Author Archives: philipbrasor

Review: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Posted on November 18, 2022 by philipbrasor

Had Anthony Fabian’s comedy been produced when its source material was published in 1958 it would probably be cited today as an earnest, heartwarming example of postwar British cinema. It might even have been considered a classic. But it’s hard … Continue reading →

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Review: The Menu

Posted on November 17, 2022 by philipbrasor

So-called haute cuisine is mercilessly derided in Mark Mylod’s attractively staged satire, which takes place in a restaurant on an island that can only be reached by boat. Rich patrons partake of the artfully prepared meals of master chef Julian … Continue reading →

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Review: Sinkhole

Posted on November 11, 2022 by philipbrasor

Though nominally a disaster movie, Sinkhole fits neatly into a subcategory of Korean films that address the current housing finance crisis. As it stands, young people in Korea are putting off marriage and other life goals because they are getting … Continue reading →

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Review: Don’t Worry Darling

Posted on November 10, 2022 by philipbrasor

If Olivia Wilde’s sophomore effort as a director were better, I might lament the distracting pre-release gossip surrounding the movie’s reported on-set squabbles and romantic intrigues, which mostly dominated its big premiere at Cannes, but as they say there’s no … Continue reading →

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Tokyo International Film Festival 2022

Posted on November 7, 2022 by philipbrasor

Here are the posts I wrote for the TIFF 2022 home page. –Competition Jury Press Conference –A Light Never Goes Out Q&A session –Kaymak Q&A session –The Cord of Life Q&A session –Butterflies Live Only One Day Q&A session –This … Continue reading →

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Review: The Roundup

Posted on November 5, 2022 by philipbrasor

The top-grossing film so far in South Korea this year, Lee Sang-yong’s followup to the 2017 crime thriller The Outlaws does not, as the saying goes, mess with the formula, which in this case focuses on what the producers call … Continue reading →

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Media watch: The administration’s very unoriginal solution to rising energy prices

Posted on November 4, 2022 by philipbrasor

Last week, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a ¥29 trillion economic package to fight inflation, centered mainly on the energy sector, that will supposedly save every household in Japan about ¥5,000 a month on their utility and gasoline bills. As … Continue reading →

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Review: Parallel Mothers/The Human Voice

Posted on November 3, 2022 by philipbrasor

Though Pedro Almodovar is rightly lauded for his sense of style and control of visual tone, he doesn’t really get enough credit as a storyteller, probably because many of his films seem to be heavily indebted to older films by … Continue reading →

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Review: Ticket to Paradise

Posted on November 2, 2022 by philipbrasor

There’s a certain species of Hollywood movie that seems designed to please those who work on it more than those who will eventually watch it. I’m not talking about movies where the stars are simply guaranteed huge amounts of money, … Continue reading →

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Review: Recalled

Posted on October 30, 2022 by philipbrasor

An acquaintance who is very much into Korean TV dramas thinks that every single one has to contain either an amnesiac or incest. This twisted mystery sort of has both, but even if you go into it knowing that it’s … Continue reading →

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