Apr 16, 2014 Movies Noah by Darren Aronofsky (Review) Darren Aronofsky’s Biblical adaptation serves as a bracing restorative for a story that has lost much of its bite over the centuries.
Jun 17, 2013 Anime Project Blue Earth SOS by Tensai Okamura (Review) A rollicking retro-futuristic tale of alien invaders, boy geniuses, and cool gizmos that revels in its vintage style and flair.
Aug 14, 2012 Anime Kids on the Slope by Shinichiro Watanabe (Review) This coming-of-age story is highlighted by melodrama, love triangles, and a swingin’ jazz soundtrack.
Sep 23, 2009 Movies Tokyo! by Michel Gondry, Bong Joon-ho, Leos Carax (Review) A triptych of short films celebrating the world’s largest city.
Jan 11, 2009 Movies Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle (Review) Danny Boyle’s film has some brilliant moments but ultimately stumbles before the end credits roll.
Apr 28, 2008 Anime 5 Centimeters Per Second by Makoto Shinkai (Review) Here’s hoping that “5 Centimeters Per Second” represents one last hurrah for Shinkai before moving on to new, and equally fertile territory.
Aug 31, 2007 Movies Once by John Carney (Review) A very fetching little musical romance that eschews the usual tropes associated with both musicals and romances.
May 28, 2007 Anime Haibane Renmei by Tomokazu Tokoro (Review) Haibane Renmei absolutely defies all of the anime cliches that Americans continue to perpetuate.
Dec 21, 2006 Movies Swing Girls by Shinobu Yaguchi (Review) Swing Girls is far better than it frankly has any right to be, thanks to the sheer amount of fun, enthusiasm, and aplomb it contains.
Nov 21, 2006 Movies Ikiru by Akira Kurosawa (Review) Kurosawa’s film takes on topics and expounds upon themes that could have easily come from that most existential of books: Ecclesiastes.
Oct 29, 2006 Movies Chinaman by Henrik Ruben Genz (Review) A winsome film that, ultimately, isn’t as absorbing as its themes and characters warrant.
Sep 23, 2006 Movies Fearless by Ronny Yu (Review) It’s obvious that this film is a personal project for Jet Li, one he cares deeply for.
Aug 28, 2006 Movies Little Miss Sunshine by Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris (Review) The constant quirkiness and oddity becomes as rote and routine as any generic Hollywood melodrama.
Aug 22, 2006 Movies Just One Look by Yip Kam-Hung (Review) A gently nostalgic, bittersweet look at how Asian films of yore shape the characters’ memories and actions.
Jul 19, 2006 Movies Water by Deepa Mehta (Review) Like the best “message” films, Water does not preach or cram its agenda down one’s throat.
May 29, 2006 Movies The New World by Terrence Malick (Review) One of the best and finest things about The New World is that it is no simple black and white story.
Apr 4, 2006 Movies Nobody Knows by Hirokazu Kore-eda (Review) Amazing performances and subtle direction anchor Hirokazu Koreeda’s bittersweet movie about children abandoned by their mother.
Feb 2, 2006 Movies Tony Takitani by Jun Ichikawa (Review) Tony Takitani is one of the more poignant and affecting films I’ve seen in a long time, a very powerful movie about longing and loss.
Jan 8, 2006 Movies Café Lumière by Hou Hsiao-Hsien (Review) What I realized most watching Café Lumière was just how well Hou captures the inherent mystery of individual human beings.