Hang in There, Kids!

Nearly missed this one being published on easternKicks, which is a shame, as it’s my review for a really lovely little Taiwanese film. It’s got some really genuine performances by the young cast, and it’s simply a good heartwarming drama albeit with a dark underbelly.

easternKicks Top 10 Films of 2018

It’s that time of year when us contributors to easternKicks furiously watch all the top rated and reviewed movies of the year, and take part in a highly democratic secret ballot to see which films make our Top Ten. This year, due to two films getting the exact same number of votes, we actually made…

Origin Story

Another review over at easternKicks.com! This time it’s actually an American film, a documentary about comedian Kulap Vilaysack’s journey to her Laotian roots in “Origin Story”. There is probably going to be a glut of posts in the next couple weeks, as I desperately try to get through the shortlist for easternKicks’ film of the…

Go-Go Sisters

Over at easternKicks, I take a look at rather fabulous remake of the already fabulous South Korean movie “Sunny”. Go check out my review of “Go-Go Sisters” here. It might be my film of the year!

Dangan Runner

I talk a lot about Takeshi Miike and Sion Sono both here and with Elwood on the Podcast, but there are other significant ‘cult’ Japanese directors with significant CVs worth exploring. One of these is SABU, the nom de plume of actor/director Hiroyuki Tanaka, who I am ashamed to say I have seen very little…

Police Story 2

Eureka! have blessed the UK with a special Blu-ray Box set of Jackie Chan’s first two Police Story films. They are gorgeous 4K (well 2K really) restorations, and come with bundles of extra features, and pretty much every main release of the two films you could hope for. I’ve reviewed the second film in the…

The Movies of Amy Yip

Over at easternKicks.com, you’ll find a first from me – a book review! In the modern age, self-publishing has become really easy, and I’ll admit, it’s something I have considered doing myself. What makes it really interesting to me is that it can enable someone to now self-publish a book that maybe has a subject…

Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings

More easternKicks.com goodness today, with my review of Tsui Hark’s Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings up there today. Spoilers… I didn’t hate it 🙂

Mind Cage

I’m always up for films from the less known areas of Asia, so it was a shoo-in I’d pick up this psychological thriller from Cambodia. Go check out my review @ Easternkicks!

Abnormal Family: Older Brother’s Bride

Another review up at easternKicks.com, this time looking at a genre I rarely get involved in, Pinku eiga. This one is interesting for reasons more than the debauchery – it is the debut of director Masayuki Suo (Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t, I Just Didn’t Do It and Shall We Dance?), and it is all done…

Marlina the Murderer in 4 Acts

This one has been a long time in coming – I was meant to review this film months ago for easternKicks, and then forgot to actually do the whole writing bit after seeing it. Luckily the opportunity came up again – so go find my review of this brilliant Indonesian Feminist Western.

Nattawut ‘Baz’ Ponpiriya interview: “Tarantino is my idol!”

So last year I was really lucky to spend an hour or so with the Thai director Nattawut Ponpiriya, who made the superb ‘Bad Genius’. Not so lucky was a bout of incredible real world business, mixed with outrageous laziness on my part, so I have only just gotten around to writing it up! Anyway,…