Peg Aloi

Film Review: “Wonka” — Chocolate, Sweet and Dark

December 15, 2023
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In a world that at times seems to have turned sour and colorless, “Wonka” brings much needed sweetness and beauty, making it a perfect diversion for the holiday season.

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Film Review: “May December” — Tabloid Romance

November 19, 2023
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The scenario may seem a bit too meta, but in director Todd Haynes’ deft hands, the tonal complexities of ” May December” are quite dizzying to behold.

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Book Review: Anna Biller’s “Bluebeard’s Castle” — Imprisoned by Toxic Masculinity

November 10, 2023
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“Bluebeard’s Castle” is a sexy but subversive romance novel steeped in Gothic imagery.

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Film Review: “Priscilla” — Tender, Treacherous Youth

November 6, 2023
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The film beautifully captures a dreamy-nightmare aesthetic, suggesting that Priscilla’s life with Elvis was turbulent roller coaster of romantic highs and materialistic hollowness.

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Film Review: “Where the Devil Roams” — Dark Carny Horror

November 3, 2023
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The Adams Family may be a low budget regional filmmaking collective, but it continues to raise the bar on horror art cinema.

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London Film Festival, Dispatch #3: What Is Love

October 20, 2023
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Closing out coverage of the London Film Festival: films from Catherine Breillat, Michael Winterbottom, Luna Carmoon, Robert Morgan, and Daniel Kokotajlo.

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London Film Festival, Dispatch #2: My Festival Favorites

October 14, 2023
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It’s hard to pick favorites, but here are my top films from this year’s London Film Festival.

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London Film Festival, Dispatch #1: Burning Youth

October 11, 2023
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The first of three review round-ups from this year’s London Film Festival’s excellent slate of films.

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Watch Closely: “Painkiller” is a Saga of Cruel Greed

August 14, 2023
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This limited series is not easy to watch, but “Painkillers” should be considered indispensable viewing because of the light it shines on the amoral face of corporate greed.

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Arts Remembrance: William Friedkin — “The Exorcist,” Influential Beyond All Reckoning

August 9, 2023
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William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” stands, 50 years on, as a primer on how to lure viewers in with striking, haunting imagery as a prelude to a previously unimaginable cinematic journey.

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