North Carolina Film Critics Association

3 hours ago

Review: "Paprika" from member Cameron Allison.

Satoshi Kon’s fourth and final film "Paprika" presents itself as a psychological thriller by way of an in-depth mystery that explores the psyches of its characters. In doing so themes of grief, guilt, envy, pride, and gluttony are sprinkled throughout the film in a well-crafted manner that leaves a savory taste in the viewer’s mind.

Available on Blu-ray and DVD. ...

North Carolina Film Critics Association

7 hours ago

Review: Arctic Movie from member Matthew Lucas.

There’s nothing particularly new in Joe Penna’s survival drama "Arctic". But the director’s gritty, hard-edged vision of human resilience strikes a primal chord that other similarly themed films do not. For a movie that’s essentially "Cast Away" by way of "The Revenant", "Arctic" eschews the usual trappings of its subgenre, dispensing with the laborious character development and getting right down to the brass tacks of survival. Although our hero is listed as Overgård in the credits, he is never mentioned by name, and, as played by lead actor Mads Mikkelsen, barely says a word over the course of the film’s 98 minutes. We know little about him, other than that he’s a researcher or scientist of some kind who became trapped somewhere in the Arctic Circle. We don’t even know if he has a family, so don’t expect any flashbacks to an idyllic home life. This film is about survival for survival’s sake, in which the very act of living and the desire to keep breathing at all costs becomes the only focus.

Available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video now. ...

North Carolina Film Critics Association

11 hours ago

Watch: Meet Me at the Movies, episode 350 with member Noel T. Manning.

This week on Meet Me at the Movies (episode 350),Greg Tillman, Noel Thomas Manningl and Thomas Manning review "The Kitchen", "Dora and the Lost City of Gold", and the ZZ Top documentary "That Little Ol’ Band from Texas".

The show airs each week on C19TV and WGWG Radio. Check out the TV show here. ...

North Carolina Film Critics Association

1 day ago

Review: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark from member Edwin Arnaudin.

Based on the beloved anthologies by Alvin Schwartz, whose writing and accompanying illustrations by Stephen Gammell kept many a tween up at night in the ‘80s and ‘90s, "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" delivers impressive horror for a PG-13 film.

Skilled at building atmosphere and executing with proper genre timing, Norwegian director André Øvredal (Trollhunter) achieves the above without graphic violence, excessive profanity, or sexual content. More importantly, he and his collaborators don’t pander to younger audiences hungry for a good startle at the movie theater, sans parental accompaniment.

in theaters now. #ScaryStoriestoTellintheDark ...

North Carolina Film Critics Association

1 day ago

Review: Them That Follow from member Andrew Spitznas.

Entering the cinema yesterday, I was skeptical of what I was about to see. Could a family drama set in a snake-handling church in Appalachia avoid sensationalism? Having Walton Goggins in a lead role didn’t reassure me, since he’s been a go-to Southern Gothic actor for almost 30 years.

Well, I was wrong. "Them That Follow" is a nuanced consideration of fundamentalist religion and the patriarchy that inevitably accompanies it. Just as importantly, Walton Goggins and Olivia Colman, the two leaders of their insular congregation, deliver understated performances, humanizing characters who could’ve easily been shallow villains. ...