Concrete Utopia from South Korea has its North American premiere here at TIFF, and this one is definitely a must-see. While arguably a little heavy-handed in its messaging, the film is a captivating two-hour exploration of the human condition, our faults, and our hopes. An apocalyptic event has struck Seoul, and it seems the only…
Tag: government
Undisclosed (2017) – Steve Alten
I want to believe. I’ve said it before on this blog and in my own personal life, I’ve been fascinated by the possibilities of what and who may be out there and the idea that maybe we’ve already been in contact with. Consequently, I’m aware of Steven Greer, a former emergency room doctor who has…
The Expanse (2021) – Winnipesaukee, and Nemesis Games
The penultimate episode of the fifth season of The Expanse, sees things racing towards the season finale. Written by the duo of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, collectively known as James S.A. Corey, the author of the novel series, and Naren Shankar, this episode first dropped on Prime on 27 January, 2021. On Luna, Chrisjen…
The Equalizer (1987) – Encounter in a Closed Room, and Mission: McCall: Part 1
Encounter in a Closed Room feels a little uneven, the editing and narrative a little choppy, but it’s still an enjoyable episode, and features some solid guest stars in the form of Michael Moriarty, Maureen Mueller and Jamey Sheridan. Written by Ann Lewis Hamilton from a story by Hamilton and Schott Shepherd, this episode first…
The Post (2017) – Steven Spielberg
Spielberg shows us the (much-needed) power of the free press with The Post. Documenting The Washington Post’s involvement in publishing the Pentagon Papers, the film is a captivating newspaper thriller with a top-notch cast. Tom Hanks takes on the role of Ben Bradlee, chief editor of the Post, and Meryl Streep is Kay Graham, the…
Brainstorm (1983) – Douglas Trumbull
Special effects wizard Douglas Trumbull delivered his last Hollywood movie in 1983. Problems with the production company, and the untimely death of one of the film’s leads, Natalie Wood, impacted his opinion of the Hollywood machine, and he left them behind. The film features a solid cast, Christopher Walken, Louise Fletcher and Cliff Robertson join…
TIFF ’22: While We Watched
Vinay Shukla takes us behind the scenes of Indian news media and journalism as he follows the story of Ravish Kumar of NDTV. He’s dedicated to being an objective news reporter, but in the flare of nationalism and populism being touted by the rest of the news channels, anyone willing to speak out against the…
TIFF ’22: Hunt
South Korean action star Lee Jung-jae makes his directorial debut with the brilliant action thriller, Hunt. Set in the 1980s when tensions were heightened between North and South Korea, the film is a white knuckle ride that sees two government rivals, KCIA Foreign Unit chief Park (Lee) and Domestic Unit head Kim (Jung Woo-sung) working…
Battle Royale II (2003) – Kenta Fukasaku and Kinji Fukasaku
Battle Royale II is very much a different creation from its predecessor. Set three years after the events of the first movie this film moves the film mythology forward. Shuya (Tatsuya Fujiwara) and Noriko (Aki Maeda) have made their escape, and Shuya has now started what the rest of the world calls a terrorist organization,…
M*A*S*H (1979/1980) – Yessir, That’s Our Baby, Bottle Fatigue, and Heal Thyself
Alan Alda directs Yessir, That’s Our Baby from a script by Jim Mulligan. First airing on 31 December, 1979 the story brings to light the very real nature of Amerasian babies that American soldiers fathered with Korean women, and then left behind taking no responsibility for them. When one of them ends up in the…
The Mind Reels 