Tag: Women in Film

• 5 Film Reviews: From Indie Drama to Horror Chaos and Blockbuster Spectacle

  

  A quick catch-up on five recent films spanning indie drama, documentary storytelling, horror spectacle, and blockbuster franchise filmmaking. From intimate character studies to chaotic genre thrills and nostalgic IP-driven entertainment, this roundup explores the range of tones and styles shaping today’s cinematic landscape.

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  April 6, 2026

  2026 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Action, Animation, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Horror, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Queer Cinema, Thriller, Women Directors

  2026 Films, 2026 Horror, 2026 Movies, A24, A24 Movies, Alexandra Shipp, André is an Idiot, André Ricciardi, Anya Taylor-Joy, Brie Larson, Chris Pratt, Demi Lovato, Female Directors, Female Empowerment in FIlm, Female Filmmakers, Female Protagonists, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Forbidden Fruits, Glen Powell, Horror Movies 2026, Independent Film, Independent Film Company, Indie Film, Indie Films, Jack Black, Kirill Sokolov, Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Meredith Alloway, Movie Recap, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movie Sequels, Myha’la, New Movie Releases 2026, Nintendo, Nostalgia in Film, Octavia Spencer, Patricia Arquette, Roadside Attractions, Rose Byrne, Shudder, Stephanie Laing, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, They Will Kill You, Tony Benna, Tow (2025), Universal Pictures, Victora Pedretti, Warner Bros. Pictures, Women in Film, Zazie Beetz

• The Bride! Review: Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Radical Frankenstein Reimagining Turns Female Rage Into Gothic Spectacle

  

  Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! is one of the most divisive genre films of the year. Led by a fearless performance from Jessie Buckley and an unexpectedly tender turn from Christian Bale, the film reimagines the Frankenstein myth through feminist rebellion, surreal spectacle, and gothic visual poetry.

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  March 10, 2026

  2026 Movie Reviews, Drama, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Franchise Revivals, Horror, Movie Analysis, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Women Directors

  2026 Films, 2026 Movies, Christian Bale, Feminist Cinema, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Frankenstein, Gothic Horror, Horror, Horror Cinema, Horror Movie Review, Horror Movies 2026, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jessie Buckley, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary Shelley, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, New Horror Films, New Movie Releases 2026, The Bride!, The Bride! (2026), Warner Bros. Pictures, Women Directors, Women in Film

• Sound of Falling Review: Mascha Schilinski’s Haunting Portrait of Women, Memory, and Witnessing

  

  Mascha Schilinski’s The Sound of Falling is a haunting, non-linear meditation on women, memory, and the quiet violence of witnessing. Spanning generations within the same farmhouse, the film examines curiosity, abuse, and identity through fragmented vignettes that echo across time. It’s a work that lingers—less something to solve than something to feel.

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  January 28, 2026

  2026 Movie Reviews, Drama, Entertainment, Film Reviews, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Psychological Drama, Women Directors

  2025 Films, 2025 Movies, European Cinema, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Mascha Schilinski, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, New Movie Releases 2025, New Movie Releases 2026, The Sound of Falling, Women Directors, Women in Film

• The Chronology of Water Review: Kristen Stewart’s Raw, Unfiltered Portrait of Trauma and Survival

  

  Kristen Stewart’s feature directorial debut, adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch’s 2011 memoir, is a raw and uncompromising portrait of trauma, memory, and survival. The Chronology of Water follows Lidia, a competitive swimmer navigating abuse, fractured memories, and the complicated process of reclaiming autonomy through writing. Anchored by a career-defining performance from Imogen Poots, Stewart’s adaptation embraces…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  January 15, 2026

  2025 Movie Reviews, Drama, Entertainment, Film Reviews, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Psychological Drama, Women Directors

  2025 Films, 2025 Movies, Book to Film Adaptation, book-review, books, film, Film Analysis, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Imogen Poots, Jim Belushi, Kristen Stewart, Lidia Yuknavitch, Memoir Adaptation, Motherhood in Film, Movie Analysis, Movie Recap, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movie Themes, Movie Thoughts, movies, New Movie Releases 2025, Queer Cinema, reviews, The Chronology of Water, The Forge, Thora Birch, Women Directors, Women in Film

• “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” Review: A Raw, Relentless Portrait of Motherhood’s Breaking Point

  

  Release Date: October 10, 2025 (United States theatrical) (Premiere: January 24, 2025 at Sundance) Runtime: 133 minutes (1 hr 53 min) Rated: R — for language, some drug use and bloody images. Production Companies: A24, Central Pictures, Fat City, also credited: Bronxburgh; Elara Pictures Producers: Sara Murphy, Ryan Zacarias, Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, Eli Bush, Conor…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  October 13, 2025

  2025 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Comedy, Drama, Entertainment, Film Reviews, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Psychological Drama, Thriller, Women Directors

  2025 Films, 2025 Movies, A$AP Rocky, A24, A24 Movies, Christian Slater, Conan O’Brien, Female Directors, Female Empowerment in FIlm, Female Filmmakers, Female Protagonists, Feminist Thrillers, Film Analysis, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Independent Cinema, Independent Film, Indie Film, Indie Films, Mary Bronstein, Motherhood in Film, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, New Movie Releases 2025, Parenthood in Film, Rose Byrne, Women Directors, Women in Film

