Across its 70+ year run, the Godzilla franchise has been through numerous reinventions to keep the series alive. The Heisei era is considered the most adult oriented period, as it used the single continuous timeline to bring the titular creature back to its roots as a destructive force feared by […]
James Rodrigues
Underworld Beauty (1958) A solid noir from Seijun Suzuki
Across his filmography, Japanese filmmaker Seijun Suzuki was known for an irreverent style which prioritized entertainment over plot. At the most prominent era of his career, the creative mostly made B-movies for Nikkatsu Company, culminating with one of his best known works, 1967’s Branded to Kill. On the other end […]
High and Low (1963) – A high bar, lo and behold
If you compiled a list of the all-time greatest and most influential directors, that list would be incomplete without Akira Kurosawa. Many of his films have had a severe impact upon western audiences, whether it is The Hidden Fortress being a massive influence on Star Wars, Seven Samurai (and its […]
The Cell (2000) – A sumptuous journey into a dark dreamscape
Across his decades-long career, Tarsem Singh (known professionally as Tarsem) built himself a following as a director. A reliable presence who delivers eye-catching visuals, this status was solidified by directing music videos (including the award-winning video for R.E.M.’s Losing My Religion), and commercials (including a famous Pepsi one which combines […]
The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008) – A sweeping epic so slickly directed
In regards to Korean filmmakers, Western audiences often sing the praises of Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho (especially after the latter’s Oscar wins), yet Kim Jee-woon can feel left out of the conversation. With a filmography that includes I Saw The Devil, A Tale of Two Sisters, and A Bittersweet […]
The Hitcher (1986) What a Picture! (review)
Released in 1986, The Hitcher was the brainchild of writer Eric Red (Near Dark, Blue Steel) that was directed by Robert Harmon. Between the paltry box-office takings and criticisms regarding the film’s “sadistic” violence (including zero star reviews from Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel), it was an unappreciated work that […]
Love Hotel (1985) – Comfort found within neon-lit heartbreak (Review)
The latest addition to Third Window Films directors company series, Love Hotel, opens in a neon-lit room at a salacious hotel, where Tetsuro Muraki (Minori Terada) lays on the bed as he waits for somebody to arrive. What may seem like a casual hook-up is instead a moment of despair, […]
Sasquatch Sunset (2024) – An absurdist look at the fragility of life (Review)
After directing 3 episodes of the one-of-a-kind TV series The Curse, Nathan and David Zellner craft another experimental work. This time, Sasquatch Sunset unfolds in the misty forests of Northern California following a family of four Sasquatches who may be the last of their kind. Set over the course of […]
ARROW Short Films (2024) Feat. Bad Acid & Meat Friend
Having built themselves as a name in curated features and impressive physical media releases, ARROW also have a premium streaming platform that is representative of what their brand is known for. An excellent thing they do is showcase short films from exciting new talents, many of which have previously played […]
Shinobi Trilogy (1962 – 1963) – A fascinating precursor to Ninjas in cinema (Review)
Released by Daiei Motion Picture Company, Shinobi no Mono was an eight-film series adapted from Tomoyoshi Murayama’s series of novels. Set in 16th century Japan, the story follows outlaw hero and ninja Ishikawa Goemon (Raizō Ichikawa) in his fight against samurai warlords. Radiance Films have collected the first three films […]