My Opinion: 8.8 || Excellent. A revealing exploration of ethnic conflict that bends back on itself in a fascinating bit of nonlinear storytelling. You’ll scratch your head about whether the puzzle-plot actually fits together… Continue reading
My Opinion: 8.2 || Charming romantic comedy — a delight through and through. The characters are well drawn, the dialogue is witty, and the touches of magic arrive in perfect measure.
My Opinion: 6.5 || Stylish action film that’s spawned myriad spin-offs and imitations. The last act is badly muddled, but the foundation is excellent, the thriller elements are well filmed, and it’s a mostly… Continue reading
My Opinion: 7.7 || Gentle movie that teeters between heartwarming and heartbreaking. The characters are believably rendered, the scenery is lush, and the story successfully balances the bitter and sweet.
My Opinion: 6.9 || Good fantasy-horror fun, with a very entertaining premise and excellent balance of humor, chills, and tenderness. Wonderful economy in the storytelling too — not a wasted minute and the short… Continue reading
My Opinion: 6.9 || Sumptuous, sensual movie with brilliant use of visuals and ambient sounds. More a sensory experience than a piece of storytelling, though, as the plot and characterizations are disappointingly thin. Notwithstanding… Continue reading
My Opinion: 6.5 || A fun, quick adrenaline-rush of a movie. There’s nothing brilliant about the folding-back-on-itself storyline, but the uninhibited energy and brazen strangeness is delightful. On the downside, though, it’s a little… Continue reading
My Opinion: 8.0 || Peculiar, bold, fascinating film — never seen anything quite like it. I can easily imagine people hating the movie’s oddness or finding it dull, but I was absorbed from start… Continue reading
My Opinion: 6.7 || A movie that steadily gathers narrative and emotional momentum. The naïve, headstrong protagonist Wei is a refreshingly peculiar girl whose flaws are indistinguishable from her strengths. It’s a delicately flavored… Continue reading
My Opinion: 5.6 || A worthwhile experience about important subjects but very pedestrian filmmaking. The movie has been made with great integrity and sense of purpose, and I wish I could rate it better,… Continue reading
I'm an author and consultant in Portland, Oregon. My novel 'Beheld' will be published this June.
