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Smile 2
(2024)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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While 2022’s Smile is a perfectly cromulent movie, Smile 2 is destined to be one of the films mentioned in the pantheon of sequels that outshine the original. It really is that good.
Posted Nov 04, 2024
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Juror #2
(2024)
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Colin Biggs
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Solidly acted, Juror #2 stands out because of [Nicholas] Hoult and [Toni] Collette’s performances.
Posted Nov 01, 2024
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Venom: The Last Dance
(2024)
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Mel Valentin
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Ultimately, the set pieces in [Venom: The Last Dance] matter far less than the central, possibly only, reason to watch any entry in the Venom series: Tom Hardy as the put-upon, losing-at-life ex-journalist and his permanent houseguest.
Posted Nov 01, 2024
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The Swedish Torpedo
(2024)
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Christopher Patterson
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With soaring acting, cutthroat direction, and an intense script that keeps you on your toes, The Swedish Torpedo feels as important as its subject matter.
Posted Nov 01, 2024
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Eden
(2024)
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Ethan Dayton
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If anything, Eden will hopefully encourage those of us who’ve never heard of the Galapagos Affair to look into this deeply layered history, which is far more interesting than the movie presents their story to be.
Posted Nov 01, 2024
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K-Pops
(2024)
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Shawn Peer
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[K-Pops!] may not leave a lasting impression, but it tells an enjoyable and relatable story, and that’s, to an extent, enough.
Posted Nov 01, 2024
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Who Do I Belong To
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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Unintelligibly ambiguous.
Posted Oct 31, 2024
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Here
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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If there’s one thing Here proves with its Forrest Gump reunion, it’s that the all-American cheese of Zemeckis and Hanks is timeless.
Posted Oct 31, 2024
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Conclave
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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Hits the sweet spot between popcorn movie and prestige picture.
Posted Oct 23, 2024
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Rumours
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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But while, or perhaps because, these figures don’t necessarily say anything, Rumours may be the most spot-on political satire of the year.
Posted Oct 21, 2024
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Mongrels
(2024)
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Matthew Simpson
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Mongrels [is] both an exciting first feature and one worth seeking out.
Posted Oct 20, 2024
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Terrifier 3
(2024)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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Terrifier 3’s success comes from never trying to be anything it is not. It is gross and it is engaging, and it refuses to apologize for being both
Posted Oct 20, 2024
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Hold Your Breath
(2024)
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Mel Valentin
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As fully committed as she is, even Paulson struggles to elevate [Hold Your Breath's] thin and underdeveloped material, which would probably be better suited to an episode of a horror anthology series.
Posted Oct 20, 2024
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Goodrich
(2024)
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Rachel West
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Competently made and enjoyable, [Goodrich is] simply a nice movie that doesn’t challenge the viewer much.
Posted Oct 20, 2024
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The Apprentice
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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One sees as much Homer J. Simpson here as one does Donald J. Trump, although that observation may be a disservice to the affable Mr. Simpson. It’s a big swing to portray a former (and possibly future) president in such a fair yet unflattering light.
Posted Oct 09, 2024
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Saturday Night
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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It’s a laugh-a-minute backstage dramedy about taking a risk in the increasingly risk-averse world of showbiz.
Posted Oct 04, 2024
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Joker: Folie à Deux
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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Joker encourages Phillips to cosplay as renegade auteur. However, the metteur-en-scène ensures that Folie à Deux also lacks the depth or, frankly, interest to say anything meaningful despite its cavalcade of “We LivE in A sOciEtY” musings.
Posted Oct 02, 2024
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The Wild Robot
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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It gives a jolt to studio animation in a sea in which the very best works too often include sequels, reboots, remakes, or intolerable IP cash grabs.
Posted Sep 27, 2024
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A Different Man
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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The way Stan deflates his character, creating a different man without physically wrinkling his veneer, is a feat of juggling interiority and exteriority.
Posted Sep 26, 2024
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Really Happy Someday
(2024)
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Larry Fried
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J Stevens' feature debut, [Really Happy Someday], is a raw yet tender coming-of-gender portrait [that] feels like a product of the genre’s evolution.
Posted Sep 23, 2024
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The Piano Lesson
(2024)
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Shawn Peer
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Fans of Wilson’s work will appreciate the performances and the faithful adaption of the source material of The Piano Lesson, but it is unlikely to be remembered.
Posted Sep 23, 2024
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Queer
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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Queer feverishly adapts the short novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs, and does it justice. This is a sweaty drama that oozes cheap booze from its pores.
Posted Sep 23, 2024
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Speak No Evil
(2024)
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Colin Biggs
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2024’s Speak No Evil is a strong approach to its source material, but this is, for all of its compelling portrayals, an imitation of a film that made a lasting impact.
