Anime Blog Tracker

Jin-Woo is About to Claim Victims

Solo Leveling Ep 6 Review Have you ever seen the “You’re a victim” meme? It comes from a SupaHotFire video on YouTube from six years ago, and is best…

D&A Anime Blog

Mar 4, 2024 • Subscribe

Solo Leveling

To Your Eternity – 15 – A Victor Without Victims

Having Parona’s form brings Fushi nothing but grief, for the fact he has her form almost certainly means she died, like March, far to young. His Creator tells…

RABUJOI – An Anime Blog

Jul 27, 2021 • Subscribe

To Your Eternity

Review: The Wig (2024)

The Wig 戴假发的人 China/Hong Kong, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 119 mins. Director: Dong Yue 董越. Rating: 6/10. Huang Xiaoming gives a strong, atypical performance as a lawyer-with-a-secret, but his…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Jan 4, 2025 • Subscribe

Japan to Schools: Don’t Dock Attendance for Groping Victims

Japan's government took steps this week to make it easier for school-age young women to report groping assaults.

Unseen Japan

Apr 14, 2023 • Subscribe

Japan Begins Compensating Victims of Its Former Eugenics Law

After years of legal struggle, victims of Japan's forced sterilization practices will receive financial recompense from the government.

Unseen Japan

Jan 18, 2025 • Subscribe

Mt. Fuji Claims Four Victims as Hiking Season Starts

Four people have died this year already on Mt. Fuji, and more have needed rescuing. (And the victims don't appear to be foreign tourists.)

Unseen Japan

Jul 14, 2024 • Subscribe

The Poltergeist Curse Disrespects Dominique Dunne, and Victims of Violence Against Women

“The Poltergeist Curse” is a rumoured curse attached to the Poltergeist trilogy, an American horror film series from the 1980s. This ‘curse’ arose in the media because unfortunately,…

The Spooky Red Head Blog

Aug 15, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: The Hutong Cowboy (2024)

The Hutong Cowboy 爆款好人 China, 2024, colour, 1.85:1, 112 mins. Directors: Ning Hao 宁浩, Xu Lei 徐磊. Rating: 8/10. A well-structured screenplay and top cast led by veteran…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Nov 25, 2024 • Subscribe

Gon

Review: The Unseen Sister (2024)

The Unseen Sister 乔妍的心事 China, 2024, colour, 2:1, 111 mins. Director: Zhao Deyin 赵德胤 [Midi Z]. Rating: 4/10. Uninvolving, pointless drama of a film star whose life starts…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Jan 8, 2025 • Subscribe

Review: The Untold Story (2024)

The Untold Story 那个不为人知的故事 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 101mins. Director: Zhang Yan 张岩. Rating: 7/10. A terrific performance by actress Lang Yueting is the glue that holds this…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Jan 20, 2025 • Subscribe

Review: The Midsummer’s Voice (2024)

The Midsummer’s Voice 倒仓 China, 2024, colour, 1.85:1, 100 mins. Director: Zhang Yudi 张裕笛. Rating: 6/10. A coming-of-age-one-summer movie, set among teenagers in a provincial opera school, is…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Apr 15, 2025 • Subscribe

Review: The Last Frenzy (2024)

The Last Frenzy 末路狂花钱 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 105 mins. Director: Wu Rina 乌日娜. Rating: 5/10. Black comedy about a penny-pincher who goes on a spending spree before…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Jun 22, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: The Killing Performance (2024)

The Killing Performance 戏杀 China, 2024, colour/b&w, 2.35:1, 129 mins. Director: Niu Zhaoyang 牛朝阳. Rating: 6/10. Traditional period whodunit, with suspects seated round a table, looks good but…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Jun 10, 2024 • Subscribe

Tian Yu

Review: Walk the Line (2024)

Walk the Line 扫黑   决不放弃 China, 2024, colour/b&w, 2.35:1, 114 mins. Director: Wubai 五百 [Guo Shubo 郭书博]. Rating: 7/10. A seemingly conventional drama of high-up corruption is given…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Jul 15, 2024 • Subscribe

Yoko Kanno Creates Song of Comfort for Quake & Tsunami Victims

Pixiv Source The song titled Kimi de Ite, Buji de Ite was created by Kanno this week and posted on Youtube in support of those going through the…

Expo Expo – An Anime Blog

Mar 14, 2011 • Subscribe

All The Long Nights (2024) review [Japan Cuts 2024]

A splendid drama that shows how symptoms can disturb a subject’s life and how the social field attains its cruel complexity due to the riddle of desire.

