Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 18, 2011

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 17, 2011

Barthes introduces a captivating concept provoking a number of philosophical questions, but never answers them making the film unsettling and difficult to enjoy.

| Original Score: 2 1/2 | Aug 12, 2010

Cold Souls is imitation Kaufman, written and directed by newcomer Sophie Barthes, who makes no effort to hide the source of her inspiration.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 26, 2009

The result is a deliciously deadpan piece of absurdism with some unexpectedly poignant touches.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 26, 2009

The credible production design impresses, the camerawork offers an exquisite chill and Giamatti is in his pomp.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 13, 2009

The writer-director Sophie Barthes does her best to keep things moving, but the film runs out of steam about halfway through.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 13, 2009

The pedantic borrowings from Kaufman are obvious. Is there any other "-esque" to be detected? There's Allen-esque, but that comes with the Kaufman-esque territory. Maybe Huxley-esque? The anxiety of influence hangs heavily here.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 13, 2009

A trippy premise literally dreamed up by director Sophie Barthes, it is pensive and ponderous, offering a nod and wink to the likes of Philip K Dick and Charlie Kaufman. But it's also peculiarly remote.

Full Review | Nov 13, 2009

The film itself seems to inhabit the soul of another screenwriter, Charlie Kaufman, though it's more a respectful nod than a blatant steal. Barthes shows enough wit and daring of her own to mark her as one to watch.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 13, 2009

As a serious exploration of the nature of the soul, it feels incomplete, but it's an entertaining enough existential ramble.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 13, 2009

It's an amuse-bouche, for exactly the kind of twerp who uses words like "amuse-bouche". If that's you, you'll love it. You big ponce.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 13, 2009

These are all very surreal, inventive ideas, heightened by the dreamlike cinematography from Barthes' partner, Andrij Parekh; the scenes shot in St. Petersburg, for example, are simultaneously gauzy and bleak.

| Sep 18, 2009

Giamatti is masterful, swaddled in a heavy beard and an existential slump.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 18, 2009

Giamatti stammers and futzes and self-loathes with the best of 'em, and his endearing persona and droopy-dog face can move the film along even when the narrative can't.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Sep 4, 2009

Inspired by one of [director] Barthes' dreams, Cold Souls has the kind of twisted but clever self-awareness of Being John Malkovich.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 21, 2009

These pitch-perfect moments, as well as Giamatti's performance as an artist driven to a personal and creative brink, make Cold Souls, if not always coherent, at least compelling.

Full Review | Aug 21, 2009

It's a movie about losing your soul that doesn't really have one.

| Aug 21, 2009

A clever existential comedy.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 20, 2009

A dark indie comedy that's distinguished by a sci-fi theme and surrealistic touches but ends without a payoff.

| Aug 20, 2009