Drama

There’s something about the way Farewell Amor demands your attention that is unbelievably comforting. Maybe it’s because it functions as a triptych yet still seems formless and character-driven. Perhaps all the wonderful, reserved performances put…

Dirty God is the story of Jade, a twenty-something mom living in London, who is recovering from a vicious acid attack that left her permanently scarred. We meet Jade late in the story — after…

Ancient myth collides with modern society in Philippe Lacôte’s Night of the Kings, a film that takes place in the La MACA prison in Abidjan on the southern side of the Ivory Coast. The guards…

Ever since the release of Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity, there has been a renewed interest from studio heads and filmmakers in creating character-centered pieces set in space. One of the most prominent movies capitalizing off of…

Dialogue is one of the most prominent aspects when it comes to filmmaking. Lines such as “I’ll be back,” and “I am your father” have become nearly as notable as the movies they’re featured in…

Regina King makes everything better, doesn’t she? Lately, she’s been on another level, winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her beautiful performance in Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk and quickly moving on…

MovieBabble continues to be my not-so-subtle avenue to share my love for my hometown of Philadelphia, and what better way to continue that trend than to talk about a movie where Idris Elba rides a…

In case you weren’t already aware, Riz Ahmed is super talented. With Sound of Metal and Mogul Mowgli playing to overwhelmingly positive praise on the festival circuit, this is the sort of coming out party for…

The teenage experience is often depicted on screen as either excruciatingly idealized, where every 16-year-old is preened to perfection, or a never-ending slog without any light moments or laughter. Rocks is a joyful swerve away…

Much as its title would suggest, Supernova is a burst of emotions, a catastrophically gradual decline towards poignant devastation. Harry Macqueen’s film, which premiered at this year’s San Sebastián International Film Festival, tells the intimate,…

Diverting from the bubbly, fun theatrics of the stage musical-turned-film Mamma Mia! and the engaging, nuanced study of one of Great Britain’s most polarizing prime ministers, in the form of a Margaret Thatcher biopic, The…

People love to write movies about big, important events. I get it. World War II was important, we have a lot of World War II movies. Queen was important, so we got Bohemian Rhapsody. The…

Culture meets profession, as modernity collides with tradition in Bassam Tariq’s sophomore feature that premiered at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year. Mogul Mowgli is a film about a British-Pakistani rapper, Zed,…

I’ve learned something about myself over the last few years: I have a serious soft spot for grimy, street-level New York City movies. (“It’s almost another character in the movie!”) Anyone who frequents this website…

If you name your movie, “The Travelling Cat Chronicles”, you immediately have my attention. Just think of all the possibilities for a movie with that title! (Also, cats!!!) Although, the actual material isn’t as zany…

Gutterbug is the feature film debut of numerous folks, from director Andrew Gibson, who co-wrote the film with Chris Tobin, to the stellar supporting cast Justin Pietropaolo (Slim) and Hannah Mosqueda (Jenny). The film follows…

Lara, Jane-Ole Gerster’s sophomore feature, follows Lara Jenkins, a divorced mother on her 60th birthday. Not only is this her birthday, but it is also her son’s first solo concert as a pianist and composer.…

World War II was as far-reaching as its name would suggest. Not only did soldiers and civilians die, but their friends, families, and even hometown acquaintances were all affected by this devastating war. Summerland highlights…

The Killing of Two Lovers begins with an unbelievably harrowing moment, showing a painful closeup of David’s (Clayne Crawford) face as he stands over the bed with a cocked gun, pointing it at his wife…

There’s something about micro-budget, social realist, mumblecore adjacent independent films with an emphasis on naturalism and a kind empathy for deeply flawed and troubled characters that feels so invigorating. Canadian director, Kazik Radwanski’s deeply uncomfortable…

Biopics, or biographical films, are often difficult to pull off. They are often polarizing, especially among those who are experts or fans of the subject. Bohemian Rhapsody was revered in many ways, but historians and…

Editor’s Note: The following review of The Truth initially ran during MovieBabble’s coverage of the 2019 Denver Film Festival. The Truth (La vérité) seems a particularly tricky film to handle. It covers the stormy reunion…

The American dream has destroyed a lot of people. Sometimes one person’s dream comes at the expense of others. Other times, a dream required too many sacrifices, leading to spiritual decay or a short lifespan.…

I would describe myself as a Judd Apatow defender, for the most part. I tend to even enjoy his films many consider as his weaker efforts. While I wouldn’t describe him as one of the…

The name Shirley Jackson is well-known to horror veterans. She’s someone I mainly know for inspiring the hit Netflix television show The Haunting of Hill House. Personally, I’ve been too terrified to rewatch the show or even…

I like to live by a few principles, one of them being Willem Dafoe makes every movie better. It doesn’t matter if he has a hilarious man-bun and speaks a few lines of exposition in…

As a filmmaker, Josh Trank is less famous for his body of work than for his public persona. It all started with the modestly budgeted, Chronicle. Told via a found-footage narrative, it entailed the story…

I always think it’s a little silly when we ascribe descriptors to a film that never intended to have them. Clementine has been described by many as an “erotic thriller”, which is pretty hilarious when…

On April 15th, 2020, we lost the great Brian Dennehy. It goes without saying that, as an actor, he left behind a great legacy. As with many people, the first time I noticed him was…

You probably don’t need me to tell you that ICE detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants throughout the United States is a hot button issue. You also probably didn’t need me to start this review by…