Photosensitivity Warning: There are three instances of powerful strobing/flashing lights that may trigger a painful response in audiences: two shortly after the title card appears and one in the climatic sequence of the film. A sadistic sorcerer. An existential hitman…. Read More ›
foreign film
Profoundly moving, pulsating thriller “Sirāt” is now available on Blu-ray from NEON.
In Islamic scripture, the word “Sirāt” means a bridge or pathway that connects paradise and hell that only the righteous can cross. In the opening credits of director Oliver Laxe’s (Mimosas; Fire Will Come) film Sirāt, he tells us that… Read More ›
Slow-paced thriller “Dreams” crawls onto home video through Kino Lorber.
When word came down that Jessica Chastain (Crimson Peak) was making an erotic thriller, it was an announcement that felt both intriguing and out of left field. An acclaimed character actress taking on a risky role that requires both physical… Read More ›
“G.I. Samurai” gets a worthy Blu-ray edition release via Arrow Video.
G.I. Samurai (1979) feels like one of those movies that was accidentally sealed away in a time capsule (no pun intended) only to be rediscovered decades later by the exact audience ready to appreciate it. Thanks to Arrow Films and… Read More ›
“Genealogy” stands the test of time at Lincoln Center.
Lincoln Center in New York is once again programming a series of rare Koreans film for Asian American Appreciation Month. This year it’s Korean Cinema’s Celluloid Fever: The 1970’s. Among them is Genealogy (1979), also known as The Family Pedigree… Read More ›
“Moss & Freud” Digital Code Giveaway
There was a time when no one in the world could go anywhere without seeing supermodel Kate Moss. During this period, artist Lucian Freud and Moss would work together, ultimately forming an unexpected relationship. Writer/director James Lucas makes his feature-film… Read More ›
Corey Yuen’s girls-with-guns crime actioner “She Shoots Straight” receives a Region A-accessible 2K HD restoration via 88 Films.
Trigger Warning: The film includes a moment of spousal rape that may be difficult for sensitive viewers. The scene in question is discussed in the following home review. Of the various action subgenres to come out of Hong Kong action… Read More ›
Spirit cat Luo Hiaohei returns with a new bold and moving adventure “The Legend of Hei 2,” on home video now.
Continuing a story is tricky enough without throwing in additional hurdles like cultural significance or an established long-running series. Anything established must be honored and, in so doing, can create limitations on what comes next. But that’s what co-writers/co-directors Gu… Read More ›
Disquieting and poignant amid beautifully grotesque scenes, Alberto Vázquez’s fantastical farce “Decorado” ponders the risk of questioning one’s reality and the reward of truth.
What matters more: that something *is* real or that it *feels* real? If we’re talking about art or a prosthetic, then the recreation may provide the satisfaction desired. Possessing mere artifice may be all that’s needed in order to achieve… Read More ›
Robert Aramayo delivers a fantastic lead performance in director Kirk Jones inspirational, humorous biopic “I Swear.”
On February 22nd, 2026, while presenting an award for Best Special Visual Effects at the 79th BAFTAs, actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo’s presentation was quickly interrupted by the slur “n****r,” spoken by Scottish Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson…. Read More ›
“Resurrection” is the can’t-miss Criterion of the year.
“The day the world almost ended at 8 p.m., a tree fell down. No one heard it, but later I saw it.” – Andrew J. Eisenman No one knows what to do with the film spoken of as “Bi Gan’s… Read More ›
“Odyssey” Digital Code Giveaway
During SXSW 2025, filmmaker Gerard Johnson premiered his dramatic thriller Odyssey, centering a real estate agent whose life and ambitions are tested across five intense days. Via Cineverse, general audiences can now experience Johnson’s Odyssey as it releases on VOD and digital… Read More ›
Johnnie To’s mixed-genre “Romancing in Thin Air” gets a first-time US and UK Blu-ray via Radiance Films.
When a storyteller — whether writer, director, actor, etc. — becomes known for something, they very often get pigeon-holed and face difficulty escaping that perception. People known for westerns do westerns, for action do action, for horror do horror, and… Read More ›
The Home for Anime Podcast: Talking “Cosmic Princess Kaguya!”
As a writer, my comfort zone is putting my thoughts on paper and hitting publish, but there’s truly nothing like having a conversation with a fellow film nerd. In this case, joining fellow NCFCA member Cameron Allison on his The… Read More ›
“Flush” is an entertaining comedy thriller for those who can stomach it. [The Overlook Film Festival]
There is something about potty humor and potty horror that, if done right, works, and if it misses it by the slightest of margins, it becomes something irredeemable. Somehow, director Grégory Morin (Ultimate Zombie Feast) and screenwriter David Neiss (Noir… Read More ›
Yûta Shimotsu’s sophomore film, cosmic horror “New Group,” challenges the meaning of “one of us.” [The Overlook Film Festival]
Muno (Yo, right), he’s tall and friendly Foofa (Oh, hehehehehe), she’s pink and happy Brobee (Woah), the little green one Toodee (Yeah, woo), she likes to have fun Plex (Woah), a magic robot Let’s all come and play with DJ… Read More ›
Taratoa Stappard’s Māori gothic horror “Mārama” offers retribution and reclamation without making space for false righteousness. [The Overlook Film Festival]
“Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua (I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on the past).” – A Māori proverb. There’s this strange belief coursing through some in the United States that European culture is being threatened by… Read More ›
Stephen Fung’s wuxia comedy “Tai Chi Zero” is the latest addition to Imprint Film’s Imprint Asia sublabel.
There’s something about an ensemble cast that can make a movie. We’re talking from the lead actor to the barely there scene-stealers, the right collection of actors can elevate even the dullest of tales while they can send a strong… Read More ›
“The Birthday” is a totally unhinged celebration of occult conspiracies, now on 4K UHD via Arrow Video.
If you were to take The Shining (1980) and replace the psychosis with a completely different trip of mental anguish, then you’d get Eugeino Mira’s The Birthday (2004). It focuses on Norman (Corey Feldman) who’s hopelessly in love with his… Read More ›
Takashi Miike’s sports drama “Blazing Fists” is ready to enter the ring at home.
Everything you have in this life is because of where you started. Some people have a leg up by being born into a wealthy family (and can afford to get bailed out time and again), while others struggle to afford… Read More ›