Set in Taiwan in 1962, a period known as the White Terror, Detention takes place in and around a school and its among its student and staff as they are encouraged to turn anyone who may be against the current power in. A group of students and young teachers meets up to discuss banned books and other materials. As they try to stay hidden and survive, something not quite usual starts happening.
A Mermaid in Paris (Une sirène à Paris) (2020) [Fantasia Fest 2020]
In a fairy tale-like version of Paris, a man who works at a very particular bar finds and saves a mermaid. As he takes care of her, he slowly falls for her, which could very well be his downfall.
A Witness Out of the Blue (2019) [Fantasia Fest 2020]
The official definition for this film is “[a] Hong Kong crime thriller about a detective and a parrot” and it honestly nails the film. It’s what it’s about with of course other factors involved like a criminal, some corruption, and a little bit of love possibly.
The Paper Tigers (2020) [Fantasia Fest 2020]
Having grown up as kung fu experts, three men face the fact that they are aging and not in their prime anymore when their Sifu passes away and they have to make sure his memory is respected.
Lucky (2020) [Fantasia Fest 2020]
A woman finds herself the target of an intruder/stalker and when no one will believe her about the gravity of the situation, she is forced to figure a way out for herself.
Cool Summer (2020)
It’s not often I get an independent animated film for the blog and that’s probably for a good reason. Animation is long, and demanding, even if it’s essentially cheaper as a filmmaking medium. “Cool Summer” has its heart in the right place, and also has a good idea in its corner, it just needs so much work to be done from top to bottom, and much of the pitfalls narratively and production wise keep it from being great.
BloodSisters: Leather, Dykes and Sadomasocism (1995)
It’s incredibly how only twenty five years ago, the idea of the sub-culture of S&M and fetishes like bondage and roleplaying were still so hush and barely spoken of. In modern society we’ve somewhat turned a corner and managed to embrace kink and sexuality a lot more, but the people we get to meet in “BloodSisters” are clearly individuals that have been suppressed by a society that just doesn’t understand them.