on the already marginalized.
The Delightful Frightful Odyssey of Costa-Gavras’ ‘Eden Is West’
Costa-Gavras’ little-seen humane masterpiece, Eden Is West is the rare film that could make its viewers into better people. Now, many can see it on OVID.tv.
‘British Vogue’ Editor Edward Enninful Zigs Where Others Zag
British Vogue editor Edward Enninful tells the story of his career swerves as straightforwardly as possible in his absorbing memoir, A Visible Man.
Decoding the Art of Becoming in Rock Memoir ‘The Tompo of the Ringing’
Musician and author Tracy Santa has a way of seeing rock ‘n’ roll that imbues his memoir, The Tompo of the Ringing with broad appeal and larger relevance.
‘The Silent Enemy’ Raises Issues of Native American Identity
The gorgeously shot 1930 ethnography, ‘The Silent Enemy’, depicts the life of an Ojibway tribe long before the advent of European explorers and settlers.