1419. 100 Meters (2025)

Director : Kenji Iwaisawa

Cinematographer : Maaki Komazuki

Genre : Animation

Country : Japan

Duration : 107 Minutes

🔸 100 Meters is a grounded and emotionally sincere drama about endurance and personal struggle. The story follows an ordinary person facing a physical and emotional challenge that turns everyday life into a constant test of patience and will. The plot is simple and focused, built around routine, effort, and small progress rather than big dramatic events. The film stays close to the character’s daily experience, allowing the journey to feel personal and real without revealing too much.

🔸 The storytelling is calm and respectful. The film avoids melodrama and lets emotion grow naturally through repetition and persistence. Performances are solid and believable, especially in how pain, frustration, and quiet determination are shown through body language rather than dialogue. You can feel the weight of each small step forward. The film does a good job showing how personal struggles also affect family and relationships, even when words are not spoken.

🔸 Visually, the film keeps things simple. The cinematography focuses on everyday spaces and physical movement, which helps the story feel grounded. The pacing, however, can feel uneven at times. Some sections stretch longer than needed, and the emotional impact does not always deepen as much as it could. Still, the film remains sincere and meaningful in its intent. 100 Meters is not a powerful or unforgettable drama, but it is honest, restrained, and quietly affecting.

Verdict : Good

DC Rating : 3.5/5

1418. Palestine 36 (2025)

Director : Annemarie Jacir

Cinematographer : Helene Louvart

Genre : Drama

Country : Palestine

Duration : 120 Minutes

🔸 Palestine 36 is a serious and emotionally driven political drama set during a tense historical period. The story follows a group of people living under growing political pressure, where daily life is shaped by fear, control, and uncertainty. The plot stays focused on personal experiences rather than large historical events, showing how ordinary lives are affected by political decisions. The film gives a clear sense of place and time without explaining everything in detail, allowing the situation to speak for itself.

🔸 The storytelling is patient and thoughtful. The film builds emotion slowly, letting relationships and tensions develop naturally. Performances are strong and sincere, with actors expressing pain, anger, and quiet resistance through restrained acting. Emotional moments feel honest rather than forced. Politics play an important role in the story, but they are presented through human consequences instead of speeches or explanations. This makes the film feel grounded and meaningful.

🔸 The film does have its weaknesses. Many characters are not explored deeply enough, which makes it hard to fully connect with them. There is also no strong central villain, so the conflict sometimes feels distant rather than personal. The pacing slows in the middle, with some scenes repeating similar ideas without adding new tension. Still, Palestine 36 leaves an impact because of its emotional sincerity and political weight. It is a flawed but important film that tries to tell a difficult story with honesty.

Verdict: Good

DC Rating: 3.5/5

1417. Sympathy For The Underdog (1971)

Director : Kinji Fukasaku

Cinematographer : Hanjiro Nakazawa

Genre : Action

Country : Japan

Duration : 93 Minutes

🔸 Sympathy for the Underdog is a dark and intense yakuza film that feels cold, angry, and very modern for its time. The story follows a former yakuza who returns to Japan after many years away. He enters a world that has changed, but is still ruled by violence, power, and betrayal. The plot is simple and direct, focusing on loyalty, revenge, and survival. The film does not explain everything clearly. It lets the audience slowly understand the rules of this brutal world through actions and consequences.

🔸 The central performance is one of the film’s strongest elements. The main character is quiet and controlled, carrying pain and anger without saying much. He feels tired, but also dangerous. This is not a heroic character. He is someone shaped by violence and loss. The film treats violence in a very harsh way. Gunfights and confrontations are sudden and short. There is no glamour or excitement in them. Every violent moment feels final and cruel, showing how empty and destructive the yakuza life can be.

🔸 The cinematography adds greatly to the film’s mood. Wide empty spaces, harsh lighting, and lonely streets create a feeling of isolation. The city often feels cold and uncaring, just like the people inside it. The pacing is tight and confident. The film moves quickly but never feels rushed. There is a strong feeling that everything is moving toward an unavoidable end. Sympathy for the Underdog is a bleak and powerful yakuza film that shows crime as lonely, violent, and meaningless, leaving a strong and lasting impression.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1416. After The Rain (1999)

Director: Takashi Koizumi

Cinematographer: Shoji Ueda

Genre: Drama

Country: Japan

Duration: 91 Minutes

🔸 After the Rain is a quiet and gentle samurai film that feels calm from beginning to end. The story is based on an unfinished script by Akira Kurosawa, and his human touch is clearly felt. The plot follows a wandering samurai and his wife who are forced to stay in one place because of heavy rain. The story is very simple and focuses on small moments, conversations, and everyday kindness rather than action or conflict.

