854 Contributions by: Isabella Endrinal (Page 43)

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Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She’s now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She’s currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn’t coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.

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, 2014

When adapting a novel, sometimes the book is too long to fit into a whole feature, so filmmakers would create a multi-part film series, or they would cut down just enough to fit a feature length runtime without sacrificing the main points of the novel. Coming Home is a love story where a devoted couple still commit to their bond despite imprisonment, distance, and even failing memory, and in Zhang Yimou’s hands, the direction, structure, and execution definitely tug at the heartstrings. However, this is only the last part of Geling Yan’s original novel The Criminal Lu Yanshi. Zhang may have only been moved by the devotion Yan’s grandparents held for each other, and, to be fair, this devotion is quite moving. However, curiosity remains for the beginning of Lu’s journey– the whole reason and purpose Lu chose to act in ways that warranted his arrest.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Chen Daoming, Chen Xiaoyi, Ding Jiali, Gong Li, Guo Tao, Liu Peiqi, Xin Baiqing, Yan Ni, Zhang Huiwen, Zhang Jiayi, Zu Feng

Director: Zhang Yimou

Rating: PG-13

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, 2011

With the difference between our day-to-day selves and our darker desires, it’s hard to say which side is the real slice of one’s identity, given that there are certain compromises we have to make in existing in society. Cold Fish takes a wildly violent and explicit approach to this, with a seemingly innocent favor spiralling into a toxic co-dependence between tropical fish sellers Yukio and Nobuyuki, and it’s a harrowing depiction of how quiet, unassuming men can be pushed into evil deeds because of passivity, whether that’s being taken advantage of, or being unwilling to speak against it. And of course, with Sion Sono at the helm, it’s painted and etched with all the gore and taboo he’s well known for.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller

Actor: Asuka Kurosawa, Denden, Hideo Nakaizumi, Hikari Kajiwara, Ichiro Hashimoto, Jyonmyon Pe, Kazuma Yamane, Lorena Koto, Makoto Ashikawa, Masahiko Sakata, Masaki Miura, Megumi Kagurazaka, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Natsumi Seto, Rina Saito, Ryohei Abe, Suwaru Ryû, Taro Suwa, Tetsu Watanabe

Director: Sion Sono

Rating: NR

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, 2016

The divorce of one’s parents can be difficult, but more so when that relationship is messy and emotionally fraught. And when the parent one ends up living with turns out to be homophobic, it’s so much harder to accept the possibility of not being straight. Stephen Dunn’s film feature debut Closet Monster is centered around this experience, one inspired by Dunn growing up in Canada, and while the symbolism is on the nose, the emotions feel real, maybe even too real. On top of the fear of not being accepted, there’s the resentment of being left behind, the disdain towards the adults who should know better, and the fear of becoming exactly like them. Closet Monster doesn’t shy away from these difficult feelings, even when it does so through the whimsical way Oscar imagines talking to his pet hamster.

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

Actor: Aaron Abrams, Aliocha Schneider, Connor Jessup, Isabella Rossellini, Jack Fulton, James Hawksley, Joanne Kelly, Jonathan Watton, Marthe Bernard, Mary Walsh, Sofia Banzhaf

Director: Stephen Dunn

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, 2019

Director Rachel Mason’s first documentary is an amusing study of accidental allies. Her mother Karen insists that there are better subjects for the film, but what would be better than the mom-and-pop bookstore that sells sex toys and gay pornography? The subject alone is inherently interesting, as these mild-mannered Jewish parents describe their unintentional journey through day-to-day selling and distribution. However, Mason is able to expand her discussion by contrasting her parents’ actions against the wider conservative moves done by the US government in the 1980s. Amidst censorship and epidemics, Circus of Books stood as a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community, made possible by her parents. In learning about the store, we (and Mason) learn more about her parents. While their job choice was unplanned, the journey of accepting those other than themselves is one that we all should take.

