#foreign

Under the Shadow

/ Tom / 1 Comment

Release: Friday, October 7, 2016 (limited) [Netflix] Written by: Babak Anvari Directed by: Babak Anvari For the better part of the 1980s tension between Iran and Iraq had been escalating into large-scale armed conflict, an eight-year period of violence recognized today as the Iran-Iraq War. Then-president Saddam Hussein, hoping to pounce on Iran in post-Islamic Revolution turmoil, invaded without warning … Continue reading Under the Shadow

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Your Name.

/ Tom / 12 Comments

Release: Friday, April 7, 2017 [Theater] Written by: Makoto Shinkai Directed by: Makoto Shinkai To say Makoto Shinkai's massively acclaimed anime is ambitious would be an understatement. Your Name. seems to be an opus on everything from teen awkwardness to the relationship between time and memory to astrology. At its core it's a grand romantic tale but fastened to that are … Continue reading Your Name.

Divines

/ Tom / 9 Comments

Release: Friday, November 18, 2016 (Netflix) [Netflix] Written by: Uda Benyamina; Romain Compingt; Malik Rumeau  Directed by: Uda Benyamina  Divines provides a bleak but brilliant look into the lives of two teens in the Parisian banlieue. It follows Dounia and her best friend Maimouna as they seek out ways of making quick money so they can one day break … Continue reading Divines

Jafar Panahi’s Taxi (Taxi Tehran)

/ Tom / 7 Comments

Release: Friday, October 2, 2015 [Netflix] Written by: Jafar Panahi Directed by: Jafar Panahi Jafar Panahi is an Iranian filmmaker seemingly undeterred by the consequences of his actions. Those consequences have, as a matter of fact, formed the basis of some of his oeuvre, such as his acclaimed 2011 documentary This is Not a Film, wherein he captured a day in … Continue reading Jafar Panahi’s Taxi (Taxi Tehran)

Embrace of the Serpent

/ Tom / 23 Comments

Release: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 (limited) [Vimeo] Written by: Ciro Guerra; Jacques Toulemonde Vidal Directed by: Ciro Guerra This  review is my latest contribution to Mr. Rumsey's Film Related Musings. I would like to give a shout-out to James for allowing me to talk about this unique cinematic experience.  Embrace of the Serpent (El Abrazo de La Serpiente) was Colombia's … Continue reading Embrace of the Serpent

Deathgasm

/ Tom / 14 Comments

Release: Friday, October 2, 2015 (limited) [Netflix] Written by: Jason Lei Howden Directed by: Jason Lei Howden Visual effects artist Jason Lei Howden's blood-splattered horror-comedy debut may operate within some fairly limited confines but budgetary constraints seemingly have no effect on the creativity of his project and its metal-as-f**k attitude. So you come to expect a few things with a title like … Continue reading Deathgasm

Baskin

/ Tom / 5 Comments

Release: Friday, March 25, 2016 (limited) [Vimeo] Written by: Can Evrenol; Ogulcan Eren Akay; Cem Ozuduru; Ercin Sadikoglu Directed by: Can Evrenol This review is my latest contribution to Mr. Rumsey's Film Related Musings. It's another underground foreign film that I have heard few, but interesting, things about and I'd like to thank James for the opportunity to … Continue reading Baskin