Jason says: “There are likely a great many odd cross-pollinations like POLDER that even the most dedicated watchers of world cinema miss because a German art-house adaptation of a Japanese science-fiction novel would appeal to fairly specialized tastes under the
Jason says: “There’s always something a bit off about movies like PAPA though they are set in America and surround their (in this case) Chinese star with local actors, the filmmakers don’t quite know how everyday English sounds or the
Jason says: “I think that I vaguely recall the ‘Phoenix Lights’ that give this film its name; at least, there was a feeling of familiarity when the footage appeared which demonstrates that filmmaker Keith Arem has either done a nice
Michael says: “Hirokazu Kore-eda (LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON, STILL WALKING, NOBODY KNOWS, AFTER LIFE) returns with a lovely, heartfelt portrait of three sisters who discover they have a fourth sister after their estranged father passes away. They bring her into
Bruce says: “NOCTURNAL ANIMALS brings as layered and complex a narrative as anyone will find this year, combined with an unapologetic visual style that accents every complex fold of the plot. Added to the vision of Tom Ford as it
Jason says: “I wasn’t really looking forward to NEW YORK NEW YORK; the trailer made it look like yet another nostalgic Chinese romance, and not a particularly involving one. And yet, once it gets past its opening flash-forward, maybe even
Lorraine says: “NO GREATER LOVE is ending a festival run but will be making a theatrical run and I want to put it on your radar. “It played in the Beaufort Film Festival. I missed the screening but met the
Thom says: “Alex de la Iglesia is such a fun director that I think about him all the time. For some 23 years now he has consistently gone the extra mile to make extravagant rich entertainments that are delightfully complex
Kyle says: “MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART is only the eighth feature film by iconoclastic virtually legendary Chinese director Jia Zhangke. According to his own words during a New York Film Festival Q & A last fall, he had thought about not
Jason says: “I’ve read that the English-dubbed version of MONSTER HUNT (releasing at about the same time the original Mandarin version hits the United States) cuts a few scenes, including one where dog meat is seen offered for sale in