psycho-cinematography

Jul 20, 2024 • Subscribe

Amalock (2024) review [OAFF 2024]

A narrative that fluidly combines comedy and tragedy to deliver an experience of smiles and tears.

psycho-cinematography

Mar 17, 2024 • Subscribe

Belonging (2024) review [Japannual 2024]

Higashi delivers a touching exploration of love after death.

psycho-cinematography

Nov 3, 2024 • Subscribe

Snowdrop (2024) review [OAFF 2024]

A complex character portrait that touchingly illustrates how easy it is to misrecognize the logic of the subject-supposed-to-be-in-need.

psycho-cinematography

Mar 29, 2024 • Subscribe

Suton (2024) review [OAFF 2024]

Rikako Watanabe’s narrative succeeds to echo the unvocalized ‘pandemic’ truth of many.

psycho-cinematography

Mar 2, 2024 • Subscribe

New Joint Custody in Japan Law Worries Child, DV Victims Advocates

In a major shift, Japan plans to introduce joint custody post-divorce. Critics worry domestic violence victims and kids may be left behind.

Unseen Japan

Feb 26, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: Welcome to the Game (2024)

Welcome to the Game 绑架游戏 China, 2024, colour/b&w, 2.35:1, 89 mins. Director: Zhang Zhe 张哲. Rating: 7/10. Twisty-turny drama of a fake kidnapping and multiple game-playing has strong…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Feb 13, 2025 • Subscribe

Review: What’s in the Zoo? (2024)

What’s in the Zoo? 动物园里有什么？ China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 94 mins. Director: An Xiaoman 安小满 [Bao Bei’er 包贝尔]. Rating: 4/10. Comedy centred on an ailing zoo in which…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Apr 10, 2024 • Subscribe

Blue Imagine (2024) review [OAFF 2024]

A powerful reminder of the sexual transgressions that structurally plague the Japanese film industry

psycho-cinematography

Apr 1, 2024 • Subscribe

Wash Away (2024) review [OAFF 2024]

A pleasant narrative that offers a fresh but familiar exploration of the subject’s fundamental desire for recognition/love and the problematic yet medicative function of consumption.

psycho-cinematography

Mar 23, 2024 • Subscribe

Sumiko 22 (2024) review [OAFF 2024]

A subtle but playful narrative about a subject who slowly tries to crawl out the hole of emptiness and diminished self-worth.

psycho-cinematography

Mar 14, 2024 • Subscribe

Sumiko

Review: YOLO (2024)

YOLO 热辣滚烫 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 128 mins. Director: Jia Ling 贾玲. Rating: 7/10. Mainland comedienne Jia Ling’s second feature as writer-director-star hits the bell again, if not…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

May 27, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: Upstream (2024)

Upstream 逆行人生 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 120 mins. Director: Xu Zheng 徐峥. Rating: 6/10. A black but ultimately warm comedy, set among Shanghai’s community of food deliverers, shows…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Nov 1, 2024 • Subscribe

Jinsei - Life Consulting

Review: Untouchable (2024)

Untouchable 逆鳞 China, 2024, colour/b&w, 2.35:1, 111 mins. Director: Da Qing 大庆 [Wang Daqing 王大庆]. Rating: 8/10. Cat-and-mouse gangster drama, set in 1990s pre-handover Macau, is stylishly written…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Dec 21, 2024 • Subscribe

2024 in Review

A year of retreads and repeats, none of them good: War in Ukraine. War in the Middle East. Famine in Sudan. Famine in Gaza. Covid and…

Collectr's Blog

Jan 1, 2025 • Subscribe

Blue Flames, Chalk-iro no People, Gakkou no Yuurei, The Apothecary Diaries, Dance Till Tomorrow

Review: Yuanyanglou (2024)

Yuanyanglou 鸳鸯楼•惊魂 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 94 mins. Director: Wang Shenghe 王晟赫. Rating: 6/10. Surprisingly effective horror film, anchored by undervalued actress Li Meng, simmers for an hour…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Mar 5, 2025 • Subscribe

Review: Decoded (2024)

Decoded 解密 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 155 mins. Director: Chen Sicheng 陈思诚. Rating: 8/10. Belated return to form by film-maker Chen Sicheng is a strongly written, subtly played…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Oct 13, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: Successor (2024)

Successor 抓娃娃 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 133 mins. Directors: Yan Fei 闫非, Peng Damo 彭大魔. Rating: 7/10. Comedian Shen Teng and the Ma Hua FunAge gang come up…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Feb 6, 2026 • Subscribe

