Author Archives: philipbrasor

Review: Spermageddon

Posted on February 11, 2026 by philipbrasor

This Norwegian animated feature splits the difference between cautionary health class lesson and gross-out comedy, and in the process loses some of its intended effect on both tracks, but it’s still an inventive and funny film. Most of if takes … Continue reading →

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Media watch: Government keeps its distance from Japanese language learning for foreigners

Posted on February 9, 2026 by philipbrasor

In Japan, compulsory education stops after junior high school, and though the vast majority of Japanese people now graduate from high school, it wasn’t always that way. Up until about 1980, many young people pursued full-time employment right after finishing … Continue reading →

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Review: Together and Frewaka

Posted on February 6, 2026 by philipbrasor

For much of the moviegoing public, suspension of disbelief remains a requirement, and not just with regards to fantasy, horror, or sci-fi genre films; but fantasy, horror, and sci-fi pretty much constitute the bread-and-butter of contemporary commercial filmmaking, so the … Continue reading →

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Review: Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants

Posted on February 5, 2026 by philipbrasor

Though two-and-a-half-hours long, Tsui Hark’s distillation of a good portion of Louis Cha’s historical fantasy epic (which has been called China’s Lord of the Rings) feels rushed, at least for the first hour, probably because there’s so much stuff going … Continue reading →

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Review: Holding Back the Tide

Posted on January 31, 2026 by philipbrasor

As a nature documentary whose chief purpose is to say something about protecting the environment, Emily Packer’s unique film has a significant advantage: it’s about an animal that is considered a kind of luxury food, the oyster. Limiting her setting … Continue reading →

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Review: The Running Man and Mars Express

Posted on January 30, 2026 by philipbrasor

There’s something both thrilling and slightly deflating about the continued popularity of Stephen King after a gazillion novels and short stories, most of which have been adapted as films or TV shows. On the one hand, his lean prose and … Continue reading →

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Review: Queendom

Posted on January 29, 2026 by philipbrasor

In recent comments about Shiori Ito’s Oscar-nominated Black Box Diaries, fellow documentary filmmaker Miki Dezaki pointed out that documentary films should not be considered journalism but rather the viewpoint on a particular topic by the filmmaker. This isn’t to say … Continue reading →

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Masako’s Story on Substack

Posted on January 25, 2026 by philipbrasor

Several months ago I started a Substack called Masako’s Story, which is a running biography of my life partner Masako Tsubuku. Born to a Korean father and a Japanese mother who weren’t married, Masako had a rough childhood of poverty … Continue reading →

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Review: Olivia & the Clouds

Posted on January 24, 2026 by philipbrasor

It might come as a surprise to many dedicated movie freaks that Dominica has a vital animated film community; not a hugely influential one, admittedly, but large enough to make this singular production stand out in a world of inventive … Continue reading →

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Review: Mercy and Project Y

Posted on January 23, 2026 by philipbrasor

Last week a video of Ben Affleck talking in depth about A.I. in the film industry went viral. Affleck’s assessment of the commercial and financial impact of A.I. on his business was sober and measured, which actually made his pronouncements … Continue reading →

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