Reviews

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THE RUNNING MAN Review: Glen Powell Leads Edgar Wright’s Steady Action Classic Revamp

I never read any literary works by “Richard Bachman,” so like virtually anyone in my generation, Paul Michael Glaser’s futuristic thriller, The Running Man was my first exposure to the IP, and with the casting of Arnold Schwarzenegger, you can believe it was a seller. It’s enough to be warranted a classic, so there’s no question that any idea there was about revisiting the book in any filmic capacity would draw a mix of prominently skeptic responses. Leave it to writer/director Edgar Wright to take on the task of proving doubters wrong with his latest trudge with co-writer Michael Bacall, for a brand new reimagining which he at once touted as a story more closer to the novel than the film’s 1987 predecessor. I’ll leave it to the bookworms to make that judgement since I can only gauge the film’s performance on its own merits next to the original, while […]

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JFF Theater: TIME TRAVELLER: THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME: Time Travel as a Vessel for Memory

Time travel stories have always held a unique allure, possessing a special charm that consistently captivates audiences. This is certainly the case for this story within Japanese culture; based on the 1967 Yasutaka Tsutsui’s novel, it has been adapted for the big screen no fewer than four times, with each iteration offering its own distinct perspective. This 2010 adaptation, serves as a  sequel to the 1983 film starred by popular 80´s idol Tomoyo Harada in her screen debut  . It follows the daughter of the original protagonist as she travels back to 1972 to find her mother’s teenage love and deliver a long-awaited message. However, the journey is fraught with errors: she arrives two years late. There, she encounters an aspiring young filmmaker who helps her on her quest, inadvertently weaving a new story that leads them to a poignant realization—in this life, the only thing that truly survives the […]

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BLADES OF THE GUARDIANS Review: A Gritty ‘Soy Western’ That Revitalizes the Wuxia Genre

After seven years away from the lens, the legendary Yuen Woo-ping returns to the director’s chair this Chinese New Year with a triumphant adaptation of Xu Xianzhe’s acclaimed manhua, Blades of the Guardians. In this ambitious project, the Hong Kong maestro revitalizes the wuxia genre by stripping away the over-reliance on CGI that has plagued recent productions. Instead, he embraces a visceral, “old-school” approach: gritty physical combat, traditional wire-fu, and sweeping cinematography filmed on location in the unforgiving Xinjiang desert. Set during the turbulent Sui Dynasty, the narrative follows Dao Ma (Wu Jing), a formidable mercenary and the empire’s “second most wanted fugitive.” His journey begins with what appears to be a routine escort mission: transporting the mysterious prisoner Zhi Shilang across the treacherous Gobi Desert to the capital, Chang’an. The film’s strength lies in its generational synergy. Wu Jing anchors an ensemble cast where icons like Tony Leung Ka-fai […]

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MISDIRECTION Review: A Decent Thriller Underwhelms More Than Scintillates

Misdirection arrives on VOD on February 10 from Cineverse. Willy’s Wonderland helmer Kevin Lewis’s new crime thriller, Misdirection, is an acquired taste, if not a tricky one. The “contained thriller” subgenre can be a hard nut to crack if you don’t know what you’re doing, and either way, you certainly have to give some credit to Lewis for giving it a shot. A good script certainty does the trick for a film like this. The story won’t falter and flounder into mundanity and you won’t be left checking the time. To this end, it helps that Misdirection keeps a lean-enough runtime at eighty-four minutes. It’s enough to encompass what Lewis’s film strives for with a tale that unravels with secrets and lies, and long-winded vengeance, and with key performances by Olga Kurylenko and Frank Grillo, and actor Oliver Trevena. It is with this trio that we follow Sarah (Kurylenko) and […]

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Tech Driven Anthology “Merge” Hits Prime

A Technology themed anthology film has just been released on Amazon Prime in the UK titled “Merge” check out the trailer here -Here is what we thought of the unique and somewhat intriguing combination of short films brought into one.”Merge” brings together five individual short films between 15-20 minutes in duration each all with a connection to Technology. As filmmaker myself I always praise anyone who tries to think outside the box and try something unique and different from the rest of the crowd. With that in mind I will give perks to the filmmakers behind “Merge” Bela Baptiste, Dalano Barnes and Richard Fenwick for their originality . However this is a pure case of huge ambition outgrowing their realistic budget. When you are relying heavily of the use of VFX the money really does speak on the screen and at times these short films felt very student like. With […]

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BACK TO THE PAST Review: A Nostalgic Triumph For Fans Of The Original TVB Show

It’s been almost 25 years since A Step into the Past premiered on Hong Kong television. The series not only solidified Louis Koo‘s status as a TV star, launching him into a prolific and still-thriving movie career, but also marked Raymond Lam‘s breakout role. His iconic portrayal of Ying Zheng earned widespread praise and propelled him to fame. The show was an instant hit, sparking the wave of time-travel dramas (known as chuanyue) across Asian television and becoming one of the most beloved series for the millennial generation in Asia. Behind it all was the powerhouse TVB. Adapted from Huang Yi’s novel of the same name (Chinese title: 尋秦記), it followed the adventures of Hong Siu-lung, a Hong Kong police inspector who, after a painful breakup with his long-term girlfriend, volunteers for a time-travel experiment. He is sent back to the Qin Dynasty, just 30 minutes before Ying Zheng’s coronation […]

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JFF THEATER: MY LOVE STORY!! – A Heartfelt Blend of Romance, Comedy, and Unexpected Bromance

Based on the popular manga written by Kazune Kawahara and illustrated by Aruko, the live-action adaptation of My Love Story!! (俺物語!!) presents itself as a refreshing romantic comedy. However, beneath its sugary surface, the film feels like a “bromance” in disguise—a theory that, in my opinion, is firmly validated by its post-credits scene. The story follows Takeo, a hulking high schooler with a heart of gold but zero luck with the opposite sex. While women constantly swoon over his best friend Suna—who, conversely, shows little to no interest in romance—Takeo remains the perpetual “wingman.” Resigned to his fate of being the lonely second fiddle, Takeo’s life takes a 180-degree turn when he rescues a beautiful girl from a harasser. Accustomed to losing in the game of love, he finds himself completely out of his depth when he realizes that the girl he saved is actually falling for him. I sat […]

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