Director: Tilman Singer Starring: Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick Running Time: 103 minutes German filmmaker Tilman Singer is at the helm for Cuckoo in only his second full-length feature since his 2018 Supernatural horror Luz. Like his first entry, Cuckoo conjures up some stylish and hypnotic horror, but its story and pacing will likely…
All posts by Ethan Shattock
About Ethan Shattock
Wu Lang’s Absence Reflects a Timely Presence
Playing at this year’s EAFFI, Absence tells a story of an unspoken past against a backdrop of contemporary urban disarray.
The Novelist’s Film Seeks Authenticity in a World of Flattery
Winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, Hong Sang-hoo’s The Novelist’s Film makes its way into Irish cinemas as part of this year’s East Asia Film Festival (EAFFI) at the Irish Film Institute (IFI). A modern classic dressed in black and white, this is a considered and…
Kōji Fukada’s Harmonium Spins a Web of Dark and Intriguing Secrets
Seven years after its success at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, Kōji Fukada’s Harmonium makes its way back to the big screen as part of this year’s East Asia Film Festival (EAFFI) at the Irish Film Institute (IFI). A haunting tragedy of suppressed emotion and internalised trauma, Fukada hits all the right notes in this chilling and compelling family…
A Road Trip to Find Humanity in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Broker
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda Starring: Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, Lee Ji-eun, Lee Joo-young Running Time: 129 minutes Director Hirokazu Kore-eda is well-versed in identifying complex strains on familial relationships. His 2018 Palme d’Or winner Shoplifters examined a family’s desperate reliance on stealing to stay afloat in life. He followed this with The Truth in…
M3GAN is coded to blend horror and hilarity
Director: Gerard Johnstone Starring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Jenna Davis, Ronny Xin Yi Chieng Running Time: 102 minutes Director Gerard Johnstone was hand-picked by renowned horror producer James Wan to take the directorial wheel for M3GAN. This was based on the New Zealand filmmaker’s proven ability to blend elements of fright and fun in the…
I Was A Simple Man is an Aesthetic but Distant Eulogy
Director: Christopher Makoto Yogi Starring: Steve Iwamoto, Constance Wu Runtime: 100 mins Having premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, I Was a Simple Man follows the slow and impending demise of an elderly Japanese American man living in Hawaii and pieces together the parts of his life that have made him who he is.…
Dear Tenant: A Crushing Love Letter About Identity and Suffering
Director: Yu Chieh Cheng Starring: Mo Tzu Yi, Chen Shu Fang, Run Yin Bai Runtime: 106mins Taiwanese director Yu Chieh Cheng is a near veteran when it comes to issues surrounding identity. 2009 saw the release of Yang Yang, a film that probed the complicated journey of a French-Taiwanese woman and how this shaped her…
White Building: An Introspective Look at Dreams and Demolition
Director: Kavich Neang Starring: Piseth Chhun, Hout Sithourn, Jany Min Runtime: 130 mins For filmmaker Kavich Neang, White Building is deeply personal. Already in his youthful but promising career, he has cut his directorial teeth by chronicling the painful destruction of the apartment block where he and his peers were raised. In 2019, he documented…
Full Speed Ahead and Escape from Mogadishu
Director: Ryoo Seung Wan Starring: Kim Yoon Seok, Jo In Sung, Heo Joon Ho, Kim So Jin Running Time: 121 minutes As can no doubt be gleaned from current global events, accuracy is important in depictions war. While factual accuracy should never be side-lined in pursuit of a good plot, it’s often the case that…