Chris Cassingham

hey, actually, fuck this sentiment and you!

I wasn't very pleased with John Maclean's TORNADO, a thin and unimaginative homage to Kurosawa's samurai films, too reliant on simple psychology, heavy atmosphere and a needlessly non-linear plot, and desperately lacking in true feeling. t.co/ieBqEPNAPH

A couple weeks ago, I reviewed Graham Swon's stunning AN EVENING SONG (FOR THREE VOICES) for InReview Online. There's magic going on in this thing that I can't fully explain, but is much better to watch, anyways. I hope it gets more opportunities to screen publicly outside of NYC. t.co/2aAEqr63hB

Putting it out there that I would like to write about the Pierre Creton retrospective running at BAM at the end of June. Editors...I am so available it's embarrassing.

Ted Kennedy on BF Skinner, public intellectualism, and freedom. Ted Kennedy's new film, BF Skinner Plays Himself, had its World Premiere at MoMA's Doc Fortnight in February.

I've returned to my newsletter, Dark Optimism, with an interview with filmmaker Ted Kennedy. We met to talk about his new documentary, BF SKINNER PLAYS HIMSELF, the pitfalls of public intellectualism, and the risks of a society not in possession of its own mind. Link in replies!

Ted Kennedy on BF Skinner, public intellectualism, and freedom. Ted Kennedy's new film, BF Skinner Plays Himself, had its World Premiere at MoMA's Doc Fortnight in February.

open.substack.com/pub/chriscas...

Ted Kennedy on BF Skinner, public intellectualism, and freedom. Ted Kennedy's new film, BF Skinner Plays Himself, had its World Premiere at MoMA's Doc Fortnight in February.

I've returned to my newsletter, Dark Optimism, with an interview with filmmaker Ted Kennedy. We met to talk about his new documentary, BF SKINNER PLAYS HIMSELF, the pitfalls of public intellectualism, and the risks of a society not in possession of its own mind. Link in replies!

I interviewed Ted Kennedy about his new documentary, BF Skinner Plays Himself. The film has been on my mind since I first saw it in February, so it was a thrill to sit down with him in April when I was in New York to get some answers for all my dumb questions. I hope you enjoy. LINK IN REPLIES!

Ted Kennedy on BF Skinner, public intellectualism, and freedom. Ted Kennedy's new film, BF Skinner Plays Himself, had its World Premiere at MoMA's Doc Fortnight in February.

open.substack.com/pub/chriscas...

I interviewed Ted Kennedy about his new documentary, BF Skinner Plays Himself. The film has been on my mind since I first saw it in February, so it was a thrill to sit down with him in April when I was in New York to get some answers for all my dumb questions. I hope you enjoy. LINK IN REPLIES!

Dark Optimism | Chris Cassingham | Substack Writing about contemporary independent film and the cinema that keeps me going. Click to read Dark Optimism, by Chris Cassingham, a Substack publication. Launched 4 months ago.

I'm publishing a new interview on my Substack in a few minutes. You can subscribe now so it's sent to your inbox: chriscassingham.substack.com. This is the most fun I've ever had interviewing a filmmaker, and I'm excited to share it with you all.

Urchin — Harris Dickinson [Cannes '25 Review] | In Review Online A new film review of Urchin, directed by Harris Dickinson, for film review site In Review Online's Cannes 2025 festival coverage.

Only one Cannes review from me this year. Had a chance to catch Harris Dickinson's debut feature, Urchin, a gritty, competently made drama about a London rough sleeper, but one lacking a point of view and artistic daring. inreviewonline.com/2025/05/26/u...

Urchin — Harris Dickinson [Cannes '25 Review] | In Review Online A new film review of Urchin, directed by Harris Dickinson, for film review site In Review Online's Cannes 2025 festival coverage.

Only one Cannes review from me this year. Had a chance to catch Harris Dickinson's debut feature, Urchin, a gritty, competently made drama about a London rough sleeper, but one lacking a point of view and artistic daring. inreviewonline.com/2025/05/26/u...

Notorious
Vertigo
Shadow of a Doubt
Rear Window
North By Northwest

Dark Optimism | Chris Cassingham | Substack Writing about contemporary independent film and the cinema that keeps me going. Click to read Dark Optimism, by Chris Cassingham, a Substack publication. Launched 4 months ago.

I'm going to publish a new interview over at chriscassingham.substack.com when Cannes is over. Just finished editing it for readability and am so pleased with it. Things are slow at Dark Optimism but they are happening.

