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ACA Cinema Project: Yoko, When The Journey Becomes The Destination To Self-Healing

The Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs (ACA Cinema Project Japan) sets the scene for its Los Angeles ACA Cinema Project Series, which takes place from September 26th to September 28th. Amongst the featured films is Yoko, directed by Kazuyoshi Kumakiri, winner of the Golden Goblet Best Picture Award at the Shanghai International Film Festival. The…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘Smugglers’ is a Twist-Filled, Action-Packed Adventure

Is it a smart idea to trust a criminal? A relationship begins with the knowledge that this is a person who doesn’t believe all laws apply to them, or who is at least willing to break some in the pursuit of profit. It’s necessary to know the risks involved when engaging in any illegal activity,…

Toronto International Film Festival Review: Gripping Epic and Breathtaking Beauty in Japanese Master Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron”

The expectations with being cinema’s greatest and most respected animator can be heavy weights on his shoulders. But director Hayao Miyazaki surpassed those with a humble spirit. With his latest “The Boy and the Heron”, the 82-year-old delivers a movie experience that makes the jaw drop down to the stomach. In Toronto, where it premiered…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘The Royal Hotel’ is an Unsettling Look at Isolation and Gender Dynamics

The unknown can be fascinating, but it can also be legitimately terrifying. Traveling halfway across the world feels like a great way to get away from everything, and the sense of freedom it brings may be accompanied by an uncertainty about safety and security. Kitty Green’s new film The Royal Hotel posits just such a…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘Wildcat’ is a Disorienting Look at Flannery O’Connor from Ethan and Maya Hawke

Authors write from a place of experience, or at the very least insert pieces of their own lives, consciously or unconsciously, into their work. That may be truer for some than others, and there can be greater depths uncovered years after a writer has lived and died within their writings. Ethan Hawke steps behind the…

Cassandro, Gael García Bernal Shines As The ‘Liberace of Lucha Libre’

The Amazon Studios biographical drama directed by Roger Ross Williams brings to the screen the story of Saúl Armendáriz, the Mexican luchador who worked as an exótico all over the world under the ring name Cassandro. Roger Ross Williams’ narrative directorial debut is set in the Eighties, when Armendáriz lived in El Paso and would…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘In the Rearview’ is a Poignant Time Capsule of a People in Involuntary Transit

One of the great functions of increasingly effective technology is its ability to capture and document what is happening in the world. It becomes more difficult to dismiss an account of an event when there is video evidence, and even if there are those who argue that it can be staged or manipulated, seeing things…

Movie Review: Hercule Poirot Overcomes the Ghosts of His Past in A Haunting in Venice’s Suspenseful Atmosphere

The most timeless, classic crime thrillers are those that possess the ability to highlight their characters’ humanity in all situations, even the most dangerous or criminal ones. Agatha Christie became the most widely published author of all time in part because of her innate ability to show empathy to all of her characters, no matter…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘Ezra’ is a Layered but Uneven Look at Parenting and Acceptance

Society has evolved over the years in its treatment of those with special needs, shifting from a focus on correcting or stifling any perceived deficiencies to providing tailored care to meet them where they are. Yet, even when presented with the most attentive and well-meaning environments, there are those who believe that treating anyone differently…

Toronto International Film Festival Review –Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ‘Monster’ is a Cautionary Tale of Truth and Consequences

Children don’t always have a full picture of the world or a complete understanding of how everything works. That can lead to confusing situations in which an action or a comment is misinterpreted, and when adults become involved, things can spiral wildly out of control. But it’s just as important to weigh the contributions of…

P.P. Rider, Shinji Sōmai’s Masterpiece Is Revived For Modern Audiences

Cinema Guild has been working on the revival of two films by Shinji Somai for U.S. distribution: Typhoon Club (in a new 4K restoration) and P.P. Rider. The independent company worked with Japan Society on their retrospective of the Japanese filmmaker’s work in April and May and will open both films at IFC Center on September 8th, followed by a…