Before Born

0901
Before Born review

"It's obscurity stands in the way of easy availability and while it's definitely a good film, it lacks a little uniqueness to call it a true masterpiece."

Run for Love

0902
Run for Love review

"There are no weak shorts, one exceptional piece and enough variation to breeze through its 140 minutes running time."

Tracing Shadow

0903
Tracing Shadow review

"Mak and Ng gave the film a unique style and flavor while royally quoting older films from the genre. Amusing, fun and quite lovely to look at. Great fun altogether."

Nightmare Detective

0904
Nightmare Detective review

"It's still a great film though. Even a slightly watered down Tsukamoto film is way better than most of the J-Horror films released in the past 15 years."

Liar Game: The Final Stage

0905
Liar Game: The Final Stage review

"Liar Game has a couple of minor flaws and doesn't quite escape its TV background, but it has plenty of positive elements to erase these minor shortcomings."

The Tall Man

0906
The Tall Man review

"The Tall Man holds his punches until the very end, where it finally reveals itself as a film that cares very little about the Tall Man legend, instead focusing on more pressing and serious issues."

Hard Days

0907
Hard Days review

"This is straight-up genre fare, but it's elevated by a polished presentation, confident and self-aware performances, and a mean and malicious sense of humor."

Satan

0908
Satan review

"Satan is fiendishly amusing, darkly funny and pleasantly sadistic. Chapiron has the technical chops, makes the film his own and delivers a neat package that has kept its appeal throughout the years."

Ghostland

0909
Ghostland review

"A horror film pur sang, lacking forced attempts to mix in other genres. It's raw, brutal and disturbing, but always with a twist and executed to perfection."

The Parades

0910
The Parades review

"The fantasy-fueled drama offers a warm and endearing premise, but the lovely cinematography combined with some strong performances lift the film."

The Trip

0911
The Trip review

"The styling is on point, the actors know what they're doing, and the film gets progressively crazier and dafter. This is everything I want from a good black comedy."

The Hotel Venus

0912
The Hotel Venus review

"The mysterious setup, the stylish cinematography, and the solid performances all contribute to a lovely drama that neatly balances genre and arthouse elements."

The Machine Girl

0913
The Machine Girl review

"If you like Japanese weirdness, gore and crazy black comedy coolness you'll like The Machine Girl."

The Brøken

0914
The Brøken review

"By far one of the most stylish horror films to come out of England in quite a while. Ellis proves himself a great director, who can handle more than one style."

The Stranger from Afar

0915
The Stranger from Afar review

"The Stranger from Afar is a peculiar film, strangely efficient in creating a dreadful and uncomfortable atmosphere, sporting a superb score and a terrific lead performance."

Shinjuku Swan II

0916
Shinjuku Swan II review

"Shinjuku Swan II is a quality production from start to finish, propelled forward by Asano's strong performance and handled capably by Sono."

One Take Only

0917
One Take Only review

"In the end, Som and Bank is another very solid entry in the oeuvre of Oxide Pang and will have a hard time failing fans of the original Bangkok Dangerous."

Fulltime Killer

0918
Fulltime Killer review

"A sprawling action/crime blend, bustling with cinematic joy and providing ample opportunities for To show off his unique talents. Stylish, fun and never a dull moment in sight."

Blind Detective

0919
Blind Detective review

"The package is stylish, quirky and fun at the same time. In the end I prefer To's more arthouse-oriented work, but a film like this is a welcome diversion, especially when executed so wonderfully."

American Psycho

0920
American Psycho review

"The performance of Bale is stellar, the pacing and characterization are on point and the dark comedy is razor sharp, though I'm certain it won't be for everybody."

Graffiti of Otaku Generation

0921
Graffiti of Otaku Generation review

"The film offers a fun and creative peek into one of Japan's most acclaimed popular exports, never too loving or too damning, finished off in typical Gainax fashion."

Snowfall in Taipei

0922
Snowfall in Taipei review

"The film looks great, the actors do a good job and even though the soundtrack is a little inconspicuous the atmosphere is warm and inviting."

A Scene at the Sea

0923
A Scene at the Sea review

"Kitano's strict visuals and dry sense of humor, combined with Hisaishi's wooly soundtrack and the stoical but affectionate performances make this a wonderful experience."

Kasane

0924
Kasane review

"The film looks beautiful, the core drama is intriguing, ambiguous and heightened by minor fantastical elements and the payoff is more than satisfying."

Rocknrolla

0925
Rocknrolla review

"For any Ritchie fan out there, RocknRolla is surely a film worth watching, as long as you don't expect another refreshing masterpiece."