America, the Discontent: Hal Hartley’s Dated Composite Trust (1990) and the Cheap Renewal of the American Independen
America, the Discontent: Hal Hartley’s Dated Composite Trust (1990) and the Cheap Renewal of the American Independent Landen Fulton Camouflaged by cheap buzzwords like “arthouse” and “indie,” A24 and Neon have jury-rigged the theater (and subsequently the award … Read more
The Night of the Hunter (1955) Review
The Night of the Hunter (1995) Review Landen Fulton Love and hate ground the contrast between America’s protestant roots and its amoral obsession with monetary gain, as folktale-turned-nightmare The Night of the Hunter (1955) weaponizes religion — the … Read more
(Post) Soviet Life and the Anti-Ethnographer’s Gaze
(Post) Soviet Life and the Anti-Ethnographer’s Gaze Landen Fulton Soviet Woman in D’est – Icarus Films Cold is the night of the wintry Post-Soviet Eastern Bloc. The bones of a dilapidating brutalist state lay the backdrop, as dozens of … Read more
Cosmic Rays 2025
Aspect Covers the 2025 Cosmic Rays Film Festival April 24th, 2025 Introduction by Charlie Brownlee Popcorn and wine flows, tote bags swing, and the Cosmic Rays Film Festival has returned once again to the Triangle Area. This past … Read more
Brownlee — “You’re Not Made For Human Eyes”
“Not Made For Human Eyes”: On History and Art in La Chimera and Dahomey Charlie Brownlee Mati Diop’s Dahomey and Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera explore our relationship to the past, present, and future through ancient works of art. A … Read more
Landen Fulton – Down By Law (1986): Jim Jarmusch’s Tribute to the Drifter
Down By Law (1986): Jim Jarmusch’s Tribute to the Drifter Landen Fulton Tom Waits, John Lurie, and Roberto Benigni in Down By Law — Island Pictures Known for its minimalism, offbeat comedy, and melancholic nature, Jim Jarmusch’s filmography eclipses convention to … Read more
Charlie Brownlee- Trouble Every Day (2001) Review: Claire Denis’ Horror Romance is a Gory, Polarizing Portrait of Carnal Love and Desire
Trouble Every Day (2001) Review: Claire Denis’ Horror Romance is a Gory, Polarizing Portrait of Carnal Love and Desire Charlie Brownlee Florence Loiret Caille as Christelle and Vincent Gallo as Shane Brown in Trouble Every Day – arte France Cinéma … Read more
Cosmic Rays 2022
Cosmic Rays Film Festival 2022 Introduction by Campbell Mah After being canceled in 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Cosmic Rays Film Festival made its fourth annual return to Chapel Hill, NC on March 31st and April … Read more
Campbell Mah- Fallen Angels (1995) Review: Returning to Wong Kar-wai’s Dizzying Cinematic Nocturne
Fallen Angels (1995) Review: Returning to Wong Kar-wai’s Dizzying Cinematic Nocturne Campbell Mah Leon Lai and Michelle Reis in Fallen Angels – Jet Tone Productions In the opening scene of Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai’s 1995 romance-crime drama Fallen … Read more
Ben van Welzen- Drive My Car Review: Hamaguchi Ryūsuke’s patient drama reconciles tensions across media, cultures, and histories
Drive My Car Review: Hamaguchi Ryūsuke’s Patient Drama Reconciles Tensions Across Media, Cultures, and Histories Ben van Welzen Kafuku Yūsuke (Nishijima Hidetoshi) and Watari Misaki (Miura Tōko) stand on the shores of Watari’s hometown reflecting on the trauma of their lives … Read more