🔸 The performances are warm and natural. The samurai is shown as a skilled fighter, but more importantly as a kind and patient man. He avoids violence and treats people with respect. His wife is equally important, offering emotional strength, understanding, and quiet support. Their relationship feels real and balanced. Supporting characters are also handled gently, making the film feel human and lived-in rather than dramatic.

🔸 The soundtrack is soft and peaceful, helping the film’s calm mood without standing out too much. The cinematography uses rain, light, and stillness to create a relaxed and thoughtful atmosphere. The ending is simple but very touching. It does not try to impress, but it leaves a strong emotional feeling. After the Rain is a beautiful reminder that samurai films can be about kindness, dignity, and humanity, not just sword fights.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1415. Ping Pong (2002)

Director : Fumihiko Sori

Cinematographer : Akira Sako

Genre : Drama

Country : Japan

Duration : 114 Minutes

🔸 Ping Pong is much more than a sports film. At its core, it is an emotional story about youth, identity, friendship, and self belief. The plot follows a group of young table tennis players, each with very different personalities, dreams, and fears. While competitions and matches are part of the story, the film is never really about winning or losing. It is about what the sport means to each character and how it shapes who they become. The story moves forward naturally, without relying on big twists or surprises.

🔸 The emotional strength of the film comes from its characters and performances. Each actor brings something unique, making every character feel distinct and memorable. Their struggles feel personal, whether it is pressure, insecurity, ego, or loneliness. The film understands youth very well, showing confusion and passion side by side. Relationships between characters are written with care, especially friendships and rivalries, which feel honest and deeply felt. The emotional moments grow slowly and never feel forced.

🔸 The payoff in Ping Pong is excellent. Everything built through small moments, training, and emotional setbacks comes together in a very satisfying way. The soundtrack plays a huge role in this, giving the film energy, emotion, and rhythm. Music lifts key scenes and adds intensity without overpowering them. By the end, the film feels uplifting, emotional, and earned. Ping Pong is a rare sports film that focuses on the heart more than the game, leaving a strong and lasting impression.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1414. Good News (2025)

Director : Byun Sung Hyun

Cinematographer : Cho Hyoung Rae

Genre : Thriller

Country : South Korea

Duration : 136 Minutes

🔸 Good News is a tense political thriller built around a high-risk situation involving a hijacked aircraft and a desperate plan to prevent disaster. The film follows government officials, intelligence figures, and unseen players trying to control an impossible situation through lies, strategy, and manipulation. The plot is clear and easy to follow, giving just enough information to understand the stakes without revealing too much. The film is less about action and more about planning, deception, and pressure behind closed doors.

🔸 The performances are solid and often gripping. The actors bring seriousness and control to their roles, making long conversations and planning scenes feel tense rather than dull. Power, fear, and ego are shown through quiet dialogue and body language. The direction keeps the tone tight and focused, and the film maintains a strong atmosphere of uncertainty. Cinematography is clean and controlled, fitting the political tone, while the soundtrack supports tension without becoming overpowering.

🔸 However, Good News sometimes feels longer than necessary. The pacing slows in the middle, and some scenes repeat similar ideas without adding much new tension. While the concept is strong, the emotional impact stays limited, keeping the film more intellectual than gripping. Still, the film remains engaging because of its performances and serious tone. Good News is a well-made political thriller with solid tension, even if it never fully reaches its potential.

Verdict : Good

DC Rating : 3.5/5

1413. Sore : A Wife From The Future (2025)

Director : Yandy Laurens

Cinematographer : Dimas Triatma Yoga

Genre : Drama

Country : Indonesia

Duration : 119 Minutes

🔸 Sore Wife from the Future uses a time loop style story in a very smart and emotional way. The film plays with time not as a puzzle to solve, but as a way to explore love, regret, and second chances. The loop structure is clear and easy to follow, and it never becomes confusing or gimmicky. Instead of focusing on rules and logic, the film uses repetition to slowly deepen emotion and understanding between the characters. Each return in time adds meaning rather than just repeating events.

🔸 The performances are one of the film’s biggest strengths. The lead actors feel natural and emotionally connected, making the relationship at the center of the story feel real and lived-in. Small changes in behavior and emotion across different moments in time are handled with great control. Comedy, frustration, sadness, and warmth all feel balanced. The actors sell the emotional weight of the time loop, making the audience care about what changes and what stays the same.