• Freakier Friday Brings Back the Magic of the Original With a Modern Twist

  

  Release Date: August 8, 2025 Runtime: 111 minutes (~1h 51min) Rated: PG — for thematic elements, rude humor, language, mild suggestive references. Production Companies: Walt Disney, Gunn Films, Burr! Productions Producers: Kristin Burr, Andrew Gunn, Jamie Lee Curtis Cinematography: Matthew Clark Editing: Eleanor Infante Music / Composer: Amie Doherty Freakier Friday (2025) Director: Nisha Ganatra Writer:…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  August 15, 2025

  2025 Movie Reviews, Comedy, Disney, Drama, Film Reviews

  2025 Films, 2025 Movies, Chad Michael Murray, Disney, Family Comedies, Female Filmmakers, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Freakier Friday, Generational Comedy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Julia Butters, Lindasy Lohan, Movie Recap, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movie Sequels, New Movie Releases 2025, Nisha Ganatra, Nostalgia in Film, Sophia Hammons, Women in Film

• ‘Oh, Hi!’ Review: Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman Navigate the Grey Areas of Modern Dating

  

  Release Date: U.S. limited theatrical release – July 25, 2025 via Sony Pictures Classics Runtime: Approximately 94–95 minutes Rated: R — for sexual content, nudity, and language Production Companies: Cliffbrook Films, Watermark Media, QWGmire, AmorFortuna (studio side); worldwide distributor: Sony Pictures Classics. Producers: David Brooks, Dan Clifton, Julie Waters, Sophie Brooks, Molly Gordon Cinematography: Conor Murphy Editing:…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  July 28, 2025

  2025 Movie Reviews, Comedy, Drama, Entertainment, Film Reviews, Romantic Comedy, Women Directors

  2025 Films, 2025 Movies, Cinephile, Female Directors, Female Empowerment in FIlm, Female Filmmakers, Female Protagonists, Film Analysis, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Indie Film, Logan Lerman, Modern Love, Molly Gordon, Movie Analysis, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Oh Hi! Film, Post Pandemic Dating, Psychological Drama, Relationship Movies, Rom-Com, Sophie Brooks, Women in Film

• Materialists Review: Celine Song’s Deceptive Rom-Com That Dares to Get Real About Love, Money, and Power

  

  Release Date: June 13, 2025 (U.S.)  Runtime: 117 minutes (1h 57m) Rating: R (language & brief sexual material)  Production Companies: 2AM, Killer Films, A24 (domestic), Sony Pictures International Producers: David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler, Celine Song  Cinematography: Shabier Kirchner (shot on 35 mm film)  Music / Composer: Daniel Pemberton; also features Japanese Breakfast and Baby Rose…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  July 15, 2025

  2025 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Comedy, Drama, Entertainment, Film Reviews, Movie Analysis, Romantic Comedy, Uncategorized, Women Directors

  2025 Movies, 35mm Cinematography, A24, Celine Song, Chris Evans, Dakota Johnson, Female Directors, Female Filmmakers, Female Protagonists, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Materialists, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, New Movie Releases 2025, Pedro Pascal, Women Directors, Women in Film

• National Women’s Month Spotlight: Zöe Kravitz

  

  No Forgiveness, Just Forgetting: The Feminist Core of Blink Twice Blink Twice Directed by Zöe Kravitz Starring Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, and Alia Shawkat Since the beginning of time, power dynamics between genders have shaped society. While much discourse has taken place over the years, it remains evident that women are still fighting for equality…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  March 21, 2025

  Entertainment, Film Reviews, Movie Analysis, National Women’s Month, Psychological Drama, Uncategorized, Women Directors

  Alia Shawkat, Amazon MGM Studios, Channing Tatum, Female Directors, Feminism in Film, Feminist Thrillers, Film Review, Horror, Movie Analysis, Movie Recap, Movie Review, Naomi Ackie, National Womens Month, Psychological Horror, Representation Matters, Thriller Cinema, Women in Film

• National Women’s Month Spotlight: Michelle Garza Cervera

  

  A Haunting Reflection on Motherhood and Self: Huesera: The Bone Woman Review Huesera: The Bone Woman Directed by: Michelle Garza Cervera Starring: Natalia Solián, Alfonso Dosal, and Mayra Batalla Another tale of motherhood depicted with both sinister undertones and deep empathy. Michelle Garza Cervera approaches the notion of motherhood from a non-conformist lens, exploring identity…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  March 14, 2025

  Entertainment, Film Reviews, Horror, Mexican Cinema, National Women’s Month, Women Directors

  Feminism in Film, Film Review, Horror, Horror Cinema, Horror Movie Review, Huesera: The Bone Woman, Identity, Indie Films, Mexican Filmmakers, Mexican Horror, Michelle Garza Cervera, Motherhood, Movie Review, Natalia Solián, National Women’s Month, Psychological Horror, Women in Film