Film/TV

A still from "The Climb." (Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics)

Directed With Strong Visual Style, Comedy 'The Climb' Traverses The Ups And Downs Of Friendship

Split into seven chapters with numbered title cards and punctuated by musical interludes, writer-director Michael Angelo Covino's film charts the ups and downs of two friends following an admission of...

The ARTery

Jan 19, 2021

A still from the short film "Hungry Bear Tales." (Courtesy Belmont World Film)

5 Short Film Programs To Stream From Belmont World Family Film Festival

From animated shorts with no dialogue to Mo Willem’s narrating children’s books, film writer Erin Trahan and her two toddlers rounded up their recommendations to watch.

The ARTery

Jan 14, 2021

A still from director Ousmane Sembène's 1966 film "Black Girl." (Courtesy Janus Films)

The Brattle Theatre Creates New Virtual Screening Platform

"The Brattlite” is designed to showcase titles specially selected by the theater's programmers to run alongside the regular weekly premieres.

The ARTery

Jan 13, 2021

Molly Parker (left) as Eva and Vanessa Kirby as Martha in "Pieces of a Woman." (Courtesy Benjamin Loeb/Netflix)

Streaming On Netflix, Drama 'Pieces Of A Woman' Is Intensely Unpleasant

Directed by Kornél Mundruczó and written by Kata Wéber, the film takes an elliptical path following the disintegration of a marriage and family life after tragedy.

The ARTery

Jan 7, 2021

Vicky Krieps as Alma and Daniel Day-Lewis as Reynolds Woodcock in "Phantom Thread," one of six films ARTery critic Sean Burns recommends streaming on New Year's Eve. (Courtesy Laurie Sparham/Focus Features)

6 Movies To Stream While Staying Home On New Year's Eve

From the 1960s classic “The Apartment” starring Jack Lemmon to Paul Thomas Andersen’s “Phantom Thread,” film critic Sean Burns shares movies that will help you ring in 2021 from the...

The ARTery

Dec 30, 2020

Isla Fisher (left) and Willa Skye in "Godmothered." (Courtesy Disney+)

Cheerful Takes From Behind The Scenes Of New England's Holiday Movies

Film crew members who worked on productions shot around the region get in the spirit by sharing favorite anecdotes and reflections on the growing popularity of holiday movies.

The ARTery

Dec 22, 2020

Film critic Sean Burns reviews his favorite films from 2020, including "Bacurau," "First Cow," "Collective" and "Beanpole." (Courtesy)

The 10 Best Films From 2020

With many blockbusters shelved for 2021, there was suddenly room for all different kinds of stories on our screens, writes film critic Sean Burns.

The ARTery

Dec 21, 2020

The Capawock Theatre, located in Vineyard Haven. (Courtesy Martha's Vineyard Film Society)

Independent Movie Theater Closures Symbolize Industry Struggles Writ Large

Two Martha’s Vineyard theaters have recently shuttered, highlighting the struggle these spaces face. Whether they rent or own, whether non- or for-profit, no single formula has proven pandemic-proof.

The ARTery

Dec 18, 2020

Viola Davis in the title role in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." (Courtesy David Lee/Netflix)

Netflix Soars To The Top With August Wilson's 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'

George C. Wolfe directs Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman and Colman Domingo in stellar performances, says critic Jacquinn Sinclair.

The ARTery

Dec 18, 2020

Film critic Sean Burns rounds up the films to watch this holiday season: "Let Them All Talk," "Tenet," "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," "To the Ends of the Earth," "Sylvie's Love" and "The Midnight Sky." (Courtesy)

6 New Films To Stream While Staying Home For The Holidays

Heading to the movie theaters over the holidays is a tradition for many. While that won't be happening, there are still some fine films arriving to close out the year,...

The ARTery

Dec 17, 2020

A still from director Wong Kar Wai's "Chungking Express." (Courtesy Janus Films)

New Retrospective Showcases The Dreamy World Of Director Wong Kar Wai

The retrospective is a years-in-the-making project presenting seven classics from this most idiosyncratic and influential filmmaker, now streaming at the Coolidge Corner Theatre's Virtual Screening Room.

The ARTery

Dec 11, 2020

Shane MacGowan live onstage in 1988, from "Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan." (Courtesy Magnolia Pictures)

Documentary 'Crock Of Gold' Taps Into The Chaotic World Of The Pogues' Shane MacGowan

The singer-songwriter is known as a brilliant artist who created much joy and caused considerable damage, much of it self-inflicted. It’s that world that documentarian Julien Temple captures.

