Vanessa Burghardt | Film Festival Today

Sundance Review: Cooper Raiff’s “Cha Cha Real Smooth” Is a Charmer

January 27, 2022

Sundance Review: “Deaf President Now!”
By Hannah Tran
February 11, 2025
Deaf President Now! (Nyle DiMarco/Davis Guggenheim, 2025) 4½ out of 5 stars If you ever need reassurances about the power of protest, look no further than Deaf President Now! Based on the 1988 protest of the same name, this invigorating documentary tells the story of how students at Gallaudet University, the oldest university designed specifically for the deaf and hard of hearing, fought to have the first deaf president in the school’s 124-year ... >>
“One Night in Tokyo” Delivers Romance
By Patrick Howard
February 11, 2025
One Night in Tokyo (Joshua Woodcock, 2024) 4 out of 5 stars Sam (Reza Emamiyeh, Immortal Hero) arrives in Tokyo to celebrate his birthday with his girlfriend, only to discover she’s ending their relationship. With Sam’s plans in disarray, his friend Jun (Shinichiro Watanabe) suggests he join his ex-girlfriend Ayaka (Tokiko Kitagawa) and her friends for drinks. After deciding to return to the United States the next morning, Sam agrees to meet ... >>
Looks Deceive in “I Love You Forever”
By George W. Campbell
February 10, 2025
I Love You Forever (Cazzie David/Elisa Kalani, 2024) 3½ out of 5 stars The initial stages of any relationship can be an intoxicating experience. If you meet someone you truly connect with, it feels overwhelming, especially if you aren’t used to affection. However, that infatuation may blind you to the other person’s flaws. This is where writers/directors Cazzie David and Elisa Kalani place you in their debut feature I Love You Forever. It ... >>
Sundance Review: “Together”
By Hannah Tran
February 10, 2025
Together (Michael Shanks, 2025) 4 out of 5 stars Commitment is scary for many, but in Michael Shanks’ Together, it turns into an actual horror movie. While it’s nearly impossible to commend the film without spoiling its twisty conceit, be prepared for equal parts romance and disgust. While it sounds like the kind of idea that could go very wrong, Together shapes up as an excitingly fresh and fun debut for Shanks as he takes the idea of ... >>
Sundance Review: “Prime Minister”
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
February 5, 2025
Prime Minister (Lindsay Utz/Michelle Walshe, 2025) 4 out of 5 stars Born in 1980, Jacinda Ardern was elected Prime Minister of New Zealand in 2017. She was both the first woman to serve in that office and the youngest in over a century-and-a-half. A progressive politician—head of the Labour Party—she led her country via a left-leaning coalition that promoted equal rights for all. Unfortunately, though she was at one point extremely popular, the ... >>

Our Coverage of 2025 Oscar Nominees
January 25, 2025
Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and ...>>
10 Films to Watch at Sundance 2025
January 21, 2025
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival runs in-person January ...>>
Chris Reed’s Top 10 Films of 2024
December 31, 2024
This was another good year for movies, though perhaps ...>>
Matt Patti’s Top 10 Films of 2024
December 30, 2024
2024 will be a year remembered for many reasons. There ...>>
Hannah Tran’s Top 10 Films of 2024
December 29, 2024
I have never wrestled so much over what was going to ...>>