Category Archives: Streaming

76 Days review: Inside Wuhan’s ICUs

More a document than a documentary, 76 Days unfolds in the ICU units and critical care wards of hospitals in Wuhan, China, ground zero for the Covid-10 outbreak. Filmed on the fly, the film captures the hysteria and desperation of … Continue reading

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Monsoon review: Finding and changing identities

With its focus on character and attention to detail, Monsoon feels like a short story. Set in Vietnam, it follows thirty-something Kit (played by Henry Golding) as he arrives from Europe to settle his parents’ estate. Along the way he … Continue reading

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NYFF Post Mortem: Streaming a Festival

Yes, the pandemic has changed everything about the movie industry, from production to exhibition. Unable to hold in-person screenings, theater owners have turned to the only viable alternative, streaming, in the process accelerating the decline of their livelihood. Even without … Continue reading

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Aswang review: The victims of Duterte’s drug war

In Filipino folklore, an “aswang” is a shapeshifting demon, the monster parents use to frighten their kids. For director Alyx Ayn Arumpac, the aswang is a metaphor for the current state of the Philippines. How else to explain the 30,000+ … Continue reading

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Steve McQueen on Lovers Rock

With covid-19 still uncontrolled, the 58th edition of the New York Film Festival gets underway September 25, running until October 11. A collaboration of sorts with the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival, this year’s schedule is … Continue reading

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Fighting for kids in the doc My Name Is Pedro

Opening virtually after touring festivals in 2017, My Name Is Pedro is a bare-bones, unprepossessing documentary about Bronx-born educator Pedro Santana. Making her feature documentary debut, director Lillian LaSalle takes a narrowly focused story and connects it to larger themes … Continue reading

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The Secret: Dare to Dream—Elevating the Hallmark formula

Good intentions ooze throughout The Secret: Dare to Dream, a high-toned drama about a widow searching for happiness in the suburbs of New Orleans. Given that the widow’s Katie Holmes, a veteran of melancholy soap operas, The Secret offers plush … Continue reading

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Greyhound review: Action in the North Atlantic

A World War II thriller set in the North Atlantic, Greyhound sits right in the middle of the war genre, complete with diverse crew, demonized villains, and escalating battles. It’s been slammed by some “top critics” as “old-fashioned,” “perfunctory,” and … Continue reading

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The Outpost: Restaging the Battle of Kamdesh

An intense account of a harrowing Taliban attack in 2003, The Outpost treats its characters with reverence. Adapting Jake Tapper’s nonfiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, director Rod Lurie aims for authenticity as well, adding some … Continue reading

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My Spy review: Dave Bautista is better than his new action-comedy

Ten years ago Dave Bautista transitioned from wrestling to acting, appearing as assorted thugs and heavies (“Brass Body,” Drug Dealer #1,” etc.) before nailing his role as Drax in four Marvel blockbusters. Since then he’s followed a route taken by … Continue reading

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