🔸 The soundtrack adds greatly to the film’s emotional power. Music is soft, romantic, and sometimes bittersweet, supporting both the comedy and the sadness without pushing too hard. It blends well with the film’s gentle tone. The ending is especially effective, bringing together the time-loop idea and emotional themes in a satisfying way. Sore Wife from the Future is a thoughtful and heartfelt film that uses a familiar sci-fi concept to tell a deeply human love story.

Verdict : Very Good

DC Rating : 4.25/5

1412. Left Handed Girl (2025)

Director : Shih Ching Tsou

Cinematographer : Chen Ko Chin

Genre : Drama

Country : France

Duration : 109 Minutes

🔸 Left Handed Girl is carried strongly by its performances. The actors feel natural and completely believable, especially the younger child, whose expressions and reactions feel honest and unforced. The adults are equally strong, showing frustration, care, and exhaustion without exaggeration. The film follows a mother and her two daughters as they try to settle into city life, dealing with work, money, and emotional distance. The story stays very close to routine and daily life, focusing on how small pressures slowly build inside a family. No one is written as a villain. Everyone feels human, shaped by pressure and circumstance. This grounded acting makes the film feel real and emotionally sincere.

🔸 The cinematography is quiet and observant, often staying close to faces and everyday spaces. The camera never tries to impress, but it captures emotion through stillness and careful framing. City streets, night markets, and small rooms are shown with a sense of closeness, reflecting the emotional state of the characters. The soundtrack is gentle and minimal, used sparingly to support mood rather than control emotion. Silence is often more powerful than music in this film.

🔸 The ending is one of the film’s strongest moments. It is calm, understated, and emotionally honest. There is no dramatic resolution or forced message. Instead, the film ends on a note that feels true to life, leaving space for reflection rather than closure. Left Handed Girl is a quiet but deeply affecting film, made powerful through performance, restraint, and emotional clarity.

Verdict : Good

DC Rating : 3.75/5

1411. A Useful Ghost (2025)

Director : Ratchapoom Boonbunchachokke

Cinematographer : Pisit Tandaechanurat

Genre : Fantasy

Country : Thailand

Duration : 130 Minutes

🔸 A Useful Ghost is a quiet and unusual film that mixes the supernatural with simple everyday life. The story follows a ghost who stays in the human world, not to scare people, but to be helpful in small and strange ways. The plot is very simple and unfolds slowly, focusing on daily routines, human habits, and quiet interactions. The film gives just enough story detail to keep interest, without revealing too much or relying on twists.

🔸 What makes the film stand out is its unique sense of comedy. The humor is dry, gentle, and often awkward. It comes from situations rather than jokes. The ghost’s presence creates funny moments in a very calm and unexpected way. The comedy never becomes loud or silly. It stays subtle and thoughtful, making the humor feel natural. Performances are controlled and believable, allowing both comedy and emotion to exist together.

🔸 The tone of the film is soft and slightly melancholic. The cinematography is simple and clean, often focusing on quiet spaces and still moments. This helps the film feel reflective rather than dramatic. Some parts may feel slow, but the film’s charm lies in its calm rhythm and original idea. A Useful Ghost is not a big or emotional film, but it is creative, gentle, and quietly funny in its own way.

Verdict: Good

DC Rating: 3.5/5

1410. Raining In The Mountain (1979)

Director: King Hu

Cinematographer: Henry Chan

Genre: Action

Country: Hong Kong

Duration: 120 Minutes

🔸 Raining in the Mountain is a quiet and thoughtful martial arts film that focuses more on mood, philosophy, and observation than action. The story is set inside a Buddhist monastery, where different people arrive with their own hidden goals. The plot moves slowly and carefully, revealing motivations through behavior rather than dialogue. There are no loud confrontations or dramatic twists. Instead, the film builds tension through silence, routine, and watchful eyes. It feels calm on the surface, but there is always something uneasy underneath.

🔸 The cinematography is one of the film’s greatest strengths. King Hu uses space, architecture, and natural surroundings in a very deliberate way. Long hallways, stone steps, doors, and courtyards become part of the storytelling. The camera often watches from a distance, allowing characters to move within the frame rather than cutting quickly. Action scenes are rare, but when they appear, they are elegant and controlled. Martial arts here feel disciplined and precise, matching the spiritual environment. Nothing feels rushed or wasted.

