Short Reviews
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Darren Aronofsky’s old testament odyssey might just be the battiest biblical epic ever committed to screen. Bold, beautiful, yet most definitely preposterous, it somehow manages to succeed as a brilliant… Read More
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This impressive Indian drama tells the story of a poverty stricken family in Delhi, who send their 12-year-old son Siddharth off to work in a factory, only for him to… Read More
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Larry Cohen’s ambitious horror satire on consumerism is far from his best work, but there’s still plenty to enjoy in his high concept tale of an alien white ooze that… Read More
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It seemed both the right thing to do, and yet somewhat rubbing salt into the wounds, but on returning home from watching the brilliant documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune, I felt compelled… Read More
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In a rare example of inspired programming on behalf of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s new film The Dance of Reality was scheduled to play back-to-back with… Read More
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A second chance to see Alejandro Jodorowsky’s first new film in 20 years on the big screen must not be missed. Such a wonderfully surreal and eccentric piece of work… Read More
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Brimming with colloquial Hong Kong humour and plenty of bare flesh, Lee Kung-lok’s jolly romp through the Japanese AV (adult film) scene is slight yet entertaining fare, and likely to… Read More
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In the second half of Lars Von Trier’s sex odyssey, things taking a decidedly darker turn, as an adult Joe struggles to find the satisfaction that drove her forward in… Read More
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The first and better part of Lars Von Trier’s sex odyssey sees Stellan Skarsgard take in a battered woman named Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who proceeds to recount her life as… Read More
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Restored classic of 70s Filipino cinema tells the story of an innocent village lad (Bembel Roco) who comes to Manila in search of his sweetheart (Hilda Koronel), who was conned… Read More
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Captivating documentary in which a motionless, unobtrusive camera captures 11 separate journeys on the cable car up to the holy Manakamana mountain in Nepal. Through these brief episodes within the… Read More
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A wonderful opportunity to Hitchcock’s only 3D movie restored and on the big screen, but it’s plain to see the director shot his film this way reluctantly and with huge… Read More
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Fruit Chan returns with a rare foray for Hong Kong cinema into the realms of science fiction. Adapted from a popular novel, the film sees a minibus-load of strangers thrown… Read More
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Disappointing anthology of shorts, each directed by a prominent Asian actor. Francis Ng begins proceedings badly with The Tangerine, following a vagrant fugitive on the run in a Southern Chinese… Read More
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Pang Ho Cheung’s latest opened this year’s HKIFF. You can read my review here. Read More
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This year’s HK Asian Film Festival opened with Benny Chan’s epic throwback to the Hong Kong heroic bloodshed thrillers of the 1980s, with Lau Ching Wan, Louis Koo and Nick… Read More
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Madhabi Mukherjee is luminous in Satyajit Ray’s film about a Bengali housewife who experiences her first taste of freedom and financial independence when her husband (reluctantly) allows her to get… Read More
The James Marsh film review archive 