Author Archives: admin

Barber: Private eye blues in Dublin

Posted on September 20, 2023 by admin

Slow-paced and dignified, Barber plays by genre rules. Set in Dublin, the story follows private eye Val Barber (Aiden Gillen) as he investigates the disappearance of a young co-ed. It’s a mystery more interested in character than plot, one that … Continue reading →

Posted in Drama, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Asteroid City review: Aliens out West

Posted on June 16, 2023 by admin

Years and years and years ago Wes Anderson made Bottle Rocket, a clever comedy about hapless crooks who are outwitted by a smarter crook. It was modest, unassuming, and confident, with excellent production design and cinematography and smart performances by … Continue reading →

Posted in Comedy, New Releases | Leave a comment

The lost dreams of Past Lives

Posted on May 30, 2023 by admin

Quietly devastating, Past Lives follows two childhood friends as they face the paths their choices have left them. Made with remarkable skill and precision, it is a wrenching account of how dreams die. Childhood friends in Seoul, Nora and Hae … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian, Drama | Leave a comment

Palmanova and Aquileia: touring two UNESCO sites in Friuli

Posted on May 28, 2023 by admin

This year the Far East Film Festival celebrated its twenty-fifth year in Udine, Italy. A medieval town about an hour northeast of Venice, Udine offers theaters, shops, and an array of restaurants and cafés. It is the largest town in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

You Hurt My Feelings: frustration for laughs

Posted on May 25, 2023 by admin

The title is as generic as the humor in You Hurt My Feelings, the latest feature from writer and director Nicole Holofcener. Once again a set of privileged folks teetering between middle and upper class deal with minor slights and … Continue reading →

Posted in Comedy, Film Festivals | Leave a comment

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant: a war story with consequences

Posted on April 21, 2023 by admin

It makes sense to approach Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant cautiously. The execrable Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a glaring example of how lazy and listless the director’s output can be. Don’t worry. GRTC is worth your time. It’s another … Continue reading →

Posted in Action | Leave a comment

Donnie Yen’s Sakra: a wuxia epic

Posted on April 17, 2023 by admin

A passion project from one of cinema’s greatest martial artists, Sakra is a wuxia of epic proportions. Adapted from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, the film unfolds on a tremendous scale, with towering sets, scores of extras, and phenomenal action set pieces. … Continue reading →

Posted in Action, Asian | Leave a comment

The Tank review: haunting on the Oregon coast

Posted on April 17, 2023 by admin

A haunted house thriller set on the coast of Oregon, The Tank raises expectations it never quite delivers. Carefully written and shot, the movie features great production values and a strong performance by New Zealand-born Luciane Buchanan. It’s also slow, … Continue reading →

Posted in Horror | Leave a comment

Ride On: a new Jackie Chan film

Posted on April 13, 2023 by admin

Thirty years ago Jackie Chan was the biggest movie star in the world. Films like Police Story, Project A, and Supercop were international blockbusters. They changed the face of action films everywhere. Now pushing 69 (I only know because we … Continue reading →