Song of My City, a 2025 short film directed by David C. Roberts, runs just under twenty minutes and captures the emotional essence of 1970s New York through a vibrant collage of archival B-roll. Instead of telling a traditional story, the film functions like a visual poem, blending images of neon signs, crowded sidewalks, smoky… Continue reading Song of My City: captures the emotional essence of 1970s New York
Author: Laurie Coker
AFF 2025 – Hamnet: a haunting and heartfelt act of imagination
Having taught Shakespeare for thirty years, I approached Hamnet with both anticipation and caution. The life of William Shakespeare, as most scholars understand, can almost fit on a postage stamp—an extraordinary creative legacy paired with a frustratingly sparse historical record. So, when Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel premiered, I knew I wasn’t… Continue reading AFF 2025 – Hamnet: a haunting and heartfelt act of imagination
AFF 2025 – Rental Family: Fraser delivers a luminous, deeply grounded performance
Having visited Japan twice and fallen in love with its blend of quiet elegance and modern energy, I was instantly captivated by Rental Family—a film that explores both the poetry and contradictions of life in Tokyo. Director Hikari portrays the city not as a neon-lit spectacle, but as a deeply human landscape, full of small… Continue reading AFF 2025 – Rental Family: Fraser delivers a luminous, deeply grounded performance
You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine – a fitting tribute to a storyteller who never required the spotlight to shine
Watching You Got Gold felt like stepping into a room full of people who not only loved John Prine’s music but also truly understood his heart. I had the privilege of seeing Prine perform live years ago, and even then, what struck me most was his gift as a storyteller. He didn’t just sing songs;… Continue reading You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine – a fitting tribute to a storyteller who never required the spotlight to shine
Arrest the Midwife: stylistically steady and reflective
Watching Arrest the Midwife felt less like being swept into a dramatic crusade and more like being dropped into a complex situation that’s been developing for years. Director Elaine Epstein presents a case that’s emotional, yes, but also complicated — legally, culturally, and personally. The documentary follows three certified professional midwives in upstate New York… Continue reading Arrest the Midwife: stylistically steady and reflective
Sallywood: heartfelt and quietly memorable
Sallywood is a small film with a surprisingly lasting impact. Written and directed by Xaque Gruber and inspired by his own experience as an assistant to Oscar-nominated actress Sally Kirkland, the movie combines comedy, memoir, and gentle reflection into an understated Hollywood story that remains personal from start to finish. Tyler Steelman stars as Zack,… Continue reading Sallywood: heartfelt and quietly memorable
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: light, charming, occasionally funny
Walking into Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, I didn’t expect much beyond flashy—and, of course, unbelievable—sleight-of-hand and a few smug grins from the returning Horsemen. What I got was pretty much that—but with enough charm, humor, and energy from the new cast to keep me more entertained than I expected, even if I… Continue reading Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: light, charming, occasionally funny
Round Top Film Festival – Due West: imperfect, yes, but grounded and relevant
Due West doesn’t shock or reinvent anything, but it genuinely captures what it’s like to live somewhere with few options and serious consequences. Watching it at the Round Top Film Festival, surrounded by a community that truly understands rural Texas, gave the film an extra boost. Adrianne Palicki anchors the story as an unnamed woman… Continue reading Round Top Film Festival – Due West: imperfect, yes, but grounded and relevant
Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Cottonmouth: a gritty Western thriller that doesn’t pull its punches
I caught Cottonmouth at this year’s Round Top Film Festival, and it left me both unsettled and impressed—a gritty Western thriller that doesn’t pull its punches. Directed by Brock Harris, the film is steeped in dust, betrayal, and retribution, a modern take on the old frontier morality tale. It’s not an easy watch—bleak, violent, and… Continue reading Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Cottonmouth: a gritty Western thriller that doesn’t pull its punches
Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Nouvelle Vague: both a love letter and a restrained bow to Jean-Luc Godard’s revolutionary spirit
Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague is both a love letter and a restrained bow to Jean-Luc Godard’s revolutionary spirit. I saw it at the Round Top Film Festival, where its black-and-white shimmer felt perfectly at home amid the festival’s thoughtful, art-loving crowd. It’s a pretty film—undeniably so—and its monochrome palette gives every frame the texture of… Continue reading Round Top Film Festival 2025 – Nouvelle Vague: both a love letter and a restrained bow to Jean-Luc Godard’s revolutionary spirit