‘The Choral’ at the M.V. Film Center
The leitmotifs of music, love, and war intertwine in Nicholas Hytner’s “The Choral,” which screens at the Martha’s Vineyard. Film Center starting Jan. 23. The story, by Alan Bennett, follows the lives of residents...
A powerful work of art
Mystery, beauty, grief, and love course through Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet,” based on Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling novel of the same name. The two wrote the script for the film adaptation of “Hamnet,” which screens at...
Family silences
A great deal of awkward silence reigns in Jim Jarmusch’s new film, “Father Mother Sister Brother,” playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center starting on Jan. 9. The silences heighten the unease between the...
‘The Secret Agent’ at the M.V. Film Center
“The Secret Agent,” playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center starting Dec. 26, is a haunting Brazilian neo-noir political thriller written and directed by Mendonça Filho. Although a 2025 film, it has the look...
The Cape Cod of the Midwest
The juicy, vibrant red fruit of the irresistibly delicious-looking dessert takes center stage in John Stimpson’s “A Cherry Pie Christmas.” The holiday romance, showing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center on Dec. 18, has...
A romantically whimsical rendering of the afterlife
Is being really lucky with love twice in one life too much? David Freyne’s new comedy, “Eternity,” playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center starting on Dec. 12, looks at just such a dilemma.
The...
Blunt humor serrated by grief
We grasp the central theme of Steven Feinartz’s documentary “Are We Good?” –– playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center starting Dec. 5 –– just moments after the opening credits roll by. On May...
A split-second in the air
The challenges of family dynamics sit at the heart of awardwinning filmmaker Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” playing at the M.V. Playhouse starting on Friday, Nov. 28.
Trier sets the stage with footage of an old,...
‘The History of Sound’
Sound, or in fact, music, is central to director Oliver Hermanus’ film, “The History of Sound,” playing at the M.V. Film Center on Sunday, Nov. 23. The story was adapted from a short story...
The drama of political defiance
The even pace of “It Was Just an Accident,” an Iranian film playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center starting on Nov. 14, keeps us on tenterhooks through to the end.
The underlying moral dilemma...
Infectious determination
You don’t have to know anything about jazz to grasp the importance of Keith Jarrett’s legendary musical talent. The enormously gifted free-improvisational jazz pianist, and what would become one of his most famous concerts,...
‘Eight billion people are my brothers and sisters’
The very presence of the Dalai Lama can bring a sense of inner calm — a welcome feeling in today’s world. Directors Barbara Miller and Philip Delaquis have given us an intimate audience with...
A film that feels like a Broadway play
A drunk, deranged, and disheveled man careens down a rain-soaked alleyway in the opening shot of Richard Linklater’s captivating new film, “Blue Moon,” playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center starting Friday, Oct. 24....
A woman’s lens
Although women comprise more than half of the country’s population, in 2024, they accounted for 16 percent of directors and 27 percent of producers working on the 250 top-grossing films, according to the 2024...
A changing Africa through a child’s eyes
There isn’t a wrong note in Embeth Davidtz’s “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight” screening at the M.V. Film Center starting Oct. 10. The compelling, gritty film is based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir...
A fond farewell to the Crawleys and friends
“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” literally opens with a grand finale, and ends with a greatly moving one as well. And everything in between the two is a treat for “Downton Abbey” fans. The...
‘Eleanor the Great’ packs a punch
“Eleanor the Great,” directed by Scarlett Johansson, is a poignantly funny film with a great deal of punch. Playing at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center starting on Sept. 26, it touches on themes of...
You be the judge
“One World. One Week. One Festival” is the motto of the 28th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival. The festival screens the top 10 short film finalists during a single week. More than 100,000 audience...
A love letter to education
If we’re lucky, we’ve been blessed with at least one memorable teacher who left an indelible impact on us, perhaps changing how we thought, or what we thought about. Director Elliot Kirschner, a New...
