Critic's Notebook @ #SundanceFilmFestival
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criticsnotebook.com
Critic's Notebook @ #SundanceFilmFestival
@criticsnotebook.com
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A nascent website formed by graduate students at the BFI and New York University Tisch School of the Arts Martin Scorsese Department of Cinema Studies. criticsnotebook.com
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criticsnotebook.com
"'Chasing Summer' is frequently hilarious, but it is also attuned to the emotional logic beneath self-sabotage."

@martintsai.bsky.social reviews Josephine Decker's "Chasing Summer" at #SundanceFilmFestival. bit.ly/3NyFE2x
Iliza Shlesinger appears in "Chasing Summer" by Josephine Decker, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Eric Branco/Summer 2001 LLC
January 27, 2026 at 2:26 AM
criticsnotebook.com
"A sitcom-bright spoof of Americana that filters 'The Wizard of Oz' through celebrity culture, the film is at once junk-drawer eclectic and curiously sincere about the small, stubborn dreams of its heroine."

Martin Tsai reviews David Wain's "Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass." bit.ly/4a1saUs
Zoey Deutch, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley and Ben Wang appear in "Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass" by David Wain, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
January 26, 2026 at 7:03 PM
criticsnotebook.com
"Unlike Costa-Gavras, Mr. Park frames the protagonist as more blue-collar. He also cast Mr. Lee, excellent as a villain in 'Squid Game,' over someone amiable like José Garcia of 'Le couperet.' "
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "No Other Choice." bit.ly/4avxHEG

#filmsky @neon-rated.bsky.social
December 23, 2025 at 3:52 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“The voice cast features such luminaries as Koji Yakusho, and it’s a relief the studio has the good sense to not to dub it in English, at least for now.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "Scarlet." bit.ly/4pzb8ne

#filmsky
December 12, 2025 at 5:40 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“Based on the true story of perhaps the Luigi Mangione of his time, the film is very much reflective of the national mood at the moment.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "Dead Man's Wire." bit.ly/4q2hrzp

#filmsky @alamodrafthouse.bsky.social
L to R: Dacre Montgomery and Bill Skarsgård in DEAD MAN'S WIRE by Gus Van Sant, courtesy of Mongrel Media
December 12, 2025 at 5:34 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“Hosoda employs traditional hand-drawn style for the characters but places them against immersive photo-realistic C.G.I. backdrops. While this is nothing new, his particular art style creates interesting contrast and juxtaposition.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "Scarlet." bit.ly/4pzb8ne

#filmsky
December 11, 2025 at 9:01 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“Indeed, he nails precisely what makes the film so resonant with those who have been wronged by powerful entities and the sense of helplessness carved deep into their psyches.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "Dead Man's Wire." bit.ly/4q2hrzp

#filmsky @alamodrafthouse.bsky.social
December 11, 2025 at 8:40 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“With [Sean] Baker as its editor, 'Left-Handed Girl' definitely shares the hyperkinetic energy emblematic of his work.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews. bit.ly/4oFctbA

#filmsky @netflix.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:49 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“The perennially debonair leading man brings with him substantial baggage from his own time in the limelight, which immediately resonates with those who’ve borne witness to his career.”
@martintsai.bsky.social on George Clooney . . . oops, we meant "Jay Kelly." bit.ly/4oFQMbr

#filmsky @netflix.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:04 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“The perennially debonair leading man brings with him substantial baggage from his own time in the limelight, which immediately resonates with those who’ve borne witness to his career.”
@martintsai.bsky.social on George Clooney . . . oops, we meant "Jay Kelly." bit.ly/4oFQMbr

#filmsky @netflix.com
Jay Kelly. (L-R) George Clooney as Jay Kelly and Adam Sandler as Ron Sukenick in Jay Kelly. Cr. Peter Mountain/Netflix © 2025.
November 13, 2025 at 3:06 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“With [Sean] Baker as its editor, 'Left-Handed Girl' definitely shares the hyperkinetic energy emblematic of his work.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews. bit.ly/4oFctbA

#filmsky @netflix.com
Nina Ye as I-Jing in Left-Handed Girl. Cr. LEFT-HANDED GIRL FILM PRODUCTION CO, LTD © 2025.
November 12, 2025 at 4:34 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“Though 'Sentimental Value' doesn’t center on a romantic relationship as its predecessor did, it nevertheless rehashes some of the same dynamics and feelings of guilt and regret.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews. bit.ly/47rTICk

#filmsky @neon-rated.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 6:50 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“The film challenges the superhero genre narrative that is so deeply ingrained in us and the latent sexist feelings toward successful woman go-getters, all while reenforcing and reaffirming these tropes.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews #BUGONIA. bit.ly/3Wd9pHd

