August 2022 Archives

Reviews of Volker Schlöndorff’s WW2 morality tale, Jia Zhang-ke’s intriguing drama, and Nimród Antal’s urban thriller.

Reviews of Konrad Niewolski’s prison film, Ittisoontorn Vichailak’s musical tribute, Johnnie To’s judo flick, and Gulshat Omarova coming-of-age movie.

Reviews of David O. Russell’s philosophical comedy, Brad Anderson’s psychological thriller, and Zhang Yimou’s martial arts epic.

Reviews of David Gordon Green’s Southern fable and Ra’up McGee’s directorial debut.

Reviews of Attila Janisch’s haunting murder mystery and Mamoru Oshii’s lavish cyberpunk epic.

I’m taking steps to ensure that Opus is the definitive source for all of my writings.

This is a film that so desperately wants you to find it meaningful that it practically begs you.

Yet another droll, dyer-than-dry account focusing on a down-and-out man on the fringes of society.

Simply put, The Fall ends up drowning in its own excesses.

Of course, the outcome of the film is never really in question. However, the joy is in the way that the film arrives there.

Compared to the rest Herzog’s canon, Rescue Dawn might rank a little lower than others, but overall a very solid, if sometimes safe film.

There’s plenty of sound and fury to go around in Macbeth, but really nothing significant.

There’s some espionage, betrayal, and financial hijinks, but to call it “high-voltage” is to dramatically oversell the film.

Proof yet again that even the biggest budget can’t save a film if it’s lacking a solid storyline and well-developed characters.

Much like Jesus’ parables, Father Anatoly’s unconventional behavior cuts through religious formalism and legalism.

As a pure mood piece laced through with introspective thoughts concerning the roles of fathers, Times and Winds can be quite powerful and haunting.

That famous church with the shocking sign sure got your attention, but at what cost?

A song from Arcade Fire’s latest puts things into perspective.

Science is also a chief way in which humanity can increase in humility, as we realize that despite our many wonderful achievements, there will always be deeper and stranger mysteries.

Any form of immortality which cannot account for the totality of existence, and which can’t transcend our limitations and blind spots, is no immortality at all.