King of the Game (2014)

Vicenza, a Brazilian girl, goes on a quest by herself to find out who her birth father is by gathering clues.

A film for the post-MeToo era that inverts the narrative with an ironic coda, Tár depicts the duality of a sensitive artist capable of great evil and vile manipulation.

As this critic continues to look back at some of this Summer's films I have taken in, I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of the most overall unsettling trends in Hollywood over the last several years.....sequels, reboots, and remakes. Look, I am all for seeing more than one film for certain originals that made a splash, ie: "Jurassic Park", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Transformers", etc.

"Clifford the Big Red Dog" retells the adventures of Emily and her striking puppy to highlight the joy of being different and inspire another wave of young fans.

Alongside A Drowning Man, I Signed The Petition, 3 Logical Exits, and A World Not Ours, A Man Returned continues to paint a realistic portrait of the Refugee Crisis that eschews the Western gaze and stereotype. These are real portraits painted by a director with lived experience, cultural connection and an amazing eye for visuals.

Despite the film’s efforts to reframe its heroine with modern complexity, a certain emotional distance lingers.