'East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem' at the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival

Make music, not war

East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem documents an eight-day collaboration between Israeli, Palestinian, and American musicians making an album in an East Jerusalem music studio. The project, led by Israeli singer/songwriter David Broza, shows what can be achieved when human interaction replaces politics.

Stacia Friedman

Nov 21, 2015 · Articles · 4 minute read

Tom McCarthy's 'Spotlight' (first review)

Unlocking omerta

Spotlight shows how a group of reporters uncovered the Catholic Church’s decades-long omerta concerning priests sexually abusing children.

Armen Pandola

Nov 17, 2015 · Articles · 4 minute read

Ridley Scott's 'The Martian' (second review)

When science gets sentimental

A space castaway epic demonstrates our psychological habit of crystallizing our empathy within individual stories, as if we can’t comprehend a crisis until it has a single human face.

Alaina Johns

Nov 09, 2015 · Articles · 5 minute read

Danny Boyle's 'Steve Jobs'

The man behind the curtain

Michael Fassbender does a superb job portraying Jobs, but the director Boyle and screenwriter Sorkin go too far in trying to redeem the man's bad behavior.

Ryan Dellaquila

Nov 02, 2015 · Articles · 2 minute read

Sebastian Schipper's 'Victoria'

More than a one-shot wonder

Shot in a single, breathless take, Victoria is a masterful display of cinematography. But this shouldn’t overshadow its successes as both a profound and unconventional character study and, in its second half, a nail-biting thriller.

Peter Myers

Oct 31, 2015 · Articles · 4 minute read

Spielberg's 'Bridge of Spies' (second review)

Crashing stories

In spite of its problems — clunky plotting, two-dimensional characters — go see Bridge of Spies. Tom Hanks is just so good at playing these kinds of roles that you shouldn’t miss it.

Armen Pandola

Oct 20, 2015 · Articles · 4 minute read

Spielberg's 'Bridge of Spies'

Men of principle

Bridge of Spies isn't a spy story; it's a "based on true events" story about a lawyer and his dedication to a higher set of principles than Cold War expediency and political convenience.

Mark Wolverton

Oct 20, 2015 · Articles · 5 minute read

'Goodnight Mommy'

Why do horror movies make us laugh?

Nothing makes us laugh as much as a good comedy — except maybe a good horror movie, when we watch it together.

Alaina Johns

Oct 18, 2015 · Articles · 5 minute read

Zhang Yimou’s 'Coming Home'

Family breakdown, Chinese-style

Zhang Yimou’s Coming Home moves like a strong poem — slowly and delicately, yet with power.

Richard da Silva

Oct 11, 2015 · Articles · 4 minute read

Showtime's 'Masters of Sex'

Sex, lies, and Showtime

The extent of how fast and loose Showtime's Masters of Sex adaptation plays with the truth makes Oliver Stone appear a better bet to satisfy Diogenes than any of those responsible for this fib-a-thon.

Bob Levin

Oct 06, 2015 · Articles · 5 minute read