Toronto 2014: 'The Duke of Burgundy' Review

I've been a fan of filmmaker Peter Strickland ever since, as part of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's Films That Got Away committee, we programmed his debut, Katalin Varga, at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2010. His third film, The Duke of Burgundy, was one of the best reviewed offerings out of Toronto. I reviewed it for Paste.

'Mr. Nobody' Review

Mr. Nobody has had a difficult journey to distribution in the U.S. After premiering in Venice in 2009, the movie (from Belgian director Jaco Van Dormael) got released in other countries but not America. In fact, it wasn't until 2011 that Mr. Nobody screened in the U.S. -- and that was due to the efforts of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's Films That Got Away committee, of which I'm a proud member. We programmed the film for that summer's Los Angeles Film Festival, and it was a huge hit with a predominantly younger crowd. That was understandable: Mr. Nobody's themes of chance and fate (mixed with some pretty great sci-fi effects) resonate with twentysomethings on the cusp of their own adulthood. Jared Leto is the star of the film, and he's quite good in it. As for the movie itself, my review is up at Paste.

'Berberian Sound Studio' Review

When is a horror movie not really a horror movie? When it's Berberian Sound Studio, a psychological drama that's about a sound engineer (Toby Jones) who finds himself working on a low-rent horror movie in Italy in the 1970s. But as we'll soon learn, something seems to be amiss. Or is it all in his head? This is the follow-up film from writer-director Peter Strickland, whose Katalin Varga (I'm proud to say) the Los Angeles Film Critics' Films That Got Away committee programmed a few years ago for the Los Angeles Film Festival. That movie was darn good; Berbrian Sound Studio is even better. My review is up at Paste.

"Films That Got Away" at the Los Angeles Film Festival

"Films That Got Away" is a special sidebar that runs during the Los Angeles Film Festival that is put together by members of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association to highlight remarkable movies that, for one reason or another, never got a release in the Los Angeles area. Last year's trio of films -- Musica Nocturna, United Red Army, and especially The Silence Before Bach -- were all exceptional, which inspired me to become part of the LAFCA committee that selected this year's sidebar. The 2010 installment only has two movies, but they're both definitely worth your time.

On Saturday, June 19, we'll be screening The Happiest Girl in the World, a Romanian comedy that, no, isn't just another of those long, boring Romanian films that critics absolutely love. (And, hey, what's your problem with The Death of Mr. Lazarescu and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days anyway?) This is a warm, smart, great film that's part coming-of-age drama and part social satire. Plus, it's funny.

Then, on Wednesday, June 23, I'll be presenting Katalin Varga, a dark British/Hungarian/Romanian character piece that gets more interesting and absorbing each time I see it. I absolutely hate using the word "challenging" to describe a film -- particularly one I want you to see -- but this is an uncompromising little movie. But it's also a haunting film -- and at 82 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. I'll have more to say about Katalin Varga during my opening remarks before the film.

the hurt locker, and the los angeles film festival

I'm not due for another Consumables column for about a week, but I've seen so much good stuff lately that I decided to publish the new one now. I review The Hurt Locker, The Girl From Monaco and Soul Power, but the real highlights are the three movies included in the Los Angeles Film Festival's "Films That Got Away" series: Musica Nocturna, United Red Army and especially The Silence Before Bach.