Publications

Reviews

October 28, 2025 · by Jacob Diedenhofer

CIFF 2025 Review: ‘Jay Kelly’ is a Beautiful Portrait of Memory, Friendship, and Legacy

Jay Kelly is one of my favorite subgenres of movies—those about the art of filmmaking, movies, and actors themselves. The film follows famous...

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Reviews

October 27, 2025 · by Amritpal Rai

PFF 2025 Review: 'The President's Cake' is an Affecting Gem of a Child's Resolution

The first shot of Hasan Hadi’s The President’s Cake is a wide shot of dusk hitting the Mesopotamian river connecting a riverway of marshlands...

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Reviews

October 25, 2025 · by Kam Ryan

‘After the Hunt’ Review: Nora Garrett’s Unflinching Script Redefines Female Complexity on Screen

Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt (2025) has been the subject of much discussion and debate since its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Ce...

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Reviews

October 25, 2025 · by Sara Ciplickas

‘100 Nights of Hero’ Review: A Delectable Fairy Tale Fantasy

Julia Jackman’s 100 Nights of Hero is a tale of women storytellers on a sparkling, faraway planet. Cherry (Maika Monroe) lives with her maid,...

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Reviews

October 24, 2025 · by Adam Patla

CIFF 2025 Review: ‘The Holy Boy’ and the Horror of Suppression

Coming out was one of the most daunting experiences of my life. Confronting my identity felt like hiding a mountain behind a light pole—this ...

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Reviews

October 24, 2025 · by Adam Patla

CIFF 2025 Review: Kleber Mendonça Filho’s ‘The Secret Agent’ is a Stylish and Subversive Political Thriller

“Brazil, 1977. A Time of Great Mischief.” This is how Kleber Mendonça Filho greets the audience in The Secret Agent, setting the tone ...

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Reviews

October 23, 2025 · by Jacob Diedenhofer

CIFF 2025 ‘Bugonia’ Review: Another Wild Ride from the Brain of Yorgos Lanthimos

Yorgos Lanthimos is back again this year with another feature in Bugonia. Lanthimos teams up for the first time with screenwriter Will Tracy,...

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Reviews

October 23, 2025 · by Adam Patla

CIFF 2025 Review: Kaouther Ben Hania Ensures ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ Will Echo On

When introducing The Voice of Hind Rajab at its Chicago premiere at the 61st Chicago International Film Festival, actress Clara Khoury said t...

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Lists

October 22, 2025 · by Kasey Dunifer

12 Movies for Scorpio Season

Scorpio Season is a time for scares, seduction, and sorrow. This year, the sun shifts from Libra to Scorpio late at night on October 22 and s...

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Reviews

October 22, 2025 · by Matthew Allan

Review: ‘Ballad of a Small Player’ Shows Promise but Folds Like a Pair of Cards

This review contains major spoilers, so be sure to watch the film before reading! Ballad of a Small Player (2025), directed by Edward ...

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Lists

October 21, 2025 · by Sara Ciplickas

My Top 10 Films From the London Film Festival 2025

This year's 69th BFI London Film Festival was full of incredible, poignant titles. We saw a brilliant double-bill from Richard Linklater, as ...

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Reviews

October 21, 2025 · by Adam Patla

CIFF 2025 Review: Jafar Panahi Paints a Portrait of Quiet Defiance In ‘It Was Just An Accident’

Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident, the 2025 Palme d’Or winner, opens on a dark, winding road. We can’t see what’s coming, so we are forc...

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