🔸 The pacing is slow, but purposeful. The film asks the viewer to be patient and attentive. What makes Raining in the Mountain special is its balance between stillness and tension. It blends martial arts, politics, and spiritual ideas without explaining everything clearly. Some viewers may find it demanding, but the reward comes in its atmosphere and quiet intelligence. Raining in the Mountain is a mature and poetic film that shows how martial arts cinema can be reflective, graceful, and deeply cinematic.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1409. Duel To The Death (1983)

Director : Tony Ching Siu Tung

Cinematographer : Lau Hung Cheun

Genre : Action

Country : Hong Kong

Duration : 86 Minutes

🔸 Duel to the Death is a bold and highly stylised martial arts film built around conflict, honor, and ideology. The story follows two elite fighters from different traditions who are brought together for a duel that represents more than personal rivalry. At its core, the film is about two different philosophies of martial arts. One side believes in discipline, honor, and control, while the other embraces ambition, secrecy, and ruthless efficiency. The plot is simple and direct, giving just enough setup to explore this clash without slowing the film down.

🔸 The action is the film’s greatest strength and remains thrilling throughout. Fight scenes are fast, aggressive, and wildly creative. Sword fights and martial arts choreography are sharp and imaginative, often pushing into exaggerated and almost fantasy-like territory. Despite this, the action never feels sloppy. Every movement feels intentional. The cinematography uses strong angles, rapid movement, and dramatic lighting to give the fights power and clarity. The soundtrack adds greatly to the experience, heightening tension and energy, and giving the film a strong, memorable rhythm.

🔸 The pacing is extremely fast and rarely allows the film to slow down. Scenes move quickly from one confrontation to the next, keeping tension high from start to finish. Character development is minimal, but that simplicity works in the film’s favor. The focus stays firmly on action, ideology, and spectacle. Duel to the Death may not offer emotional depth, but it delivers pure martial arts cinema with confidence and style. It stands as a cult classic that celebrates speed, violence, and imagination.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1408. Three Outlaw Samurai (1964)

Director: Hideo Gosha

Cinematographer: Tadashi Sakai

Genre: Action

Country: Japan

Duration: 94 Minutes

🔸 Three Outlaw Samurai is a sharp and energetic samurai film built around tension, movement, and moral conflict. The story begins with a small rebellion involving farmers and quickly pulls three skilled samurai into the situation. The plot is simple and unfolds naturally, without unnecessary complexity. It is not about grand politics or long explanations, but about choices, loyalty, and survival in a violent world. The film gives just enough story detail to keep things clear while letting action and character drive everything forward.

🔸 One of the film’s greatest strengths is its stylised action. Sword fights are fast, rough, and tightly choreographed, feeling dangerous rather than elegant. The choreography focuses on speed and impact, making every clash feel urgent. The cinematography is equally strong, using sharp framing and movement to give action scenes clarity and energy. Outdoor settings and wide shots add to the raw feeling, while close shots keep the tension high. The pacing is excellent. The film never feels slow, and each scene pushes the story forward with purpose.

🔸 What makes Three Outlaw Samurai stand out is how well it balances action with tone. The violence is sudden and intense, but never meaningless. Characters are not romantic heroes, but men reacting to injustice and chaos. The film moves quickly, stays focused, and knows exactly when to strike and when to pause. While the story itself is straightforward, the execution is confident and exciting. Three Outlaw Samurai is a lean, stylish samurai film that shows how powerful good pacing, choreography, and direction can be.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1407. Lady Snowblood (1973)

Director: Toshiya Fujita

Cinematographer: Masaki Tamura

Genre: Action

Country: Japan

Duration: 97 Minutes

🔸 Lady Snowblood is a stylish and intense revenge film with a simple but powerful setup. The story follows a woman raised for one purpose only, revenge. From a young age, her life is shaped by violence and loss, and she moves forward with a clear goal. The plot is straightforward and easy to follow, without twists or surprises. The film is not about mystery, but about watching a path of revenge slowly unfold.

🔸 The performances are one of the film’s biggest strengths. The lead performance is cold, controlled, and unforgettable. She says very little, but her presence is strong in every scene. The cinematography is beautiful and bold, using snow, blood, and wide compositions to create striking images. Violence is sudden and sharp, never soft or romantic. The action scenes feel brutal and stylish at the same time. The soundtrack is excellent, adding emotion and intensity, and giving the film a strong identity that stays in your mind.

🔸 The main weakness of Lady Snowblood is predictability. The story follows a clear revenge path, and you can often guess where it is going. There are no major surprises in the narrative. Still, the film’s strength lies in its execution. The mood, visuals, music, and performance carry the experience. Lady Snowblood is a classic revenge film that values style, emotion, and atmosphere over complexity, and it remains powerful even today.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1406. Big World (2024)

Director : Yang Lina

Cinematographer : Piao Songri

Genre : Drama

Country : China

Duration : 131 Minutes

🔸 Big World is a deeply humane and emotionally rich film centered on Chunhe, a young man living with cerebral palsy. The story follows his everyday life, his quiet hopes, and his struggle to be seen with dignity in a world that often misunderstands or ignores him. The plot is simple and unfolds gently, focusing on routine, effort, and emotional presence rather than dramatic events. The film allows life to happen naturally, trusting small moments to carry meaning. This approach gives the story honesty and weight without forcing emotion.

