Phoebe Chen

arsepoetica

Phoebe Chen is a writer and PhD candidate living in New York.

A scene from “Afire.”

Christian Petzold’s “Afire” Is the Summer’s Most Beguiling Film Christian Petzold’s “Afire” Is the Summer’s Most Beguiling Film

The German director’s latest is a sly comedy about writer’s block, a bad vacation, and the catastrophe of a warming world.

Aug 29, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Phoebe Chen

Were We All Wrong About “Tár”?

Were We All Wrong About “Tár”? Were We All Wrong About “Tár”?

What made the movie both striking and dubious was somewhat overlooked in the initial critical fervor.

Dec 13, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Phoebe Chen

The Grotesque and Sublime Transformations of “Titane”

The Grotesque and Sublime Transformations of “Titane” The Grotesque and Sublime Transformations of “Titane”

Julia Ducournau’s surreal horror film is a harrowing exploration of the body and technology.

Oct 7, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Phoebe Chen

A Salacious Press, an Unchecked Government: Heinrich Böll’s Prescient Fiction

A Salacious Press, an Unchecked Government: Heinrich Böll’s Prescient Fiction A Salacious Press, an Unchecked Government: Heinrich Böll’s Prescient Fiction

A 1975 film adaptation of his novel The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum looks how fragile freedom is under democracy.

Dec 8, 2020 / Books & the Arts / Phoebe Chen

Kelly Reichardt’s Anti-Capitalist Vision of Frontier America

Kelly Reichardt’s Anti-Capitalist Vision of Frontier America Kelly Reichardt’s Anti-Capitalist Vision of Frontier America

Her latest film, First Cow, challenges the myths of Americana by telling the stories of peripheral, ordinary figures.

Mar 18, 2020 / Books & the Arts / Phoebe Chen

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What Does Hollywood Lose When It Works With China? What Does Hollywood Lose When It Works With China?

They may fight over censorship and trade, but the biggest players all want the same thing: movies that make as much money as possible.

Mar 3, 2020 / Phoebe Chen

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