Apocalypto
Mel Gibson’s latest movie is a dark, bloody, riveting action-adventure thriller. Actually “bloody” is the operative word; I can’t recall seeing a man getting his face chewed off by a… Read more »
Author Archives: Jonathan Tappan
Cardcaptor Sakura–Anime Review
This is little gem of a show: small but flawless, perfectly formed and expertly cut. Superficially this seems to be a very simple children’s story. On closer examination it is… Read more »
For Your Consideration
I’m a great fan of Christopher Guest’s “mocumentaries” and I enjoyed his latest: For Your Consideration, but while it has some hilarious moments it is not as consistently funny as… Read more »
Common Symbolism in Anime
I put a bunch of notes here about common symbols. These are my own interpretations and speculation. You can take it for what it is worth.
A Little Snow Fairy Sugar–Anime Review
I’m getting a little tired of constantly typing “this series is not suitable for young children”, or words to that effect. So here is one that won’t require me to… Read more »
Stranger Than Fiction
I associate Will Farrell with comedies that are funny but rather dopey; his last movie Talladega Nights is a classic example. However his latest movie is different. It’s a low-key… Read more »
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
(…moving from the sublime to the ridiculous…) I’m giving this movie a mild recommendation because it is extremely funny, and I’m prepared to forgive just about anything if it is… Read more »
Haibane Renmei–Anime Review
Can a television series qualify as great literature? In principle I don’t see any reason why one couldn’t, but few of them have any such ambitions. In any case great… Read more »
The Prestige
I can’t avoid comparing The Prestige with The Illusionist, a movie that I saw a couple of months ago. Both are rather dark stories about stage magicians practicing their craft… Read more »
Strawberry Marshmallow — Anime Review
This show has no particular ambition other than to be very funny, and to a large extent it succeeds. The episodes on the first two DVDs are the funniest things… Read more »