In the meantime, feel free to subscribe :)

Dark Optimism | Chris Cassingham | Substack Writing about contemporary independent film and the cinema that keeps me going. Click to read Dark Optimism, by Chris Cassingham, a Substack publication. Launched 4 months ago.

I'm going to publish a new interview over at chriscassingham.substack.com when Cannes is over. Just finished editing it for readability and am so pleased with it. Things are slow at Dark Optimism but they are happening.

oh my god I just realized this was playing Cannes. desperate to see it.

The Instinctual Lurches of Desire: André Téchiné's Wild Reeds | In Review Online A new Kicking the Canon piece on Wild Reeds, directed by André Téchiné, for film review site In Review Online.

It was the 30th anniversary of Wild Reed's US release last week, so I took the opportunity to share my thoughts, parse out what it's doing that other coming-of-age films don't seem to attempt. It's a remarkable film, and very important to me. inreviewonline.com/2025/05/16/w...

I'm thrilled to say that TO USE A MOUNTAIN, the second feature doc produced by my sister this year, has just won the Special Jury Prize of the International Competition at Visions du Reel. So very proud of her and everyone who worked on this film.

From the jury: “A patient, rigorous road trip across a continent and it’s buried subterranean secrets. An epic journey in memorializing topography of stolen lands. Six intimate portraits of communities impacted, displaced, betrayed by the government.”

I'm thrilled to say that TO USE A MOUNTAIN, the second feature doc produced by my sister this year, has just won the Special Jury Prize of the International Competition at Visions du Reel. So very proud of her and everyone who worked on this film.

stunning lineup

Henry Fonda for President — Alexander Horwath [Doc Fortnight '25 Review] | In Review Online A new film review of Henry Fonda for President, directed by Alexander Horwatch, for film review site In Review Online's Doc Fortnight 2025 coverage.

HENRY FONDA FOR PRESIDENT opens this weekend @anthologyfilm.bsky.social. Sharing my Doc Fortnight review. I’ll be shocked if it’s not on my best of the year list come December. inreviewonline.com/2025/03/05/h...

Henry Fonda for President — Alexander Horwath [Doc Fortnight '25 Review] | In Review Online A new film review of Henry Fonda for President, directed by Alexander Horwatch, for film review site In Review Online's Doc Fortnight 2025 coverage.

HENRY FONDA FOR PRESIDENT opens this weekend @anthologyfilm.bsky.social. Sharing my Doc Fortnight review. I’ll be shocked if it’s not on my best of the year list come December. inreviewonline.com/2025/03/05/h...

I'm thrilled to share my @reverseshot.bsky.social debut, a review of Songs of Slow Burning Earth. A huge thanks to Michael for his wonderful edits and for the Reverse Shot Writers Workshop. It gave me a much needed injection of inspiration and motivation. t.co/4wB2fpZMsh

When you google “Val Kilmer Christian Scientist” the first things that come up are articles about his cancer diagnosis, which he apparently described as “the suggestion of cancer”. An all-too-familiar refrain. Unexpectedly triggering. We were told to treat so much that way. It sticks with you.

Val Kilmer was a life-long, devout Christian Scientist. So was Henry Fonda. I grew up the same. It’s usually given a bad rap in popular culture. The screenplay I wrote last year deals with it. 20 years ago Kilmer could have played a key character in that story. Strange, stray thoughts. RIP.

Poster for John Ford's THE LONG GRAY LINE (1955) starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara with the tagline "A Great Place! A Great Guy! A Great Picture!"

New @junkfilterpod.bsky.social! The writer and programmer @chriscassingham.bsky.social returns to the pod from Milwaukee for a show about John Ford's THE LONG GRAY LINE and his innovations in the use of the CinemaScope format.
Here's a preview. Patrons can unlock!
open.spotify.com/episode/7wp5...

A shot in John Ford's THE LONG GRAY LINE (1955) showing rows and rows of West Point cadets in a cathedral. Ford innovated the then-new CinemaScope format to favor the Z-Axis (the depth of the image) as opposed to the height and width of a shot.

On the new Premium episode, the writer and film programmer @chriscassingham.bsky.social returns for a look at John Ford's 1955 comedy/tragedy THE LONG GRAY LINE and Ford's innovative use of the Z-Axis (the depth of the image) for a CinemaScope frame.
Preview: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/j...