Drawing on the structure from One Thousand and One Nights—where a reluctant bride, Scheherazade, enchants her murderous husband, the Sasanian King, with tales to stay her execution—director Miguel Gomes provides commentary on modern-day cultural and political crises in Portugal. Dealing with … Continue reading ARABIAN NIGHTS
Directed by Swiss filmmaker Werner Penzel, Zen for Nothing takes place in a small Antaji Zen monastery on Japan’s western coast, though you wouldn’t know that from the movie—there is little context about the monastery and the German-born man who runs it, … Continue reading ZEN FOR NOTHING
There’s a bit of fairy tale when it comes to Benedetta Barzini. As the story goes, it was 1963 when Barzini was discovered on the streets of Rome by American-born Italian countess Consuelo Crespi, the editor of Vogue and Vogue Italia. Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Diane … Continue reading THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MY MOTHER
Not every movie survives the baptism of time. Even award winners and those end-of-the-year Top Ten movies become buried under years of obsolescence. That’s why the restoration of a classic is always of note. Here is a work that refuses … Continue reading UNDERGROUND (Подземље)
Every year, the Australian-based online quarterly, Senses of Cinema, invites writers from all over the globe to submit their selections for the best movies of the year—including those seen for the first time regardless of the year of release. As I … Continue reading SENSES OF CINEMA: 2021 World Cinema Poll
Ash is Purest White is a gangster movie. Well, sort of. Sure, the movie opens with a room full of low-level gangsters gambling, but openings can be deceiving. From there, it’s only a matter of minutes before one gangster pulls a … Continue reading ASH IS PUREST WHITE (江湖儿女)
Some movies are better left misunderstood. A Long Day’s Journey Into Night might be one of those movies. Sure, if you wanted to, you could noodle out the plot, the main characters’ desires, and what it all means. Or, you can surrender … Continue reading LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (地球最后的夜晚)
French critic cum filmmaker Jacques Rivette asserted that “Every film is a documentary of its own making.” While this is true of all movies, it is especially true of early cinema. The films documented people, places, and cultures now gone, … Continue reading DAUGHTER OF DAWN
Kino Cult is the latest addition to the streaming wars. The only difference: This one is free. Drawing on Kino Lorber’s deep catalogue, Kino Cult is a completely free service dedicated to midnight movies of every strip. Among the many … Continue reading A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT
Michael J. Cinema 
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