A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water” (2017) Inspired by the famous Hollywood classic “The Creature from the Black Lagoon”, Mexican director Guillermo del Toro delivers…
Alexander Payne, “Downsizing” (2017) For most viewers, perhaps the more interesting part of this long meandering film will be the first half in which main character…
Leslie H Martinson, “Batman: The Movie” (1966) In an age when comic book superheroes were treated with the respect and dignity they deserved, this film –…
Takashi Miike, “Blade of the Immortal” (2017) Condensed from 30 volumes of manga into a single work of about 140 minutes, this film was probably always…
Takeshi Kitano, “Zatoichi” (2003) Based in part on the television and film series revolving around the adventures of itinerant blind masseur / swordsman Zatoichi in late…
French and French-language Films, Middle Eastern Films
Ari Folman, “The Congress” (2013) Partly based on Stanislaw Lem’s novel “The Futurological Congress”, in which the central character suffers from both delusional and actual mental…
Choo Chang-min “Gwanghae: Wang-i Doen Namja / Masquerade” (2012) Korean actor Lee Byung-hun may be better known for his gunslinger roles in flicks like “The Good, the…
Latin American Films (Spanish language)
Pablo Larraín, “Neruda” (2016) Very loosely based on an episode in Chilean poet-politician Pablo Neruda’s life, when he and his wife Delia were forced to go…
Todd Solondz, “Dark Horse” (2011) A bleak comedy expressing despair over the human condition, “Dark Horse” revolves around life’s losers, those who for various reasons are…
Liza Johnson, “Elvis & Nixon” (2016) Based on an actual incident in which the famous rock singer Elvis Presley turned up unannounced at the White House…