Sometimes a film cannot be pinned down to a specific genre. “Diamantino,” which screened during the New York Film Festival this past week, is that perfect example. A hybrid of sci-fi, comedy, fantasy, romance, and surrealism, “Diamantino” defies explanation and follows its own beautifully dark and twisted creative whims.

READ MORE: New York Film Festival: 15 Must-See Films To Watch

Following Diamantino, a Portuguese football star who is all but disgraced by his own country for missing an vital penalty kick, directors Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt‘s beautifully dreamy original tackles the refugee crisis, genetic modification, neo-fascism, and yes, even giant fluffy puppies in an ambitiously absurdist tale of a guy who is trying to find some kind of redemption and sense of self.

Continue reading ‘Diamantino’: Soccer, Surrealism & Satire Score Big In This Portuguese Oddity [NYFF Review] at The Playlist.

Tina’s upper lip quivers as she sniffs the air. She’s in uniform, watching as passengers stroll through an airport terminal corridor. She’ll pull one off to the side and find hidden booze, drugs, even secrets. Tina has a talent; she can smell emotions like guilt and fear and shame. As border security guards go, she’s in a class all her own.

“Border” is based on a short story by ‘Let the Right One’ In author John Ajvide Lindqvist.

Continue reading ‘Border’ Is A Compassionate, Empathetic Monsters Ball [NYFF] at The Playlist.

It’s too bad Alfonso Cuarón hasn’t made more films in the past twenty years, because every single one seems to be both wonderful and a complete departure from his last project. After spending years working on new technology for his 2013 Oscar-winning adventure in orbit “Gravity,” Cuarón has spent his time since then diving into his own past, excavating and recreating the Mexico City neighborhood he grew up in for the 1971-set “Roma.” While his last two movies relied on nerve-racking narratives that grabbed the audience and never let go, “Roma” is a much more personal and contemplative film, reviewing his childhood through the more mature eyes of his devoted housekeeper Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) and mother (Marina de Tavira).

Continue reading ‘Roma’: Alfonso Cuarón Discusses Digging Into His Past For His Most Personal Film Yet [NYFF] at The Playlist.

The Coen Brothers have shown interest in the Western genre for years, dating back to their Western set-early films “Blood Simple” and “Raising Arizona” to their later more direct takes on the genre, their Oscar-winning Cormac McCarthy adaptation “No Country for Old Men” and their John Wayne remake “True Grit.” As they sat down at the New York Film Festival to discuss their latest, they revealed that they had been writing the episodes comprising “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” on and off for years.

Continue reading Coen Brothers & Stars Discuss ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,’ Westerns, Oxen Wranglers & More [NYFF] at The Playlist.

It’s been a hell of a week. A divided, partisan country ripped at the seams and what was once a split has become an unnavigable chasm. The protracted and ugly Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Brett Kavanaugh turned into a culture war — left vs. right, men vs. women — when a courageous woman came forward with sexual assault allegations against the nominee and instead of a thorough investigation from the FBI, the country was given a contentious set of hearings Thursday.

Continue reading Charles Ferguson’s Timely ‘Watergate’ Doc Is Routine But Vital [NYFF Review] at The Playlist.

At 88 and with an honorary Oscar under his belt, Frederick Wiseman has spent so long exploring the intricacies of American institutions via documentary film that he himself has become an institution. But as usual, there is no trace but style of Wiseman in his latest effort, “Monrovia, Indiana,” which turns his lens on a small town in the American heartland in his usual self-effacing manner, free of any editorial comment or subtitles, merely presenting his subjects and letting them speak for themselves.

Continue reading ‘Monrovia, Indiana:’ Frederick Wiseman Delves Into Rural America [NYFF Review] at The Playlist.

Equal parts “Weekend” and “120 BPM” – while still being a pure product of writer-director Christophe Honoré – “Sorry Angel” is a tender, tentative romance, simultaneously full of both life and death. Set in 1993 in France, AIDS casts a dark shadow over the relationship between two men who can’t stay away from each other, despite the distance that divides them and the diagnosis of the elder one.

Continue reading ‘Sorry Angel’: Christophe Honoré’s Latest Is A Tender, Tentative Romance [NYFF Review] at The Playlist.

In his latest effort, Yorgos Lanthimos takes on 18th-century royalty with “The Favourite,” a dark comedy loosely based on the story of Queen Anne of England and her closest confidants: the Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) and newcomer Abigail (Emma Stone) who battle for the monarch’s love. In what could be considered one of the best roles of Stone’s career to date, Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz stun in this unique period drama with contemporary flair.  

Continue reading ‘The Favourite’: Emma Stone, Olivia Colman & Yorgos Lanthimos Talk “Bizarre” Rehearsals, CGI Rabbits & More [NYFF] at The Playlist.

The 56th Annual New York Film Festival is upon us once again, gifting the cinematic landscape with thrilling and compelling films carefully curated from all over the world.  Last year’s favorites included “Call Me By Your Name” and “Lady Bird,” the latter of which went onto become A24’s highest grossing film and earn not one but five Academy Award nominations.  This year is no different, the festival will unleash future classics like “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” directed by the Coen Brothers, the sweeping Mexican epic “ROMA,” the latest effort by Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuaron.

Continue reading New York Film Festival: 15 Must-See Films To Watch at The Playlist.