Genre: Documentary, Drama, History

Actor: Alaska Thunderfuck, Jeff Stryker, Larry Flynt

Director: Rachel Mason

Rating: Not Rated

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, 2024

Set in the British colonial era, Captain Miller is more unapologetically violent than its counterparts, but it’s not mindlessly so. Sure, the film has plenty of spectacle with numerous battles between townsfolk versus British colonialists, some scenes having gruesome, gory deaths. But in between these battles is Dhanush as the central character, contemplating the oppression from his fellow countrymen, the dignity denied to him from both the colony and more privileged locals, and the choices he chooses to make in spite of this. It’s not a straightforward bad versus good anti-colonial film like RRR, and it may not be as emotionally compelling, but Captain Miller is certainly a unique take on British colonialism with all of director Arun Matheswaran’s signature style.

Genre: Action, Adventure, War

Actor: Abdool Lee, Aditi Balan, Alexx O'Nell, Ashwin Kumar, Bose Venkat, Dhanush, Edward Sonnenblick, Elango Kumaravel, Jayaprakash, John Kokken, Kaali Venkat, Mark Bennington, Nivedhithaa Sathish, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Shivaraj Kumar, Sumesh Moor, Sundeep Kishan, Swayam Siddha, Vijay Kumar, Viji Chandrasekhar, Vinoth Kishan

Director: Arun Matheswaran

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, 1988

We remember the idea of the tortured artist, in part due to many works depicting life’s sorrows, but also due to the fact plenty of the greats fit this trope well. Camille Claudel is one such tortured artist, but her anguish has not led her to artistic acclaim. Instead, Isabelle Adjani’s take on the sculptor contemplates the ways her genius has gone unrecognized, in part due to her bout of insanity, but in part due to the maddening ways her art has been cut short by those that claim to love her. While it does take nearly three hours, and, like in real life, the film focuses more on her relationship with Rodin than her own art, Camille Claudel nonetheless remains a fascinating character study of a woman that just wanted to make art on her own terms.

Genre: Drama, History, Romance

Actor: Alain Cuny, Aurelle Doazan, Danièle Lebrun, Gérard Baume, Gérard Depardieu, Hester Wilcox, Isabelle Adjani, Jean-Pierre Sentier, Katrine Boorman, Laurent Grévill, Madeleine Marie, Madeleine Robinson, Maxime Leroux, Philippe Clévenot, Roch Leibovici, Roger Planchon

Director: Bruno Nuytten

Rating: R

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, 2023

Call Me Kate isn’t as much of a revelation as the star it’s portraying, but of course, it’s still lovely to talk about the incredible Katharine Hepburn. Revealing new footage from one of Hepburn’s close friends, and contextualized with interviews with some of the few remaining people that were close with her, the documentary goes through her life, with a focus more on what she felt about it. Certain letters are read by a voice impressionist, which creates a bit of an uncanny valley, and the way the footage was arranged and organized can be strange. However, Call Me Kate is still able to capture what makes Katharine Hepburn so captivating.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Katharine Hepburn

Director: Lorna Tucker

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, 2023

With a new, fast-paced media landscape, Call Me Chihiro might feel too slow for people new to the story. Composed of serene, slice-of-life moments, the film starts off feeling plotless, as the titular protagonist builds random interactions with the townspeople. She makes friends with people who seemingly don’t have much in common with her. Despite this, each interaction feels meaningful and genuine, thanks to the subtle acting of Kasumi Arimura. And as these scenes build up, and Chihiro’s friends begin to become friends with each other, these day-to-day moments form a character study of a lonely woman whose kindness and appreciation for life make her feel so admirable. For those wistful Sunday nights, Call Me Chihiro might be a great watch, but only if you’re in that certain mood.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Fusako Urabe, Hana Toyoshima, Itsuki Nagasawa, Jun Fubuki, Kasumi Arimura, Keiichi Suzuki, Lily Franky, Mitsuru Hirata, Miwako Ichikawa, Ryuya Wakaba, Shigeo Ôsako, Tetta Shimada, Toshie Negishi, Van, Wakaba Ryuuya, Yoichiro Saito, Yui Sakuma

Director: Rikiya Imaizumi

Rating: R, TV-14

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, 2001

Much like its monster, Brotherhood of the Wolf is quite a hard movie to pin down. It’s an unscary French creature feature but it's a rather refreshing period drama romance, made much more action-packed courtesy of a randomly placed, supposedly Iroquois, talented martial artist. Yet somehow, it works. Perhaps it works because it was released ahead of many other early aughts action horror films, and perhaps, at CGI’s infancy, it’s a bit easier to suspend disbelief over the wolf, but the wacky experimentation writer-director Christophe Gans brings in depicting this historical beast is just so entertaining to watch. Brotherhood of the Wolf is just pure bonkers.

