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Magoada captures a lonely spirit
On the heels of making short films, writer-director Ruben Sainz adds time more than content to his 116 minute project, Magoada, or “hurt”...
Robin Holabird
Mar 4, 20241 min read


Teachers Lounge looks for answers
Though filmed in Hamburg, Germany’s nominee for a best international film Oscar hit home, reminding me of circumst ances I faced decades...
Robin Holabird
Feb 9, 20241 min read


Mikkelsen shines in The Promised Land
Switching gears from his international fame as a go-to bad guy, Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen proves a fine hero in The Promised Land. ...
Robin Holabird
Feb 5, 20241 min read


Fallen Leaves drop rom-com cliches
Maintaining his focus on the lives of Finland’s working class, writer-director Aki Kaurismäki provides a pleasantly low-key, sort-of...
Robin Holabird
Feb 5, 20241 min read


Zone goes beyond interest
Before reviewing Zone of Interest, my mind goes back to all those writing classes I once took. My teachers hated the word interest and...
Robin Holabird
Jan 26, 20242 min read


The Home Game proves a winner
A documentary set in a tiny Icelandic town, The Home Game captures the spirit of community and teamwork. Support from Iceland’s film fund...
Robin Holabird
Jan 19, 20242 min read


All of Us Strangers connects
Though its specifics deal with LGBTQ issues, All of Us Strangers gets universal appeal from the quote “what if” concept. What if we could...
Robin Holabird
Dec 27, 20232 min read


Origin roots through tough topics
Though documentary seems the natural approach to Isabel Wilkerson’s relevant exploration of societal ills in her book Caste: The Origins...
Robin Holabird
Dec 26, 20232 min read


Poor Things offers rich treats
Frankenstein gets a crazy spin from Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos, who already showed his penchant for the weird with The...
Robin Holabird
Dec 26, 20231 min read


Color Purple resonates
Given that two of the best and most cinematic musicals deal with topics like gang warfare and Nazis, it follows a pattern to transform a...
Robin Holabird
Dec 26, 20232 min read


Nevada's 2023 movie awards
Many people spend December singing, celebrating, buying gifts, and admiring pretty lights. In contrast, film critics use the month to...
Robin Holabird
Dec 14, 20232 min read


Fassbender kills it as The Killer
Actor Michael Fassbender uses his phenomenal body to perfection as The Killer in director David Fincher’s take on a graphic novel. ...
Robin Holabird
Dec 10, 20231 min read


Cage escapes in Dream Scenario
Writer-Director Kristoffer Borgi creates a world for Nicolas Cage to shine in with Dream Scenario. With energy that seems ready to burst...
Robin Holabird
Dec 10, 20231 min read


Holdovers holds holiday spirit
A movie about more than Christmas, The Holdovers offers a change of pace for those seeking respite from cuddly holiday cheer. Set at an...
Robin Holabird
Dec 10, 20231 min read


All the light dims
For a story that promotes inner depth involving “all the light we cannot see,” the best points from the series based on the Pulitzer...
Robin Holabird
Nov 16, 20232 min read


Nyad swims towards acting Oscars
A fine line between heroics and insanity crawls throughout the movie Nyad when a phenomenal athlete challenges the ocean for a 110 mile...
Robin Holabird
Nov 10, 20232 min read


Quiz Lady find answers
Playing sisters with differing approaches to life in Quiz Lady, Awkwafina and Sandra Oh answer the question about what matters most—the...
Robin Holabird
Nov 3, 20231 min read


Persian offers fun Version
Family dramady with a twist on rom-com combine for this year’s Sundance Film Festival audience award winner, The Persian Version. The...
Robin Holabird
Nov 2, 20232 min read


Scorsese scorches with killer Killers
Proving his distaste for comic book popcorn movies, director Martin Scorsese delivers significant cinema with his take on Killers of the...
Robin Holabird
Oct 22, 20232 min read


Intrigue starts in Last Stop at Larramah
By Agatha Christie standards, the real-life murder at Larrimah deserved a quick solution. After all, the outpost with its population of...
Robin Holabird
Oct 14, 20231 min read
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