April 2, 2014
The highlight of 12 Years a Slave is Steve McQueen’s direction. The arresting scenes of the film are the moments of sheer beauty.
February 26, 2013
Mitsuko Delivers is a great beginning to the festival for me, starting with what could be the best acting performance of the year. Riisa Naka plays the eponymous Mitsuko, an energetic and pregnant young woman who travels back to her old stomping grounds and quickly befriends a cast of quirky local characters, forcing them to seek happiness, whether they’re open […]
October 17, 2013
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 […]
November 28, 2010
Overheard is a Hong Kong film from Alan Mak in the vein of Infernal Affairs, with magnificent performances from its lead actors.
April 20, 2010
Held together almost entirely by the strength of Gyllenhall’s performance, Sherrybaby is one of the best independent movies of the decade.