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Reviews

SIFF Review: "The East"

SIFF Review: "The East"

"The East"
Directed by Zal Batmanglij
Starring Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Toby Kebbell, Shiloh Fernandez, Aldis Hodge, Patricia Clarkson
Thriller, Drama, Mystery
116 Mins
R

The East is neither the first movie about an undercover mole infiltrating an enemy organization, learning the universal worth of their dogma and falling for their leader nor will it be the last. Nonetheless, it's commendable for its throbbing sense of stakes even in light of the searing self-righteous aplomb beating you over the head at every turn.

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SIFF Review: "Populaire"

"Populaire"
Directed by Régis Roinsard 
Starring Déborah François, Romain Duris, Bérénice Bejo and Shaun Benson
Foreign, Comedy
111 Mins
R

Filmed in the whimsy stylings of French New Wave, Populaire jars the bay window open and lets the breezy charm waft in and take the helm. Tackling the inconspicuous topic of typing competitions in 1959, directorRégis Roinsardturns what should have been bland and academic into an exciting match of athleticism, fueled by a cheery performance fromDéborah François

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SIFF Review: "The Spectacular Now"

"The Spectacular Now"
Directed by James Ponsoldt
Starring Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bob Odenkirk
Comedy, Drama
95 Mins
Not Yet Rated

 
What do you get when you fold an affable high school comedy into a serious meditation on heredity and real-world relationships? Apparently a winning formula as The Spectacular Now manages to merge comedy and drama seamlessly. Instead of the competing comedic and tragic elements compromising each other's effectiveness, both sides benefit from the inclusion of the other and result in a film that's both genuinely funny and emotionally meaningful. Relative newcomer Miles Teller (Project X) lights up the screen as Sutter Kelly and the many relationships he surrounds himself with are earnest but guarded, bitter yet sweet - much like the film itself.

Read more: SIFF Review: "The Spectacular Now"

SIFF - Film Review: "Frances Ha" Is a Delightful Treat from the Mumblecore Camp

"Frances Ha"
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Starring Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Michael Zegen and Patrick Heusinger
Comedy
86 Mins

Noah Baumbach is at his least caustic with Frances Ha, an idiosyncratic and delightful black-and-white mumblecore film about a New York City girl coming to terms with herself in the haze of her post-collegiate days. Newcomer Greta Gerwig offers up a performance in the vein of Dustin Hoffman's Benjamin from The Graduate as she mumbles and bumbles her way through the purgatory of her mid-twenties. To continue the comparison with The Graduate,Frances Ha is an equally quirky, if less lovable, film that thrives on silly banter and whimsy spirit.

Read more: SIFF - Film Review: "Frances Ha"...

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