By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly The camera work in “Lilting” moves slowly and unobtrusively. Usually, it keeps two characters in
“A Letter to Momo”
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly Hiroyuki Okiura’s anime feature “A Letter to Momo” was seven years in the making, including the story, script, and storyboarding. It’s also the filmmaker’s […]
Living his dream, Japanese American singer makes screen debut
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly I met Tomo Nakayama shortly after 9/11 at Seattle’s Varsity Theatre where I was reviewing a movie and he was letting the critics
On ‘The Act Of Killing’
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly “The Act Of Killing” is a documentary film. I want to emphasize that right up front. But it opens with a beguiling surrealistic dance […]
“Wish You Were Here”
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly The two people on the beach at the beginning of “Wish You Were Here” are white and attractive, though iridescently so. They look healthy […]
Born “Somewhere Between”
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly The documentary “Somewhere Between” begins with the adoption of a tiny Chinese girl by an American family. The family turns out to be that […]
“The Manzanar Fishing Club”
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly The Manzanar War Relocation Center housed at its peak 10,000 Japanese internees during World War II. Forcibly relocated from their homes on the West […]
‘Outrage’ aptly portrays yakuza, but too gory
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly Takeshi Kitano’s new film “Outrage” opens with the camera panning slowly across a group of men slouching against luxury cars, some fanning themselves in […]
In “13 Assassins,” personalities as interesting as the action scenes
“13 Assassins,” the new historical samurai epic from notable Japanese director Takashi Miike, opens with a samurai warrior committing hara-kiri, or ritual suicide.
“Devil” full of blood, guts, and little else
“I Saw the Devil,” a new horror thriller from South Korean director Ji-woon Kim, opens with a flurry of snow falling on a car windshield.