A Banquet

"The film’s slow-burn magic lies in the many questions it raises as it skitters to a fitful, explosive end."

"A scene where Betsey’s sister angrily shoves cold cuts into Betsey’s sleeping mouth is one of the rare exciting moments."

"A Banquet’s horrors are exquisitely maternal."

"A provocative, rigorously composed film that confirms Paxton as a singular talent after a string of award-winning shorts."

"Director Ruth Paxton and screenwriter Justin Bull bite off more than they can chew, struggling to bring their salient commentary into focus."

"Bull's screenplay comes up short, failing to adequately capture the depth of its teen's encounter with the abyss..."

"The results are far more famine than feast."

"A movie that's constantly threatening to shape itself into something focused and powerful, but is too content to leave many of its best ideas unexplored."

"Can test the audience's patience as much as it does its lead characters."