Movie review by Greg Carlson With “The Look of Silence,” filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer and his dedicated collaborators have constructed a harrowing companion piece to the unforgettable chronicle of genocide in Indonesia depicted in “The Act of Killing.” In one sense answering critics who wondered why the prior film concentrated on the perpetrators of murder and […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Fans and admirers of Marlon Brando won’t require any coaxing to see Stevan Riley’s hugely entertaining documentary “Listen to Me Marlon,” but the film is compelling enough to transcend its status as “mere” Hollywood biography. A visual and aural odyssey that explores the actor’s well-known career highlights as well as […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Global treasure Guy Maddin detonates a cinematic depth charge in “The Forbidden Room,” a stunning cascade of images so gorgeous you might think you’ve stumbled upon some long lost Yma Sumac record sleeve photo shoot leftovers as lensed by Willy Hameister. Bearing all the filmmaker’s signature stylistic fetishes and then […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Following the honorary Oscar he received last month at the Governors Awards (along with the blistering truth-to-power acceptance speech he made), Spike Lee doesn’t seem likely to pick up many competitive Academy Award nominations for “Chi-Raq,” even though he should. Co-written with Kevin Willmott, whose diabolically good “C.S.A.: Confederate States […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson John Crowley’s film of Colm Toibin’s popular novel “Brooklyn” features a tremendous Saoirse Ronan – whose thoughtful and inviting presence is more than enough to recommend the movie, despite some of its easy calculations. As Eilis Lacey, a young woman who leaves her home and family in Enniscorthy, Ireland for […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Belinda Sallin’s documentary “Dark Star: H.R. Giger’s World” captures the Swiss artist near the end of his interesting life. Giger, who rocketed to international fame and Oscar glory for the iconic designs he contributed to Ridley Scott’s “Alien,” died in 2014 at the age of 74. Sallin, given full access […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Like hapless novelty salesmen Jonathan (Holger Andersson) and Sam (Nisse Vestblom), filmmaker Roy Andersson clearly just wants to help people have fun. Completing his “Living” trilogy – which also contains the brilliant pair “Songs from the Second Floor” (2000) and “You, the Living” (2007) – “A Pigeon Sat on a […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Back to the Future,” Jason Aron’s crowdfunded documentary “Back in Time” tries unsuccessfully to capitalize on the blockbuster’s enduring appeal. Released online for “Back to the Future Day,” October 21, 2015 – the date selected in the sequel by Marty McFly to go and save […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Made in part to capitalize on nostalgia for its source material, “Jem and the Holograms” is considerably less entertaining than many of the animated episodes of the original series that aired in first-run syndication from 1985 to 1988. Directed by Jon Chu, the live action “musical fantasy” borrows a number […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Strictly for Spandau Ballet fans, “Soul Boys of the Western World” follows the familiar “Behind the Music” formula applicable to thousands of rock and roll stories. Long on hyperbole and much shorter on subtext and context, director George Hencken’s documentary relies on unfettered access to a trove of vintage film […]