🔸 One of the film’s strongest emotional anchors is Chunhe’s relationship with his grandmother. She is the heart of the film. Her care is not loud or dramatic, but constant and deeply felt. Their bond feels real, shaped by patience, sacrifice, frustration, and love. The performances are outstanding, especially in how emotions are expressed quietly. Chunhe is written and performed as a complete human being, with humor, anger, warmth, and pride. The grandmother adds tenderness and emotional stability, grounding the film in genuine human connection.

🔸 The cinematography is calm and observant, often staying close to faces and everyday spaces. It avoids stylization and instead focuses on intimacy, allowing the viewer to sit with the characters. Natural light and simple framing give the film a realistic and respectful tone. The score is gentle and restrained, used sparingly to support emotion without guiding it too strongly. Music often steps back, allowing silence to speak, which makes the emotional moments hit harder. By the end, the payoff feels deeply earned and quietly powerful. Big World is not just a film about disability. It is a film about dignity, care, family, and the strength found in ordinary lives.

Verdict : Very Good

DC Rating : 4.25/5

1405. Frankenstein (2025)

Director : Guillermo Del Toro

Cinematographer : Dan Laustsen

Genre : Drama

Country : USA

Duration : 150 Minutes

🔸 Frankenstein is a slow and thoughtful retelling of a very familiar story. The film follows a man who creates life and is later forced to face the emotional and moral consequences of that decision. The plot stays close to the core idea of the original story, focusing on creation, responsibility, and isolation. There are no major surprises in the story, and the film is more interested in mood and emotion than in horror or suspense. It moves carefully, sometimes too carefully, spending a lot of time on reflection and atmosphere.

🔸 The strongest part of the film is its visual design and tone. Guillermo del Toro’s love for monsters and outsiders is very clear. The creature is shown with sympathy and sadness rather than fear. The film treats loneliness as its central theme, showing how rejection and misunderstanding shape both creator and creation. The performances are good, especially in quiet scenes where characters sit with guilt, regret, or confusion. Some moments are genuinely touching, and the film often feels sincere in what it wants to say.

🔸 At the same time, the film struggles to fully come alive. The pacing is slow, and many scenes feel longer than necessary. The emotional ideas are repeated often, but they do not always grow deeper. While the film is respectful and well crafted, it feels too safe and restrained. It never fully reaches the emotional power it is aiming for. Frankenstein is a film with strong intentions and clear themes, but the overall impact is limited. It is thoughtful and visually rich, but not as gripping or powerful as it could have been.

Verdict: Above Average

DC Rating: 3.25/5

1404. No Other Choice (2025)

Director: Park Chan Wook

Cinematographer : Kim Woo Hyung

Genre : Drama

Country : South Korea

Duration : 139 Minutes

🔸 No Other Choice is a dark and serious film about a man whose life slowly falls apart. The story follows an ordinary person who loses stability and is pushed into difficult situations. The film does not explain everything clearly. It gives small hints and lets events happen naturally. The focus is not on plot twists, but on pressure building over time until choices feel impossible.

🔸 The tone of the film is cold and tense. Many scenes are quiet, but they feel heavy and uncomfortable. The performances are strong and realistic. The lead actor shows fear, anger, and shame through small actions and expressions, not loud emotions. The world of the film feels harsh, where people are judged quickly and help is hard to find. This makes the story feel real and disturbing.

🔸 The film is slow and very bleak. It does not offer hope or easy answers. Some viewers may find it tiring or depressing, but this darkness feels intentional. No Other Choice shows how society and pressure can trap a person until there is no clear way out. It is not an easy film to watch, but it is controlled, honest, and powerful.

Verdict: Good

DC Rating: 3.75/5

1403. Dead To Rights (2025)

Director : Shen Ao

Cinematographer : Wang Tianxing

Genre : War

Country : China

Duration : 137 Minutes

🔸 Dead to Rights tells a powerful and uncompromising war story that is meant to disturb rather than entertain. The film follows soldiers caught in a brutal conflict where morality slowly disappears and survival becomes the only purpose. The story is direct and emotionally heavy, focusing on how war strips people of certainty and humanity. There is no sense of adventure or triumph here. From the beginning, the film makes it clear that this will be a painful experience.

