Maison Ikkoku–Anime Review
If I tell you the plot of this story it’s going to sound like a laundry list of anime and manga clichés. But in this case there’s a good excuse:… Read more »
Author Archives: Jonathan Tappan
Amazing Grace
Last Friday was the 200th anniversary of the passage in the House of Commons of the Slave Trade Act of 1807, which largely eliminated the Atlantic slave trade. More significantly,… Read more »
Hollywood Accents
Quite why the majority of US critics are so offended by this particular outrage remains a mystery. Hollywood has always had a somewhat cavalier attitude towards foreign accents, as those… Read more »
Venus
This movie is most notable for Peter O’Toole’s Oscar-nominated performance as an elderly actor who is witty, charming and something of a reprobate. It is a superb performance, but somehow… Read more »
WordPress 2.1
I’ve crossed my fingers and switched everything on the site to WordPress 2.1. If you see anything that is obviously broken, let me know via the contact form.
Pan’s Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro’s new movie, also known as El Laberinto del Fauno is a very dark and very violent fantasy. It is brilliantly imaginative and filled with astonishing imagery. Yet… Read more »
Kanon (Condensed Version)
“Doctor, Doctor! What’s wrong with Shiori? Will she be all right?” “I’m sorry Kaori, but your sister is not going to live past her next birthday. More specifically, she’s going… Read more »
Letters from Iwo Jima
This movie is a companion piece to Flags of Our Fathers, which I saw a few months ago. (Both were directed by Clint Eastwood.) I found this one even more… Read more »
X TV–Anime Review
Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to… Read more »
Freedom Writers
If I tell you the premise of this movie it is going to sound awfully familiar. There’s an inner city high school, plagued by gang violence. Within that school there… Read more »