Watching Asian and Asian diaspora films with a cutting, critical lens.
Favorite films
Recent activity
AllRecent reviews
More-
Can I Get a Witness? 2024
While Can I Get a Witness? has an instantly intriguing premise, it fails to fulfill its potential as a fun bit of speculative fiction. Hampered by a sparse storyline and a too simple-minded protagonist, the film becomes unnecessarily distracted by a teen romance between Kiah and Daniel (who is as clean-cut and unsettling as a Mormon evangelist — and as welcome a presence upon people’s front porches as well).
Continued on The Asian Cut.
Translated from by -
Mickey 17 2025
This bonkers science fiction satire fits perfectly into Bong’s ambitious sensibilities, and continues to cement him as one of the most talented and versatile filmmakers working today. Far from his strongest work, but any amount of Bong Joon Ho is still a big win for cinema.
Continued on The Asian Cut.
Translated from by
Popular reviews
More-
Balestra 2024
Balestra takes its time to build Joanna’s back story and eventually reveal her hidden darkness. As the lead, Jumbo remains compelling throughout the film’s two-and-a-half hour runtime, showing her character’s many facets gradually and empathetically. She is aided by the instantly alluring Jacinto, whose calm exterior masks a Lady Macbeth-style undercurrent within his rather complex interior. As a figment of Joanna’s subconscious, Elliot doesn’t show too much individual personality but mirrors Joanna’s own intrusive thoughts, a clever and complicated trick that Jacinto and the film manages to pull off convincingly.
Continued on The Asian Cut.
Translated from by -
Paying for It 2024
Lee smartly includes more female characters within both Sonny and Chester’s spheres and crucially allows the sex workers to speak for themselves to explain why they choose their line of work and why they stop.
Sex work is, of course, still stigmatized by many characters, but also destigmatized by Paying For It as both the pretty side and the ugly side of the industry are shown.
Continued on The Asian Cut.
Translated from by
