Alan Berliner’s BENITA transforms the tragic death of filmmaker Benita Raphan into a meditation on mental health and the enduring power of art and creative expression. Brandon Wilson has this review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/beni... @geniusbastard.bsky.social

Looking to liven up that Thanksgiving family gathering? The buzzy horror film SHELBY OAKS is out on VOD for the perfect dessert! Jack Schenker spoke with film critic turned filmmaker Chris Stuckmann about how it came together... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/c...

After causing a ruckus and a buzz at several 2024 film fests, Elina Psykou's STRAY BODIES has yet to find distribution. Lauren Wissot might know why.... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/stra...

HtN Editor Don R. Lewis is a big Marc Maron fan but, does the Maron doc ARE WE GOOD? do him justice? The film is now on VOD... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/are-... @thatdonlewis.bsky.social

TRAIN DREAMS drops on Netflix tomorrow. My @hammertonail.bsky.social reviews is now up. #filmsky

Max Walker-Silverman returns with REBUILDING which explores displacement, community, and resilience in the aftermath of a wildfire. Jack Schenker spoke to Walker-Silverman and the film is in theaters now via Bleeker Street... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/w...

#DOCNYC rolls on as Isa Willinger’s latest documentary NO MERCY asks the question, "do women make harsher films?" Kaitlyn Hardy spoke with Isa Willinger about the film.... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/i...

Maïlys Vallade & Liane-Cho Han's animated gem LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN gives a nod to Studio Ghibli classics but is much more. Jack Schenker spoke to them about the film which is in theaters now... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/v...

SING SING writing/directing duo Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar's latest film TRAIN DREAMS stars Joel Edgerton & Felicity Jones. It's in theaters now and hits #Netflix tomorrow. Chris Reed has this review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/trai... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Marialuisa Ernst's A PLACE OF ABSENCE details the disappearances of up to 30,000 people during Argentina’s Dirty War between 1976 and 1983. Kaitlyn Hardy spoke with Ernst at DOC NYC www.hammertonail.com/interviews/m... #docnycfest

Nathan Sartain is still out at the London Korean Film Festival and has this review of director Lee Joon-ik’s DONGJU: THE PORTRAIT OF A POET calling it "quietly affecting biopic packed full of tender emotion." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/dong...

Impish provocateur Radu Jude's DRACULA is still sneaking around theaters and Jack Schenker spoke to the filmmaker about using AI, iPhone footage and absurdity for the film... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/r...

Check out our @hammertonail.bsky.social choices of what to see at @docnycfest.bsky.social this year! #DOCNYC

The great Richard Linklater has TWO fantastic films out this year in BLUE MOON and NOUVELLE VAGUE. Chris Reed spoke with him about the latter, a clever look at the FrenchNew Wave which hits #Netflix today! www.hammertonail.com/interviews/l... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

HtN fave Ira Sachs is back with the Rebecca Hall and Ben Wishaw starring PETER HUJAR'S DAY. Jack Schenker spoke with Sachs about the film, in theaters now via Janus Films. www.hammertonail.com/interviews/i...

The 2025 San Francisco Silent Film Festival runs November 12-16 at the Orinda Theater, Jonathan Marlow waxes poetic on the soundtracks that accompany them... www.hammertonail.com/film-festiva...

Since 2022, the Indie Film Site Network has presented the IFSN Advocate Award to fete a humanitarian issue film with a singular artistic vision. This years award goes to Julia Loktev’s MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I – LAST AIR IN MOSCOW! Read more at: www.hammertonail.com/features/ifs...

DOC NYC kicks off TODAY and HtN writers Kaitlyn Hardy, Jack Schenker & Chris Reed have you covered with 9 amazing films you should make it a point to check out! www.hammertonail.com/film-festiva... #DOCNYC @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Nastasya Popov makes her feature debut with IDIOTKA which Chris Reed says is "a heartfelt tribute to tight-knit families (and to families who wish they were tight-knit)" Plus, Julia Fox! Review from the Maryland Film Fest... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/idio...

In his filmmaking debut, Julian Castronovo takes an original cinematic approach in DEBUT, OR, OBJECTS OF THE FIELD OF DEBRIS AS CURRENTLY CATALOGUED. Chris Reed reviews from the Maryland Film Fest... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/debu... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Nathan Sartain says "set to an eclectic, at times pulsating soundtrack and coated in relentlessly fun humor, Kang Hyeong-cheol’s HI-FIVE is a joyous action comedy." Review from the London Korean Film Fest! www.hammertonail.com/reviews/hi-f...

For his sophomore effort, writer/director James Vanderbilt pulls together a strong ensemble cast for the drama NUREMBERG, in theaters today. Chris Reed says it "may just be one of the most important films of this season." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/nure...

The 2025 London Korean Film Festival runs November 5-18 and Hammer to Nail is excited to welcome writer Nathan Sartain to the team providing boots on the ground coverage. Check out his FROSTED WINDOW movie review.. www.hammertonail.com/reviews/fros...

The fortieth anniversary of the far-too-little-seen animated epic TENSHI NO TAMAGO [ANGEL’S EGG] in its highly-anticipated 4K remaster, opens theatrically November 19. Jonathan Marlow has this review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/ange...

