September 21, 2011

The Unjust (Seung-wan Ryoo, 2010)

The most interesting feature of The Unjust is its main actor and star, Jeong-min Hwang. I discovered him in Private Detective (2009) at Fantasia.
April 20, 2010

Love Exposure (Sion Sono, 2008)

Love Exposure is a beautiful film, a cherished secret I find myself unwilling to share but incapable of keeping. It's one of the best films I've ever seen.
October 17, 2013

Shield of Straw (Takashi Miike, 2013) | Lesson of the Evil (Takashi Miike, 2012)

Shield of Straw My first film at Fantasia in 2013 was Takashi Miike’s Shield of Straw, one of the director’s contribution to the festival. Miike is a known workhorse, directing sometimes three films per year, in a myriad of genres and styles. Yet, there seems to be a connecting thread through his films, which feels harder to ascertain for me […]
March 11, 2013

Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack (Takayuki Hirao, 2012)

Adapted from Junji Ito's manga, Gyo tells the story of a modern-day Japan attacked by poisonous fish with mechanical legs, converting the population into organic masses excreting putrid gas, as they make their way inland.
December 20, 2013

Fantasia 2013 bits I

Reviews bits of the Fantasia Film Festival.