A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Takashi Miike, “One Missed Call” (2004) Coming from Takashi Miike (of “Ichi the Killer” fame), this contemporary update on the Japanese psychological horror ghost story in…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Adam Elliot, “Mary and Max” (2008) Source: www.artabase.net This is a poignant film about how friendships can be made between social misfits and how they thrive…
Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, “Catfish” (2010) Call it a fake documentary, call it a feature film and call it exploitative but this film about a…
Akihiko Shiota, “Dororo” (2006) Based on the original manga by Astroboy creator, Osamu Tezuka, “Dororo” is a fun and entertaining escapist fantasy adventure about two wanderers,…
Dagur Kari, “Noi the Albino” (2003) This is a curious film where little happens and then all of a sudden, something happens and bang … THE…
Chukiat Sakveerakul, “13 Beloved” aka “13: Game of Death” (2006) Your name is Phuchit and you labour rather unenthusiastically as a sales rep in a company…
Nicolas Winding Refn, “Pusher” (1996) Just managed to catch this film last night after seeing a video copy for loan in a video rent shop earlier in…
Chinese and Chinese-language Films
Feng Xiaogang, “Ye Yan” aka “Legend of the Black Scorpion” aka “The Banquet” (2006) Source: www.chinese-embassy.org.uk An adaptation of William Shakespeare’s famous revenge play “Hamlet”, this…
Stefan Arsenijevic, “Love and other Crimes” (2008) For a romantic comedy, this film sure looks bleak with a bleary run-down urban setting of endless grey residential…
German and German-language Films
Fritz Lang, “Metropolis” (1927) Picture source: www.tobatheinfilmicwaters.com The version of “Metropolis” I saw recently is the restored and digitally remastered one done under the supervision of…