PinnedS.MurellThe Real Shadow: Women’s Agency in Zhang Yimou’s ShadowFilmmaker Zhang Yimou offers a delightful empowering of, or perhaps an homage to, women in Wuxia.6 min read·May 19, 2020----
S.MurellThe Bacchus Lady (2016) review: elderly prostitutes, poverty and the outcastKnown for his art-house and commercial works concerned with contemporary social issues and exploring sexuality, director E J-yong examines…3 min read·Jan 29, 2022----
S.MurellThe First Lap (2017) reviewAwkward and funny dialogues with a sociocultural awareness touch4 min read·Dec 15, 2021----
S.MurellLucky Chan-sil Review: life-crisis and loving indie filmsLoosely based on her real-life story as a producer for film maestro Hong Sang-soo, Cho-hee Kim debuts as director with a romantic-comedy…3 min read·Nov 21, 2021----
S.MurellThe Iron Ladies review: making LGBTQ+ cinematic historyBased on a true story from 1996, the award-winning Thai comedy The Iron Ladies follows a volleyball team composed mainly of gays and…3 min read·Oct 31, 2021----
S.MurellDona Flor and Her Two Husbands (1976) Review: polyamory and embodiment of the sexual revolutionBased on the book of the same name by Jorge Amado (1966), Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (1976), directed by Bruno Barreto, became one of…5 min read·Oct 10, 2021----
S.MurellKingdom Ashin of the North Review: Sorrow and violence amid zombiesThe origin story that we were all waiting for3 min read·Aug 17, 2021----
S.MurellClimax (2018) review: Big acid trip with horny dancers and an immersive techniqueOne thing that one can expect for sure from watching a Gaspar Noé film is a shock. A sexual, violent, disturbing shock. Coming to the…4 min read·Jul 17, 2021----
S.MurellNight in Paradise review: life and deathA rough take on life through the lens of a mobster4 min read·Jun 21, 2021----
S.MurellReview Homunculus (2021): Lost potentialFrom director Takashi Shimizu (Ju-On, a.k.a. The Grudge) and based on the manga series “Homunculus” by Hideo Yamamoto (Ichi the Killer…4 min read·May 24, 2021----