Short Movie Time: Ririka of the Star (2024) review [OAFF 2024] 

A narrative that does not merely emphasize the beauty of moving female body, but reveals that such beauty can change subjects.

psycho-cinematography

Mar 11, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: Evacuate from the 21st Century (2024)

Evacuate from the 21st Century 从21世纪安全撤离 China, 2024, colour/b&w, 1.55/2.1/2.4/3.77:1, 97 mins. Director: Li Yang 李阳. Rating: 6/10. Sci-fi fantasy-cum-VFX head trip is an eclectic spin on youth…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Oct 28, 2024 • Subscribe

Erased from Memory: Underrepresentation of Filipino Victims of the Asia-Pacific War in Japanese Visual Media

[…]

Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus

19 days ago • Subscribe

Penalty Loop (2024) review [Nippon Connection 2024]

The way Araki resolves the narrative’s thematical questions concerning vengeance and the working-through of trauma will divide spectators

psycho-cinematography

Jun 17, 2024 • Subscribe

Desert of Namibia (2024) review [Japannual 2024]

Yoko Yamanaka delivers a cinematic masterpiece of subjectivity.

psycho-cinematography

Nov 14, 2024 • Subscribe

Sin And Evil (2024) review [Japannual 2024]

Saito shows that the Other always bears some responsibility for the subjective outcomes of dysfunctional familial dynamics and the criminal excesses that plague its mendacious image of peaceful…

psycho-cinematography

Dec 10, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: Life Hotel (2024)

Life Hotel 来福大酒店 China, 2024, colour, 1.85:1, 118 mins. Director: Liu Bowen 刘博文. Rating: 7/10. A strong, characterful cast, led by Huang Xuan and Liu Yan, make this…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Sep 20, 2024 • Subscribe

2024 Year in Review

At this point I just can’t be bothered to rank things and I honestly don’t know if I could, at least with movies, so here are a bunch…

Adventures in (Post) Gradland

Dec 31, 2024 • Subscribe

Movie Review: Abigail (2024)

While browsing Peacock’s catalog for something to watch, Abigail (2024) caught my eye. I wasn’t searching for anything specific, but the film’s horror and comedy labels and the…

Dragonas Talk

Jul 26, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: Bureau 749 (2024)

Bureau 749 749局 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 123 mins. Director: Lu Chuan 陆川. Rating: 4/10. Sci-fi monster movie is a wannabe blockbuster holed by a shapeless script, colourless…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Dec 11, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: Burning Stars (2024)

Burning Stars 孤星计划 China, 2024, colour/b&w, 2.35:1, 104 mins. Director: Xu Zhanxiong 徐展雄. Rating: 7/10. Smoothly assembled, suitably twisty package centred on CPC/KMT shenanigans in 1920s Shanghai. STORY…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Mar 26, 2025 • Subscribe

Review: Pegasus 2 (2024)

Pegasus 2 飞驰人生2 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 120 mins. Director: Han Han 韩寒. Rating: 6/10. More of the same and with knobs on, plus another effortless lead by…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

May 20, 2024 • Subscribe

Jinsei - Life Consulting

Review: Remember Me (2024)

Remember Me 灿烂的她 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 115 mins. Director: Xu Wei 徐伟. Rating: 5/10. Light drama between a selfless fisherwoman and her grand-daughter who went missing has…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Jun 6, 2024 • Subscribe

Review: Keep Rolling (2024)

Keep Rolling 大场面 China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 99 mins. Director: Li Ji 李季. Rating: 7/10. Modestly produced black comedy on the film industry and human selfishness doesn’t run…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Apr 7, 2025 • Subscribe

Review: Cesium Fallout (2024)

Cesium Fallout 焚城 Hong Kong/China, 2024, colour, 2.35:1, 135 mins. Director: Pan Yaoming 潘耀明 [Anthony Pun]. Rating: 6/10. Technically polished disaster movie doesn’t reach down very far in…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Feb 9, 2025 • Subscribe

Review: Reversed Destiny (2024)

Reversed Destiny 沙漏 China, 2024, colour, 1.85:1, 109 mins. Director: Wen Jing 温婧. Rating: 7/10. Good-looking, well-played story of two high-school BFFs would have been even better with…

Sino-Cinema 《神州电影》

Aug 15, 2024 • Subscribe

City Hunter (2024) review

A fun but very forgettable experience.

psycho-cinematography

Jun 30, 2024 • Subscribe

City Hunter