Genre: Action, Adventure, History, Horror

Actor: Bernard Farcy, Charles Maquignon, Edith Scob, Émilie Dequenne, Gaëlle Cohen, Gaspard Ulliel, Hans Meyer, Jacques Perrin, Jean Yanne, Jean-François Stévenin, Jean-Paul Farré, Jérémie Renier, Johan Leysen, Mark Dacascos, Monica Bellucci, Pascal Laugier, Philippe Nahon, Samuel Le Bihan, Vincent Cassel, Virginie Darmon

Director: Christophe Gans

Rating: R

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, 2017

What would it take to push you to kill? Thankfully, for the general public, modern everyday life would not likely push you to (so far), but in certain circumstances, people might be surprised at the lengths they’re willing to go to for their loved ones. Brawl in Cell Block 99 depicts a man pushed into those circumstances, and thus director S. Craig Zahler takes this to extremely violent ends, with blood gushing and bones crushing all to save his family. Plotwise, Brawl in Cell Block 99 would be typical prison film fare, but fans of Vince Vaughn would appreciate his performance here.

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Actor: Bill Anagnos, Brian Wiles, Clark Johnson, Dan Amboyer, Dion Mucciacito, Don Johnson, Fred Melamed, Gabriel Sloyer, Geno Segers, Jay Hieron, Jennifer Carpenter, Marc Blucas, Michael Medeiros, Mike Hodge, Mustafa Shakir, Peter Jay Fernandez, Philip Ettinger, Pooja Kumar, Rob Morgan, Tom Guiry, Tuffy Questell, Udo Kier, Vince Vaughn, Willie C. Carpenter

Director: S. Craig Zahler

Rating: Not Rated, NR

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, 2014

There are plenty of LGBT stories made in film, but not all of them have to end in tragedy– some, especially in recent years, are relatively sweet, lighthearted, and merely focused on the simple experience of a first love. Boys has the classic coming-of-age romance moments we’re familiar with, such as the first kiss, training camps, and after school fair dates, and even though it’s just made for television, it’s beautifully captured, including that stunning overhead lake shot where Sieger and Marc swim together. If you’re craving for a sweet and easy LGBT romance without the heartache, or if you’re new to watching LGBT films altogether, Boys is a decent entry-level movie to start with.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Ferdi Stofmeel, Gijs Blom, Jeffrey Hamilton, Jonas Smulders, Julia Akkermans, Ko Zandvliet, Lotte Razoux Schultz, Micha Hulshof, Myron Wouts, Rachelle Verdel, Rifka Lodeizen, Roosmarijn van der Hoek, Stijn Taverne, Ton Kas

Director: Mischa Kamp

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, 1995

While the world has gotten used to the many variants of the Romeo and Juliet story, Bombay was controversial upon its release, due to the story being centered on an interreligious marriage between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman– it led to bans in at least two countries, and to at least two homemade bombs thrown at the director’s house. The main Muslim leading lady was also portrayed by Nepali Hindu actress, Manisha Koirala, and there’s a bit of a bias with the way certain real-life events were portrayed. Despite this, Bombay still managed to captivate the country, with writer-director Mani Ratman skillfully holding our empathy for the two lovers, integrating their personal relationship in the context of the wider social issues that was shifting India at the time, and doing it all through its dynamic shots, excellent performances, and the spectacular soundtracks. It’s because of this Bombay is remembered as an ambitious masterpiece and commercial success, becoming one of the highest grossing Tamil films ever made.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Arvind Swamy, Kitty, M. V. Vasudeva Rao, Manisha Koirala, Nagendra Prasad, Nassar, Prakash Raj, Priya, Rohini, Sonali Bendre, Tinnu Anand

Director: Mani Ratnam

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