Wolf Children (Japan; 117 min.) directed by: Mamoru Hosada starring: Aoi Miyazaki Takao Ohsawa; Amon Kabe; Haru Kuroki; Yukito Nishii Jason says: “While there are many reasons to be concerned about the health of animation as a medium in Japan,
Read the review...Sa jiao nu ren zui hao ming ()
Women Who Flirt (China; 97 min.) directed by: Pang Ho-cheung starring: Huang Xiaoming; Zhou Xun; Sonia Sui Ta; Xie Yilin Jason says: “WOMEN WHO FLIRT (or, to use its full Chinese name, ‘Women Who Know How to Flirt Are the
Read the review...The Wind Rises (2014)
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.75 cats
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Jason says: “When Hayao Miyazaki discussed his work on the film that eventually became THE WIND RISES soon after the Fukushima disaster, he spoke of how his next film would be upsetting as a reaction to that. Now, that film
Read the review...Wild Canaries ()
Wild Canaries (USA; 102 min.) directed by: Lawrence Michael Levinestarring: Sophia Takai; Lawrence Michael Levine; Alia Shawkat; Jason Ritter; Annie Parisse; Kevin Corrigan Jason says: “WILD CANARIES is not quite THE THIN MAN, but it’s better at that sort of
Read the review...Wild (2014)
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring: Gaby Hoffman | Keene McRae | Laura Dern | Michiel Huisman | Reese Witherspoon | Thomas Sadoski
Thom says: “I’d noticed the Cheryl Strayed account of her 1,100 mile solo hike on the Pacific Coast Trail in 1995 atop or near the top of national Best Seller lists (It’s still #4 on the New York Times Paperback
Read the review...Wicker Kittens ()
Wicker Kittens (USA; 52 min.) directed by: Amy C. Elliottdocumentary Jason says: “On my coffee table, underneath the piles of other stuff that has been dropped there over the course of the last couple of years, is a half-completed jigsaw
Read the review...Why Don’t You Play in Hell? (2014)
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Sion Sono
Jason says: “So it’s come to this: The festival program describes Sion Sono’s latest as an ode to 35mm cinema, and while ‘ode’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘requiem’, it’s often not far off. Fortunately, even if this is a eulogy for
Read the review...White Bird in a Blizzard (2014)
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Gregg Araki
Starring: Angela Bassett | Ava Acres | Christopher Meloni | Dale Dickey | Eva Green | Shailene Woodley | Sheryl Lee | Shiloh Fernandez | Thomas Jane
Jason says: “I saw WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD referred to as a coming of age movie, and I don’t necessarily think that designation fits. Not every drama where the characters haven’t graduated from high school yet needs that label;
Read the review...The White Storm (2014)
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Benny Chan
Jason says: “Sometimes, it’s not enough for someone to be shot in the chest. They have to fall off a cliff, and there have to be alligators in the river below. That is the attitude Benny Chan brings to THE
Read the review...Whiplash (2014)
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Damien Chazelle
Jason says: “So far, three of the four films that Damien Chazelle has written and/or directed have been about musicians, and for all I know, his script for THE LAST EXORCISM II had one in a prominent supporting role. In
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