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‘Who By Fire’ : Philippe Lesage’s Quiet Before The Storm

Adult egos, adolescents struggling with their emotions, and a location that forces to slow down and embark upon introspection. These are the ingredients of Philippe Lesage’s Who By Fire, winner of the Grand Prix, Generation 14plus International Jury Official Selection at Berlinale 2024. The movie by the Quebecois filmmaker has travelled around the festival circuit…

First Look 2025 : ‘Desert of Namibia,’ A Passive Aggressive Portrait Of Today’s Youth

©Courtesy of First Look 2025 The film written and directed by Yôko Yamanaka follows the existential plight of a young Japanese woman. Desert of Namibia — that was featured in the Quinzaine des Cinéastes at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival — delves into the sentimental and professional tribulations of a young woman in search for…

SXSW Review: Exploring Japan’s Loneliness Epidemic in ‘Dear Tomorrow’

It’s hard to accurately locate those who are lonely because they’re, by their very nature, a self-identifying group. But people who don’t feel like they have friends or family they can talk to and may not be comfortable with meeting others in an in-person setting are much more likely to be okay responding to a…

‘The Electric State’ Video Review: Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt Star in Russos’ Sci-Fi Action Flick

Marvel’s mastermind filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo are back on Netflix with the sci-fi comedy, The Electric State, starring Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things and Chris Pratt from the Jurassic World and Guardians of the Galaxy. The Electric State was adapted from Simon Stålenhag’s graphic novel of the same name by Christopher Markus and…

Mickey 17 : Video Review by Matthew Schuchman (Appearance by Matthew 18?)

  Critic : Matthew Schuchman In the early 90s, while at the video store with his friends who wanted to rent Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead, Matthew asked the clerk if they had any copies of Naked Lunch available. A film buff from an early age, he would turn his fascination into his own…

New York International Children’s Film Festival : Michel Gondry’s Maya, Give Me a Title Review

©Courtesy of NYICFF So far, Michel Gondry has only released about a dozen features, but his prolific filmography includes dozens of short films and music videos. Unfortunately, we may never have a chance to see his Pharell Williams musical Golden, which was reportedly cancelled due to a creative impasse. Instead, we finally get to enjoy…

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuux -Beginning-Review

©Courtesy of GKIDS  Inspired by Manfred von Richthofen, “The Red Baron,” Char Aznable is a fan-favorite villain in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, whose popularity eclipses many of its heroes. Somewhat fittingly, Aznable, a.k.a. the “Red Comet” will finally have his day—sort of—in Kazuya Tsurumaki’s new anime feature, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuux -Beginning-, the launch…

In Kevin Cheng’s ‘Dear Diary’, Two Strangers Discover Commonality on a Park Bench

Kevin Cheng is establishing a name for himself in the ‘theater of engagement’ sphere: those unfrivolous and existential dramas that train their spotlight on humans at their most vulnerable. In the summer of 2024, Cheng directed Momo Akashi’s Voice, which had its global premiere at New York’s Chain Theatre as part of its Time Capsule…

Berlin Film Festival : ‘Yalla Parkour’ Blends Gaza’s Past And Present

The acrobatic discipline of Parkour — where practitioners jump from high places attempting to get from one point to another in the fastest and most efficient way possible — may serve as a powerful metaphor for those surviving in wars. This is exactly what we see in Areeb Zuaiter’s film Yalla Parkour, presented at the…

In ‘The Ice Tower’ The Snow Queen Is Revisited Through The Gibigiana Effect / Berlin Film Festival

The Snow Queen tale by Hans Christian Andersen centres on the struggle between good and evil, as an icy sorceress seeks to create discord in the world, subjugating a child. This story has had incommensurable media adaptations, from the theatre to the silver screen. The latter includes Japanese and BBC productions, even an animated TV…

“The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep” Displays a Keen Understanding of Its Source Material and an Affinity for Its Fans

©Courtesy of Netflix  Much like Philadelphia has its Rocky Balboa statue, the Polish city of Lodz features an enormous 2,000 square meter mural of Geralt of Rivia, the monster-fighter-for-hire also known as “The Witcher.” First Andrzej Sapkowski’s stories were adapted as a Polish film and TV series. Then, Netflix produced an English language series, starring…