Erik Matti contemplates the underlying anxieties of the contemporary society in four tales of pandemic-era horror.
Apr 28, 2022 • Subscribe
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Ito (Japan, 2021) [OAFF 2021]
Jason Maher reviews Satoko Yokohama's comedy-drama Ito.
POP! (Japan, 2021) [OAFF 2021]
Jason Maher reviews Masashi Komura's surreal coming-of-age tale POP!
Junk Head (Japan, 2021) [NYAFF 2021]
John Atom reviews Takahide Hori's stop motion animation Junk Head.
Barbarian Invasion [NYAFF 2021] (Malaysia, 2021)
Epoy Deyto reviews Tan Chui Mui's meta-film Barbarian Invasion.
Ninja Girl (Japan, 2021) [NYAFF 2021]
Rowena Santos Aquino reviews Yu Irie's subversive comedy Ninja Girl.
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…
Drifting (Hong Kong, 2021) [CVF 2021]
Wilson Kwong reviews Jun Li’s socially conscious drama Drifting.
Time (Hong Kong, 2021) [NYAFF 2021]
Wilson Kwong reviews Ricky Ko's comedy-drama Time.
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…
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…
Summer 2021!
Summer 2021 is officially here! So, y’all know the drill.
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
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
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.
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…
January 2021
With returning to blogging on January 10, this month has been one where I’ve been trying to find a balance between my real world commitments and my firm…
2021 Retrospective
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Drive All Night (USA, 2021) [CAAMFest 2021]
John Berra reviews Peter Hsieh's neo-noir Drive All Night.
The Asian Angel (Japan, 2021) [NYAFF 2021]
Rowena Santos Aquino review Yuya Ishii's road movie The Asian Angel.
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.”
Junho (South Korea/USA, 2021) [CAAMFest 2021]
John Atom reviews David Boo's topical drama Junho.
yes, yes, yes (Japan, 2021) [OAFF 2021]
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Seobok (서복, Lee Yong-ju, 2021) [Fantasia 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.”
Mari and Mari (Japan, 2021) [JAPAN CUTS 2021]
Jason Maher reviews Tatsuya Yamanishi's romantic mystery Mari and Mari.
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…
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…
Midnight (미드나이트, Kwon Oh-seung, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]
A deaf woman and her mother become unwitting targets for a sadistic serial killer in Kwon’s extraordinarily tense chase through the darkened streets of Soeul
Escape from Mogadishu (South Korea, 2021) [NYAFF 2021]
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Spaghetti Code Love (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
“Maruyama’s narrative speaks powerfully to the spectator’s subjectivity – his fears and hopes – and enables his evocation of a glimmer of hope that remains present in this…
Raging Fire (China/Hong Kong, 2021) [NYAFF 2021]
John Berra reviews Benny Chan's action movie Raging Fire.
Last of the Wolves (Japan, 2021) [NYAFF 2021]
Jason Maher reviews Kazuya Shiraishi's sequel Last of the Wolves.
2021 Reader Poll
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2021 Spring 3
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To Your Eternity, Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose, SHADOWS HOUSE, I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level
Summer 2021 Seasonals
Spring has been a great season for anime, and Summer 2021 ain’t stopping the hype train. With long awaited adaptations, sequels, and originals, let’s see what July has…
#MechaMarch 2021 Announcement
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Happy Thanksgiving 2021!
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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…
Goals for 2021
Last year I set myself twenty goals for 2020 and didn’t do as well as I’d hoped. So, for 2021 I am going to set some more reasonable…
2021 Spring 1
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…
2021 Spring 2
The slime spinoff starts with a window, presumably about to be opened. First we have Tensura Nikki – Tensei Shitara Slime datta ken. Basically it’s Rimuru and his…
Blue Reflection Ray, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord, Super Cub, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Spring 2021 Schedule
Sunday Sentouin, Hakenshimasu! 21:00 AT-X (04/04) Dragon, Ie wo Kau. 22:00 Toyko MX (04/04) Yuukoku no Moriarty 2nd Season 22:30 Tokyo MX (04/04) Nomad: Megalo Box 2 23:00…
Tokyo Revengers, Backflip!!, My Hero Academia Season 5, Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 2, Mars
Winter 2021 3
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Merry Christmas 2021!
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Best of 2021
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AnimeJapan 2021 Winners
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Spring 2021 1
Here we go again with the new shows I may or may not watch. (For the record, I took last season off from writing, and it’s probably a…
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