Valerie Kalfrin
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valeriek109.bsky.social
Valerie Kalfrin
@valeriek109.bsky.social
Film/culture writer & screenwriter. Member, Alliance of Women Film Journalists & RT-approved. Words at Script, RogerEbert, The Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, In Their Own League. Tell better stories. Tell stories better.
Zootopia 2 brings the fun, fur, and scales, but also all the feels. :) Full review coming soon, but it really put a smile on my face. ##Zootopia2
November 30, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Found #RogerEbert in today's NYT puzzle once I noticed the theme, then worked backward to solve the films. Especially amused over what he called "An assault on the eyes, the ears, the brain, common sense and the human desire to be entertained." @ebertvoices.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Director Dan Trachtenberg continues to rejuvenate the 1980s sci-fi action franchise PREDATOR with PREDATOR: BADLANDS, a surprisingly fun crowd-pleaser full of eye-popping imagery, clever fights, and entertaining chemistry. My @awfjorg.bsky.social review. awfj.org/blog/2025/11...
November 20, 2025 at 4:02 PM
THE RUNNING MAN feels like it’s several steps behind the times. Despite a few good performances, this updated remake of the 1987 original is essentially a 1980’s action movie with capable action but sorely in need of biting satire. My @awfjorg.bsky.social review.

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November 20, 2025 at 3:57 PM
#DieMyLove is a fever dream of a film, more about a character’s headspace than a propulsive (or cohesive) plot. While some might wonder just what's going on, those who see themselves in its portrait of depression will find parts haunting. My @awfjorg.bsky.social review. awfj.org/blog/2025/11...
November 17, 2025 at 5:25 PM
My two cents: Fun writing in the NYT about the death of the penny.
November 14, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Grand, sumptuous, and passionate, @realgdt.bsky.social's #Frankenstein is a heartbreaking vision of hubris and humanity where we least expect it. It's marvelous. My @awfjorg.bsky.social review. awfj.org/blog/2025/11...
November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
The #Netflix documentary #ThePerfectNeighbor offers a limited perspective, relying largely on police body-cam footage, but it's nevertheless propulsive with frustration and dread. More in my @awfjorg.bsky.social review.
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November 6, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Go see #Frankenstein in the theater before it's on Netflix. It's marvelous. 👏👏👏 @realgdt.bsky.social. Full review coming soon.
November 1, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Spotted on the other site.
October 31, 2025 at 2:16 PM
The thriller #AHouseofDynamite a sobering warning about what we take for granted and a grateful tribute to those who monitor our defenses. An intense and draining watch—and a larger existential story about the senselessness of it all. My @awfjorg.bsky.social review. awfj.org/blog/2025/10...
October 29, 2025 at 6:27 PM
The academic potboiler #AftertheHunt spends too much time with star Julia Roberts instead of the character who sets the plot in motion. Its buzzwords about diversity, truth, and ethics feel more superficial than probing. My review at @awfjorg.bsky.social. awfj.org/blog/2025/10...
October 27, 2025 at 4:38 PM
The NYTimes "Connections" crew definitely had Netflix and mythology on the brain...
October 20, 2025 at 8:40 PM
For those protesting today, stay safe. Stay proud. Stay peaceful and loud. #NoKings (Art courtesy of Alt National Parks Service)
October 18, 2025 at 3:12 PM
#Roofman hypes its true-story roots but might have worked better as a documentary. Short on cause and effect, it leans on Channing Tatum's considerable charm instead of fleshing out the motivations and flaws of its main character. My @awfjorg.bsky.social review.
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October 14, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Jane Goodall, who died this week at age 91, filmed an interview with Netflix earlier this year for the long-form series #FamousLastWords, with the understanding it would be released after her death. As ever, she's an inspiration. More here. www.netflix.com/tudum/articl...
October 3, 2025 at 4:43 PM
The drama #Swiped peeks behind the scenes of the dating app Tinder, where a bright young woman who helped launch its success finds she can’t avoid misogyny and sexism. Unfortunately, viewers might want to "swipe left" on this film. More in my @awfjorg.bsky.social review. awfj.org/blog/2025/09...
October 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
The revolution might not be televised, but it rages on in #OneBattleAfterAnother, a kinetic and often darkly comedic film about political stances and personal consequences. More in my @awfjorg.bsky.social review. awfj.org/blog/2025/10...
October 3, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Godspeed, Dr. #JaneGoodall. #RIPLegend.
October 1, 2025 at 6:28 PM
An absurdist comedy about petty grievances among neighbors and the assumptions we make about them, #TheFrenchItalian is very much a New York story. Yet even someone not in the city will appreciate its less-than-charitable dynamic. My @awfjorg.bsky.social review. awfj.org/blog/2025/09...
September 26, 2025 at 6:04 PM
"[W]ith only one eye, you know that Pigeon is looking at you. And it’s very important to me not only that kids be seen, but that kids realize that they are seeable... And so the Pigeon is always interested in you." Author @mowillems.bsky.social @slate.com . ❤️these books.
slate.com/culture/2025...
September 24, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Nice! I bought a US Colonial Marines patch for my teen son. It's on his army jacket with the Predator, of course. Along with this one.
September 22, 2025 at 12:53 PM
The nearly wordless #TIFF documentary #Aki turns like a kaleidoscope, as director #DarleneNaponse follows five seasons on First Nations land in Ontario, capturing an array of beauty we miss glued to smartphones and other screens. My @awfjorg.bsky.social review.
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September 18, 2025 at 5:31 PM
The #TIFF50 drama #Forastera is at times too subtle for its own good, with an ambiguity meant for mystery that saps its emotional impact. More in my review at @awfjorg.bsky.social .
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September 18, 2025 at 5:19 PM
The #TIFF drama #TheSonandtheSea is a delicate film about young men in crisis that offers a heartening solution that feels organic and true, thanks to director #StromaCairns and newcomer #JonahWest in a moving performance. More in my @awfjorg.bsky.social review. awfj.org/blog/2025/09...
September 18, 2025 at 4:52 PM