Outcast

0701
Outcast review

"With Outcast he delivers a dark, hellish and barren fantasy grounded in obscure myths and set in a depressively dirty neighborhood."

Adrift in Tokyo

0702
Adrift in Tokyo review

"Adrift In Tokyo is a rather lovely film. It knows how to blend comedy and drama into a perfect mix of blanket-like warmth, covering the viewer with a world he'd somehow like to inhabit."

Zhou Yu's Train

0703
Zhou Yu's Train review

"There's a basic quality that keeps Zhou Yu's Train on its feet, even though I've seen better and more creative variations from China in more recent years."

Cub

0704
Cub review

"With his first feature, Govaerts delivers a rock solid genre film. It's tense and moody, never too gory, beautifully shot, aptly scored and generally well-directed."

Aragami

0705
Aragami review

"With the help of a perfect build-up, some solid performances, and polished cinematography, Kitamura delivers a fun and thrilling genre exercise that entertains from start to finish."

Bodyguards and Assassins

0706
Bodyguards and Assassins review

"Very much recommended if you've been enjoying the epic productions of the previous decade."

Life Can Be So Wonderful

0707
Life Can Be So Wonderful review

"I was happily surprised after watching Life Can Be So Wonderful. It's an upbeat, albeit slow and meandering, film that succeeds effortlessly in its goals."

Strobe Edge

0708
Strobe Edge review

"In many ways, Strobe Edge is a typical manga adaptation as much as it is a typical romance. But Hiroki builds upon that to make a sweet, cute and genuine little love story."

Eternal Summer

0709
Eternal Summer review

"After only two films Chen is well on his way to become a personal favorite. He has a keen eye and is quite versatile."

The Brink

0710
The Brink review

"Li delivers a fun, gritty and stylish crime flick with some very impressive action scenes and a stand-out performance by Shawn Yue."

The Warlords

0711
The Warlords review

"Warlords is an awesome film about three beardy men with balls taking their little army to conquer nations, but failing to keep in control over their own friendship."

Hansel and Gretel

0712
Hansel and Gretel review

"The film is well acted, looks extremely lush and flies by in no time. And while many parts seem influenced by other films, the mix is completely unique and fresh."

Eternal Moment

0713
Eternal Moment review

"Stylishly visualized, strongly acted and pleasantly diverse, Eternal Moment is another great film in Yibai Zhang's oeuvre"

Bright Future

0714
Bright Future review

"The characters are interesting, the performances are perfect, the narrative structure feels fresh and the presentation is stylish without being overly detracting."

Tai Chi Hero

0715
Tai Chi Hero review

"The production values are high, the acting is the right kind of tongue-in-cheek and the action scenes sparkle. Fung created a perfect sequel that leaves you begging for the final act."

The Crab Cannery Ship

0716
The Crab Cannery Ship review

"Kanikosen is a solid come-back for Tanaka. Visually impressive, boasting a superb setting and a strong cast."

Instant Swamp

0717
Instant Swamp review

"He falls back to his regular weirdness and dry, absurd comedy. It all leads up to a rewarding ending, leaving you with a fuzzy feeling and a sense of chill bliss."

Winds of September

0718
Winds of September review

"A very solid film with strong acting all around, some very strong shots and camera work and a pretty touching story about a group of kids growing up."

The Mystery of Rampo

0719
The Mystery of Rampo review

"With its wonderful cinematography, outstanding score and enigmatic lead, Okuyama serves a puzzling trip through the mysterious mind of one of Japan's most prestigious horror writers."

WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3

0720
WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3 review

"The animation is strong, the art style detailed, the soundtrack a real treat. And how often do you get to see mechs battle it out against a giant monster in a future-realistic setting?"

The Detective

0721
The Detective review

"Oxide Pang succeeds again in making a visual masterpiece, although less experimental and in your face as his other films."

Dogville

0722
Dogville review

"I never liked von Trier's Dogme obsession, as it largely contradicts my own views on cinema. Luckily the man suffers from a rather short attention span."

Love in the 1980s

0723
Love in the 1980s review

"If you're familiar with Chinese dramas then you'll feel right at home watching Love in the 1980s."

Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy

0724
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy review

"A superb cast, intriguing characters and electrifying conversations paint a picture of likeable, 3-dimensional people who find themselves in somewhat awkward situations."

Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms

0725
Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms review

"The film feels delightfully maximalist, with sprawling sets and costumes, bigger-than-life performances, an epic storyline, and some eye-popping visuals."