A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Japanese Films, North American Films
Hikari, “Rental Family” (2025) Beginning in the 1990s, rental family services offering actors to stand in for family members, spouses, friends, co-workers or companions at weddings,…
Oliver Hermanus, “The History of Sound” (2025) Based on two short stories by US writer Ben Shattuck who also wrote the screenplay, “The History of Sound”…
Lee Sang-il, “Kokuho” (2025) An ambitious and sumptuous work, paying homage to Japan’s kabuki theatre, its craft and performers, “Kokuho” centres around the conflicts and contradictions…
James Vanderbilt, “Nuremberg” (2025) Combining elements of the psychological and legal thriller genres, James Vanderbilt’s “Nuremberg” follows the Nuremberg trials that were held by the victorious…
Sergei Loznitsa, “Two Prosecutors” (2025) An earnest historical drama, based on a short novel by Soviet physicist / writer Georgy Demidov (1908 – 1987), this film…
Yorgos Lanthimos, “Bugonia” (2025) A remake of the South Korean sci-fi / black comedy film “Save the Green Planet!”, this work is just as dark in…
Guillermo del Toro, “Frankenstein” (2025) After many years of planning and delays, at last Mexican director Guillermo del Toro brings his adaptation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein;…
Essays, Multi-media Presentations
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech at the XXII Meeting (Final Plenary Session) of the Valdai International Discussion Club (Sochi, 2 October 2025) / Q&A Session After his…
Essays, Multi-media Presentations
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech at the XXII Meeting (Final Plenary Session) of the Valdai International Discussion Club (Sochi, 2 October 2025) The Valdai International Discussion Club…
Ben Leonberg, “Good Boy” (2025) For his first film as a director, Ben Leonberg chose an unusual lead actor: his own pet dog, a Nova Scotia…