Film

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“A Camp Unknown” Sheds Light on a Forgotten Period in Taiwan’s History

·March 18, 2023·3 min read

The PTS documentary "A Camp Unknown" (彼岸他方), directed by Awei Liu, proves an insightful look at a forgotten period in Taiwanese history. The documentary examines refugee camps for Chinese Vietnamese refugees that existed in Taiwan from 1977 to 1988 Read More

“Dear Corky” Pays Tribute to a Beloved Photographer of Chinatown

English Film

·October 25, 2022·2 min read

“Dear Corky” is a tribute to the photographer Corky Lee, who spent decades documenting Asian American life, and died in 2021 from COVID-19. The short documentary film was assembled from footage shot of Lee before his death, though this may not have been with the aim of creating a documentary about Lee at first Read More

“Goddamned Asura” Aims for Humanistic Social Commentary

English Film

·March 15, 2023·3 min read

Taiwanese film in the last decade seems to have been fixated on depicting random acts of violence committed by troubled youth. This is due to the impact of real-world events such as the “Little Lightbulb Murder” in 2016 and the Cheng Chieh subway stabbing in 2014–but also due to the in-depth media reporting on these incidents that followed Read More

“Life for Sale” Offers a Stylized and Complex Exploration of Mortality

English Film

·July 26, 2022·3 min read

Life for Sale is an ambitious work. While imperfect, the film is bold, and those willing to indulge some of its more visible flaws may find the journey rewarding Read More

“Marry My Dead Body” Proves A Well-Intended and Capably Shot if Problematic LGBTQ Crime Caper

English Film

·March 11, 2023·4 min read

Marry My Dead Body is an entertaining and capably executed, if a bit breezy, buddy cop comedy with LGBTQ themes. The outlandish premise–featuring a straight, initially homophobic police officer whose attitudes gradually change through interactions with a gay ghost that he becomes haunted by–certainly proves memorable Read More

“Mountain Woman” Depicts Human Cruelty and Desperation in a Japanese Village

English Film

·November 4, 2022·2 min read

With its story about an outcast family, “Mountain Woman” explores humanity’s darkness against a beautiful backdrop of Japan’s countryside Read More

“Tank Fairy” Proves A Spunky Queer Take on a Fixture of Taiwanese Life

English Film

·October 28, 2022·2 min read

Tank Fairy is a spunky queer take on a traditional fixture of Taiwanese urban life–the deliveryperson, invariably middle-aged and male, that brings canisters of gas that apartments use to boil hot water for cooking and showering Read More

“Therapy Dogs” Offers a Cleverly Stylized Depiction of High School

English Film

·November 16, 2022·3 min read

Therapy Dogs is a creatively stylized take on high school, following two friends in their senior year. Though the film is unlikely to appeal to all viewers, given its deliberately disjointed narrative, it manages to capture something of the nihilism–and violence–of wayward teenagers Read More

“A Light Never Goes Out” Celebrates Hong Kong’s Iconic Neon Signs

English Film

·December 3, 2022·3 min read

"A Light Never Goes Out" is a spirited look into the craftsmen who build and maintain Hong Kong’s iconic neon signs. Though the film’s plot is somewhat boilerplate, it has beautiful cinematography, and demonstrates a genuine love for its subject Read More

“Before Next Spring” Humanizes the Lives of Chinese Students in Japan

English Film

·July 16, 2022·3 min read

Before Next Spring is a humanistic look at a group of young Chinese students working in Japan. Based on the experiences of first-time director Li Gen during his own time studying abroad in Japan, the film proves a strong debut Read More

“Convenience Story” Paints Surreal Picture of the Creative Process Using Japanese Convenience Stores

English Film

·February 14, 2023·3 min read

Director Miki Satoshi’s latest movie “Convenience Story” explores a scriptwriter and actress’ journey through a series of increasingly surreal situations Read More

“Dealing With Dad” Aims for Asian American Family Drama but Has Mixed Results

English Film

·November 1, 2022·3 min read

Dealing With Dad has all the makings of a solid comedy about an Asian American family. Nevertheless, the film simply fails to come to life somehow. Maybe it’s because the entire movie feels tonally off-key. Perhaps it has to do with its near-complete lack of soundtrack, an odd choice outside of the art house genre . Or, it may have to do with how few of the movie’s jokes hit the mark Read More