Festival Reviews

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 09 November 2015 23:01

I was surprised at how much fun Employee’s Entrance was to watch, and not just because of the naughtiness on screen.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 08 November 2015 22:43

Film festivals aren’t just about the latest films to hit the circuit: often they also offer a chance to see old classics with new eyes.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 08 November 2015 22:26

As rich as the materials displayed in Reel in the Closet are, they merely scratch the surface of what is out there.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 08 November 2015 21:38

What impresses me most about the VFF is how well the people running it understand the community it serves.

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Written by Cait Lore Thursday, 05 November 2015 00:39

There are two films playing at the festival that I really wanted to like, but am stuck with having nothing good to say about them.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Wednesday, 04 November 2015 23:32

My thoughts first turn to a couple of big-name films that weren’t available for pre-screening, but which I’m very eager to see.

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Written by Pete Timmermann Tuesday, 03 November 2015 22:11

It’s looking like a fun eleven days for St. Louis movie lovers.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 27 October 2015 06:34

The documentary Maiko: Dancing Child truly makes the audience feel like they are there with the dancers, feeling the pain as well as the beauty of dance.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 26 October 2015 23:13

There’s a lot of history embedded in the festival.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 26 October 2015 22:14

Despite the sometimes grim subject matter, Frame by Frame is ultimately a hopeful film.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 03 August 2015 23:35

Haemoo begins in a realistic fashion, almost like a documentary of life aboard a fishing trawler, with an emphasis on the complete lack of glamour in the life of a professional fisherman.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 03 August 2015 23:19

Remix, Remake, and Rip-Off is an entertaining but hopelessly scattered documentary that tries to cover too many topics without adequate organization or structure.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 03 August 2015 23:01

Despite its length, Tazza: The Hidden Card is mostly fast-paced and enjoyable to watch.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Monday, 03 August 2015 22:27

Tales of Halloween is a film that horror fans will definitely want to see.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 28 July 2015 22:48

A generosity of spirit and novelty of the setting help overcome Ojuju’s technical limitations and suggest that C.J. Obasi is a director to watch in the future.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 28 July 2015 21:10

The lack of facial expression on the puppets in The Arti: The Adventure Begins creates a surreal viewer experience and removes the “something extra” that any live actor brings to a role.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 28 July 2015 20:02

For all the stunning visuals, there’s also plenty of humor in The Royal Tailor, and it never drags despite a running time of just over two hours.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 26 July 2015 12:04

Børning just turned out to be a disappointment, content to settle for ordinary when I was hoping for more.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Saturday, 25 July 2015 21:25

A Christmas Horror Story is a lot of fun, and sometimes that’s exactly what the world needs.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Friday, 24 July 2015 23:59

While my mature self wishes for a bit more bite in the plentiful life advice offered in Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, I loved the animation.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Friday, 24 July 2015 23:09

You’ve probably heard that undercover work is mostly tedium, and that’s the main experience of watching (T)error as well.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Wednesday, 22 July 2015 23:07

For children and adolescents into period fantasy, The Shamer’s Daughter is a sure winner, and it’s pretty enjoyable for adults as well.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Wednesday, 22 July 2015 22:12

The blending of animation and live action in Assassination Classroom is well done, aided by a smart design choice.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Thursday, 16 April 2015 20:00

One thing that is sure is that the gay and lesbian filmmaking scene is thriving, and there’s an audience eager to see these films.

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Written by Pete Timmermann Thursday, 12 March 2015 21:32

In all, True/False 2015 was as great as I’ve come to expect from the festival.

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Written by Pete Timmermann Sunday, 09 November 2014 15:04

2014 has been a strong year for documentaries, and SLIFF isn’t slacking in showing a bunch of good ones.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 09 November 2014 14:55

The performance of Vilma Santos-Recto alone is reason enough to see The Bit Player.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 09 November 2014 14:52

It may be tough to be a black man in Paris, but it’s even tougher to be a black teenage woman who doesn’t fit the mold.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Sunday, 09 November 2014 14:52

Documentaries are sometimes most interesting not for their ostensible subject, but for what they reveal in the background.

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Written by Pete Timmermann Saturday, 08 November 2014 13:22

After Prueher and Pickett’s creative editing, the video becomes a montage of people saying the word “bitch” interspersed with graphic footage of puppies being born.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 04 November 2014 21:40

Eric MilesWilliamson continues to write because no matter how bad it makes him feel, it feels worse when he doesn’t.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 04 November 2014 21:26

The meaning of The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura is the protagonist’s understanding of the hierarchical nature of his corner of society.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 04 November 2014 21:09

I think of noir as a sensibility, one that acknowledges the grim realities that underlie the shiny, optimistic surface view of life.

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Written by Sarah Boslaugh Friday, 24 October 2014 18:44

NOIRCON takes an expansive view of noir—including not only film, but also literature, art, and more—and the lineup of events for the weekend reflects this broad approach. 

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Written by Ashby Walters Thursday, 16 October 2014 18:13

If you’re going to enjoy a horror film festival, there is no better way than Telluride’s Horror Show.

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Written by Ashby Walters Thursday, 16 October 2014 17:39

Spring was too sleepy to cap a day of movies. I found myself fighting to stay awake or interested.