review
Civil War
Essentially a Last of Us-style zombie roadmovie, a genre that is already practically one layer of abstraction away from what this film explores, Civil War is a provocative film, but ultimately too shallow.
Kino Oyasumi
late night reviews and rants about film and other media
review
Monster
Monster, the newest film by one of Japan's finest contemporary directors, is, as always, another treat in the classic Kore-eda social drama style.
review
Return to Seoul
Excellent performance by the lead actress in her painful depiction of a desire to belong while constantly pushing away anyone that gets close; but halfway through the film does lose its focus and I felt there was virtually no character development from that point onward.
review
Poor Things
Fundamentally a Hero's Journey reimagination of Frankenstein, Poor Things explores themes of the human condition, patriarchy, and ideology through its subversion of the overplayed 'born sexy yesterday' power fantasy trope of oversexualized, childlike women.
review
The Boy and The Heron
At times a whimsical adventure, The Boy and the Heron is fundamentally about dealing with grief, trauma and human agency.
review
Napoleon and the Lamb Chops of Destiny
The only thing Napoleon has going for it is its indulgence in farcical iconoclasm; a very deliberate depiction of a near-mythological historical figure as a comically inept, less-than-human caricature.
review · TIFF
Full River Red
Zhang Yimou has crafted a wide variety of brilliant films ranging from historical and societal dramas to wuxia action thrillers. This is not one of them. What it is, however, is a fun historical whodunnit comedy thriller with strong nationalist undertones.
review · TIFF
Blue Giant
Blue Giant, an animated adaption of the eponymous graphic novel chronicling the rise of a starting Jazz musician, is a wonderful and sometimes moving love letter to Jazz, elevated by a brilliant soundtrack composed and performed by the ever so talented Uehara Hiromi.
review
Killers of The Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese's newest film, the epic true crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, is an absolute highlight in an already unparalleled career.
review
Past Lives: Even a Broken Clock is Right Twice a Day
Past Lives, doesn't pack any surprises in its storytelling but there's a kind of melancholic poetry to its visual language that I haven't seen since the 'Before' Trilogy. Quite a strong debut for its director Celine Song, but it doesn't come without caveats.