Female Film Critics 24/375
Tribeca 2022 brought us a myriad of beautifully written narratives. One notable film, Acidman, centers around a daughter’s attempt to reconnect with her estranged father which is complicated by disturbing old habits and secrets.
Read more
Clara is an isolated and sexually repressed 40-year-old woman who has a curious and mysterious bond with nature and the divine. When she’s pushed to her limits, escape is the only remedy. In a creative screenplay from director Nathalie Álvarez Mesén and co-writer Maria Camila Arias, where dialogue is both literal and figurative, Clara Sola is a beautiful new addition to the roster of feminist features.
Read more
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande is magnificent with a whip-smart script and fabulous performances. Daryl McCormack is charming, sensual, and immediately puts the audience at ease. There’s something about his presence that is calming and elegant. You’re drawn to him. He gives a flawless and exceedingly nuanced performance. Emma Thompson is sheer perfection. Watching her work is a pleasure, no pun intended. She astonishes me with her choices. They are so organic that I often forget she’s acting. She carries a universal vulnerability that speaks directly to the audience.
Read more
Turning a Nobel Prize-winning novel into a movie on the whim of a millionaire, “it” director Lola Cuevas pairs two different kinds of actors to breathe life into her version of the story. What could go wrong casting a serious leading actor with a box office action star? Only everything, of course. If you’ve ever been through the rehearsal process with a director that is secure in their vision, Official Competition is for you. The film is a masterclass in writing and acting. It encompasses all the temperamental moments in the history of cinematic genius.
Read more
Filmmakers Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes’ documentary The Janes comes at a time of continued turmoil in women’s health care. With the leak of the Supreme Court’s opinion on Roe Vs. Wade, the likelihood that American women will be living in Margaret Atwood’s fictional world of Gilead doesn’t seem so farfetched. While disgusting anti-abortion bills pop up in Red states across the country, forced birth is on every woman’s lips. With this very predicament before them in 1969, a group of savvy and brave women calling themselves “The Janes” decided to protect their own.
Read more
Sexism, racism, and rock & roll, Fanny: The Right To Rock is the story of how two Filipina American sisters started Fanny, the legendary rock group you may have never heard of until now. Jean and June Millington used to gather a crowd in their California backyard. After they decided to put together a band comprised of extraordinarily fearless and talented female musicians, the road to Fanny began.
Read more
Maternal instinct makes Andrea Arnold’s first feature documentary doubly challenging to watch, and that is most certainly the point. Cow takes the audience on an intimate journey alongside a dairy cow named Luma. Be prepared for your view of the bovine to drastically change. Cow is a shocking film that might turn you into an animal rights advocate. The up-close and personal handheld camerawork has a gritty feel. Cow shows us things we cannot unsee. Luma’s daily routine consists of milking, breeding, and getting shoved in any given direction.
Read more
A marriage of convenience proves inconvenient when Paul, a son of society, and Jane, a maid, fall in love against the rules of 1920s England. The tragic reality of postwar times, sons lost and promising futures destroyed, prominent families fake smile through another lunch together keeping up appearances. But, death and suffering are inescapable. Mothering Sunday is a story of love and loss through the decades.
Read more
The Hater plays out against the backdrop of the 2020 election cycle. The dialogue feels incredibly natural, slyly introducing important national platforms. It’s funny and tangible. Beyond the liberal slant, the concept that “we are more alike than we are different” is the major theme. Watching women discuss politics is ceaselessly entertaining. The takedown of toxic masculinity with passion and logic is unmistakable. While you’re not looking, The Hater is predominantly about empowering women. Writer/director/star Joey Ally doesn’t ignore the reality of both parties using dirty tactics. Through moral ambiguity and a whole lot of laughs, I loved every minute of this film.
Read more
Creating a buzz in any industry takes savvy, creativity, a sense of humor, and a willingness to do anything. In France, Léa Seydoux plays the titular role, a broadcast journalist and star whose personal life is just as provocative as her stories. With power, money, and fame come great sacrifice and a little bit of fabrication.
Read more