Another update/adjustment for the blog – though it’ll probably feel minor, I have added a couple of things to my plan. (And removed others for now). A reminder of the goals I had in min…
Jun 29, 2021 • Subscribe
More like this
The Review Heap: 2020 Directions (Checking In)
I’d planned something to mark the 1st year of The Review Heap but June hasn’t felt like time for much in the way of a celebration, so I’ve…
The Review Heap: 2020 Direction(s)
Okay, roughly 8 months into the blog now and as I mentioned in my ‘About’ section, the new year is time for me to assess and look ahead…
![Featured image for Gunbuster Review [Collaboration with Ashley from The Review Heap]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210411/1618104832.9498.33635.jpg)
Gunbuster Review [Collaboration with Ashley from The Review Heap]
Reblogged on WordPress.com
Why I appreciate Ergo Proxy more at 44 (A collaboration with The Review Heap)
Hello everyone. Welcome to the second half of my collaboration with Ashley from The Review Heap. First, I really want to thank him for his patience with me.…
Call of the Night Episode 3 — Getting Pulled in Two Directions
I’m really digging this show so far, and this episode might just be my favorite yet. There’s a lot of interesting development between Nazuna and Kou this episode…
Sakugan Episode 7 – Dream Directions and An Aimless Plot
Sakugan definitely seems to have gotten lost in its mid-season losing the earlier momentum and excitement. Be sure to read the full review.
The Women (2021) review
“A narrative with many beautiful touching moments but not a satisfying whole.”
The Family (2021) review
“A highly original yakuza narrative that beautifully touches upon the importance that the (idealized) figure of the father can have for a subject’s lifepath.”
Review: The Pioneer (2021)
The Pioneer 革命者 China, 2021, colour/b&w, 16:9/2.35:1, 120 mins. Director: Xu Zhanxiong 徐展雄. Rating: 5/10. Biopic of CCP co-founder Li Dazhao is way above the genre’s routine level…
![Featured image for Follow The Light (2021) review [Fantasia Festival 2021]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210804/1628036595.18680.44242.jpg)
Follow The Light (2021) review [Fantasia Festival 2021]
The narrative might not offer anything new at a thematical level, but stands out due to his refusal to spell things out and, instead, imply certain subjective truths…
The Cinderella Addiction (2021) review
“A highly enjoyable narrative that explores the opposition between indulging into fantasies and the developing of inter-subjective bonds.”
Review: The Perfect Victim (2021)
The Perfect Victim 完美受害人 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 101 mins. Director: Yang Longjie 杨泷杰. Rating: 5/10. Interesting police procedural is a mix of familiar and fresh elements, but…
Review: The Last Judgement (2021)
The Last Judgement 悬崖 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 87 mins. Director: Han Zhi 韩志. Rating: 6/10. Labyrinthine crime caper has decent performances and a clever script but just…
Review: The Chanting Willows (2021)
The Chanting Willows 柳浪闻莺 China, 2021, colour, 1.33:1, 104 mins. Director: Dai Wei 戴玮. Rating: 6/10. Good-looking but passionless drama centred on two bisexual female friends in the…
Review: The Door Lock (2021)
The Door Lock 门锁 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 102 mins. Director: Bie Ke 别克 [Orkenbek Baysenbay]. Rating: 4/10. Actress Bai Baihe is again the best thing in a…
![Featured image for The Goldfish Dreaming Of The Sea (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210909/1631183594.21062.47038.jpg)
The Goldfish Dreaming Of The Sea (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
“Ogawa’s thoughtful lyricism that gives the emotionality of the performances their power to touch the spectator and enables her exploration of the difficulty to separate from one’s mother…
Review: The Curse of Turandot (2021)
The Curse of Turandot 图兰朵 魔咒缘起 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 110 mins. Director: Zheng Xiaolong 郑晓龙. Rating: 5/10. Splashy costume drama looks good but is let down by…
The Silent Sea (2021) [Drama Review]
The Silent Sea; or, 2021: A Lunar Odyssey Not a damn thing works smoothly in this station. I have been looking forward to The Silent Se...
Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021) review
“Ohtome succeeds in giving Himura’s bloody and tragic coming-into-being its rich and engaging emotional texture.”
Last Of The Wolves (2021) review
“Kazuya Shiraishi delivers, with his sequel, another amazing and highly entertaining yakuza/police thriller.”
Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021) review
“Ohtomo’s does not only preserve the essence of Watsuki’s narrative but delivers this essence with necessary emotionality and adorns it with many breathtaking sword-fighting moments that neit…
Review: Journey to the West (2021)
Journey to the West 宇宙探索编辑部 China, 2021, colour, 16:9, 116 mins. Director: Kong Dashan 孔大山. Rating: 5/10. Mockumentary about a nutty alien-hunter who wants to find the meaning…
Review: Fireflies in the Sun (2021)
Fireflies in the Sun 误杀II China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 118 mins. Director: Dai Mo 戴墨. Rating: 6/10. Twist-laden hospital hostage drama is solidly entertaining without ever reinventing the…
![Featured image for Beyond the two infinite minutes (2021) review [Nippon connection 2021]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210705/1625487797.16585.41876.jpg)
Beyond the two infinite minutes (2021) review [Nippon connection 2021]
“A highly entertaining and cleverly constructed sci-fi film that not only underlines the power of romantic desire, but also reveals how tricky knowing the future can be.”
