Ray Gunn — Review
Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn has been over 30 years in the making. It’s a film he’s wanted to make since before 1999’s The Iron Giant. Audiences are likely to walk in with lofty expectations because of that. Clearly, Bird is very passionate about this story. However, the film itself ultimately doesn’t feel as special as that passion suggests. Ray Gunn is a solid animated adventure, but it lacks the feeling of personal investment you might expect from a project a filmmaker has spent decades trying to bring to the big screen. What makes Ray Gunn stand out from the myriad of animated films is that it’s essentially an animated film noir, which is a genre hybrid we seldom see. However, that combination also comes with some drawbacks, because anyone who’s seen at least one classic film noir from the 1940s will be able to recognize exactly where Ray Gunn is headed.
Blue Moon — Review
In October 2025, renowned filmmaker Richard Linklater presented us with two films about unconventional artists, both of which explore how style can intersect with substance. Nouvelle Vague, his film about the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless, is shot in the style of the French New Wave. Blue Moon, which tells the story of lyricist Lorenz Hart, is a chamber piece that unfolds with the intimacy of live theater. However, despite being released in the same month, the two works could not be more different. Nouvelle Vague embodies the energy and spirit of the French New Wave, paying tribute to the filmmakers who defined the movement. In contrast, Blue Moon is more restrained and introspective, a poignant character study that examines themes of art, success, fame, sexuality, legacy, and loneliness.