Author Archives: philipbrasor

Review: Jesus

Posted on June 1, 2019 by philipbrasor

There’s something refreshingly irreverent about Hiroshi Okuyama’s debut feature, but it’s not in the Japanese title, which translates directly as “I hate Jesus.” Appropriately small-scale in both production values and ideas, the movie posits Christianity as an object of curiosity. … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, May 26, 2019

Posted on May 26, 2019 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix about the ethical problems surrounding the relatively risk-free prenatal blood test that the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has just approved for expanded use. Though the ethical considerations are mainly concerned with the high … Continue reading →

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Review: Ex Libris, The New York Public Library

Posted on May 18, 2019 by philipbrasor

At one point at the beginning of Frederick Wiseman’s monumental documentary about the New York Public Library, someone basically calls it a holy place for secular people. That’s a fair description of any library, but New York’s is special in … Continue reading →

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Review: American Animals

Posted on May 17, 2019 by philipbrasor

Though it doesn’t really amount to much in the end, director Bart Layton’s decision to claim up front that his heist movie is a bona fide “true story”—as opposed to a movie “inspired” by one—is a fairly bold step, and … Continue reading →

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Review: Skate Kitchen

Posted on May 11, 2019 by philipbrasor

Rebellious teens come in all shapes, sizes, and modes of seriousness, and thus are reliably timeless as cinematic characters. The hook for this debut feature by Crystal Moselle is that it’s based on a popular Instagram account and uses the … Continue reading →

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Review: RBG

Posted on May 10, 2019 by philipbrasor

Having seen Mimi Leder’s On the Basis of Sex, I approached this documentary about the life of Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg equipped with a certain store of images and facts that I assumed would aid me in understanding … Continue reading →

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Review: Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot

Posted on May 2, 2019 by philipbrasor

Gus Van Sant manages to recover from recent poor choices (Sea of Trees, Promised Land) with the help of Joaquin Phoenix and an inspired cast of A-listers in supporting roles. The vehicle is perhaps less impressive than any of its … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, April 28, 2019

Posted on April 28, 2019 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix about clothing that’s appropriate for work and other situations. Though dress codes are certainly not limited to Japan, there seems to be a feeling here, especially in media circles, that it’s only natural for companies … Continue reading →

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Review: Just Only Love/What Is Love?

Posted on April 23, 2019 by philipbrasor

When Rikiya Imaizumi’s latest movie premiered last year at the Tokyo International Film Festival, the official English title, Just Only Love, sounded a bit like nails on a chalkboard. The IMDb lists the movie’s English title as What Is Love?, … Continue reading →

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Review: Shazam!

Posted on April 21, 2019 by philipbrasor

Boosted as a welcome light touch for the DC Comics movie universe, this rambunctious, somewhat unfocused comedy doesn’t really pass muster as a proper superhero feature, and it’s difficult to tell whether that’s the point. If you broke it down … Continue reading →

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