Reviews of films
Family…what can you do? Available in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and perhaps a few other countries. Approximately 120 minutes. Amir Neshan waits on a bridge until someone in a car hands him a backpack. Amir goes under the … Continue reading WTF ASIA 166: Beyond the Clouds (2017)
For the Want of a Nail Of the Three Amigos of Cinema Alejandro Gonzales Iñárritu is the most divisive. He lacks both the enveloping compassion and commercial instincts of del Toro, and the whizz bang fireworks wonder of Cuaron. He’s … Continue reading Post Millennial Malaise 20: Babel
So, I have already featured movie about city women going to a fishing village on a faraway island. But…this movie asks the question…what if that community was really really terrible? Available in Canada the United Kingdom, the United States, and perhaps a few other countries. … Continue reading WTF ASIA 165: Bedevilled (2010)
Once Upon a Time Here’s a fun fact. In the 2010’s five of the ten Best Director Oscars went to three people: Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Guillermo del Toro. Now this in and of itself isn’t that crazy … Continue reading Post Millennial Malaise 19: Pan’s Labyrinth
The long-awaited Summer gateway movie is inventive and charming, if a bit hollow. Here it is, just shy of one year since its original June 2020 premiere date, the musical movie event to launch you into Hot Girl Summer 2021. … Continue reading Review: In the Heights is a slightly watery Summer treat
First comes law, then comes martial. Available in Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, and perhaps a few other countries. Approximately 115 minutes. It is the late 1980s and Catholic high school student Chang Jia-han is meeting with his school … Continue reading WTF ASIA 164: Your Name Engraved Herein (2020)
Based on the manga…no, not that one. Available in Canada, the United States, and perhaps a few other countries. Approximately 113 minutes. Okano Yuichi lives with his elderly mother Mitsue and 20-something son Masaki in Nagasaki. His day job is…selling…advertisement space or … Continue reading WTF ASIA 163: Pecoross’ Mother and Her Days (2013)
In Which There’s a Lesson to be Learned One of the truisms of film watching is as follows: the greatest sin a movie can commit is not to be bad, but to be boring. While truisms tend to be overly … Continue reading Post Millennial Malaise 18: Lions for Lambs
So, if “bought the farm” means died, then what does “is about to have the farm confiscated” mean? Available in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, and perhaps a few other countries. Also Einthusan. Approximately 109-110 minutes. Natha Das Manekpuri … Continue reading WTF ASIA 162: Peepli Live (2010)
Stephen Fry invites Kenneth Branagh, Alphonsia Emmanuel, Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton and Emma Thompson to a miserable party. Branagh coaxes dreadful performances from his talented cast. Peter’s Friends wants to mix the angst of The Big Chill with the broad … Continue reading LGBT Movie: Peter’s Friends (1992)
In Which it’s David V. Goliath The film landscape of the mid 2000’s is haunted. A specter looms over Hollywood and many a different production shrug underneath its shadow. There is a dark and ominous force that creeps into the … Continue reading Post Millennial Malaise 17: In The Valley of Elah
Why do kidnappings have to be so complicated? Available in Canada, the United States, and perhaps a few other countries. Approximately 107 minutes. It is just another morning in 1978, and no one is happy. Little Eun-joo gets yelled at by her … Continue reading WTF ASIA 161: The Classified File (2015)
Sometimes, life can just blow up in your face. Available in the United States…really? Is that it? Well, that is more than other movies, I guess. Anyways, perhaps a few other countries. Approximately 106 minutes. Shortly after Zhao Xudong was born, … Continue reading WTF ASIA 160: Explosion (2017)
Doña Herlinda has a successful son with a considerate boyfriend. But they live in a conservative community and need to keep up appearances. Can Doña find a solution? Doña Herlinda and Her Son blends family melodrama with camp farce. The … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Dona Herlinda and Her Son (1985)
A Late to the Party review of Conan the Barbarian’s original stories, comics and movie. Continue reading Late to the Party: Conan the Barbarian
In Which We Are Still in the Desert As discussed in the article about Munich, movies made about the past are never just about the past. Especially when the contemporary world is roiling through a complicated and difficult to parse moment. Such … Continue reading Post Millennial Malaise 16: Jarhead
What was that I was saying last week about trying to be good for its own sake? Well, never mind that. This is all about Japanese soldiers suffering from illness, indignities, and injuries before dying ingloriously. Oh yeah. Available in Canada, France, the … Continue reading WTF ASIA 159: Fires on the Plain (1959)
The smiling face of Smokey the Bear has managed to cross continents, far outside his Californian place of birth. Since 1944 the affable ursine mascot’s catchphrase was “Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires.” It … Continue reading Film Review: Inhabitants – An Indigenous Perspective
M has always been handsome. He’s tired of the staring, the distrust and the propositions. Tired of the scorn he’s received for complaining about it. Before he leaves town, he’ll invite a select few to visit his drugged, unconscious body. … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Entropic (2019)
In Which We Met on Montauk As elucidated through the previous articles in this series the 2000’s were a boon for a certain style of indie film. The look and aesthetic of the previous decade was ebbing in favor of … Continue reading Post Millennial Malaise 15: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Money problems. Who does not have money problems? Available in Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, and perhaps a few other countries. Also on Einthusan. Approximately 102-103 minutes. An elderly man is dozing off while riding in an autorickshaw. His … Continue reading WTF ASIA 158: Amal (2007)
