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Sirāt (2025)Written and directed by Oliver Laxe A man walks through a dancing crowd as deafening music booms. He walks with his preteen son, showing strangers a photograph. They shake their heads and go back to dancing. In an interview with Film Stage, director Oliver Laxe stated, “An image doesn’t have the responsibility to say … Continue reading "Movie Review – Sirāt"
Lapvona (2023)Written by Ottessa Moshfegh In medieval Europe is a fiefdom called Lapvona. It’s a bleak place where violence and death are so commonplace they don’t elicit much of a response from the passive bystanders. Marek is a 13-year-old boy, son to the village shepherd Jude who views his child with disgust. The boy is … Continue reading "Book Review – Lapvona"
“I don’t feel enjoyment watching films that evoke passivity. If you need that kind of comfort, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t go to a spa.” — Park Chan-wook It was 15 years ago that I started this blog. I’ve come and gone from it a few times over the years. The COVID pandemic that … Continue reading "State of the Blog 2026"
Podcast EpisodesNickel Boys/Dog ManThe Seed of the Sacred Fig/The Room Next DoorThe Electric State/I’m Still Here Movie Reviews[13 Countries, 13 Films]For Sama ***The MessageI Am Not a Witch ***This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection ***Cave of the Yellow Dog ***Neptune Frost ***Osama ***Who Killed Captain Alex? *** TV ReviewsCowboy Bebop *** Comic Book … Continue reading "Spring 2025 Digest"
Collected here are links to reviews of my favorite films of 2025 The Phoenician Scheme Reflection in a Dead Diamond Plainclothes Hamnet Soundtrack to a Coup D’etat The Seed of the Sacred Fig Universal Language Hard Truths It Was Just An Accident Weapons I’m Still Here Nosferatu Queer The Brutalist Marty Supreme Sentimental Value Bugonia … Continue reading "Best Films of 2025"
Eddington (2025)Written and directed by Ari Aster I wrestled with making this or One Battle After Another my top film of the year, and I ultimately decided this should be the one. That likely won’t surprise longtime readers, as I haven’t hidden my love of Ari Aster’s work. Like everyone else, I was a little … Continue reading "Movie Review – Eddington"
One Battle After Another (2025)Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson One of the best film experiences I had in 2025 was seeing One Battle After Another with my sister. It was her first Paul Thomas Anderson film, and when we exited the theater she remarked that it might have been the best film she’s … Continue reading "Movie Review – One Battle After Another"
No Other Choice (2025)Written by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don McKellar, and Lee Ja-hyeDirected by Park Chan-wook It’s always struck me as strange, bordering on obscene, how completely hands-off society is when it comes to job placement. We build entire educational systems around the promise of employability, saddle people with debt, tell them to “do … Continue reading "Movie Review – No…
Train Dreams (2025)Written by Clint Bentley and Greg KwedarDirected by Clint Bentley So many people speak about finding meaning in life. Something I’ve come to understand is that humans are awakening apes. We are clever creatures, cobbling together technology that can do amazing things, but we remain deeply blind when it comes to understanding our … Continue reading "Movie Review – Train Dreams"
Bugonia (2025)Written by Will TracyDirected by Yorgos Lanthimos In the West, we are no longer living in a shared reality with our neighbors. I think COVID accelerated this, with the internet acting as a pipeline of ideological sludge that has led to a backslide reminiscent of the Dark Ages, but with smartphones. I have a … Continue reading "Movie Review – Bugonia"