Posted Sep 23, 2024
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Oh Canada
(2024)
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Victor Stiff
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Oh, Canada’s stilted and disjointed execution makes it challenging to watch as the narrative and characters fail to resonate emotionally.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Presence
(2024)
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Victor Stiff
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Presence is a pulpy thriller told through an unconventional style that some may find off-putting. If you can get past the unusual approach, the film delivers a satisfying blend of drama and intrigue.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Veteran 2: I, the Executioner
(2024)
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Victor Stiff
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On the surface, I, the Executioner looks like another broad action comedy, but it uses its heavier subject matter to mine new emotional and thematic depths. If you’re a fan of Korean cinema, I can’t recommend [it] enough.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Maria
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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Like Jackie and Spencer, Maria offers shattering insight into the psychology of complicated women. [Angelina Jolie] gives a performance of soul-bearing madness and pushes herself beyond the risk-taking turns that defined the earliest stages of her career.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Universal Language
(2024)
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Barbara Goslawski
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Already celebrated for his unique brand of cinematic playfulness, Matthew Rankin (The Twentieth Century) crafts another brilliant blend of wit and formal rigour with his second feature, Universal Language.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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All We Imagine as Light
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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All We Imagine as Light is a delicate film that slowly and methodically washes over you and warms the heart.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Sketch
(2024)
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Victor Stiff
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Sketch looks and feels like the whimsical Amblin-era family films that are now pop culture staples, [showing] us how through enduring heartache, we emerge as stronger, wiser, and more compassionate versions of ourselves.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Piece By Piece
(2024)
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Victor Stiff
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Piece by Piece feels like a superhero origin story, tracing how a young Williams discovered his powers and honed them into phenomenal abilities.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Never Let Go
(2024)
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Mel Valentin
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While Never Let Go eventually stumbles story-wise, it still proves engaging thanks to top-flight performances from [Halle] Berry, [Anthony B.] Jenkins, and [Percy] Daggs [IV].
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Can I Get a Witness?
(2024)
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Larry Fried
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[Can I Get a Witness's] conclusions are quietly audacious, making it one of the most fascinating and surprisingly life-affirming genre experiments in recent memory.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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The Seed of the Sacred Fig
(2024)
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Larry Fried
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Some films are about rebellions. It’s rare that a film is, in and of itself, a rebellion. All of this, and more, makes The Seed of the Sacred Fig a landmark.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Transformers One
(2024)
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Victor Stiff
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Transformers One offers plenty to like but not much to love. The film takes the Transformers in a fresh direction while somehow still playing things too safe.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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The Shadow Strays
(2024)
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Victor Stiff
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The Shadow Strays delivers a blood-soaked parade of violence aimed squarely at the hardcore.
Posted Sep 22, 2024
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Wolfs
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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It’s hard to complain about such a pair of sly silver foxes.
Posted Sep 20, 2024
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40 Acres
(2024)
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Courtney Small
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An entertaining edge of your seat thriller, 40 Acres is one the year’s must-see films.
Posted Sep 19, 2024
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Bring Them Down
(2024)
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Rachel West
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Seeing some of Ireland’s finest actors at work makes Bring Them Down an exhilarating watch. Andrews’ script provides just the right amount of tension, and when it reveals its true intentions halfway through the runtime, the story truly comes alive.
Posted Sep 17, 2024
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Heretic
(2024)
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Rachel West
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A film that is almost entirely dialogue-driven and devoid of jump scares, Heretic may not be the horror film fans are expecting, but it’s definitely one we all deserve.
Posted Sep 17, 2024
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The Luckiest Man in America
(2024)
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Rachel West
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The Luckiest Man In America fails to reach its full potential resulting in a less-than-satisfying portrait.
Posted Sep 17, 2024
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Shook
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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The dramedy marks the first fiction feature for Wala, who has adeptly honed his chops in documentary. That eye for daily life is on full display here, as is the sense of care and respect that documentary filmmakers have in their blood.
Posted Sep 16, 2024
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Saturday Night
(2024)
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Victor Stiff
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[Jason] Reitman invites viewers to cannonball dive down the SNL history rabbit hole delivering a nerve-wracking dramedy that’s a must-watch for anyone who’s ever loved the show.
Posted Sep 15, 2024
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Dahomey
(2024)
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Emma Badame
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An intimate and focused contemplation on culture and the far-reaching consequences of colonialism, the 68-minute-long feature and the questions it raises will stay with you long after its credits have rolled.
Posted Sep 14, 2024
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Hard Truths
(2024)
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Emma Badame
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With Hard Truths, the prolific director touches on something profound and simple, and the result is a stunning, compassionate portrait of humanity likely to be considered among his very best.
Posted Sep 13, 2024
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Emilia Pérez
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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You’ve never seen anything like Emilia Pérez. It’s a nerve-wracking, yet euphorically great thrill ride.
Posted Sep 12, 2024
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Sharp Corner
(2024)
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Rachel West
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[Sharp Corner's] story raises more questions than it ultimately answers.
Posted Sep 12, 2024
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The Return
(2024)
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Rachel West
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Truth be told, other than Fiennes, Binoche, and the scenery, there isn’t much else [to The Return], but I would ask: what more do you need?
Posted Sep 12, 2024
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Nightbitch
(2024)
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Pat Mullen
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The bittersweet bitch that is motherhood receives a full-throated howl in this darkly funny adaptation of Rachel Yoder’s 2021 novel [Nightbitch].
Posted Sep 12, 2024
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On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
(2024)
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Courtney Small
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A brilliant work on every level, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is one of the year’s best works.
Posted Sep 10, 2024
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