John Ridley | Film Festival Today

“Shirley” Suffers Defeat

March 21, 2024

“Forge” Is a Smart and Stylish Caper
By George W. Campbell
May 21, 2026
Forge (Jing Ai Ng, 2026) 3½ out of 5 stars In a criminal underworld filled with grifters, where deception can be your livelihood, art forgery is a uniquely difficult trade. Your brushwork must be faithful enough to fool experts, but not personal enough to feel like it’s yours. It’s a delicate tightrope to walk, but thankfully, writer/director Jing Ai Ng is eager to explore it in her feature directorial debut, Forge. Taking a cue from crime ... >>
Mads Mikkelsen Shines in “The Last Viking”
By Patrick Howard
May 21, 2026
The Last Viking (Anders Thomas Jensen, 2025) 4½ out of 5 stars In The Last Viking, Anker (Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Frankenstein) is released from prison for robbery, only to learn that the money he stole was buried by his brother, Manfred (Mads Mikkelsen, Dust Bunny). To make matters worse, Manfred can no longer remember where he stashed the stolen loot. As the brothers set out to find the money, the search turns chaotic, and Anker and Manfred ... >>
“Among Neighbors” Challenges Polish Nationalism
By Rendy Jones
May 17, 2026
Among Neighbors (Yoav Potash, 2024) 4 out of 5 stars Growing up, my introduction to the Holocaust—beyond school textbooks—came through narrative features. The Pianist and Schindler’s List, specifically, were screened to me at a young age, highlighting WWII and the heartbreaking atrocities Jewish people faced. But hardly any media I’ve seen focused on the post-war period in Poland, a country still riddled with virulent antisemitism. Today ... >>
“Two Women” Brings Double the Charm
By Hannah Tran
April 23, 2026
Two Women (Chloé Robichaud, 2025) 3 out of 5 stars A modern retelling of the 1970 French Canadian cult film Two Women in Gold, Chloé Robichaud’s Two Women refreshes this simple, sexy tale with a pleasant sense of playfulness. It begins with the first of these titular women, Violette, a new mother whose husband is constantly away on “business trips,” where he carries on an affair with his younger coworker. The second woman is Florence, who lives ... >>
“Desert Warrior” Clunks Its Way Around a Grand Battle
By Adam Vaughn
April 23, 2026
Desert Warrior (Rupert Wyatt, 2025) 3 out of 5 stars Desert Warrior, the latest film from director Rupert Wyatt (Captive State), takes the viewer back to the seventh century, when a legendary Arab bandit, Hanzala (Anthony Mackie, Captain America: Brave New World), and the Princess Hind (Aiysha Hart, Salvable) unite their tribes to take on the newly appointed Emperor Kisra (Ben Kingsley, Deep Water). With the emperor’s army closing in, led by the ... >>