The Volunteers: To the War 志愿军 雄兵出击 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 140 mins. Director: Chen Kaige 陈凯歌. Rating: 6/10. Korean War blockbuster, as Chinese troops battle US-led western ones, is a cut above most Mainland flagwavers as it charts a gradual descent into hell. STORY China, 1950, summer. As war breaks out in the Korean … Continue reading Review: The Volunteers: To the War (2023) →
Nov 5, 2023 • Subscribe
More like this
Volunteers, Former Senior Staff Boycott Ohayocon Convention
At least 91 individuals, including former senior leadership members and year-round volunteers, are boycotting Ohayocon following the termination of the convention's former con chair.
Brave Volunteers Amongst Us – Attack on Titan Season 4 Episode 9 Review
This is a review of Episode nine of Attack on Titan Season 4, the Final Season. Titled “Brave Volunteers”.
Edens Zero Chapter 181 Review – Prelude to the Kaede War
At this point in time, we might as well call this the “Oración Seis Galáctica War.” We begin the chapter with Xiaomei and judging by the expression she…
Back to the Vaults: Record of Lodoss War OVA Review
AstroNerdBoy returns to the vaults to rewatch the 1990 anime series, Record of Lodoss War OVA, based in part on the Grey Witch novel.
The War to End All “Wars”
The way “Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma” was set up, a second season was inevitable. And here you are! A second season! Or a Second Plate. This season…
Review: To Be Continued (2023)
To Be Continued 了不起的夜晚 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 107 mins. Director: Ma Kai 马凯. Rating: 4/10. Comedy-horror set one night in a film studio is let down by…
Review: Dust to Dust (2023)
Dust to Dust 第八个嫌疑人 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 111 mins. Director: Li Zijun 李子俊 [Jonathan Li]. Rating: 7/10. Complexly structured, psychological crime drama is largely involving, with scene-stealing…
Review: Lose to Win (2023)
Lose to Win 好像也没那么热血沸腾 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 133 mins. Director: Gao Hu 高虎. Rating: 5/10. Remake of a Spanish hit about a tricky basketball trainer and his…
Weird Volunteers (Henteko na Volunteer) [16mm 1080p HD Scan]
https://nyaa.si/view/1621989 Fansub credits can be found in the link above. The first fansub release of 2023! This is another collab with Ki...
The Midnight Maiden War (2022) review
“A visually exciting experience that shows that the only revolutionary thing that can give life its worth is desire that remains desire.”
Best Wishes To All (2023) review [Japan Cuts 2023]
A surprisingly satisfying horror-narrative
Library War — Anime Review
Yet despite having so much going for it right from the outset, Library War falls flat on its face and never recovers.
Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch 02 (“Back to the Vaults” #Manga Review)
AstroNerdBoy reviews the OLD, CPM Manga license, "Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch 02", which is an adaptation of the source novel.
Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch 03 (“Back to the Vaults” #Manga Review)
AstroNerdBoy reviews the OLD, CPM Manga license, "Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch 03", which is an adaptation of the source novel.
Bucchigiri?! Episode 6 Review – The Gang War
Now that the NG Boys are defeated, what will happen in the second half of the story?
SAO: War of the Underworld | Anime Review
Despite the defeat of Quinella—the pontifex of the Axiom Church—things have not seemed to calm down yet. Upon contacting the real world, Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya finds out that…
Review: The Procurator (2023)
The Procurator 检察风云 China, 2023, colour/b&w, 2.35:1, 112 mins. Director: Mai Zhaohui 麦兆辉 [Alan Mak]. Rating: 6/10. Part courtroom drama, part crime procedural, this ends up being not…
The Burden Of The Past (2023) review [OAFF 2023]
With his latest drama film, Funahashi’s delivers a contender for this year’s best Japanese film.
People Who Talk to Plushies Are Kind (2023) review [OAFF 2023]
Kaneko convincingly shows that the symptomatic usage of the plushie attempts to repair the tensive bond with the Other or subdue its overbearing presence.
Record of Grancrest War (Episode 13) – To the Homeland
Theo arrives in Sistina with hopes of finally overthrowing the Rossini family that have ruled like tyrants. He only has a small party but hopes to bring the…
Okiku and the World (2023) review [Japannual 2023]
Introduction Junji Sakamoto (Another World (2019), I Never Shot Anyone (2020), My Brother, The Android and Me (2022)) might not be as well-known by international audiences as other…
Akiba Maid War Review — A-
Like everyone else, I was shocked to discover that this manga was about exactly what it said it would be in the title.
Akiba Maid War — Anime Review
Akiba Maid War is a dark comedy whose premise is "what if maid cafes were run like a yakuza, but everyone stays in character at all times."
Review: Under the Light (2023)
Under the Light 坚如磐石 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 127 mins. Director: Zhang Yimou 张艺谋. Rating: 7/10. Stygian drama of municipal corruption and deadly powerplay has a terrific first…
Review: Beyond the Clouds (2023)
Beyond the Clouds 我本是高山 China, 2023, colour, 1.85:1, 129 mins. Directors: Zheng Dasheng 郑大圣, Yang Jin 杨瑾. Rating: 6/10. Portrait of a pioneering Mainland teacher rises above simple…
The Days (2023) [Drama Review]
The Days; or, Anatomy of a Disaster March 11th, 2011. What happened in those days after that fateful date? Japanese filmmakers are not ...
