Abbas Kiarostami was the most important filmmaker to come out of the New Iranian Cinema movement, which spawned works that became staples in film festivals worldwide from the late ’80s on.
Betsy Sherman
Film Review: “Resurrection” — Turning Words into Weapons
Rebecca Hall gives Resurrection the psychological grounding it needs, as the thriller stretches towards a macabre, fable-like payoff.
Film Review: “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” — Respecting a Child’s Sense of Wonder
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a work of depth as well as inspired silliness, structured with moments of quiet contemplation in between the laughs.
Film Review: Dennis Hopper’s “Out of the Blue” — Still a Stunner
A welcome homecoming for a new 4K digital restoration of a landmark independent film that’s attained cult status.
Film Review: “Polar Bear” — A Mother’s Tale of Survival in the Arctic
The protagonist of this engrossing, and troubling, story must draw on all her accumulated knowledge in order to cope with degradations to her habitat caused by what we, the viewers, know as global warming/climate change.
Arts Remembrance: Homage to Gilbert Gottfried — One of America’s Most Original Stand-ups
Comedian Gilbert Gottfried’s passing has hit me harder than most deaths of my celebrity faves: it’s a deprivation I can feel in my stomach.
Film Review: “The Great Postal Heist” — Clear and Present Danger to a Great American Institution
This effective advocacy documentary charts the 21st-century decline of a great American institution (one established in the U.S. Constitution). It’s also a wake-up call alerting us that things didn’t have to happen this way.
Arts Reconsideration: The 1971 Project — Celebrating a Great Year in Film (Part Four)
More homages to 1971’s magnificent bursts of cinematic iconoclasm, from McCabe & Mrs. Miller to The Music Lovers and Walkabout.
Arts Reconsideration: The 1971 Project — Celebrating a Great Year in Film (Part Three)
More homages to 1971’s magnificent bursts of cinematic iconoclasm.
Film Review: “Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché” — Courage and Artistry Relevant to Our Moment
The documentary strikes a remarkably rich vein, covering not only music, fashion and a late-1970s social critique, but also matters of race, class, gender, mental health and spirituality.