Film & TV

February 18, 2025

SBIFF 2025: “Waves” in review

By Kirill Vorobyev

The Czech film premiered at the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Feb. 10.

January 23, 2025

SBIFF 2025: poster, programming revealed for upcoming festival

By Lauren Chiou

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which will take place from Feb. 4-15.

January 15, 2025

‘Nosferatu’: Eggers feasts on desire in a Gothic reimagining

By Nathan Kwon

The film reanimates cinema’s oldest vampire, stripping away the romantic veneer of modern interpretations and brings an adaptation that is brutal, seductive and, above all, uncompromising in its vision of Gothic horror...

January 6, 2025

Angelina Jolie brings Maria Callas back to life in “Maria”

By Jake Turner

“Maria” marks the third installment, after “Jackie” and “Spencer,” in director Pablo Larraín’s pseudo-trilogy of historical biopics.

January 6, 2025

“Arcane” season two tops the charts once again

By Celine Gharapetian

The second season of Netflix's adaptation of video game "League of Legends" builds upon everything introduced in the first season.

December 24, 2024

In Review: “A Real Pain” is a soul-searching journey through grief

By Kasey Wang

Jesse Eisenberg’s second feature film may not provide the clean catharsis some viewers may crave, but its raw, unrestrained exploration of pain feels strikingly authentic.

December 7, 2024

“Conclave”: secret, suspense and gossip in the hallowed halls

By Nathan Kwon

Ralph Fiennes stars as Dean-Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who is entrusted with the impossible task of wrangling the Church’s cardinals in a conclave to elect the new pope.

December 3, 2024

“Disclaimer” is yet another example of disappointing prestige TV

By Jake Turner

Created by Alfonso Cuarón, the show stars Cate Blanchett as Catherine Ravenscroft, a documentarian whose life begins to unravel when she receives a novel which threatens to reveal her secrets.

November 16, 2024

“We Live in Time” captures audiences with devastating story of love and life

By Diana Mateescu

A seamless blend of comedy and drama, the film pulls at the viewers’ heartstrings and reminds them to savor every moment of their relationships.

November 16, 2024

In Review: Sean Baker’s “Anora” is a modern day fairytale

By Kasey Wang

Set on the streets of Brooklyn and short stints in Las Vegas, Baker weaves screwball comedy and high-stakes drama into a captivating story of a young woman striving to rise above her circumstances.

November 16, 2024

Reinventing realism and Trump in Ali Abbasi’s new controversial movie “The Apprentice”

By Sandra Vovk

Giving the viewer a clear “where, why and how” of Trump in his youth, the movie draws fascinating but subtle links to the billionaire and politician seen on screens today.

November 16, 2024

Two decades in the trap: The enduring grip of “Saw” on horror culture

By Mia Acosta

From a low-budget horror film to a billion-dollar franchise that redefined the genre, "Saw" revolutionized horror cinema with its moral dilemmas and infamous torture traps.

October 30, 2024

Activism, art and apocalypse: Revisiting “Fresh Kill” with Director Shu Lea Cheang

By Kasey Wang

The Carsey-Wolf Center held the last screening of Shu Lea Cheang’s debut feature film, “Fresh Kill,” accompanied by a Q&A with the director.

October 30, 2024

“Saturday Night”: Jason Reitman’s love letter to the 1970s comedy phenomenon

By Sandra Vovk

The majorly anticipated biopic tells the story of the first episode of "Saturday Night Live," starring an impressive cast of Generation Z comedy darlings.