Following The Sound (2023) review
An incredible narrative about the subject’s struggle to deal with his loss and pain.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Volume 1) – To War?!
Nausicaa is the heir to the Valley of the Wind, a small village surviving amidst the toxic jungle that spreads across the Earth. With her father on his…
Cafune (2023) review [OAFF 2023]
A very strong debut by Haruki Kinemura.
Sword Art Online Alicization – War of the Underworld Review
This one won’t be spoiler free, because there are things I wanted to write about in this one. I’ll try to spoil as little as possible, but I…
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045: Sustainable War Movie Review
Now that I’ve covered all three of the mid-2000s Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex films (The Laughing Man, Individual Eleven, and…
Venus Wars: When Racers Go To War
Conventions and Yoshikazu Yasuhiko This film. I wish that I realized that this film was on Hi-Dive a lot sooner so I could have written about this one…
Review: The Woman in the Storm (2023)
The Woman in the Storm 我经过风暴 China, 2023, color, 2.35:1, 100 mins. Director: Qin Haiyan 秦海燕. Rating: 6/10. Drama on domestic violence promises more than it delivers, but…
The Dogs of War
12 Days of Aniblogging 2022, Day 7 Something is in the air, as this year I ended up reading three separate works that involved doggirls and the military. Either…
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War Review
This is review number four hundred and forty eight. This anime part of the Winter 2019 lineup, and it’s called Kaguya-sama: Love is War. It’s a twelve episode…
War of Roses Indie Otome Review
War of Roses is a short slice-of-life indie otome/dress up game developed by one of my absolute fave indie developers, Jellyfish Parade. Take on the role of Rose as…
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War Review
This is review number four hundred and forty eight. This anime part of the Winter 2019 lineup, and it’s called Kaguya-sama: Love is War. It’s a twelve episode…
Next War Chronicle Ehrgeiz — Anime Review
Ehrgeiz is a great option if you want to watch a mecha series without committing to a long-running, multi-season franchise.
The Greatest Generation (Civilization: The Road To War – A Let’s Play Attempt)
I Kind Of Wish I Could Be Playing This On Multiplayer With Ghost or Myssa Rei as The Philippines But What Are Ya Gonna Do Yeah well, I…
Review: Behind the Blue Eyes (2023)
Behind the Blue Eyes 不能流泪的悲伤 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 96 mins. Director: Tang Jiahui 唐家辉. Rating: 5/10. Fairly standard student romance, set in Taiwan, is kept interesting by…
Review: The Wandering Earth II (2023)
The Wandering Earth II 流浪地球2 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 173 mins. Director: Guo Fan 郭帆. Rating: 5/10. Over-long, untidily-scripted prequel to the sci-fi blockbuster starts well but then…
Review: Faces in the Crowd (2023)
Faces in the Crowd 暴风 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 101 mins. Director: Chen Jiashang 陈嘉上 [Gordon Chan]. Rating: 5/10. Wang Qianyuan’s playing elevates this standard KMT vs CCP…
Review: Tale of the Night (2023)
Tale of the Night 长沙夜生活 China, 2023, colour, 16:9, 105 mins. Director: Zhang Ji 张冀. Rating: 7/10. All-through-the-night ensembler, set in Changsha, has involving performances and plenty of…
Review: Gone with the Boat (2023)
Gone with the Boat 乘船而去 China, 2023, colour, 1.85:1, 98 mins. Director: Chen Xiaoyu 陈小雨. Rating: 5/10. Family portrait centred on the wife’s dying mother is well played…
Review: Ping Pong: The Triumph (2023)
Ping Pong: The Triumph 中国乒乓之绝地反击 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 137 mins. Directors: Deng Chao 邓超, Yu Baimei 俞白眉. Rating: 6/10. A decent but over-long light drama centred on…
Review: Only the River Flows (2023)
Only the River Flows 河边的错误 China, 2023, colour, 1.85:1, 101 mins. Director: Wei Shujun 魏书钧. Rating: 5/10. Darkly-shot psychodrama-cum-whodunit is a brave stab at a China Noir but…
Review: Across the Furious Sea (2023)
Across the Furious Sea 涉过愤怒的海 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 142 mins. Director: Cao Baoping 曹保平. Rating: 3/10. Overheated drama-thriller about a father hunting his daughter’s killer is ludicrously…
Spiraken Manga Review Ep 317: Kaguya Sama - Love Is War (or Off To The Races Again)
In this combative episode of the Spiraken Manga Review, Xan reviews a manga about love, control and One-upmanship. . So enjoy as he reviews "Kaguya-Sama: Love is War"…
Review: Papa (2023)
Papa 学爸 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 117 mins. Director: Su Liang 苏亮. Rating: 5/10. A working-class widower becomes obsessed with his young son’s education in this light drama…
Review: Revival (2023)
Revival 回廊亭 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 98 mins. Director: Lai Mukuan 来牧宽. Rating: 4/10. Atmospheric, well-cast whodunit, set in a remote villa, is severely unbalanced by an over-twisty…