Female Film Critics 24/375
Before Miss Rachel, Blippi, Pee Wee Herman, or Mr. Rogers, there was Shari Lewis. She was raised by a magician father and a music teacher mother who exposed their daughter to every artistic lesson they could think of, and gave her lessons to add to her skills. Lewis’s work ethic and educational values are an extraordinary example of the impact of fostering the arts, which became something she advocated for throughout her career.
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To counter the capitalist fodder on the newsstands, Gloria Steinheim approached the top female editors and writers in the business with a grand idea. The birth of Ms. Magazine in 1971 changed American print journalism as we know it. The Documentary’s multipart structure utilizes gorgeous archival footage, eye-catching transition fonts, and sit-down interviews with the original staff and scholars. Dear Ms: A Revolution in Print beautifully delivers the history of the visionary publication.
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Filmmaker John Maclean brings audiences a female-driven film that feels like a callback to his roots in Slow West. British Isles, 1790, a young girl, the titular Tornado, seeks revenge against the notorious gang who killed her father in search of stolen gold. Tornado is a character-driven action film. Maclean never fails to surprise, having zero qualms about killing off characters at any time. Do not get comfortable or attach yourself.
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Lilia Doytchinova’s feature debut finds an aspiring young filmmaker moving to L.A. with his girlfriend. Plagued by the death of his actress mother years before, James finds himself pulled in by his mother’s unrequited dreams as he unpacks his traumatic childhood. Doytchinova uses Hollywood lore about a woman, Peg Entwistle, who jumped to her death off the Hollywood sign. In Doytchinova’s screenplay, a mother, convinced of her star quality, drags her son to Hollywood, verbally abusing him and using him as an emotional punching bag when her career fails to take off. She jumps, and her son never dealt with the trauma.
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Writer-director Durga Chew-Bose’ first feature adapts Françoise Sagan sensational coming-of-age novel Bonjour Tristesse. The author was only 18 when she published her tale of summertime sexual awakening, jealousy, and plotting In 1954. The story was so controversial that it was denounced by the Pope. Chew-Bose’s film follows Cécile enjoying her slow-paced summer in Southern France with her boyfriend, her widowed father and his latest love interest. The arrival of her late mother’s best friend, slowly throws Cécile’s predictable existence into disarray. Knowing what a ruckus the novel caused, the film feels rather tame. While the story plays out predictably, it still hits all the right notes.
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Director Fleur Fortuné masterfully creates universal scenarios that induce tension, and then she cranks up the volume. The Assessment authentically mimics the anxiety and stress between couples once children enter their world. There is no denying the film is a twisted form of therapy and trauma exercise and a surprising climate change warning. It perfectly captures the pure chaos and sacrifice of parenting. The Assessment is a horrifying power trip.
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Beth Lane’s captivating documentary, UnBroken, tells the story of seven siblings who survived Nazi Germany. Following the arrest of their hero mother and previously imprisoned Catholic father, marked for a concentration camp, Lane’s mother and siblings were smuggled to safety in the back of a truck in the dead of night by their farmer neighbor. A journey of unbelievable resiliency, Lane retraces their steps from Berlin to America and into the pages of history.
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Any Broadway baby knows the effervescent energy of EGOT superstar Liza Minnelli. Her ceaseless pizzazz oozes off stage with a special something no one else has since matched. What lies behind the awards and tabloid fodder is one of the most beloved talents to grace the stage and screen. Bruce David Campbell’s outstanding documentary, Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, puts the star back on screen and forever in our hearts. Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story is a joyous tribute to a legend. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll belt out the lyrics. It has all the elements of a winner, just like Liza.
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Filmmaker Kit Rich gives audiences an enchanting film about life’s transitions with Isabel’s Garden. Maya is a hardworking news reporter vying for a lead anchor job. Navigating the responsibilities of being newly married, an ex-wife, and caring for a young stepdaughter is challenging enough — then a tragic accident turns everyone’s lives upside down. In the end, Isabel’s Garden tackles self-discovery and determination in an accessible, family-friendly way. It has a multi-generational built-in audience.
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Inspired by the life of Andrea Absolonová, Natálie Císarovská’s film Her Body is a tragic true story of power dynamics, misogyny, and determination. During the Czech Championship in 1996, Diver Andrea officially qualified for the Olympics in Atlanta. Her future had all the promise in the world until a single dive caused a spinal injury. Feeling abandoned, Andrea seeks a new path she can control. Pushing aside anger and depression, she begins a career as a fiercely successful adult film star, but at what cost?
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