Author Archives: philipbrasor

Review: On the Basis of Sex

Posted on March 23, 2019 by philipbrasor

Given her current role in keeping the U.S. Constitution on an even keel during these politically stormy times, it’s not surprising that there are two feature-length films about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and by most lights the Oscar-nominated … Continue reading →

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Review: BlacKkKlansman

Posted on March 21, 2019 by philipbrasor

Spike Lee’s most obvious touchpoint as a major film director is his obsession with the African-American experience, which he translates to the screen in the most uncompromising terms. For that reason, he often oversteps his subjects when it comes to … Continue reading →

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Review: Mary Queen of Scots

Posted on March 15, 2019 by philipbrasor

The rapid rise and fall of Mary Stuart has been filmed a number of times before, so director Josie Rourke needs a damn good reason to stick our noses in the tragedy once again. Her revisionist take, turning the rivalry … Continue reading →

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Review: Woman at War

Posted on March 10, 2019 by philipbrasor

It’s interesting that Jodie Foster is thinking about doing a Hollywood remake of this extraordinary Icelandic fantasy, because it seems so resistant to the kind of pat familiarities that Hollywood trades in these days. The hook is understandably appealing: Unassuming … Continue reading →

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Review: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Posted on March 8, 2019 by philipbrasor

As we prepare ourselves for another spring-summer of superhero schlock, it’s best not to make too much of a distinction between Marvel and DC. Obviously, the former trumps the latter in most departments, but the late Stan Lee’s runaway train … Continue reading →

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Review: The Mule

Posted on March 7, 2019 by philipbrasor

For reasons that are easier to understand than explain, Clint Eastwood is probably considered the most important American director by the Japanese film cognoscenti. Even his minor works, the ones that obviously play to the rafters, get listed on annual … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, March 3, 2019

Posted on March 3, 2019 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about suspicions among certain media outlets that NHK’s planned restructuring has something to do with bowing to government pressure. As pointed out in the column, NHK has always been more or less in … Continue reading →

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Review: Green Book

Posted on March 2, 2019 by philipbrasor

A lot of critics are calling this road movie about a black musician touring the South in 1962 with a white driver the most embarrassing Best Picture Oscar winner since Crash. Such critics take the Academy Awards too seriously, and … Continue reading →

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Review: Memoir of War

Posted on February 24, 2019 by philipbrasor

Based on Marguerite Duras’s 1985 novel, La douleur, Emmanuel Finkiel’s film removes the fictive conceit and presents the story as a fairly straightforward memoir of Duras’s experience in occupied Paris during World War II. It’s easy to understand why Duras boosted … Continue reading →

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Review: If Beale Street Could Talk

Posted on February 22, 2019 by philipbrasor

Reportedly, Barry Jenkins wanted to do an adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel before he directed Moonlight, and the consensus seems to be that the only reason he got a green light to tackle Baldwin’s tricky story of tender love … Continue reading →

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