Cooper Hoffman | Film Festival Today

“Been Here Stay Here” Portrays Vanishing Island
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
January 7, 2026
Been Here Stay Here (David Usui, 2024) 3½ out of 5 stars Director David Usui makes his solo-feature debut with Been Here Stay Here, a documentary portrait of Tangier Island, located in Virginia’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay. Since the mid-1800s, the island has lost two-thirds of its land mass and is projected to essentially vanish in the relatively near future (as in, it won’t last till the end of this century). That’s rough news for the 400 ... >>
“Happy and You Know It” Offers Good Cheer
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
December 24, 2025
Happy and You Know It (Penny Lane, 2025) 4 out of 5 stars Writing meaningful music for children is not easy. Just ask the composers/performers featured in Happy and You Know It, the latest documentary from Penny Lane (Listening to Kenny G), which come out Christmas Day on HBO. It’s a worthy profession, however, no matter the challenges, for there’s nothing better than inspiring children to sing, dance, and be merry. ... >>
“American Sasquatch” Engrosses
By Matt Patti
November 25, 2025
American Sasquatch: Man, Myth, or Monster (Gabe Torres, 2025) 3 out of 5 stars Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Skunk Ape. There are many names throughout America that describe this mythical creature: a tall, hairy being that walks on two legs and is found throughout dense forests in the U.S. Whatever your local area calls it, this urban legend has been heavily featured in narrative films, documentaries, and folklore alike. ... >>
Interview with “Rebuilding” Director Max Walker-Silverman
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
November 19, 2025
Max Walker-Silverman’s debut feature, A Love Song, impressed with its combination of gorgeous cinematography and heartfelt performances. His follow-up, Rebuilding (which I reviewed out of the 2025 Middleburg Film Festival), showcases identical strengths in a brand-new story, set as before in the director’s native Colorado. Starring Josh O’Connor (La Chimera) as Dusty, a divorced dad whose family ranch is destroyed in a wildfire, the movie also ... >>
In “The Carpenter’s Son,” Jesus Wrestles with Divinity
By Patrick Howard
November 14, 2025
The Carpenter’s Son (Lotfy Nathan, 2025) 3½ out of 5 stars After a hundred years’ worth of depictions of Jesus Christ in film, the ones that highlight a young man contending with his human and divine selves stand out among the rest. It’s a type of story that is not without its controversy. As you can imagine, a Jesus who was more conflicted and defiant in his youth may be a hard pill to swallow for a lot of devout believers. This is a ... >>

“I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” Showcases Subject’s Range of Qualities
In >> Breaking, Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Film Reviews, Spotlight
“The Testament of Ann Lee” Fails to Inspire
In >> Breaking, Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Film Reviews, Spotlight
“The Housemaid” Is Laughably Inept
In >> Breaking, Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Film Reviews, Spotlight
“Dust Bunny” Isn’t Imaginative Enough
In >> Breaking, Film Reviews, George W. Campbell, Spotlight

10 Films to Watch at Sundance 2026
January 20, 2026
The 2026 Sundance Film Festival runs live and ...>>
Chris Reed’s Top 10 Films of 2025
December 31, 2025
It always amazes me how different a given year’s ...>>
Hannah Tran’s Top 10 Films of 2025
December 29, 2025
Whether in narrative or documentary, few years have ...>>
Matt Patti’s Top 10 Films of 2025
December 26, 2025
Another year has come and passed and here we are at ...>>
Patrick Howard’s Top 10 Films of 2025
December 24, 2025
Where I have previously reviewed the film (in this ...>>

10 Films to Watch at Sundance 2026

Slight “Saturday Night” Delivers Fun

Film Review: Imperfect As It Is, “Licorice Pizza” Still Entertains