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DOC NYC : Steal This Story, Please! Review

©Courtesy of DOC NYC Making sense of the world by finding emotion and meaning in unexpected places is a vital trait of two of the leading, powerful pillars of truth-seekers – documentary filmmakers and journalists. Reporter Amy Goodman shares her fearless reporting on global injustices, media consolidation and the fight for independent journalism in the…

‘Oh. What. Fun.’ : Cookies and Milk from a Disgruntled Santa

©Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios Fear not, It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street, you’re not in danger of being toppled from your thrones this Christmas. Though Amazon/MGM’s Oh. What. Fun. boasts a competent director (Michael Showalter) and an equally competent cast headed by Michelle Pfeiffer and Denis Leary, the movie seems more…

‘The New Yorker At 100,’ Netflix Homages The Highbrow Magazine

The Netflix documentary directed and produced by Academy Award-winning Marshall Curry, allows unprecedented access into The New Yorker’s newsroom while retracing its history that began at the beginning of the previous century. The New Yorker At 100 premiered at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival and it features interviews with the former and current team of…

Rosemead Amplifies the Impact of Mental Health Stigma in the Immigrant Community

©Courtesy of Rosemead Existing in the limited space between belonging and being an outsider amplifies many people’s emotional journey of struggling with mental health. Their determination to overcome the shame of mental illness is the main driving force of the new crime thriller, Rosemead. Acclaimed Director of Photography, Eric Lin (The Exploding Girl), made his…

‘Jay Kelly’ Explores The Collective Construct Of Stardom

The film directed by Noah Baumbach — that he co-wrote with Emily Mortimer, who also has a supporting role in the film — stars an ensemble cast that includes George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup and Alba Rohrwacher. Jay Kelly follows the eponymous famous actor (played by George Clooney) as he…

‘Ishirō Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director,’ Provides A Wide Angle On The Japanese Cineaste

The journey towards the Chicago Japan Film Collective’s 5th anniversary continues in 2026, with the Backstreet Cinema Series Vol. 2. This second installment explores the primal power and emotional resonance of Nipponic art through documentaries that reflect the heartbeat, courage, and creative spirit that lie at the core of the cultural identity of the Land…

“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” Review

©Courtesy of Universal Pictures Las Vegas needs a real-life Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, but not the smaller franchise store from the first film. Fans deserve a full recreation of the bigger flagship restaurant, complete with the river ride, as revealed in the new sequel—like only Vegas could build. Mike Schmidt’s encounters in the smaller Freddy Fazbear’s…

‘Slanted’ Uses Body Horror To Mock White Ethnocentrism

If The Substance explored ageism through the transformation of the body, a film featured in the line-up of the 43rd edition of the Torino Film Festival uses the same means to discuss white ethnocentrism. Slanted follows Joan Huang (Shirley Chen), a Chinese-American teen, who moved with her family from China to the star-spangled country when…

Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution Review

©Courtesy of GKIDS Three of the biggest anime franchises share certain similarities. In Chainsaw Man, they fight devils, while in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba they do indeed slay demons. In the case of Jujutsu Kaisen, human “Jujutsu Sorcerers” battle so-called “Curses,” demonic monsters that coalesce from the excess negative energy humans release into the…

Zootopia 2 Roars Back with Heart, Humor and Sharp Social Commentary

©Courtesy of Disney The most circumstantial fluke discovery amongst novice investigators can unwittingly lead to a significant, unexpected change in society. That journey not only drove the action in the 2016 animated buddy comedy, Zootopia, but also its new sequel, Zootopia 2. Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman once again lead the voice ensemble cast for…

‘Nuremberg’ Shows War Crimes Through An Intellectual Duel

The Closing Film of the 43rd edition of the Torino Film Festival Nuremberg brought to the silver screen a story that explores the familiarisation with the enemy. Film director James Vanderbilt portrays the Allied trials of the 1940s, following the fall of the Nazi regime. American psychiatrist Douglas Kelly (Rami Malek) is assigned to evaluate…