The state of Middle Eastern representation on TV and in movies is dire, and “United States of Al,” which premieres April 1 on CBS, is not going to help. On the one hand, a character like Adhir Kalyan’s Awalmir, or…
In 1918 businessman, Lord Leverhulme, took a boat trip and fell in love with the islands. So much so that he decided to purchase the land. Reports vary, but it’s believed he purchased the land for £150,000. Leverhulme was passionate…
I have been waiting for the Brendanaissance (or Fraserssance, the nomenclature is fuzzy) to happen since 2006, when I ordered a US import DVD of Encino Man (known as California Man in the UK) because it was the one Brendan…
In a pivotal scene from Elia Kazan’s 1955 John Steinbeck adaptation, East of Eden, wayward son Cal Trask (James Dean) presents his father Adam (Raymond Massey) with a wad of money, earned from his wartime bean-growing business. The intention of…
It’s obvious but important to note that Lee Isaac Chung ’s Minari is as American a film as it gets. Set in the 1980s, on the cusp of Ronald Reagan’s presidency, it is the autobiographical story of a Korean-American family…
Matt writes: On March 15th, the 2021 Oscar nominees were announced, and though David Fincher’s “Mank” scored the most nominations, the clear frontrunner in the Best Picture category is Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland,” followed closely behind by Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari.”…
★★★ Directed by: Bob Freville Written by: Bob Freville Starring: David L. Tamarin, Scott Burnhard, Damarcus Cox, Claire Gutowsky, Danger Slater Film Review by: Jason Knight An eyepopping and rather offensive satire on former president of the United States, Donald…
Indian avant-garde filmmaker John Abraham‘s 1977 black and white film Donkey in a Brahmin Village (Tamil: Agraharathil Kazhuthai) opens with Tamil poet Subramania Bharati‘s poem in praise of fire, recited fiercely by a gravelly male voice. It is only towards the end of the…
A providence petrel goes onto the X-ray machine. Some traumatized animals, including a tiny Gould’s long-eared microbat, are swaddled in towels. An echidna, or spiny anteater, has a tube attached to its long beaky nose. All these animals injured during…
Tucked within the mountains of Japan’s Gifu prefecture, in the middle of Takayama, lies Funasaka Sake Brewery. With its dark-wood walls and stacked sake barrels, it looks typical. But inside is a surprise: Funasaka sells top-notch kosher sake. Less than…