![Featured image for The Great Yokai War – Guardians (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210828/1630136594.20316.46161.jpg)
The Great Yokai War – Guardians (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
“A pleasant and truly satisfying ride for the whole family.”
Character (2021) review
It might not be a film that challenges or subverts the tropes and dynamic of the mystery and thriller genre, but it sure does deliver a satisfying and…
Review: Secret (2021)
Secret 秘不可言 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 90 mins. Director: Cao Yong 曹涌 [Cao Yong 曹勇]. Rating: 5/10. Intriguing, well-mounted psychodrama-cum-mystery starts well but becomes scarcely credible later on.…
February 2021 Review
Ah, February is here and thus another traditional post to be done-a review focused on character relationships and/or romance. Hard to believe I have done reviews of this…
Review: Yanagawa (2021)
Yanagawa 漫长的告白 China, 2021, colour, 1.85:1, 112 mins. Director: Zhang Lv 张律. Rating: 3/10. More accessible than most of Zhang Lv’s features, this indie confection is still a…
Frantic (2021) review
“Fuji delivers his best movie yet and, quite possibly, the cult-film of the year.”
Underdog (2021) review
“Take’s film powerfully shows that the heroism of the art of boxing lies in the very subjective meaning that power the jabs, the hooks, and the uppercuts.”
Review: Synesthete (2021)
Synesthete 越界 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 80 mins. Director: Liang Honghua 梁鸿华. Rating: 3/10. An interesting idea never comes to fruition in this messy, low-budget ghost movie with…
2021 in Review
The world continues to go to hell in a handbasket. The pandemic continues to rage. The world supply chain is borked. Inflation is rampant. W...
Rain Boy, Yawara!, Bakumatsu no Spasibo, Super Cub, Horimiya
March 2021 Review
You know, I have never been too keen on superheroes. Not much a comics guy, nothing against them, but just never struck my interest. Hell out of the…
Homunculus (2021) review
“A worthy attempt to offer something fresh to the horror-table, but Shimizu struggles to blend the many pleasing parts into a whole that truly engages and pleases the…
Review: Shallow (2021)
Shallow 出拳吧妈妈 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 95 mins. Director: Tang Xiaobai 唐晓白. Rating: 6/10. Despite a few shortcomings in the script, under-rated Mainland actress Tan Zhuo throws herself…
Blue (2021) review
“A very emotional journey about the difficulties of dealing with loss and lack.”
![Featured image for Goto-san (2021) review [OAFF 2021]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210513/1620894243.12248.36802.png)
Goto-san (2021) review [OAFF 2021]
“Gokan expertly reveals the position of the freeter as an attempt to escape the capitalistic machinery but also as a position that most easily falls prey to the…
![Featured image for Under The Open Sky (2021) [Film Review]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20211113/1636804955.25233.52142.jpg)
Under The Open Sky (2021) [Film Review]
Under The Open Sky; or, Homecoming We'll face our fate. But you still have this chance. You have to be patient out here. Patient with f...
December 2021 Review (Land of the Lustrous)
Ya know, CGI gets a bad rep sometimes. I mean, I remember being blown away by Toy Story in 1995 (I was 7-8 years old), just how awesome…
Review: The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021)
The Battle at Lake Changjin 长津湖 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 176 mins. Supervising directors: Chen Kaige 陈凯歌, Xu Ke 徐克 [Tsui Hark], Lin Chaoxian 林超贤 [Dante Lam]. Directors:…
Bamnol - The Debt (2021) [Short Film Review]
Bamnol - The Debt My granddaughter works hard! All you do is get drunk everyday! It has been roughly two months since my The Monk and T...
The Sun Does Not Move (2021) review
“A highly pleasant action spy thriller that will satisfy both those hungry for exciting action and those who love a dense narrative with twist and turns.”
A Girl On The Shore (2021) review
“Ueda’s engaging film is all about two subjects trying to escape their phantasmatic identification with the notion of trash.”
![Featured image for The Naked Director (2019-2021) [Drama Review]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210710/1625938997.17017.42352.jpg)
The Naked Director (2019-2021) [Drama Review]
The Naked Director; or, The World is Yours People have seen my asshole, but I’m not embarrassed. To be human is to live as who…
![Featured image for Sweet Bitter Candy (2021) review [OAFF 2021]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210513/1620894253.12230.36800.png)
Sweet Bitter Candy (2021) review [OAFF 2021]
“An amazing exploration of the clash between a sweet youthful romantic desire and the bitter urge of a wounded subject to defend his subjective wounds.”
Review: The Day We Lit up the Sky (2021)
The Day We Lit up the Sky 燃野少年的天空 China, 2021, colour/b&w, 2.35:1, 106 mins. Directors: Zhang Yibai 张一白, Han Yan 韩琰. Rating: 6/10. High-school musical gets by on…
Review: Chinese Doctors (2021)
Chinese Doctors 中国医生 China, 2021, colour, 2.35:1, 127 mins. Director: Liu Weiqiang 刘伟强 [Andrew Lau]. Rating: 6/10. Wuhan-set Covid drama has a propulsive, convincing first half but slacker,…
August 2021 Review (Shirobako)
When I started this 10 years ago, blogging served as a way to pass the time when I went back to tech school for additional study to improve…
Grenadier Review (July 2021)
So, as we near the 10 year anniversary of me writing about anime on the web, we hit upon another tradition, that of exploring guilty pleasures of anime,…