Ida: Pawel Pawlikowski tells a simple (but far from simplistic) story; it also tells it rigorously, ponderously. Agata Trzebuchowska and Agata Kulesza, as the central characters, interact beautifully, even if only the bare minimum is known about the characters. What truly sets this film apart, however, is the amazing cinematography of Ryszard Lenczewski and Lukasz Zal; every image is nicely (and expressively) framed, and the lighting is always beautiful.

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama

Men, Women & Children: Jason Reitman’s film presents some interesting ideas, but that doesn’t make the drama automatically engaging or strong. By one hand, there is a detachment (as well as some pretentiousness, particularly to Emma Thompson’s narration) in the way the story is told; by the other, most characters are too extreme, borderline caricatures. The mix makes the whole less relatable. The large ensemble is solid, but for the most part, given uninteresting parts to play; Kaitlyn Dever and Ansel Elgort, who have […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama