“Despite being a well-intentioned art house film, ‘Soni’ somehow fails to create an impressionistic effect and often feels cliched. But what’s commendable is the character treatment by the debutant director, Ayr.”
“Oftentimes, shorts will hammer home their endings, but Peiro executes his conclusion quickly, and with full confidence.”
“It’s commendable that Kawase tries to bridge the gap between the West and the East by writing a story that attempts to transcend both time and any kind of racial differences.”
“This is a moody, thoughtful and impressively weird debut feature from White.”
“‘I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History’ provides historical context of a brutal period not known to many, and facilitates a discussion of Romania’s pro-Nazi involvement in the Second World War. But narratively, Jade’s film achieves little.”
“With a gorgeous vintage sheen across its 4:3 aspect ratio, Sakurai’s short establishes a magical realist land that magnifies the burgeoning diversity of America today – along with all the confusion, preposterousness and sudden violence that comes with it.”
“Even if ‘Ben is Back’ tries a little too hard to ramp up the stakes, the fact remains that Hedges and Roberts’ performances make for an incredibly powerful on-screen relationship.”
“A rare co-production between China and Japan, ‘Complicity’ is a timely feature that fits perfectly in our current political climate, especially as Chikaura urges viewers to lend a helping hand despite the most unfavourable circumstances.”
“‘José’ depicts a toxic environment where no one can love freely, where relationships are doomed to sink and where looking at the sky can only offer a fickle joy lasting as briefly as fireworks during a hot summer night.”
“If ‘The Wandering Earth’ is China’s first step in big budget space adventure, it promises a giant leap not far down the line.”
