The Original Rozen Maiden now on Crunchyroll
I complained here and here that the new Rozen Maiden is not nearly as good as the original 2004/2005 series. If you haven’t seen the original series you’re in luck:… Read more »
The Spectacular Now–Movie Review
The Spectacular Now (IMDB) is an interesting character study with some excellent performances but it is marred by an abrupt and implausible happy ending. Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is a… Read more »
Makoto, Ai and the OreImo Ending
Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai (Crunchyroll) has finally wrapped up with a series of OVAs. The consensus is clear, at least among English-speaking viewers: The… Read more »
Blue Jasmine–Movie Review
Blue Jasmine (IMDB) is one of Woody Allen’s darker films. The acting is terrific. The writing is insightful and full of dark ironic humor. The downside is that this is… Read more »
Rozen Maiden Zurückspulen–A Second Look
I’ve been told that my initial post on Rozen Maiden Zurückspulen (Crunchyroll) was unfair. Actually everyone seems to agree that the first episode was terrible, but supposedly it gets better… Read more »
The Way, Way Back–Movie Review
The Way, Way Back (IMDB) is a fairly high-minded teen coming-of-age comedy. It’s amusing and well-acted. Duncan (Liam James) is a shy, awkward 14 year old. His mother Pam (Toni… Read more »
Watamote–Anime Early Impressions
Here’s a series that’s billed as a comedy but is really more of a horror show. No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular… Read more »
The Eccentric Family–Anime Early Impressions
The Eccentric Family (Uchouten Kazoku, literally “The Ecstatic Family”) (Crunchyroll) is my favorite anime of the new season. It’s a cleverly-written fantasy that is partly a heart-warming family comedy, but… Read more »
Why all blockbusters seem alike
Does it seem to you that all Hollywood summer movies are pretty much alike. You’re not imagining things. Peter Suderman in Slate explains Save the Movie! The 2005 screenwriting book… Read more »
Stella Women’s Academy–Anime Early Impressions
Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3 (Stella Jo-Gakuin Koutou-ka C3-bu) (Crunchyroll) sounds pretty generic on paper but it actually has a contagious enthusiasm that makes it fun to… Read more »