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6.5
|
Deleter
(2022)
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Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Deleter” can be said that it missed some opportunities, both to be more pointed in its remarks and more horrific in its atmosphere, but the combination of its individual elements is appealing, resulting in a film that is easy to watch and entertaining
Posted Mar 29, 2023
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7.5
|
Under the Sky of Damascus
(2023)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Under the Sky of Damascus” is a great documentary, a testament to the quality and the impact of the medium, and a movie that truly deserved the International Competition Golden Alexander award it won in Thessaloniki
Posted Mar 26, 2023
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6
|
A Room of My Own
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“A Room of My Own” makes a number of interesting comments in subtle and intriguing fashion, but in the end remains one of those French-like/European art house movies that are found in abundance throughout the circuit of the continent.
Posted Mar 26, 2023
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6.5
|
Thousand and One Nights
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
Through an approach that winks at Hirokazu Koreeda, Kubota presents a film that is bound to have a good festival run, despite featuring almost every issue of contemporary Japanese cinema, particularly due to its script, cinematography, and acting.
Posted Mar 26, 2023
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6
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No End
(2022)
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Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“No End” is a mixed bag of a film, since its issues are pretty evident. At the same time though, the courage Saeivar showed by shooting such a movie at this time, and the acting of the protagonist deem one that is definitely worth watching.
Posted Mar 12, 2023
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3.5/5
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To Kill a Tiger
(2022)
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Grace Han
|
An empowering documentary. The dark subject matter is difficult to swallow, but Pahuja’s optimism is clear in the production.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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2/5
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A Man of Reason
(2022)
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Grace Han
|
“A Man of Reason” is simply bland. This formless appeal to visceral stimulation reveals an innate, naive clumsiness in Jung Woo-sung’s direction — perhaps signaling that the man is perhaps better-suited to simply being in front of the camera.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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4.5/5
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Aurora's Sunrise
(2022)
|
Grace Han
|
One of the more compelling productions on the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to date.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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3/5
|
This Place
(2022)
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Grace Han
|
VT Nayani's attempt to find similarities across cultures is admirable – but for a character cast this complex, she needs to allow herself more time to tell her story.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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4.5/5
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Walk Up
(2022)
|
Grace Han
|
This delightful film is not so much a crowdpleaser than it is a sly peephole; it wonders at the sheer simplicity of everyday life. A delightful addition to the prolific auteur’s oeuvre.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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2.5/5
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The Stranger
(2021)
|
Grace Han
|
“The Stranger” takes a while to steep. “The Stranger” definitely is not a crowdpleaser, but it is most certainly a sober meditation on the current situation in Golan Heights.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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3/5
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The Swimmers
(2022)
|
Grace Han
|
It is just a shame that the human should be so easily translated into Euro-American codes of filmic legibility. “The Swimmers” ends up – strangely enough – as a feel-good refugee movie.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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4.5/5
|
A Gaza Weekend
(2022)
|
Grace Han
|
Basil Khalil’s tight scriptwriting and seamless direction has branded himself as a filmmaker to watch.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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3/5
|
Four Samosas
(2022)
|
Grace Han
|
Is “Four Samosas” funny? To a degree, it is. Though the mismatch between theatrical performance and camerawork fall apart, Kapoor’s cultural references shine. “Four Samosas” is not a life-changing movie, but it is good time.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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3.5/5
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Kim's Video
(2023)
|
Grace Han
|
Forget love letters to cinema. Remember Kim's Video!
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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3/5
|
Fremont
(2023)
|
Grace Han
|
The very quirk that defines “Fremont” is distracted by the production’s other idiosyncrasies. “Fremont” sidesteps the deep-seated feelings of drama and trauma, presenting – like a nicely-packaged fortune cookie – a quick watch to consume and forget.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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3/5
|
AUM: The Cult at the End of the World
(2023)
|
Grace Han
|
“AUM” reads as a glorified Wikipedia article. It is as informative as it is uninspiring.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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4/5
|
Shortcomings
(2023)
|
Grace Han
|
One could say that “Shortcomings” is just tailored for Asian Americans, for Bay Area residents, for graduate students, or so on — but in the end, it’s ultimately about the human condition.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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3.5/5
|
Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV
(2023)
|
Grace Han
|
“Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV” repackages the video artist’s legacy neatly, but not personally; it relishes his career more than his person... It just presents the obituary more than it does the man.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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4/5
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Return to Seoul
(2022)
|
Grace Han
|
“Return to Seoul” provokes more questions than it does answer. Chou masterfully steers his production into open-ended conversation... There is more to the Self, Chou insists, than what first meets the eye.
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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6
|
Whisper of the Heart
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
The cheesy, teen romance moments are intense, to the point that the film ends up cliched in a number of ways. However, the presentation of the field of publishing, the shooting in Italy and the overall feel-good atmosphere make it pleasant to watch
Posted Feb 19, 2023
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6.5
|
Legend of Gatotkaca
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
The film would definitely benefit from some restraint in the writing department, but in the end, it thrives in the aspects that such a title should, with the action being truly worth watching and the charisma of the protagonists filling the screen.
Posted Feb 18, 2023
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7.5
|
Hidden Blade
(2023)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
Cheng Er seems to have studied Tarantino, Hong Kong and Korean cinema quite thoroughly and the result is a truly exceptional spy thriller that thrives equally on visuals, acting and overall atmosphere.
