Lawrence Garcia

2/8/22

<i>A Night Of Knowing Nothing</i> takes a sensuous look at student protests in India

A Night Of Knowing Nothing takes a sensuous look at student protests in India

The personal and political are juxtaposed in this promising debut from Payal Kapadia

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedFebruary 8, 2022

1/26/22

<i>Futura</i> offers a vivid COVID-era portrait of Italy’s youth

Futura offers a vivid COVID-era portrait of Italy’s youth

Three Italian directors engage in a rich tradition of cinematic reportage

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedJanuary 26, 2022

12/27/21

Sundance drama <i>Jockey</i> doesn’t race beyond sports-movie formula

Sundance drama Jockey doesn’t race beyond sports-movie formula

Clifton Collins Jr. is a veteran jockey in this mostly hackneyed indie

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedDecember 27, 2021

12/18/21

<i>What Do We See When We Look At The Sky?</i> is one of the most entrancing, inventive films of the year

What Do We See When We Look At The Sky? is one of the most entrancing, inventive films of the year

Alexandre Koberidze's romance is suffused with the magic of the everyday

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedDecember 18, 2021

12/15/21

The best movie scenes of 2021

Some of the year's best movie moments came from No Time To Die, Shang-Chi, and Licorice Pizza

A.A. Dowd,

Katie Rife,

Noel Murray,

Leila Latif,

and Carlos Aguilar

PublishedDecember 15, 2021

10/12/21

<i>Wheel Of Fortune And Fantasy</i> tells three beguiling tales of chance and romance

Wheel Of Fortune And Fantasy tells three beguiling tales of chance and romance

Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi delivers with the first of two movies from 2021

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedOctober 12, 2021

7/15/21

<i>Her Socialist Smile </i>is a daring look at Helen Keller’s life and activism

Her Socialist Smile is a daring look at Helen Keller’s life and activism

This scintillating docu-essay defamiliarizes Helen Keller's inspirational popular image

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedJuly 15, 2021

7/6/21

<i>The Woman Who Ran</i> glows with glimmers of a summertime masterpiece

The Woman Who Ran glows with glimmers of a summertime masterpiece

Hong Sang-soo pays tribute to the great Éric Rohmer with this searching drama

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedJuly 6, 2021

6/16/21

<i>Summer Of 85</i> is France's insubstantial answer to <i>Call Me By Your Name</i>

Summer Of 85 is France's insubstantial answer to Call Me By Your Name

François Ozon's summer romance fails to leave a lasting mark

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedJune 16, 2021

6/9/21

<i>Tragic Jungle</i>’s plunge into the heart of darkness lacks the wildness of Herzog

Tragic Jungle’s plunge into the heart of darkness lacks the wildness of Herzog

Yulene Olaizola’s noirish Netflix period piece never captures the danger of its predators-turned-prey premise

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedJune 9, 2021

6/1/21

Sundance award winner <i>All Light, Everywhere</i> illuminates the surveillance state

Sundance award winner All Light, Everywhere illuminates the surveillance state

Over the course of Theo Anthony’s documentary/cine-essay All Light, Everywhere, we are treated to an extensive tour…

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedJune 1, 2021

5/18/21

Repugnant revolution thriller <i>New Order </i>stirs only the gag reflex

Repugnant revolution thriller New Order stirs only the gag reflex

In his latest film, New Order, Mexican director Michel Franco (Chronic, After Lucia) displays all the style,…

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedMay 18, 2021

4/6/21

The brutal, rewarding<i> Moffie</i> fires a Full Metal Jacket into the apartheid era

The brutal, rewarding Moffie fires a Full Metal Jacket into the apartheid era

Note: The writer of this review watched Moffie on a digital screener from home. Before making the decision to see…

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedApril 6, 2021

4/1/21

French New Wave icon Jean-Paul Belmondo played against type as <i>Léon Morin, Priest</i>

French New Wave icon Jean-Paul Belmondo played against type as Léon Morin, Priest

Watch This offers movie recommendations inspired by new releases, premieres, current events, or occasionally just…

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedApril 1, 2021

3/30/21

Lesotho makes a haunting, hypnotic Oscars debut with<em> This Is Not A Burial, It’s A Resurrection </em>

Lesotho makes a haunting, hypnotic Oscars debut with This Is Not A Burial, It’s A Resurrection

This Is Not A Burial, It’s A Resurrection opens with the hypnotic force of an incantation. From a stutter-step blur…

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedMarch 30, 2021

1/20/21

Deeply felt daddy issues distinguish <i>The Salt Of Tears</i> from every other Philippe Garrel romance

Deeply felt daddy issues distinguish The Salt Of Tears from every other Philippe Garrel romance

Of late, the films of Philippe Garrel have felt less like standalone works than items in a series—variations on…

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedJanuary 20, 2021

12/17/20

The best films of 2020: The ballots

Don’t trust anyone who says it’s impossible to make a best movies list in 2020. There were plenty of films to like…

A.A. Dowd,

Katie Rife,

Noel Murray,

and Caroline Siede

PublishedDecember 17, 2020

12/17/20

The best films of 2020

For one blissful month, it seemed like the defining moment of movie culture this year might be the most joyful one,…

A.A. Dowd,

Katie Rife,

Noel Murray,

and Mike D'Angelo

PublishedDecember 17, 2020

12/9/20

The best movie scenes of 2020

Any movie can achieve a moment of greatness. We’re talking about those few minutes that stick with you for a…

A.A. Dowd,

Allison Shoemaker,

Alex McLevy,

Mike D'Angelo,

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky,

Noel Murray,

Katie Rife,

Gwen Ihnat,

Cameron Scheetz,

Roxana Hadadi,

Patrick Gomez,

and Erik Adams

PublishedDecember 9, 2020

12/7/20

A former pop star journeys <i>To The Ends Of The Earth</i> in Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s terrific new film

A former pop star journeys To The Ends Of The Earth in Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s terrific new film

To The Ends Of The Earth is the sort of film that’s too easily tagged as a “departure” for its veteran director.…

Lawrence Garcia

PublishedDecember 7, 2020