Author Archives: philipbrasor

Review: Elevation

Posted on July 23, 2025 by philipbrasor

Monster movies and so-called post-apocalyptic fiction are usually predicated on high-concept gimmicks. Sometimes the gimmick has a gloss of scientific credibility, such as the theory in The Last of Us that a killer fungus which has taken over the world … Continue reading →

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Media watch: Sanseito’s draft constitution a blueprint for repression and control

Posted on July 19, 2025 by philipbrasor

The Upper House election campaign has been dominated by an unusual issue: foreign residents of Japan. The upstart Sanseito Party, whose motto is “Japanese People First,” has made it one of the planks of their platform, saying that foreign residents … Continue reading →

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Review: Immaculate

Posted on July 17, 2025 by philipbrasor

It’s surprising that there hasn’t been more cinematic glosses on Rosemary’s Baby considering how irresistible is the notion of a child born of physical Satanic paternity, but this son-of-a-nun horror story isn’t much of an addition to the sub-genre. For … Continue reading →

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Review: Strange Darling and Drop

Posted on July 11, 2025 by philipbrasor

Whiplash thrillers have become a kind of cottage industry in B-movie Hollywood, confounding critics who, in service to readers, have to circumvent crucial plot points so as to not spoil the intended effect. JT Mollner’s Strange Darling is more inventive … Continue reading →

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Review: A Different Man

Posted on July 10, 2025 by philipbrasor

Though Aaron Schimberg’s 70s-styled black comedy seems to be about how we address disability as a society, it’s really about casting, and not just its own choice of actors. The main plot line has to do with a small Off-Broadway … Continue reading →

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Media watch: Candidates won’t be talking about caregiving

Posted on July 8, 2025 by philipbrasor

Right now the issue gaining the most media attention leading up to the Upper House election later this month is the status of foreigners in Japan, owing mainly to controversial remarks made by the new opposition party Sanseito. It’s hard … Continue reading →

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Review: Harbin

Posted on July 4, 2025 by philipbrasor

So far I haven’t seen any reports about Japanese right-wing action against this South Korean film about the 1909 assassination of former Japan prime minister Hirobumi Ito by Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun in the titular Russian-controlled Chinese city. Officially, … Continue reading →

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Media watch: Court lets government discriminate against sex workers because of feelings

Posted on June 28, 2025 by philipbrasor

On June 16 the first petty bench of the Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit brought by a business in the Kansai region against the government for denying it COVID-19 cash grants, which were distributed to companies during the pandemic so … Continue reading →

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Review: Memoir of a Snail

Posted on June 27, 2025 by philipbrasor

If Britain’s Aardman has become the studio that has done the most to preserve the art of stop-motion animation, Australia’s Adam Elliot has been the artist who’s advanced it further in terms of visual inventiveness and narrative rigor. Like Jan … Continue reading →

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Review: Ghostlight

Posted on June 26, 2025 by philipbrasor

It goes without saying that movies don’t have to be perfect to be emotionally effective, and sometimes filmmakers who trust their instincts make better moves that those who strive for something sublime. This small drama about a middle aged blue … Continue reading →

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