Posted Feb 11, 2023
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7
|
Sameer
(2017)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
A good film that manages to communicate its director’s comments while remaining entertaining for the majority of its duration, but some faults, particularly the fact that Bajrange tried to do too much for a single film, strip it from being a great one.
Posted Feb 05, 2023
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7
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The Wandering Earth II
(2023)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
Follows the “rules” of the Hollywood blockbuster. It doesn’t stand up to any kind of scrutiny, logic is thrown out of the window, but it is almost constant fun to watch and a film that will definitely satisfy all fans of sci-fi action.
Posted Jan 29, 2023
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7.5
|
Millennium Mambo
(2001)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Millennium Mambo” is another great film by a true auteur, and a must watch for all fans of cinema.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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7
|
Pinoy Sunday
(2009)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Pinoy Sunday” is not high art, at least as European festivals have come to define the term, but it is fun, entertaining, realistic, and quite eloquent in its comments, and an overall very nice piece of cinema that also seems to stand the test of time.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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6.5
|
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Scarlet Bond
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
Scarlet Bond” does not exactly reinvent the tie-in anime movies, but the new character is interesting enough to deem it a title above the average of the category, while the many fans of the series will definitely enjoy the movie.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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7.5
|
Sholay
(1975)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Sholay” is like a tribute to cinema as a form of entertainment, which is the main reason it remains so fun to watch, even after so many years.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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7
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Vikram
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
As far as over-the-top action movies go, one would have to search very hard to find a movie better than “Vikram”, in one of the best movies of the year.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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6.5
|
Hidden Letters
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Hidden Letters” emerges as a rather intriguing documentary about women in current China, and also as a starting point for anyone willing to explore the whole concept of nushu.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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7
|
Egoist
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
Despite a few faults here and there, “Egoist” emerges as an excellent drama, particularly due to the approach Matsunaga implemented to present his main theme.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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6.5
|
Shades of the Heart
(2021)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Shades of Heart” is a very convincing art-house film which manages to stand out mostly through its impressive visuals, stage-play aesthetics, and overall atmosphere.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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6
|
Schoolgirl
(2017)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
The film definitely deserves a watch as it manages to touch on every aspect of this appalling phenomenon, with an approach where no punches are pulled, and that is where its true value lies.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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5
|
Darlings
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Darlings” is a film filled with different elements, both cinematic and contextual, some of them positive, some of them negative. As a total, however, the sum is definitely on the minus, with the movie emerging more annoying than entertaining.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
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|
|
Shonibar Bikel (Saturday Afternoon)
(2019)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
"Saturday Afternoon" is a great film that manages to work on an artistic, entertainment and context-commentary level, and a great testament to Farooki's directorial prowess.
Posted Jan 12, 2023
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7.5
|
The Big 4
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
Despite the somewhat overlong duration, “The Big 4” emerges as a highly entertaining movie, and definitely one of the best action films of the year.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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7.5
|
Riceboy Sleeps
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Riceboy Sleeps” is an impressive debut, a story that is both meaningful and entertaining, and a a rather well-shot movie that is bound to find admirers throughout the cinematic spectrum.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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7.5
|
Hanging Gardens
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Hanging Gardens” is an excellent film that benefits the most from the story, direction and cinematography, as much as a truly original and meaningful main concept.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
|
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7.5
|
Dirty Difficult Dangerous
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
At 84 minutes, “Dirty Difficult Dangerous” is an economic, very intelligent, very realistic film that manages to present all its comments through a rather rewarding combination of seriousness and humor.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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6.5
|
The Taste of Apples Is Red
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“The Taste of Apples is Red” is not a great film, but it is easy to watch, interesting, and benefits the most from the tight editing and the acting, in a rather hopeful debut that would find it very difficult to say anything negative about.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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6.5
|
Wedding High
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
Truth be told, the movie signifies a turn towards a more crowd-pleasing path, the ending lags once more and some scenes could have been briefer, but as a whole, “Wedding High” makes total sense, both as a comedy and an on-point social satire.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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7.5
|
Children of the Mist
(2021)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
Although the director gets too close to her subject, occasionally even affecting the “narrative” with her presence, “Children of the Mist” remains an excellent documentary that showcases an appalling phenomenon with brutal realism and overall artfulness
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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7
|
The Narrow Road
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“The Narrow Road” emerges as an excellent drama that is both mentally stimulating and quite pleasant to the eye.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
|
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8
|
Mediterranean Fever
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Mediterranean Fever” is an excellent film, excelling in acting, script, direction, while combining comedy with drama and social commentary in the best fashion.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
|
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6.5
|
The Winter Within
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“The Winter Within” has its issues, but in general, emerges as a very appealing film, particularly for the acting and the cinematography, but also for the whole directorial approach regarding its comments.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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7.5
|
Burning Days
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Burning Days” is an excellent film that manages to combine all its aspects in the most elaborate fashion, in a movie that offers both entertainment and food for thought aplenty
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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7
|
Kfc
(2017)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
Evidently, the film addresses only fans of splatter, but “Kfc” is an impressive entry in the genre, especially considering that this is Le Binh Giang’s debut.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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7
|
Ajoomma
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
“Ajoomma” is a very heart-warming film, quite easy to watch, and one that manages to remain entertaining throughout, even achieving that through a protagonist whose age deemed such a feat quite difficult.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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7.5
|
Mat Kilau
(2022)
|
Panos Kotzathanasis
|
One will definitely have to overcome the intense propagandistic elements in “Mat Kilau”, but beyond that, as a martial arts film, this is one of the best of the year.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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