‘The Friend’ is not just a buddy film
“The Friend,” by David Siegel and Scott McGehee, explores the nature of love and connection among friends, family, and cherished animals — as well as the complex relationships of grief. The film, which is...
Depth and drama in ‘Black Bag’
Steven Soderbergh’s new film, “Black Bag,” playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, grips us from the opening shot. The fast-paced espionage thriller unfolds day by day over a week. We follow an unknown...
A quarter-century of film, conversation, and change
One week, three venues, and 33 screenings later, the 25th annual Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival changed lives this past weekend. There was an overflow crowd for “Prime Minister,” documenting the election of New Zealand...
Life is a game in the sports film ‘Eephus’
“Eephus,” at the M.V. Film Center starting April 4, is a quiet feature by Carson Lund. It is ostensibly about a game in the mid-1990s between two New England recreational teams, which face off...
‘Between the Mountain and the Sky’ at M.V. Film Festival
“Between the Mountain and the Sky” chronicles Maggie Doyne’s extraordinary journey from a recent high school graduate in 2005 to the CEO and co-founder of BlinkNow, a Nepali nongovernmental organization and U.S. nonprofit. Currently,...
Documentary on Andy Kaufman
You might be left wondering who exactly Andy Kaufman was after watching Alex Braverman’s documentary, “Thank You Very Much,” playing at the M.V. Film Center starting March 28. The film examines the career of...
‘Champions of the Golden Valley’ at M.V. Film Festival
Shot in moody black-and-white, we see the silhouette of a man with his back to us, gazing out a window, snow swirling in a cold, wintry cityscape. He says, “It’s not there anymore. It...
Grammar guru in ‘Rebel with a Clause’
Do you ever get confused between “lie” and “lay,” particularly in the past tense? How about the proper time to use “who” and “whom”? Does trying to explain past participles make your brain cells...
Cat Film Festival comes to M.V. Film Center
The seventh annual 2025 NY Cat Film Festival, taking place at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center starting March 15, is a delight for all feline aficionados. Tracie Hotchner, a nationally acclaimed pet wellness advocate...
Lights up on film noir
Noir Nights returns to the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center this month. Paul Karasik will again host this popular annual late winter film series, introducing each film and doing a brief Q and A after...
‘The Legend of Ochi’ at the M.V. Film Festival
“The Legend of Ochi” by Isaiah Saxon is a fantasy adventure that will transport you to a rugged land far away. This family-friendly film, suitable for adults without kids, will be part of Circuit...
Meaning repeats in ‘A Traveler’s Needs’
Isabelle Huppert reunites with Hong Sang-soo for their third collaboration in the 2024 South Korean drama “A Traveler’s Needs,” playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center on Friday, March 7. The enigmatic film centers...
‘Seed of the Sacred Fig’ plays at the Film Center
Before “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” begins, a message appears onscreen that it was filmed secretly, alerting us that we are likely in for something intense. The next sentences only increase our certainty:...
Islanders score a reprise of ‘Eyes on the Prize’
Three Islanders had a hand in a six-part documentary series called “Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015,” premiering Feb. 25 on HBO during the last week of...
Vineyard documentary: ‘One Bad Crab’
Our Vineyard waters are known for their delectable shellfish. They are vital to the Island’s economy, culture, and environment. But commercial and recreational shellfishermen have a problem — a big one. The invasive European...
Documentary shorts at M.V. Film Center
The short-form documentaries at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center during the week of Feb. 21 carry an enormous impact. Three are intense, dealing with violent crimes, and skillfully draw us into the complexity of...
Oscar-nominated short films
The 20th annual “Oscar-Nominated Short Films” theatrical release, presented by Shorts, starts at the M.V. Film Center on Feb. 14. The international films are divided into three categories: live-action and animation, which are reviewed...
‘I’m Still Here’ screens at the Film Center
How do you keep going in the face of the unimaginable pulses that run through Walter Salles’ film, “I’m Still Here”? The film is playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, starting Feb. 7....
A sentient perspective in ‘Nickel Boys’
“Nickel Boys,” playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center starting Jan. 31, is not an easy film. Based on the Pulitzer-prizewinning novel by Colson Whitehead, the tale is raw. The film’s title refers to...
‘The Brutalist,’ a film by Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold
Director Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” is both intimate and epic. It is an intense exploration of one man’s complicated life during post–World War II in America. Corbet and his co-writer, Mona Fastvold, created the...