Category Archives: Historical Drama

Empire of Light review — A flawed but gorgeous film

December 28, 2022 flawintheiris

Empire Of Light | Written and Directed by Sam Mendes | 119 min | ▲▲▲▲△ | Crave A version of this review appeared on FITI in September from the Toronto International Film Festival Here's another semi-autobiographical drama from a garlanded filmmaker, following Belfast and The Fabelmans, both of which were lovely and intimate, if not…Read More

Top 10 New-To-Me Movies of 2022

December 18, 2022 flawintheiris

A few days ago on the hellscape we all know as Twitter, someone posted a list of the older films they'd discovered this year. Movies from the past they'd never had a chance to see before but had sought out or stumbled upon in the past 12 months and were glad they did. Since I'm…Read More

The Fabelmans review — Saving Young Spielberg

November 25, 2022 flawintheiris

Directed by Steven Spielberg | Written by Spielberg and Tony Kushner | 151 min | ▲▲▲△△ | Crave A version of this review appeared in September on FITI during the Toronto International Film Festival Considering this picture, Kenneth Branagh's Belfast from last year, James Gray's recent Armageddon Time, and the forthcoming Bardo and Empire of…Read More

The Wonder review — See it for Flo

November 19, 2022 flawintheiris

Directed by Sebastián Lelio | Written by Lelio and Alice Birch, based on a novel by Emma Donoghue | 103 min | ▲▲▲△△ | Netflix A version of this review was posted on FITI during the Toronto International Film Festival in September. Just as Florence Pugh's Don't Worry Darling scene partner Harry Styles has a less…Read More

Armageddon Time review — A moment of change in America

November 14, 2022 flawintheiris

Written and Directed by James Gray | 114 min | ▲▲▲▲△ | Crave Last year we had Belfast, and coming soon are two more large-scale autobiographical movies from prominent filmmakers: Empire Of Light from Sam Mendes, and The Fabelmans from Steven Spielberg. A more intimate, perhaps more personal reminiscence is out now from filmmaker James Gray…Read More

My Policeman review — Another sad gay love story

November 6, 2022 flawintheiris

Directed by Michael Grandage | Written by Ron Nyswaner from the novel by Bethan Roberts | 113 min | ▲▲△△△ | Amazon Prime A version of this review appeared on FITI at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival in September. I sometimes feel like French cinema has perfected the melodrama, so nobody else should attempt…Read More

The Banshees of Inisherin review — Irish idyll is a gem

November 5, 2022 flawintheiris

Written and Directed by Martin McDonagh | 109 min | ▲▲▲▲△ | Disney + and Crave A version of this review appeared on FITI in September during the Toronto International Film Festival. This film was shot in Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. The story is set on…Read More

Amsterdam review — An interesting mess, but a mess nonetheless

October 17, 2022 flawintheiris

Written and Directed by David O Russell | 134 min | ▲▲▲△△ This is the return of the deeply problematic, reportedly toxic filmmaker David O Russell to the Prestige Alley — that time between October and the end of the year when most of Hollywood's Oscar-bait features arrive in cinemas and jostle for garlands and…Read More

The Woman King review — Epic drama overcomes conventionality

October 1, 2022 flawintheiris

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood | Written by Dana Stevens and Maria Bello | 135 min | ▲▲▲▲△ | Crave Watching this romantic epic was accompanied by a sudden and uncomfortable realization of how little I know about African history. I had heard that the female warriors of a pre-colonial African empire inspired the Dora Milaje…Read More

No Bears, The Fabelmans, The Lost King reviews #TIFF22

September 18, 2022 flawintheiris

No Bears aka Khers Nist | Written and Directed by Jafar Panahi | 106 min On a recent episode of the podcast I cohost, LENS ME YOUR EARS, we watched and talked about a number of Iranian films, including a couple by activist filmmaker Jafar Panahi, The White Balloon and Taxi. I very much appreciate…Read More