Cinema

​Fremon Craig Brings Blume Classic to the Big Screen

May 8th, 2023

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

‘Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret.’

Although not quite as good as feature directorial debut “The Edge of Seventeen,” Kelly Fremon Craig’s adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic 1970 novel makes for an admirable and satisfying big screen companion piece. Veteran kid actor Abby Ryder Fortson leads an ensemble that includes Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, and Benny Safdie as the core members of the Simon family. While Blume’s frank address…

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​Pardo and Wolchok Collaborate With the Author on ‘Judy Blume Forever’

April 30th, 2023

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok’s “Judy Blume Forever” debuted at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in January and landed on Prime Video just ahead of the theatrical release this week of Kelly Fremon Craig’s highly anticipated adaptation of “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”

The one-two punch lands as Republican-controlled states ramp up legislative attacks on trans rights, gender-affirming care, abortion access, and – in a return to…

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Aster Shifts Gears with Mother-Son Madness in ‘Beau Is Afraid’

April 24th, 2023

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

“Hereditary” notched one of the most dazzling directorial debuts in recent memory, catapulting writer-director Ari Aster into the rarefied air of A24 auteurs, the hearts of genre hounds, and the spotlight of serious crossover attention.

The filmmaker utterly curb-stomped any thoughts of a sophomore slump with “Midsommar,” a folk horror masterpiece even better than “Hereditary.”

Expectations for round three, the decidedly different “Beau…

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​Ruskin Examines Another Side of ‘Boston Strangler’

April 18th, 2023

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

In “Boston Strangler,” writer-director Matt Ruskin revisits the mysteries and inconsistencies of the notorious serial killer’s case, adding another chapter to the onscreen saga of the true crime staple.

Featuring outstanding performances by Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon as the journalists who investigated the story for the Boston Record American, Ruskin’s movie will appeal to thriller devotees who enjoy making comparisons between published…

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​Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: Janisse Delivers Folk Horror History Lesson

April 17th, 2023

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@hpr1.com

References to more than 200 films and dozens of insights from scholars, programmers, filmmakers, authors and others justify the more than three-hour running time of Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies founder Kier-La Janisse’s engrossing documentary “Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror.”

Originally conceived by the director as a much shorter bonus featurette to accompany Severin’s restoration of “The Blood on…

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​Stapleton Considers the Legacy of a Baseball Superstar in ‘Reggie’

April 2nd, 2023

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

Baseball Hall of Fame slugger and living legend Reggie Jackson is the subject of Alexandria Stapleton’s eponymous feature documentary, now streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video. No stranger to interviewing outsize personalities with egos to match – the director’s feature debut was the Roger Corman biography “Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel” – Stapleton fashions a sturdy evaluation of Jackson’s career and legacy, with the…

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‘Sometimes I Think About Dying’:  A Change of Pace for Ridley in Lambert’s Sundance Feature

March 26th, 2023

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

Kevin Armento’s play “Killers” inspired both Stefanie Abel Horowitz’s 2019 short film “Sometimes, I Think About Dying” and Rachel Lambert’s 2023 feature “Sometimes I Think About Dying” (no comma this time).

Both movies were Sundance Film Festival selections. The former, which was also programmed in the pandemic-derailed 2020 Fargo Film Festival, can currently be viewed on Horowitz’s Vimeo page.

The latter, which stars Daisy Ridley…

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​Collecting Movies with Mike Flanagan

March 20th, 2023

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

On Saturday, March 25, filmmaker Mike Flanagan returns to the Fargo Film Festival, where “Absentia,” his debut feature, made its world premiere in 2011. This time, he will be joined by his wife and regular collaborator Kate Siegel to talk about projects including “Hush,” “The Haunting of Hill House,” “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” “Midnight Mass,” and others. Flanagan and Siegel will receive the Ted M. Larson Award, the festival’s…

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​2023 Fargo Film Festival a Cinematic Oasis for Filmmakers and Audiences

March 17th, 2023

By Kay Erickson

merick19@cord.edu

For years, movies have successfully transported audiences to different dimensions and universes. There are stories to explore, characters to meet and root for, and people to connect with who share a similar passion for cinematic storytelling.

From the dark tones of “A Dire Strait” (directed by Liang-Chun Lin) and its look at motherhood to the isolating world of "Light Leak” (directed by Nate Dorr), films are able to grasp a viewer and allow them to…

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​Collecting Movies With Emily Sheskin

March 12th, 2023

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

New York City-based director Emily Sheskin’s work has been featured in “The New York Times,” “The Atlantic,” and “National Geographic,” among others. In 2017, Vimeo named Sheskin one of “ten groundbreaking women in film to watch.” Previous commercial clients include Disney, Microsoft, and Pokemon.

The director’s cut of her NYT Op-Doc featuring boxer Jesselyn Silva was a Vimeo Staff Pick that played in numerous film festivals,…

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