Chris Reed had an engaging chat with filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filh on his latest film THE SECRET AGENT. Topics ranged from sound and smell to the JAWS franchise... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/m... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Who says spooky season ends on Halloween? Not us! As such, check out Jonathan Marlow's review of the 1944 Charles Brackett produced ghost story THE UNIVITED... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/the-...

In this installation of our Curbside #Criterion, Brad Cook takes the call and dives in on Akira Kurosawa's HIGH AND LOW 4k release saying the transfer is "pretty much the pinnacle of quality" for home release.... www.hammertonail.com/blu-ray/curb...

Filmmaker Amber Fares turns her camera on Israeli comedian and politically progressive activist Noam Shuster-Eliassi in the doc COEXISTENCE, MY ASS!, in theaters now. Chris Reed has this review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/coex... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Master filmmaker Jafar Panahi's latest IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT won the '25 Palme d'Or at Cannes and is in theaters now. Chris Reed spoke with him about the making of the film and more... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/j... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

RIVER OF GRASS, Shasa Wortzel’s debut doc, takes a kaleidoscopic look into the history of violence in and against Florida’s Everglades. It's in theaters now and Kaitlyn Hardy spoke with Wortzel about this passion project... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/s...

How much did I love Hikari's RENTAL FAMILY? A lot. My @hammertonail.bsky.social review out of the 2025 Middleburg Film Festival will tell you why. #filmsky

Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania's latest THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB played the Middleburg Film Fest where Chris Reed saw it saying "will impress you even as it breaks your heart and inflames your mind." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/voic... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Brendan Fraser stars in director Hikari's fish-out-of-water dramedy RENTAL FAMILY. Chris Reed sings its praises of the film out of the Middleburg Film Fest... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/rent... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Richard Linklater has TWO very different but similar era films in theaters now. In NOUVELLE VAGUE, Chris Reed was très impressionné as he followed Linklater back in time to see how the French New Wave was spawned... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/nouv... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Kaitlyn Hardy spoke with filmmaker/interdisciplinary artist Emily Mkrtichian about her debut film THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT which Hardy says is "a film that continuously breaks the bounds of its own creation." The film is own theaters now... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/e...

Following her recent interview with Crispin Glover, Jessica Baxter is back on that Crispin tip with this review of his recent film MR. K. It's in select theaters now via Music Box Films. www.hammertonail.com/reviews/mr-k/ @thebaxter.bsky.social

Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho's THE SECRET AGENT, winner of both the Best Actor and Best Director prizes at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, played Middleburg Film Fest & Chris Reed singles out Wagner Moura's captivating performance... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/the-...

Iranian director Jafar Panahi took home the top prize at Cannes with his latest, the thought provoking IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT. Chris Reed caught it at the Middleburg Film Fest and has this review... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/it-w... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

The great Richard Linklater just keeps on making great films. His latest, BLUE MOON, stars Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley and Bobby Cannavale in the 1940s Broadway scene. It opens Friday and Chale Nafus spoke with Linklater about the production... www.hammertonail.com/interviews/r...

THE LOVE THAT REMAINS by filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason played #NYFF63 and M.J. O'Toole says "you’ll walk out feeling soothed and with a reminder not to take the important things for granted." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/the-...

Editor at large Matt Delman is taken aback by Christian Petzold's MIROIRS NO. 3 which he saw at #NYFF63 saying "A master of subtlety, but not without ambition, Petzold crafts another delectable drama that prods at the human condition." www.hammertonail.com/reviews/miro...

My final review out of the 2025 @newnextfilmfest.bsky.social is of Ian Bell's WTO/99, over at @hammertonail.bsky.social #filmsky

In news that would have chuffed my younger self beyond measure, I interviewed Crispín Glover about his new film and lots of other stuff!

The GREAT Crispin Glover has a brand new film he's touring around the U.S. complete with a Q & A after the screening. Jessica Baxter spoke with him about his work, David Lynch and more! www.hammertonail.com/interviews/c... @thebaxter.bsky.social

Filmmaker Ian Bell takes viewers on a trip back to 1999, the quaint time when protests against the World Trade Organization were dominating the news cycle, in his doc WTO/99. Chris Reed has his review fresh from the NEW/NEXT Film Fest www.hammertonail.com/reviews/wto-... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

The New/Next Film Festival took place October 2-5 in Baltimore, MD which just happens to be home base for our Lead Critic, Chris Reed. Check out his ANDRÉ IS AN IDIOT movie review from the fest! www.hammertonail.com/reviews/andr... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social @newnextfilmfest.bsky.social

New review! If you have ever had any interest in Rocky Horror, you’re gonna love this doc!

French director Lucile Hadzihalilovic continues to dig into her fascination with the perils of youth in THE ICE TOWER, starring Marion Cotillard. Chris Reed has this review, the film is in theaters today... www.hammertonail.com/reviews/the-... @chrisreedfilm.bsky.social

Matt Delman says "If ‘audible gasp’ were a movie, it would be director Oliver Laxe’s SIRÂT." Voted top feature of Cannes by the Ioncinema critics poll, the film is playing #NYFF63 www.hammertonail.com/reviews/sirat/ @itstherealdel.bsky.social

Jessica Baxter pounds on the castle door in her review of STRANGE JOURNEY: THE STORY OF ROCKY HORROR, the documentary on the little indie that changed people's lives. In theaters now! www.hammertonail.com/reviews/stra... @thebaxter.bsky.social