Young CriticSinners
Ryan Coogler Struggles to Harmonize Horror and History Ryan Coogler was pulled into the franchise machine soon after his debut feature Fruitvale Station (2013). Since then, he’s revived the Rocky franchise with Cree
Reviews tagged: social commentary
Young Critic
Young CriticDeath of a Unicorn
A24’s Latest Misfire Tramples Its Own Potential A24 cultivated a distinct brand of quirky and bold fare from the mid-2010s to the early 2020s. This curation arguably peaked with the Best Picture Oscar win for Everything
Young CriticMickey 17
A Sci-Fi Spectacle Derailed by Chaos and Indecision Following up a cultural hit is always daunting—expectations are raised to the max and often prove unrealistic or impossible to meet. Parasite (2019) struck the perfec
Young CriticCompanion
A Promising Horror Debut That Shows Its Cards Too Soon In an ideal world, moviegoers would enter films knowing only the title and director. This would allow them to experience a story without expectations regarding genre
Young CriticThe Brutalist
A new American epic showcases the dark-side of the American dream There is a common refrain when people complain about long films: “ A movie is as long as it needs to be .” While many films are unnecessarily lengthy, som
Young CriticFlow
The animated film is transcendent and a must-watch An animated Latvian film with no dialogue, following a nameless cat as it survives a biblical flood, might sound like cliché cinephile catnip. Yet, Flow is a very real
Young CriticHeretic
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods' theological deconstruction fails to fit within a film Scott Beck and Bryan Woods had been making films as a duo for some time before they broke through as the screenwriters of A Quiet Place (2
Young CriticJuror #2
Clint Eastwood's potential final film is his strongest in a decade Clint Eastwood is 94 and yet the American filmmaker has been consistently making films. In the last decade alone, he’s produced eight movies. However, ag
Young CriticRumours
The horror-comedy fails in both its genres Political satires have become harder to pull off due to the rise of populism and incompetence that strong democracies have witnessed. This has left only the most extreme satiris
Young CriticAnora
Sean Baker's Palme D'Or winner is another complex character study Sean Baker is reminiscent of the revolutionary directors of the 1970s, filmmakers who reshaped cinema by telling stories from the fringes of American life
Young CriticA Different Man
Adam Schimberg's film is an intriguing deconstruction of beauty standards Despite advancements in how society treats people who look different, physical attractiveness remains a valuable currency. This theme was central
Young CriticMegalopolis
Francis Ford Coppola's latest is big on ambition, but short on substance Francis Ford Coppola is arguably one of the best directors in history. He’s a filmmaker with an unbridled ambition, and whose uncompromising nature
Young CriticThe Substance
The layered body horror film delivers Demi Moore's best performance Hollywood has been commenting on how women are discarded as they age as far back as All About Eve (1950). The issue has been discussed for over 70 yea
Young CriticBlink Twice
Zoe Kravitz's debut is an effective social horror entry The jump from acting to directing is a ubiquitous one, as performers seek to become the multi-hyphenates that the filmmaking industry lauds. However, the transition
Young CriticKingdom of the Planet of the Apes
The latest in this solid franchise is another worthy, transporting entry The recent Planet of the Apes films have been among the more contemplative blockbuster franchises in recent memory. What began as pure popcorn en
Young CriticCivil War
Alex Garland's take on violent polarization is a chillingly effective watch The concept civil wars breaking out in Western democracies is becoming less a fantastical concept than a probable nightmare. Coups have already
Young CriticMonkey Man
Dev Patel's directorial debut is a promising yet patchy actioner Dev Patel has mainly used slim physique as that of an underestimated hero in dramatic films such as Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and Lion (2016) or comedies
Young CriticOrigin
Ava DuVernay's "impossible" adaptation of the academic text is profoundly moving Adapting an academic dissertation on the origin and roots of racism into a dramatic film can feel like quite the impossible task. Yet Ava D
Young CriticThe Zone of Interest
Jonathan Glazer's latest finds a fascinating new perspective on an oft-explored topic Holocaust and WWII movies have righteously been overdone in cinema; making sure the horrors and lessons of those dark periods of histo
Young CriticAmerican Fiction
The publishing satire is a comedic and dramatic triumph The Black experience has often been enclosed in a space of exploitation and trauma that seems to delight white audiences. Be it slave stories, crime, or other ways
Young CriticDream Scenario
Nicolas Cage's latest delivers an intriguing and refreshingly original film Nicolas Cage has recently used his star power to shine the light on daring up and coming filmmakers, bringing truly original ideas to the screen
Young CriticSaltburn
Emerald Fennell's sophomore film is boldly captivating With Emerald Fennel bursting onto the directing scene with Promising Young Woman (2020), it was inevitable for an immense anticipation for her sophomore follow-up to
Young CriticBarbie
Greta Gerwig's feminist and magical realist take on the toy is fun and insightful Greta Gerwig is living the director’s dream of flitting from vastly different projects and preventing viewers or studios from pinning her
Young CriticThe Menu
Mark Mylod’s thriller is deliciously taut Social messages are imbued in most films nowadays, but the horror genre seems to be the one most suited to bring it about. This has become increasingly popular after the success