Review: "Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat" is Essential Viewing

by Cláudio Alves

One of the year's best and most essential documentaries is finally in theaters! Johan Grimonprez's Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat is 50% history lesson, 50% jazz concerto, and 100% political essay if you can believe it, a mad dash rollercoaster of a documentary that brings together a litany of ideas under the same cinematic roof, illuminating their connective tissue like few films before it. The entire thing might run for two and a half hours, but you'll hardly notice the time passing since there's no opportunity for passive, apathetic spectatorship. Instead, the filmmakers demand full attention and a modicum of curiosity, trusting the viewer to keep up with Rik Chaubet's miraculous cutting as Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat approaches midcentury decolonization movements through a musical prism…

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AFI Fest: “The Fire Inside” Packs a Surprising Punch

by Eurocheese

I have to admit that on the last day of AFI Fest, I was not particularly excited to see a boxing film. Oscar seems to have an affinity for the topic, but sports films in general don't resonate with me. Shame on me for underestimating Barry Jenkins as a screenwriter and for not having higher hopes for cinematographer Rachel Morrison’s directorial debut. The Fire Inside, much like its protagonist, proves itself again and again: It’s a compelling, smart drama with a scope that stretches far beyond the game.

The film is based on the true story of Claressa Shields who overcame obstacles all her life in Flint, Michigan on her way to becoming an Olympian...

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Halloween Treats: A Sample of 2024 Horror

by Cláudio Alves

There's no better way to celebrate the spookiest holiday of them all than by indulging in the perverse pleasures of horror cinema. But what to watch? While classics are reliable, keeping up with the latest gems is fun, too. Every year, new delights are added to the nightmare canon, and 2024 is no different, with many scary movies among the best releases of the past few months. With that in mind, let's dive into the horror pool and see what precious gems we discover hiding in its depths - ones already available to stream at home, alone in the dark. For brevity's sake, I focused on English-language fright fests and films not yet reviewed at The Film Experience, starting with I Saw the TV Glow…

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Halloween Treats: "Red Rooms" is the year's best scare

by Nick Taylor

As you may remember from last week, I made a threat and promise to talk about contemporary horror this October. We’ve arrived. Hands down the best horror film I’ve seen from this year is the Canadian thriller Red Rooms, a 2023 release by Pascal Plante that’s just completed a months-long journey across festivals and art house cinemas before arriving in your hard drives through a menacing mp4 file. It’s a nasty, skin-crawling film, diving into the world of true crime prurience and online torture porn through the vantage of one of the year’s most intimidating performances. Wanna know more? Follow me under the cut...

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AFI Fest: Emotional Outbursts in “A Real Pain” and “Nightbitch”

by Eurocheese

Festering emotions were front-and-center in these two strong films at the festival, though they were expressed in very different ways. Both screenplays played with tone, though Nightbitch’s swings didn’t always land as successfully as A Real Pain's. In each film, one charismatic performance will be the top takeaway for most viewers..

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