Instant Swamp

0801
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

0802
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."

Outrage: Coda

0803
Outrage: Coda review

"Coda serves a worthy ending to the trilogy, sporting an excellent cast, stark and beautiful cinematography and a stunning score."

Keane

0804
Keane review

"Thanks to Damien Lewis' stellar performance, a very visceral style of direction, and a sublime finale the film hits like a sledgehammer, which I can only applaud."

In Search of Echo

0805
In Search of Echo review

"The superb cinematography and lovely sound design bring the unique setting to life and form the perfect foundation for a stylish drama with light genre elements embedded."

30 Days of Night

0806
30 Days of Night review

"A film that thrives on its setting and the atmosphere Slade manages to draw from it. The creepy vampires, the polished cinematography and moody soundtrack only enhance the icy dread."

The End of the Pale Hour

0807
The End of the Pale Hour review

"The execution is slick, the performances are strong, the score is a bit more refined and the themes are handled with the proper respect and gravitas."

Sauna

0808
Sauna review

"Sauna is an impressive experience, solid in just about every department. Extremely strong lead, nice and fitting visuals, great soundtrack and intriguing storyline."

Merry-Go-Round

0809
Merry-Go-Round review

"If only the soundtrack would've been a bit better, this film could have turned out to be a small masterpiece."

The Flowers of War

0810
The Flowers of War review

"The Flowers Of War borders on sentimentality and poses as a very epic endeavor. It's Zhang's magnificent direction that erases any major critiques, turning the film into a proper epic spectacle."

One Percenter

0811
One Percenter review

"The cinematography is on point, the performances are way above average and the action scenes are vibrant, everything is there to become a niche favorite."

Outrage: Beyond

0812
Outrage: Beyond review

"Outrage: Beyond falls just a little short of its predecessor. Because of the fact that it feels like the middle section of a full-blown trilogy the ending isn't as convincing as it could've been."

Godspeed

0813
Godspeed review

"Depending on where you're coming from, Godspeed is either a superb crime flick or an ever so slightly disappointing Mong-Hong Chung film."

The Brink

0814
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."

Whisper of the Heart

0815
Whisper of the Heart review

"Kondo's first film is a perfect match for the Ghibli brand."

Bright Future

0816
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."

Daaaaaali!

0817
Daaaaaali! review

"Daaaaaali! is a fitting and refreshing ode to one of the biggest painters of the 20th century, and it's every bit as madcap as the man's paintings."

Tales from Earthsea

0818
Tales from Earthsea review

"A stylish and well-executed fantasy film, sporting Ghibli's polished animation, a lovely soundtrack, and a morally ambiguous lead character."

New Blood

0819
New Blood review

"Hyn Huet Ching Nin is a good place to start if you're interested in watching a Hong Kong horror flick. Maybe it's not really all that representative, but that's what makes it easier to digest."

Orochi - Blood

0820
Orochi - Blood review

"The addition of the fantastical figure gives Orochi a somewhat novel feel though."

Once Upon a Time in Shanghai

0821
Once Upon a Time in Shanghai review

"Between the stunning cinematography, the impressive fight scenes and the fast-paced plot it's hard not to like at least some part of Once Upon a Time in Shanghai."

Hard Luck Hero

0822
Hard Luck Hero review

"The actors are solid, there are quirky narrative details, the cinematography is on point and the pacing is slick. All that is needed for some prime entertainment."

Scabbard Samurai

0823
Scabbard Samurai review

"Matsumoto's new film is a little gem, a film that does not impress in spades but focuses on smaller details."

I Belonged to You

0824
I Belonged to You review

"Yibai Zhang's talent is beyond questioning. The stronger bits of his latest effort are stunning, dressed up in lush visuals and backed up by a strong soundtrack."

The Midnight Meat Train

0825
The Midnight Meat Train review

"The kills are gory, Jones is an amazing killer and Kitamura's direction is the right kind of flashy, which makes for a brutal, tense and very entertaining horror flick."