Author Archives: philipbrasor

Review: Babyteeth

Posted on February 19, 2021 by philipbrasor

First-time director Shannon Murphy is obviously the type of storyteller who, when confronted with a decision that proffers two extremes, will go with the cheekier option. Though this tale of a teenage cancer patient who has mostly given up on … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Feb. 14, 2021

Posted on February 14, 2021 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about comments made by Keidanren chief Hiroaki Nakanishi and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga about the current economic situation that were picked up by the media. Though the two men were talking about two … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Feb. 7, 2021

Posted on February 7, 2021 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about the government’s push to enact penalties for consuming marijuana. As pointed out in the BuzzFeed interview with Toshihiko Matsumoto, an addiction therapist who is the media go-to guy whenever they need someone … Continue reading →

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Review: Diego Maradona

Posted on February 5, 2021 by philipbrasor

Asif Kapadia, who has already given us rather depressing documentaries about racer Ayrton Senna and singer Amy Winehouse (Oscar winner), titles his latest celebrity profile Diego Maradona, which sounds unnecessary. Considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Jan. 31, 2021

Posted on January 31, 2021 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix about a press conference given by Akio Toyoda, the president of Toyota Motors and the chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, about the government’s plan to ban gasoline-powered vehicles by the year 2050. Though … Continue reading →

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Review: The Personal History of David Copperfield

Posted on January 23, 2021 by philipbrasor

It’s been a while since I’ve read Dickens, but Armando Iannucci’s fast-paced version of the novelist’s warmest tale feels to me more faithful to the spirit of Dickens than the usual stuffy cinematic adaptations (almost all of which are Great … Continue reading →

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Review: The Man Standing Next

Posted on January 22, 2021 by philipbrasor

This sleek fictionalized rendering of the events leading up to the assassination of South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee in 1979 is the second movie I’ve seen about the incident, whose particulars, after more than 40 years, are still being disputed … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Jan. 17, 2021

Posted on January 17, 2021 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about the methods used by politicians to avoid responsibility for poor choices. In the column I mentioned two examples of “dinner meetings” where the official protocol for gatherings as stated by the government … Continue reading →

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Review: Just 6.5

Posted on January 16, 2021 by philipbrasor

Casual moviegoers, and perhaps even more dedicated ones—the kind who try to keep up on world trends—may harbor misunderstandings about Iranian cinema, thinking that it divides neatly between socially relevant domestic fare, like the movies of Asghar Farhadi (A Separation), … Continue reading →

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Review: King of Thieves

Posted on January 15, 2021 by philipbrasor

Were it not based on a true story, this heist film would have likely been derided as just another excuse for providing employment to that cohort of British male actors who have pushed past 65. In that regard, it’s quite … Continue reading →

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