Cinema Escapist
Explore and connect the world through a cinematic lens
Review: “The Wife of a Spy” Is an Elegant Musing on Japanese Fascism from a Civilian’s Perspective
BY Akshay Suggula
Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "The Wife of a Spy" depicts Japan’s gradual plunge into fascist darkness with an aesthetic evoking Japan’s Golden Age of Cinema.
Review: “The Best Is Yet to Come” Views China’s Hepatitis B Discrimination Through An Auteur Lens
BY Anthony Kao
Jia Zhangke protégé Wang Jing’s directorial debut “The Best Is Yet to Come” screened at the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals.
Interview: Joe Odagiri On “They Say Nothing Stays the Same,” His Scenic Directorial Debut
BY Keisuke Takaya
Japanese actor turned director Joe Odagiri discusses his debut feature “They Say Nothing Stays the Same,” which screened at 2020's New York Asian Film Festival.
Review: “Once Upon a Time in Venezuela” Is an Immersive Dive Into a Vanishing Village
BY Kieran Davey
Anabel Rodríguez Ríos's documentary "Once Upon A Time In Venezuela" beautifully depicts a village that offers a microcosmic view of Venezuela's broader political challenges.
Review: “Gaza Mon Amour” Is an Irresistibly Charming Film About Love And Desire
BY Lorna Codrai
In "Gaza mon amour," Palestinian filmmakers Arab and Tarzan Nasser offer a delightful look at a late-life romance within a conflict-ravaged territory.
Review: Zombie Movie “Get the Hell Out” Satirizes the Spectacle of Taiwanese Politics
BY Jamin Shih
Screened at 2020’s Toronto International Film Festival, Taiwanese zombie flick "Get the Hell Out" offers cartoonish violence, absurdity, and irreverent political satire.
Review: Korea’s “#Alive” Is a Perfect Zombie Movie for the Coronavirus Era
BY Anthony Kao
Starring Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye, “#Alive” is an entertaining zombie flick that seems tailor-made for the time of coronavirus.
Review: “The Eight Hundred” Shows Valiant Chinese Heroes, But Falls Short of a Good War Movie
BY Richard Yu
"The Eight Hundred" advances timely political viewpoints, but fails to showcase the camaraderie and empathy of other good war movies.
Rae Red Talks “Babae at Baril,” Her Feminist Film About Philippine Realities
BY Jianne Soriano
Filipina filmmaker Rae Red’s directorial debut “Babae at Baril” tells the story of a girl and a gun—and the patriarchal, capitalist system they live in.
Taiwan’s Stylish Romcom “IWeirDo” Tackles Love and Mental Illness with a Strong Visual Aesthetic
BY Jamin Shih
Taiwanese romantic comedy “IWeirDo” uses a unique aspect ratio and aesthetic to underscore the painful evolution of a budding relationship.