Greetings again from the darkness. “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” It’s a famous adage that easily could continue with ‘through no fault of their own’ … and as it pertains to writer-director Alice Winocour’s (MUSTANG, 2015) latest film, the adage applies specifically the women. For a film based on Fashion Week in Paris, we get a rare glimpse inside the Chanel showroom. More importantly we get a feel for the stress and pressure being carried by those involved.
Oscar winner Angelina Jolie stars as Maxine Walker, an American director of indie horror films on the verge of her big break. She’s been invited to create a short film that will open the show just prior to the models taking the runway. Chosen to star in the film and be first on the runway is this year’s big new arrival, rookie model/actor Ada (real life model Anyier Anei in her debut film role). The striking Ada is from Sudan by way of Kenya. Another character we are keyed on is French make-up artist Angele (Ella Rumpf, RAW, 2016), who maintains a helpful approach, despite often being taken advantage of.
Ada has skipped Pharmacy School and kept the secret from her father as she pursues this possible career change. Angele is working diligently to be a writer, despite the harsh criticism from a older male editor who tells her, “Just because they (the stories) are real doesn’t make them interesting.” Maxine is dealing long-distance with her teenage daughter while also going through the legalities and emotions of a divorce. All three working women have men making their dreams more challenging to reach. Maxine has it even worse when a doctor hits her with the results of a biopsy. This seems especially pertinent since Ms. Jolie underwent a preventive mastectomy and lost her mother to breast cancer.
Other characters involved here include Ukrainian Christine (Garance Marillier, RAW, 2016), an anxious seamstress working on her first solo dress for the show; Anton (an underutilized Louis Garrel, LITTLE WOMEN, 2019) as Maxine’s oft-frustrated cinematographer; and two French acting legends, Vincent Lindon as Maxine’s Doctor Hansen and Aurore Clement as a woman she meets in the hospital waiting room. There are many other near-connections, and that’s probably the film’s greatest flaw. So many of these characters could provide an interesting story, yet it feels like most get shortchanged. The film’s messages come across quite clearly: Fashion Week is built upon the work of many women, and those women all overcome obstacles to complete their work.
In theaters beginning June 26, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. This is at least the eighth film adaptation of a story by Cesc Gay: THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS (Spain, 2020), VICINI DI CASA (Italy, 2022), THE NEIGHBORS FROM UPSTAIRS (Switzerland, 2023), V DOBREM I ZLEM (Czech Republic, 2024), NEPRILICHNYE GOSTI (Russia, 2024), MAYBE MORE (France, 2024), THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS (S Korea, 2025). Clearly, it’s a story and situation that resonates with many couples, regardless of geography, language, or culture … and director Olivia Wilde provides an American spin with assistance from co-writers Will McCormack (Oscar winner, TOY STORY 4) and Rashida Jones (“Parks and Recreation”).
Greetings again from the darkness. We discover a certain guilty pleasure in following a lost soul millennial as he searches for meaning, connection, or some reason to exist. The film from writer-director Adam Jumba and co-writer Christian Flowers is one of the closing night films for this year’s Dances With Films LA festival, and it’s likely to generate plenty of thought and consideration for viewers.
Greetings again from the darkness. Making its world premiere at this year’s Dances With Films LA is the first feature film from writer-director Jay Diaz, whose previous credits include numerous short films, videos, and TV episodes. Himself a first generation American, Diaz tells the similar story of Angel, a man working hard at life while trying to prevent his dreams from slowly slipping away.
Greetings again from the darkness. Sometimes I believe the best use of cinema is in proving the old adage, ‘truth is stranger than fiction’. Combining that with the mission of Dances With Films to remain a festival that highlights independent filmmaking, featuring director Jay Silverman’s film on Opening Night is a fitting choice. It’s a remarkable story that writer Van Billet based on his own family. We can only imagine some of those holiday memories.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been said that we must experience the bad times to fully appreciate the good times. However, while those bad times are occurring, they can feel overwhelming and like it will never get better again. It’s also been said that inner peace can only be found by appreciating what one has. All of this philosophy is on display in this latest from writer-director John Carney and co-writer Peter McDonald. Mr. Carney has been the creative force behind three other gems centered on music: FLORA AND SON (2023), SING STREET (2016), and ONCE (2008). Mr. McDonald’s 2011 short film PENTECOST received an Oscar nomination. These guys are talented and they’ve done it again with this film.
Greetings again from the darkness. We all love a good (and sneaky) twist in a movie. It takes exceptional storytelling and acting to pull it off, and it’s a bit funny when it becomes obvious that the screenwriter just kind of ran out of ways to maintain the suspense. That’s what happens about twenty minutes into this one from writer-director Katie Aselton, real life wife of filmmaker Mark Duplass, who also co-wrote this script.
Greetings again from the darkness. Stories on geopolitics are almost always interesting, and this latest from writer-director Olivier Assayas (CARLOS, 2010) and co-writer Emmanuel Carrere is also quite timely, given the current state of international events. The film is based on the 2022 fictionalized novel by Giuliano da Empoli, and it’s inspired by the life of Vladimir Putin’s former Deputy Chief, Vladislov Surkov … named here as Vadim Baranov.
Greetings again from the darkness. You likely know that an octopus has eight limbs (the name is a giveaway). Did you also know they have nine brains and three hearts? Anything else you need to know about the species, at least for this movie, will be explained by Marcellus (voiced by Albert Molina), the main attraction at the aquarium where much of this story takes place. Most every book club had the 2022 best-selling debut novel from Shelby Van Pelt on its agenda, and now writer-director Olivia Newman (WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, 2022) and co-writer John Whittington have adapted it for the big screen.
Greetings again from the darkness. The first feature film from writer-director Sophy Romvari has been well received on the festival circuit, and it’s easy to see why so many have been drawn in by this Canadian- Hungarian production. It’s a deeply personal film with autobiographical elements from the filmmaker. The best family dramas often deliver a gut-punch, and this one certainly does … yet it’s the storytelling structure that provides hope for future gems like this.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 