By Yun-hua Chen. It started when I went to a concert by an artist who was quite similar to the one portrayed in the film. The whole experience of watching her on stage was very intense. So I began writing something based on that, and over these 11 years, the […]
A Self-Defeating Genre Mashup: On Ryan Coogler’s Sinners (2025)
By Thomas M. Puhr. Coogler’s strong character work in the film’s first half undercuts his efforts to embrace pure horror in its second.” Spoiler Alert Ryan Coogler’s knack for bringing a humanist touch to a variety of genres—starting with social realism (Fruitvale Station), transitioning to crowd-pleasing sports sagas (Creed), and […]
From the Experimental to the Mainstream – The Needle and the Lens
A Book Review by Jonathan Monovich. An astute study of notable ‘needle drops’ and the progression of the practice over the last sixty years.” While music is an integral part of film history, Nate Patrin’s study commences with the pop music of Scorpio Rising (1963). This decision is deliberate as […]
“When the Music’s Over” – Jim Morrison: The Genius of an Unsung Filmmaker
A Book Review by Jonathan Monovich. Author Fabrizio Federico argues that Morrison’s ultimate goal was to encourage self-discovery and help listeners think freely in an era defined by chaos.” Though best best known as the singer of The Doors, Jim Morrison’s tumultuous life could have ended up quite differently had […]
Tyranny and the Canon: Problems in Todd Field’s Tár
By Christopher Sharrett. As a way of addressing woke culture, it has precious little to say, especially as it irresponsibly conflates the culture with sexual predation, a glaringly different matter, unless the film is aimed at those with grievances about women having too much power…. There is so little music […]
Cherishing the Legendary Haruomi Hosono: No Smoking
By Matthew Fullerton. Charming in that it strikes a fine balance of chronology and intimate, and often amusing, interludes of today’s seventy-something Hosono.” Japan’s Brian Eno, Neil Young, and Mark Mothersbaugh are just a few of the allusions bandied about by diehard fans of musician, singer-songwriter, composer, producer, and all-round […]
Edinburgh Film Festival | 15-26 June, 2011
By Yun-hua Chen. This year’s EIFF feels very different in all aspects, not only led by the new producer Jimmy Mulligan but also affected by the general budget cut in the UK. It is thus an interesting occasion to observe how film festivals tackle restraining material resources. Instead of red […]