Category Archives: Film

Through Tibetan Eyes: The Films of Pema Tseden ‘Tharlo’ – 13th SDAFF Spring Showcase Recap

The San Diego Asian Film Festival returned for its 13th spring showcase with one of its most interesting exhibitions—an entire Sunday dedicated to films directed by the late Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden. Four films, from his second feature to his most recent film, were on display at Ultrastar Cinemas in Mission Valley. We caught theContinue reading “Through Tibetan Eyes: The Films of Pema Tseden ‘Tharlo’ – 13th SDAFF Spring Showcase Recap”

The Ten Best Movies of 2023

2023 is a year of missed potential. The writer’s and actor’s strikes that took place this year overwhelmed most of its relevant film releases. It would appear that the risk of greed in the industry has overridden the pursuit of innovative works and created a dangerous precedent for the future of cinema. That being said,Continue reading “The Ten Best Movies of 2023”

Closing Night: ‘Mustache’ – 24th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival Recap

Editors note: a “bildungsroman,” according to Oxford, is a novel dealing with one person’s formative years or spiritual education. This term could potentially apply to films as well. Puberty and facial hair. Growing up and self-discovery. High school and the crippling anxiety of having to talk to people of the opposite gender. These are justContinue reading “Closing Night: ‘Mustache’ – 24th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival Recap”

‘Waiting for the Light to Change’ – 24th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival Recap

“Waiting for the Light to Change” is the directorial debut of Linh Tran, a Vietnamese filmmaker and graduate of DePaul University. Its premise revolves around the drama that emerges between a group of friends during a week-long beachside getaway. It’s a semi-coming-of-age story that focuses on that strange transitional period of personhood directly following theContinue reading “‘Waiting for the Light to Change’ – 24th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival Recap”

‘Evil Does Not Exist’ – 24th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival Recap

Following the success of his 2021 film “Drive My Car,” Academy Award-winning director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, in his latest feature, is not concerned with showing you that evil does exist, but rather incentivizing you to think that it can. From the moment the film opens, with a worm’s-eye-view dolly capturing the tops of snowy trees andContinue reading “‘Evil Does Not Exist’ – 24th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival Recap”

Opening Night: ‘Quiz Lady’ – 24th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival Recap

Opening night of the 24th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival took place at the Natural History Museum in Balboa Park, much like last year did. However, compared to last year, the opening screener was much more lighthearted.  Directed by Academy award-winner Jessica Yu, “Quiz Lady” is a family comedy focused on the relationship andContinue reading “Opening Night: ‘Quiz Lady’ – 24th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival Recap”

Brown Eyes, Blue Skin, and Bleak Disappointment: DC’s Blue Beetle – A Review

DC has undergone major changes since it acquired acclaimed filmmaker James Gunn as its co-chairman and co-CEO. While DC has always tried to market itself as the more serious version of its relatively family-friendly counterpart, it wasn’t until Gunn’s entry in the Suicide Squad series that the label held some weight. With Marvel taking aContinue reading “Brown Eyes, Blue Skin, and Bleak Disappointment: DC’s Blue Beetle – A Review”

A Repose of Fairytale: The Reality of Celine Song’s Past Lives – Review

Past Lives is slated to be 2023’s sleeper hit at the box office. It’s managed to remain a crowd favorite amongst its high-profile counterparts like Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, much thanks to the recent mainstream appeal A24 films have reached in the past few years. Not unlikeContinue reading “A Repose of Fairytale: The Reality of Celine Song’s Past Lives – Review”