THE POLGÁR VARIANT finds compelling material in the lives and careers of a family of Hungarian chess prodigies, despite a soft investigative approach.
Warriors from the North
In recounting stories of young Somali men snapped up by Islamic terrorist group al-Shabab, WARRIORS FROM THE NORTH sets itself apart through a powerful sense of ambivalence.
The Storm Makers
THE STORM MAKERS is a shocking depiction of the fallout from human trafficking in rural Cambodia, examining both victims and oppressors with bracing tact.
Alex & Eve
ALEX & EVE undercuts its own cry for diversity in Australian cinema with endless rom-com pandering and crass sexism.
Pan
PAN overcomes its franchise thirst to be one of the most energetic and unique blockbusters of 2015.
Knock Knock
Keanu Reeves continues his recent glory run as the highlight of KNOCK KNOCK, an otherwise disappointing venture from director Eli Roth.
They Look Like People
Perry Blackshear’s low-budget THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE descends too far into dopey buddy-comic shenanigans for its horror premise to truly sing.
Life
LIFE is a sardonic piece of self-reflection on dreams and memory, navigating the brief friendship between James Dean and Life Magazine photographer Dennis Stock.
A Walk in the Woods
A gruffly endearing performance from Nick Nolte is the saving grace of A WALK IN THE WOODS, a ham-fisted adaptation of the Bill Bryson memoir produced by and starring Robert Redford.
Palio
PALIO never moves beyond the realm of curio, an oddly detatched yet also congratulatory documentary about an annual horse race in Siena.