🔸 The acting is terrific and carries much of the film’s weight. The performances feel raw and physical, showing fear, anger, exhaustion, and emotional collapse in a very believable way. Characters feel worn down scene by scene, and their reactions never feel exaggerated. The production quality is strong, with realistic battle scenes, convincing locations, and detailed sound design that adds to the sense of chaos. Everything feels grounded and carefully made, helping the story feel authentic.

🔸 What truly sets Dead to Rights apart is how disturbing it is. Violence is sudden, harsh, and often difficult to watch. The film does not offer relief or comfort, and it refuses to soften the reality of war. This makes it a tough watch, but also an effective one. While deeper character exploration could have added more emotional layers, the impact remains strong. Dead to Rights is a serious, unsettling war film that stays with you because it refuses to look away.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1402. Another Day Of Life (2018)

Director: Raul De La Fuente

Cinematographer: Michal Janiszewski

Genre: Animation

Country: Poland

Duration: 85 Minutes

🔸 Another Day of Life is a hard hitting animated documentary set during the Angolan Civil War, seen through the eyes of a journalist trying to understand what is really happening around him. The film follows his journey through dangerous regions, meeting fighters, civilians, and other reporters, while slowly revealing the political chaos and human cost of the conflict. The plot is direct and clear, but it is less about one person’s story and more about capturing a moment in history shaped by ideology, fear, and violence.

🔸 The animation style is the film’s greatest strength. It is bold, expressive, and often striking, using sharp contrasts, dark tones, and stylized movement to reflect danger and instability. The animation allows the film to show violence, confusion, and emotional shock in a powerful way that live-action might not capture as effectively. Some sequences are genuinely intense and visually memorable. The film also does a strong job showing the political side of the war, making it clear how power, propaganda, and foreign influence shape lives on the ground. These elements give the film weight and seriousness.

🔸 However, the documentary style storytelling creates some emotional distance. While the events are powerful and important, it can be difficult to fully connect with the characters on a personal level. The film often feels more informative than intimate. Still, its impact is undeniable. It does not soften reality, and many moments are uncomfortable and direct. Another Day of Life is a brave and ambitious film that uses animation in a meaningful way to tell a political and human story. Even if the emotional connection is uneven, the film remains powerful and necessary.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1401. Tower (2016)

Director: Keith Maitland

Writer : Sarah Wilson

Genre: Animation

Country: USA

Duration: 82 Minutes

🔸 Tower is a serious and carefully handled documentary about the 1966 mass shooting at the University of Texas. The film tells the story through the voices of survivors, witnesses, and people who tried to help, focusing on their memories rather than the attacker. The plot moves slowly through the events of that day, showing confusion, fear, and long moments of waiting. The film avoids sensationalism and never tries to shock. Its goal is clearly to remember and understand, not to exploit tragedy.

🔸 The use of animation is one of the film’s most important choices. Rotoscope style animation recreates memories instead of using graphic real footage. This approach feels respectful and thoughtful, allowing the film to show chaos and danger without being visually overwhelming. At the same time, this controlled style sometimes creates emotional distance. While the fear and tension are present, the animation keeps things restrained, making some moments feel slightly muted rather than raw. The voice performances, taken directly from survivors, are honest and emotionally grounded, giving the film its human core.

🔸 What Tower does best is focus on people rather than violence. It shows courage, confusion, and ordinary individuals trying to help in an impossible situation. The tone remains calm and measured throughout, even during the most intense moments. This restraint makes the film respectful, but it also limits how deeply it hits emotionally. The ending is quiet and reflective, encouraging thought rather than forcing emotion. Tower is an important and well crafted documentary, meaningful and thoughtful, even if it does not fully overwhelm on an emotional level.

Verdict: Good

DC Rating: 3.75/5

1400. Barefoot Gen (1983)

Director: Mori Masaki

Cinematographer: Kinichi Ishikawa

Genre: Animation

Country: Japan

Duration: 83 Minutes

🔸 Barefoot Gen is a deeply painful and important anti-war film that shows the horrors of war through the life of an ordinary family in Hiroshima. The story follows a young boy growing up during the final days of World War II, where hunger, fear, and social pressure are already part of daily life. The film carefully shows small family moments, arguments, and hopes, which makes the coming tragedy even more devastating. The plot is simple and direct, and the film never uses suspense or surprise. It moves steadily toward history, knowing the audience already understands what is coming.

🔸 The depiction of the atomic bomb and its aftermath is brutal and unforgettable. The moment of destruction is horrifying, but what follows is even harder to watch. The film shows burned bodies, screaming civilians, sickness, starvation, and emotional collapse without hiding anything. The aftermath feels endless and cruel. Using animation makes these images even more striking, because nothing is softened or beautified. This film proves how powerful animation can be when it is used to tell serious stories about human suffering. It does not feel symbolic or distant. It feels real.

