When asked by an interviewer why he became a manga creator, the late Sanpei Shirato answered bluntly: “I needed to eat.” This seemingly simple reply encapsulated much of his own gritty, materialist attitude towards storytelling. He was always aware of the big picture, of the great weight of history as it marched along, but focussed […]
Oct 26, 2021 • Subscribe
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Asei Kobayashi (1932-2021)
Asei Kobayashi, who died on 30th May from a heart attack, was an unlikely candidate for musical composer, or actor, or game-show champion…. Pushed by his parents into…
Nagisa Oshima (1932-2013)
After Shindo and Wakamatsu, Oshima...It's a great loss because he was one of the directors that introduced me to cinema with his stunni...
Columbia’s Musical “Gems” 1932-34
The cartoon department didn’t have any stellar successes, but were producing a consistent line of cartoons that pleased exhibitors and audiences alike.
I Was Born, But … (1932) review
What allows Ozu’s exploration of parental failure to retain its power to charm and engage is the very fact that every child needs to go through such phase.
Scrappy in “The Great Bird Mystery” (1932)
It’s an enjoyable effort, and one we haven’t ever talked about here.
Baccano!: 1932 Summer: Man in the Killer
By Ryohgo Narita and Katsumi Enami. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Taylor Engel. After a very depressing 1700s…
SHANGHAI EXPRESS 1932 to 2007: Five Degrees of Separation
SHANGHAI EXPRESS is the title of two great films made 54 years apart, 1932 and 1986, in two different countries thousands of miles apart, the U.S. and Hong…
Van Beuren’s Tom and Jerry, triumph and catharsis: “Rocketeers” (1932)
From dancing Mermaids to an unhappy moon worried about getting a rocket sent to it, this Tom and Jerry has a broad range of emotional uncertainty.
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth? (靑春の夢いまいづこ, Yasujiro Ozu, 1932)
A privileged young man begins to understand the divisive effects of inequality after taking over the family business in Ozu’s wistful student drama
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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…
Time (Hong Kong, 2021) [NYAFF 2021]
Wilson Kwong reviews Ricky Ko's comedy-drama Time.
2021 Retrospective
Here's to another good one, friends. 3:02 - 2021 Recommendations 3:13 - Golden Kamuy 4:15 - Hina Change 5:21 - Kaguya-sama: Love Is War 6:57 - Curtains Up, I'm Off 8:01 - The Bones…
Summer 2021
Another 3 months gone and I don’t even know where it’s gone TBH. I had a Moot Court this past Monday and it left me emotionally drained and…
The Dungeon of Black Company, Battle Game in 5 Seconds, Scarlet Nexus, Sonny Boy, The aquatope on white sand
Summer 2021!
Summer 2021 is officially here! So, y’all know the drill.
Winter 2021
Hello! How many of us are looking forward to the new year?? I know I am! Winter 2021 feels like a brand new start, granted all our problems…
Spring 2021!
It’s been about a year now since we’ve all been experiencing (in one way or another) the effects of the global pandemic. I hope that you and yours…
Fall 2021.
Sweater season is upon us! Not really because it’s Spring in Melbourne but somehow still feels like it’s the middle of Winter. I’ve had hail in my area…
The Vampire Dies in No Time, Musashi, Platinum End, VISUAL PRISON, Blue Period
Spring 2021.
Wanna hear something embarrassing? This post has been sitting, complete and ready to post, in my drafts for over a month now. I just lacked the energy to…
Farewell, 2021…
Just a quick post about my next plans as 2021 is gonna end soon. Yes, we’re still under the mercy of the COVID-19 pandemic, but I’m hoping that…
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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.”
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Spaghetti Code Love (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
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Mari and Mari (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
“A beautiful narrative that seems to bear no relation to our romantic life at first, but ultimately hits close to home.”
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Seobok (서복, Lee Yong-ju, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]
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Escape from Mogadishu (South Korea, 2021) [NYAFF 2021]
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Midnight (미드나이트, Kwon Oh-seung, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]
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A New Wind Blows (2021) review [OAFF 2021]
A great film that shows that the madness of the male subject is often function of a woman, of a woman that unknowingly puts the by a man…
Special - NYAFF 2021
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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.”
Best of 2021
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Frantic (2021) review
“Fuji delivers his best movie yet and, quite possibly, the cult-film of the year.”
Summer 2021 Anime...
My thoughts on Anime in the season of Summer 2021.
IDOLiSH7, IDOLiSH7 Third BEAT!, Peach Boy Riverside, Sasuke, Tokyo Revengers
Winter 2021 Schedule
Sunday Kemono Jihen 22:00 Tokyo MX (01/10) Skate-Leading ☆ Stars 22:30 Toyko MX (01/10) IDOLY PRIDE 23:00 ABEMA (01/10) Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu 24:00 Tokyo MX…
Scar on the Praeter, Attack on Titan, Show by Rock!! Stars!!, Umamusume: Pretty Derby, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-
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As I’ve gotten even older I’ve gotten more picky in the shows that I watch. And, as I think I said before, I don’t have the time or…
Merry Christmas 2021!
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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…
Summer 2021 3
Kobayashi 2 begins with a view of Kobayashi’s happy apartment building. This time we start with Kyoto Animation’s return to TV, Kobayashi-san chi no Maidragon S. The show…
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Review: Synesthete (2021)
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Review: 1921 (2021)
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Summer Preview 2021
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2021 Spring 3
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Review: Shallow (2021)
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Spring 2021 Schedule
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Anime Fusion 2021
Hi folks, apologies for the lack of episode 1 review today (and most likely tomorrow as well). I spent most of the weekend with family members who were…
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…