#filmsky @focusfeatures.bsky.social
(L to R) Emma Stone as Michelle, Aidan Delbis as Don and Jesse Plemons as Teddy in director Yorgos Lanthimos’ BUGONIA, a Focus Features release. Credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
October 24, 2025 at 4:50 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“The film challenges the superhero genre narrative that is so deeply ingrained in us and the latent sexist feelings toward successful woman go-getters, all while reenforcing and reaffirming these tropes.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews #BUGONIA. bit.ly/3Wd9pHd

#filmsky @focusfeatures.bsky.social
Emma Stone stars as Michelle in director Yorgos Lanthimos’ BUGONIA, a Focus Features release. Credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
October 20, 2025 at 11:52 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“There’s no horror or suspense whatsoever, just magical dismemberments under golden hues and glittering harps on the soundtrack. It’s all kind of perverse, and I’m not sure if Mr. del Toro really meant it that way.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "Frankenstein." bit.ly/4qd5Azq
#filmsky @netflix.com
October 17, 2025 at 4:55 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“It’s especially timely to us in the West, as our political climates grow more tenuous.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "It Was Just an Accident." bit.ly/4obfJe2

#filmsky @filmforumnyc.bsky.social @filmlinc.bsky.social @neon-rated.bsky.social
October 15, 2025 at 3:10 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“There’s no horror or suspense whatsoever, just magical dismemberments under golden hues and glittering harps on the soundtrack. It’s all kind of perverse, and I’m not sure if Mr. del Toro really meant it that way.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "Frankenstein." bit.ly/4qd5Azq
#filmsky @netflix.com
Frankenstein. Jacob Elordi as The Creature in Frankenstein . Cr. Ken Woroner/Netflix © 2025.
October 15, 2025 at 2:58 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“It’s especially timely to us in the West, as our political climates grow more tenuous.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "It Was Just an Accident." bit.ly/4obfJe2

#filmsky @filmforumnyc.bsky.social @filmlinc.bsky.social @neon-rated.bsky.social
October 13, 2025 at 4:53 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“'A House of Dynamite,' is, for the most part, one of those end-of-days Armageddon movies, except it never actually culminates in special effects-laden spectacles of total obliteration.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews. bit.ly/4q5ZeSf

#filmsky @netflix.com @paristheaternyc.bsky.social
A House of Dynamite. (Featured L-R) Tracy Letts as General Anthony Brady and Gbenga Akinnagbe as Major General Steven Kyle in A House of Dynamite. Cr. Eros Hoagland/Netflix © 2025.
October 10, 2025 at 3:11 PM
criticsnotebook.com
“The script’s ambiguities regarding the perpetrator and the victim are very nuanced, and Mr. Guadagnino seemingly backs away, possibly due to the optics of victim blaming.”
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews #AfterTheHuntMovie. bit.ly/3Wx2wjT

#filmsky
(L to R) Andrew Garfield as Hank and Julia Roberts as Alma in AFTER THE HUNT, from Amazon MGM Studios. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
October 10, 2025 at 2:57 PM
criticsnotebook.com
"There’s an existing, well-worn trope of underdog stories in sports. Mr. Safdie resists a lot of that low-hanging fruit."
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "The Smashing Machine." bit.ly/485YFS2

@a24movies.bsky.social #filmsky
October 3, 2025 at 7:23 PM
criticsnotebook.com
"There’s an existing, well-worn trope of underdog stories in sports. Mr. Safdie resists a lot of that low-hanging fruit."
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "The Smashing Machine." bit.ly/485YFS2

@a24movies.bsky.social #filmsky
October 2, 2025 at 3:18 PM
criticsnotebook.com
"Hosoda employs traditional hand-drawn style for the characters but places them against immersive photo-realistic C.G.I. backdrops. While this is nothing new, his particular art style creates interesting contrast and juxtaposition."
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews "Scarlet." bit.ly/41G0BMZ

#filmsky
September 4, 2025 at 9:18 PM
criticsnotebook.com
"Roman Vasyanov’s cinematography feels too precious, unable to convey the grittiness and dark humor in Tosches’s work."
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews Julian Schnabel's "In the Hand of Dante" at #BiennaleCinema2025 #Venezia82. bit.ly/46if4RU

#filmsky
September 3, 2025 at 9:02 PM
criticsnotebook.com
"Indeed, he nails precisely what makes the film so resonant with those who have been wronged by powerful entities and the sense of helplessness carved deep into their psyches."
@martintsai.bsky.social reviews Gus Van Sant's "Dead Man's Wire" at #BiennaleCinema2025 #Venezia82. bit.ly/3UWZoxa
#filmsky
September 2, 2025 at 10:01 PM