🔸 The emotional impact of Barefoot Gen is overwhelming. Loss comes suddenly and repeatedly, and the film gives no time to recover. Yet it is not only a film about suffering. It is also about anger, survival, and refusing to give up even when everything is taken away. The ending is deeply moving and impossible to forget. It does not offer comfort or hope in a traditional way, but it leaves behind a powerful emotional truth. Barefoot Gen is not easy to watch, but it is necessary. It is one of the strongest reminders of why anti-war films matter and why stories like this must never be forgotten.

Verdict: Must Watch

DC Rating: 5/5

1399. April And The Extra Ordinary World (2015)

Director: Christian Desmares

Cinematographer: Frank Ekinci

Genre: Animation

Country: France

Duration: 105 Minutes

🔸 April and the Extraordinary World is a creative and warm animated film that shows how powerful animation can be as a storytelling medium. The story is set in an alternate version of history where science has taken a very different path. The film follows a young girl living in this strange world, slowly discovering secrets about her family and the society around her. The plot is simple, but the world-building is rich and imaginative, making the experience feel special.

🔸 One of the film’s greatest strengths is its love for animation. The hand-drawn style is beautiful and full of character, inspired by classic European comic art. Every frame feels carefully made, with detailed backgrounds and expressive designs. The alternate reality feels alive because the animation allows it to exist in ways live-action could not. Machines, cities, and people all feel slightly unusual, which fits the story perfectly. This is the kind of film that reminds you why animation is such a powerful art form.

🔸 The film also delivers a satisfying and positive ending. Its themes of curiosity, progress, family, and responsibility are handled gently and clearly. The emotional moments feel earned without becoming heavy. April and the Extraordinary World is not loud or fast-paced, but it is thoughtful, imaginative, and full of heart. It stands as a lovely example of how animation can tell meaningful stories through creativity and care.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1398. Stalingrad (1993)

Director: Joseph Vilsmaier

Cinematographer: Rolph Greim

Genre: War

Country: Germany

Duration: 134 Minutes

🔸 Stalingrad is a harsh and serious anti war film that shows why this genre is still important. The story follows a group of German soldiers who are sent from a relatively calm posting into the chaos of the Battle of Stalingrad. At first, there is a sense of duty and routine, but that feeling disappears quickly. The film does not focus on strategy or history lessons. It stays close to the soldiers, showing how confusion, hunger, cold, and fear slowly take over their lives.

🔸 One of the most striking choices the film makes is how it never directly talks about Nazism or ideology. Politics remain in the background, almost invisible. The soldiers are shown as men trapped in a situation they no longer understand or control. This choice may feel uncomfortable, but it strengthens the anti-war message. By avoiding ideology, the film removes any sense of justification. What remains is only suffering. The brutality is constant and unsparing. Violence is sudden, ugly, and meaningless, never staged to be exciting.

🔸 The performances are strong and convincing. As the film moves forward, the actors show physical and emotional breakdown in small, realistic ways. Confidence slowly turns into exhaustion and numbness. Hope fades scene by scene. The film is difficult to watch, but that difficulty feels necessary. Stalingrad remind us that war destroys people long before it decides winners or losers. It is a bleak, honest film that leaves a lasting impression.

Verdict: Very Good

DC Rating: 4/5

1397. The Wild Robot (2024)

Director: Chris Sanders

Cinematographer: Julien Bocabeille

Genre: Animation 

Country: USA

Duration: 102 Minutes

🔸 The Wild Robot is a gentle and thoughtful animated film that focuses on isolation, survival, and learning how to connect. The story follows a robot who arrives alone on a wild island and must slowly adapt to a world filled with animals and natural danger. The film keeps its plot very simple and clear, allowing the emotional journey to take center stage. It moves at a calm pace, giving space to routine, learning, and small discoveries rather than rushing toward big action moments.

🔸 One of the film’s strengths is its tone. It is soft, warm, and patient, creating a peaceful viewing experience. The animation is beautiful in a quiet way, with strong attention to nature, seasons, and movement. The island feels alive, not as a backdrop, but as a living space that shapes the story. The voice performances are sincere and controlled, helping the characters feel believable and emotionally grounded. Themes of belonging, care, and responsibility are handled with kindness and clarity, making the film easy to connect with.

🔸 At the same time, the film feels very safe in its storytelling. Many emotional beats are familiar, and the story often follows expected paths. While the film is touching, it does not always take emotional risks or explore its ideas in a deeper way. The payoff is warm and satisfying, but not especially powerful. The Wild Robot is a well-made and emotionally honest film that leaves a gentle impression rather than a lasting impact.

