Author: Allison McCulloch
Hot Docs 21 Review: I’m Wanita (Matthew Walker)
The documentary chronicles Wanita Bahtiyar’s journey in to record her musically diverse album in Nashville, New Orleans, and Memphis. Wanita is a binge-drinker, cigarette smoker,…
Hot Docs 21 Review: Bank Job (Daniel Edelstyn, Hilary Powell)
One of the most important documentaries you could see this year explores the relationship between everyday people and the banking industry. The system is meant…
SXSW 2021 Dispatch: Islands; Poly Styrene: I am a Cliché; Swan Song
Poly Styrene: I am a Cliché (2021, Paul Sng, Celeste Bell) Born Marianne Joan Elliott-Said she rechristened herself as Poly Styrene when she became a new wave/punk…
SXSW 2021 Dispatch: Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil; United States vs. Reality Winner; The End of Us
Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil (2021, Michael D. Ratner) The trigger warnings at the beginning of these four episodes don’t even begin to prepare you…
SXSW 2021 Dispatch: Hysterical; Executive Order; Introducing, Selma Blair
Introducing, Selma Blair (2021, Rachel Fleit) Supporting actress Selma Blair is known to late-1990s and early-2000s audiences who have seen her from everything to Cruel Intentions to Legally…
Allison’s Full Sundance 2021 Coverage
The editor-in-chief at Filmotomy would like to personally thank Allison for not only the extensive coverage of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, but also for…
Sundance 2021 Review: Summer of Soul
Acclaimed musician turned director, Ahmir-Khalib Thompson presents us with “A Qwestlove Jawn”. After a slew of assassinations including John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther…
Sundance 2021 Review: In the Same Breath
With films like One Child Nation, I Am Another You, and Hooligan Sparrow, Nanfu Wang was already on her way to becoming legendary. In the Same Breath opens with a…
Allison in Cannes 2019, Part Seven: Abou Leila; Portrait of a Lady on Fire; Adam
Abou Leila “We’ve all gone mad. All of us.” Algeria in 1994 was a dangerous place. People were shot and knifed at every turn, and…
Allison in Cannes 2019, Part Six: On a Magical Night; Liberté; Share; Land of Ashes
On a Magical Night “Why awaken the past?” Chambre 212 opens comedically with Maria (Chiara Mastrioanni), à law professor that gets entangled in an extramarital affair….
Allison in Cannes 2019, Part Five: Port Authority; Joan of Arc
Port Authority Danielle Lessovitz brings us a male-centric, slow burn film that slowly introduces female characters. The main character, Paul (Fionn Whitehead, Bandersnatch), brings us his…
Allison in Cannes 2019, Part Four: Des Hommes, Sorry We Missed You; Papicha; Burning Ghost
Des Hommes Pretty unexhilarating take on the prison system in France. There have been better documentaries on prison reform. Sorry We Missed You “Who cares.”…
Allison in Cannes 2019, Part Three: Beanpole; The Swallows of Kabul; A White, White Day
Beanpole Some moments of the movie were framed so perfectly… like it was a modern Persona. Unfortunately, the story and actresses don’t measure up to an…
Allison in Cannes 2019, Part Two: Litigante; Bull; As Happy as Possible
The Defendant Litigante is a family D-R-A-M-A. It concerns a single mother who is trying her best to balance work, her energetic son who is a…