The ARTery

Dec 11, 2020

Flipping The Focus Of Typical Crime Films, 'I'm Your Woman' Follows A Gangster’s Wife In Hiding

Starring Rachel Brosnahan, director Julia Hart’s 1970s crime picture is told from the POV of the gun moll, a character continually cast to the side and kept in the dark....

The ARTery

Dec 10, 2020

Arush Nand as young Arjie in “Funny Boy.” (Courtesy of ARRAY)

Film 'Funny Boy' Delves Into Complexities Of Being Queer And Tamil In Sri Lanka

Based on Shyam Selvadurai’s novel of the same name, director Deepa Mehta’s latest movie interweaves personal discovery and political unrest, swinging between fear and safety.

The ARTery

Dec 9, 2020

A still from "The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone." (Courtesy Paramount Pictures)

Revisiting Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather Part III' 30 Years Later

The director is out with a new cut of the film, a revelatory revision of his saga’s final chapter that feels like a far more focused and purposeful film, even...

The ARTery

Dec 7, 2020

Kate Winslet (left) and Saoirse Ronan star in director Francis Lee's film "Ammonite." (Courtesy NEON)

Historical Romance 'Ammonite' Digs Into The Later Years Of Paleontologist Mary Anning

Starring Kate Winslet, the film is a snapshot from late in the life of paleontologist Mary Anning, whose discoveries were largely written out of history books by the boys’ club....

The ARTery

Dec 3, 2020

A still from "Another Round." (Courtesy Samuel Goldwyn Films)

Delightful Comedy 'Another Round' Analyzes Our Cultural Relationship To Alcohol

The film explores a theory that human beings are born with a blood alcohol content level that’s 0.05% too low, and that going around with a constant mild buzz makes...

The ARTery

Dec 2, 2020

Top photo: Left to right, Sophia Lillis, Paul Bettany and Peter Macdissi in "Uncle Frank." (Courtesy Amazon Studios) Bottom photo: Left to right:,Haley Bennett, Gabriel Basso and Amy Adams in "Hillbilly Elegy." (Courtesy Lacey Terrell/Netflix)

Films 'Uncle Frank' And 'Hillbilly Elegy' Are Two Cluelessly Condescending Hollywood Trips To The Heartland

From streaming giants Amazon and Netflix, both movies feel like overcompensation measures from 2017, writes film critic Sean Burns.

The ARTery

Nov 24, 2020

Joy Buolamwini wearing a mask to test facial recognition software. (Courtesy 7th Empire Media)

Documentary 'Coded Bias' Unmasks The Racism Of Artificial Intelligence

Energized by a nearly all-female lineup of researchers and activists, the film condemns the ways racism and classism underpin big data’s design and applications.

The ARTery

Nov 18, 2020

A still from the animated short film "Daisy." (Courtesy Tom Weston)

Sheltering At Home, Families Get Creative With Entries For Boston International Kids Film Festival

One of the most uplifting signs at this year’s festival comes in the form of wildly creative shorts made by Boston area families who have gotten creative during the coronavirus...

The ARTery

Nov 17, 2020

Weekend Edition Sunday

Directed With Strong Visual Style, Comedy 'The Climb' Traverses The Ups And Downs Of Friendship

5 Short Film Programs To Stream From Belmont World Family Film Festival

The Brattle Theatre Creates New Virtual Screening Platform

Streaming On Netflix, Drama 'Pieces Of A Woman' Is Intensely Unpleasant

6 Movies To Stream While Staying Home On New Year's Eve

Cheerful Takes From Behind The Scenes Of New England's Holiday Movies

The 10 Best Films From 2020

Independent Movie Theater Closures Symbolize Industry Struggles Writ Large

Netflix Soars To The Top With August Wilson's 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'

6 New Films To Stream While Staying Home For The Holidays

New Retrospective Showcases The Dreamy World Of Director Wong Kar Wai

Documentary 'Crock Of Gold' Taps Into The Chaotic World Of The Pogues' Shane MacGowan

Flipping The Focus Of Typical Crime Films, 'I'm Your Woman' Follows A Gangster’s Wife In Hiding

Film 'Funny Boy' Delves Into Complexities Of Being Queer And Tamil In Sri Lanka

Revisiting Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather Part III' 30 Years Later

Historical Romance 'Ammonite' Digs Into The Later Years Of Paleontologist Mary Anning

Delightful Comedy 'Another Round' Analyzes Our Cultural Relationship To Alcohol

Films 'Uncle Frank' And 'Hillbilly Elegy' Are Two Cluelessly Condescending Hollywood Trips To The Heartland

Documentary 'Coded Bias' Unmasks The Racism Of Artificial Intelligence

Sheltering At Home, Families Get Creative With Entries For Boston International Kids Film Festival