Verdict: Good

DC Rating: 3.75/5

1396. Close Your Eyes (2023)

Director: Victor Erice

Cinematographer: Jose Luis Alcaine

Genre: Drama

Country: Spain

Duration: 169 Minutes

🔸 Close Your Eyes is a quiet, slow, and deeply reflective film that is more about mood than mystery. The story follows an ageing filmmaker who becomes connected again to the disappearance of an actor from many years ago. The plot unfolds gently, without urgency or tension in the usual sense. Instead of chasing answers, the film spends time with memory, time passing, and the pain of unfinished lives. From the beginning, the tone is calm and melancholic, and the film never breaks away from that mood.

🔸 The atmosphere of the film is its strongest quality. Every scene feels thoughtful and carefully paced. Silence plays an important role, allowing emotions to exist without being explained. The performances are subtle and restrained, especially from the lead actor, who carries sadness, guilt, and longing quietly within him. The film trusts faces, pauses, and simple conversations. In its approach to mystery, it feels closer to the best thriller and drama films from Spain and Argentina, where emotion and character matter more than plot twists or suspense mechanics.

🔸 The film does test patience. Its long runtime and slow rhythm can feel heavy, and the story often moves in small steps rather than clear progression. Some viewers may expect a stronger mystery or clearer resolution. But the emotional impact comes from tone rather than answers. Close Your Eyes is a film that stays with you because of how it feels, not what happens. It is calm, mature, and quietly moving, rewarding viewers who are willing to slow down and listen.

Verdict: Good

DC Rating: 3.75/5

1395. Didi (2024)

Director: Sean Wang

Cinematographer: Sam Davis

Genre: Drama 

Country: USA

Duration: 93 Minutes

🔸 Didi is a small and quiet coming-of-age film that focuses on an awkward summer in the life of a young Taiwanese American boy. The story follows his struggles with fitting in, dealing with friends, family pressure, and the early confusion of growing up. The plot is simple and very familiar. The film is more interested in moments than events, showing everyday situations that slowly shape the main character.

🔸 The film works best when it captures social awkwardness and small emotional discomforts. The lead performance feels natural, and the actor brings honesty to insecurity and embarrassment. Family scenes are handled with warmth, but also frustration, which feels real. The direction keeps things grounded and realistic, avoiding dramatic exaggeration. However, the film often feels too safe. Many scenes feel expected, and the storytelling rarely surprises or challenges the viewer.

🔸 The biggest issue with Didi is that it stays on the surface emotionally. While it is sincere, it does not go deep enough into its characters or conflicts. Some moments feel underdeveloped, and the emotional payoff is limited. The film ends gently, but without leaving a strong impact. Didi is pleasant and relatable, but it feels slight and cautious, more like a memory sketched lightly than a story fully explored.

Verdict: Above Average

DC Rating: 3.25/5

1394. The Prince Of Egypt (1998)

Director: Steve Heckner

Cinematographer: Simon Wells

Genre: Animation

Country: USA

Duration: 99 Minutes

🔸 The Prince of Egypt stands as a landmark achievement in animation, and watching it today brings a deep sense of nostalgia. The hand drawn animation style feels rich, textured, and alive in a way that is increasingly rare. Every frame is filled with detail, from vast deserts and towering palaces to intimate close-ups of faces filled with doubt and pain. The film treats its story with seriousness and respect, never simplifying its themes for easy viewing. It feels ambitious, confident, and emotionally mature, showing how animation can handle grand historical and spiritual stories without losing human focus.

🔸 At the heart of the film is the relationship between Moses and Rameses. Their bond is written with care and emotional honesty, beginning with warmth and brotherhood and slowly breaking under responsibility and belief. This relationship gives the film its strongest emotional weight. You don’t just watch two leaders stand on opposite sides, you feel the loss of a brotherhood that once felt unbreakable. The film allows time for attachment to these characters, making their choices painful and understandable. Many emotional moments land hard because the film invests deeply in character rather than spectacle alone.

🔸 The soundtrack is one of the film’s greatest achievements. The music is powerful, memorable, and deeply emotional. Songs and background score elevate every major moment, from quiet self-reflection to large-scale sequences. The music gives voice to doubt, faith, fear, and hope, often carrying more emotion than dialogue could. The final act is especially stunning, combining animation, music, and storytelling into something truly unforgettable. It feels grand, emotional, and earned. The Prince of Egypt is not just a great animated film, but a defining moment in animation history, one that proves how powerful the medium can be when craft, emotion, and ambition come together.

Verdict: Must Watch

DC Rating: 4.5/5