Stromboli (1950)

Stromboli was the first of the five feature films (and one short) that Ingrid Bergman made with Roberto Rossellini. Two years earlier, Bergman wrote the following to Rossellini: "I saw your films Open City and Paisan, and enjoyed them very much. If you need a Swedish actress who speaks English very well, who has not forgotten her German, who is not very understandable in French, and who in Italian knows only 'ti amo,' I am ready to come and make a film with you." This led to their working relationship, as well a stormy romantic relationship, a marriage, and children. It also led to an international scandal, as both left their previous spouses. Perhaps as a result of this, or because of other factors, none of the films was particularly well-received either critically or commercially. But they remain an object of fascination for cinephiles. read more...

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Mid90s (2018)

Two-time Oscar-nominee Jonah Hill makes his feature directing debut, and also wrote the screenplay, for Mid90s, the powerful story of a thirteen year-old Los Angeles kid who falls in — and finds a family — with a pack of skateboarders. Though Hill's touch is simple and observant, and almost documentary-like, the story's emotions run high, from joyous, as when Stevie (Sunny Suljic) first learns to stay on his board, to harrowing, as when he's pummeled by his bullying older brother (Lucas Hedges). Na-kel Smith is commanding as Ray, the most talented and responsible of the skaters, and Katherine Waterston plays the boys' bewildered mom. The great soundtrack includes incidental music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, as well as an energizing collection of '90s hip-hop. read more...

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Boys Don't Cry (1999)

One of the strongest feature directorial debuts of the year, Kimberly Peirce's Boys Don't Cry captures a specific flavor of a time and place that reminded me of no less than Drugstore Cowboy (1989) or Robert Altman at his best. Still, praise like that will not make this grim film any easier to sell to mainstream audiences. read more...

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T-Rex (2016)

This skillful, intuitive girls' boxing documentary manages to read between the lines, capturing something quite a bit deeper than a typical sports story, finding bitter desperation along with victory. read more...

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Europa '51 (1952)

Rossellini and Bergman made a version of Joan of Arc together that I haven't seen, but it seems like it would be a great companion piece to Europa '51. In it, Bergman plays Irene Girard, a wealthy wife and mother who enters the movie fussing about a party she and her husband are throwing. Her young son Michel yearns for her attention, but she's more devoted to her guests. He falls down the steps and injures himself, and it comes out that he may have tried to kill himself. He dies later in the hospital, leaving Irene totally distraught. read more...

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