Japan is often intolerant of vandalism, making it a harsh environment for street art to survive. Although some graffiti can be found in alleys across Tokyo, more or less, those that stand out are quickly removed by the authorities. Even works by world-famous artists such as Banksy and Invader are no exception, but one piece has…
For many, running errands like picking up milk or posting a letter is a quick pop to the shops. Want to get a coffee afterward? Sure. Need to order a new fridge because yours is on the fritz? Don’t worry, delivery won’t be a hassle. In director and co-writer Farah Nabulsi’s short film The Present—alongside…
A short trek from the small town of Raiano, in the Italian region of Abruzzo, the narrow gorges of the Aterno river carve their way through the rugged mountains that rise above. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonNestled on a rocky outcrop and partly built across the gorges is a medieval hermitage…
Platform 17 is no regular train station platform. Today, it stands as a Holocaust memorial just outside Berlin. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThe first deportation train departed from Platform 17 on October 18, 1941. By the end of World War II, more than 50,000 members of the German Jewish population from…
Out of the dozens of grottos that populate Portugal’s southern coastline, there’s one that stands out, the Benagil Caves. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonJust like any other sea cave in the Algarve region, this one was shaped by the pounding Atlantic waves. Yet, unlike other grottos, the Benagil cave bathes in…
An unrivaled master of the macabre, John Carpenter is best known as the man behind horror classics like “Halloween,” “The Thing,” and “Assault of Precinct 13.” Rightly hailed as masterpieces on the strengths of their sharply unnerving stories and muscular direction, Carpenter’s best films—also including “Escape from New York” and “They Live!”—benefit from his pioneering…
Jack Hampshire could never say no to a pram. Dozens of prams—otherwise known as buggies or baby carriages—hung in rows from custom-built racks on the walls of his barn. In his large 15th-century manor house, complete with a moat, you couldn’t walk without tripping over a Victorian push-chair or an Edwardian baby carriage. He had…
In Jakub Piatek‘s first feature film, he takes us back to 1999, right on the eve of the new millennium. All the angst and uncertainty of that time period gets infused into a hostage situation, where a lone gunman (Bartosz Bielenia) enters a local television station in Poland with eery intentions. Prime Time premiered at…
The Boston Cream Pie is a simple dessert: two golden sponge cakes with pastry cream between them and a thin layer of chocolate ganache on top. But the cake—and it’s definitely a cake, not a pie—has become so legendary during its more than 150-year history that it’s now the official state dessert of Massachusetts. This…
When individuals in a group of elephants have been separated, even for the briefest of moments, they get rather excited upon reuniting. “They’re sort of like dogs who’ve come back to their owners after being separated for 15 minutes. Super excited, they’re saying, ‘Where have you been, it’s so good to see you again,’” says…
Queerly Ever After is a bi-monthly column where I take a look at LGBT+ films that gave their characters a romantic happily-ever-after. There will be spoilers. Also, don’t forget to buy your Queerly Ever After merch right here. In keeping with the Shakespeare theme from my last entry, this week I am going to cover Were…
★★★★★ Directed by: #AmosMenin Written by: #AmosMenin Starring: #JohnFieldsend Film Review by: Isabelle Ryan Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonAmos Menin’s Jude is a powerful documentary short narrated by his grandfather, John Fieldsend, who was sent to England along with his brother to escape the Holocaust. Having heard Fieldsend speak about the…
A quick glance at the synopsis of Mass will make it abundantly clear that this is far from an easily digestible film. Fran Kranz’s first feature is a haunting opus to America’s longstanding issues with gun violence, which takes audiences on an unapologetic journey to some of the darker corners of the country’s (ongoing) history….
There are no signs pointing to Timbuctoo. The only historic marker for this ghost town is five miles down the road. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonFounded in 1855, at one time this was the most populated town in eastern Yuba County. The lure of gold led to its popularity, and like…
Ali’iolani Hale means “House of Heavenly Kings,” a fitting name for the impressive government building opposite Iolani Palace in downtown Honolulu. Ali’iolani Hale is made from concrete blocks and a coral foundation with a central clock tower, arched entrance, and a larger-than-life gold-leaf statue of Kamehameha the Great. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho…
First described by explorer John Fremont in 1843, High Rock Canyon soon became an important route in the westward migration to Oregon Territory and the California goldfields. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonCrossing the nearby Black Rock Desert was a difficult and dangerous part of the journey. The flat, alkaline dry lake…
The iconic image of then-Cassius Clay standing over a defeated Sonny Liston in 1964 said many things. What didn’t it convey? Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonUnity. Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston is one of sport’s most iconic images and it was captured 55 years ago today 🐐 pic.twitter.com/OEyJXmsTh9 — ESPN…
Opioids lead to all sorts of problems in Crisis, the latest from writer/director Nicholas Jarecki. Three plotlines weave together in this sprawling story. First, when a smuggler is intercepted an emergency transport of Fentanyl must be arranged to keep the illegal market going. Second, a mother tries desperately to find her missing son after he’s caught…
This giant 311 foot (95 meters) flagpole is one of the tallest in the world and can be found along the southern end of Merdeka Square. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThe location of the flagpole is also very significant. At this spot, the Union Flag was lowered and the Malaysian flag was…
“The myths are real! There was a war…” Toho in Japan has debuted their own official Japanese trailer for Godzilla vs. Kong, also known as ゴジラVSコング. in Japanese. This highly anticipated epic sequel to the recent Godzilla movies finally pits the two mega-monsters in a battle for the fate of the world. Warner Bros is…
The Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo (Royal Church of Saint Lawrence) is a religious building in Turin. The church, located near the Royal Palace, was commissioned by the ruling Savoy family to celebrate their victory during a 1557 battle that happened on the day of Saint Lawrence. Construction began in 1634 and was completed in…