Wrath of Man - Movie Review

The Movie: Wrath of Man

The Director: Guy Ritchie

The Cast: Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett, Laz Alonzo, Raúl Castillo, Deobia Oparei, Eddie Marsan, Scott Eastwood, Andy Garcia

The Story: A mysterious and wild-eyed new cash truck security guard surprises his coworkers during a heist in which he unexpectedly unleashes precision skills.

Boss Level - Movie Review

The Movie: Boss Level

The Director: Joe Carnahan

The Cast: Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson, Naomi Watts, Will Sasso, Annabelle Wallis, Sheaun McKinney, Selina Lo, Michelle Yeoh, Ken Jeong, Meadow Williams

The Story: A retired Special Forces officer is trapped in a never-ending time loop on the day of his death.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Yung Chang - Director of Wuhan Wuhan

Award winning director Yung Chang joins the Changing Directions podcast interview series to talk about Wuhan Wuhan, a powerful new documentary about the early days of the pandemic. The director has crafted a compelling and inspiring story out of footage compiled at the onset of one of the worst natural disasters we have ever seen.

Wuhan Wuhan - Documentary Review

The Documentary: Wuhan Wuhan

The Director: Yung Chang

The Story: In a time when the world needs greater cross-cultural understanding, Wuhan Wuhan is an invaluable depiction of a metropolis joining together to overcome a crisis.

Cliff Walkers / 悬崖之上 - Movie Review

The Movie: Cliff Walkers / 悬崖之上

The Director: Zhang Yimou

The Cast: Zhang Yi, Yu Hewei, Qin Hailu, Liu Haocun, Zhu Yawen, Li Naiwen, Ni Dahong

The Story: In the puppet state of Manchukuo in the 1930s, four Communist party special agents, after returning to China, embark on a secret mission. Sold out by a traitor, the team find themselves surrounded by threats on all sides.

Four Good Days - Movie Review

The Movie: Four Good Days

The Director: Rodrigo García

The Cast: Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Stephen Root, Joshua Leonard, Sam Hennings

The Story: A mother helps her daughter work through four crucial days of recovery from substance abuse.

The Virtuoso - Movie Review

The Movie: The Virtuoso

The Director: Nick Stagliano

The Cast: Anson Mount, Abbie Cornish, Eddie Marsan, Richard Brake, Diora Baird, David Morse, and Anthony Hopkins

The Story: A lonesome stranger, secure, nerves of steel, must track down and kill a rogue Hitman to satisfy an outstanding debt.

Without Remorse - Movie Review

The Movie: Without Remorse

The Director: Stefano Sollima

The Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce, Lauren London, Todd Lasance, Jacob Scipio, Colman Domingo, Alexander Mercury, Brett Gelman, Merab Ninidze

The Story: A Navy SEAL goes on a path to avenge his wife's murder only to find himself inside of a larger conspiracy.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Brad Bennett and Chris Haley - Directors of Unmarked

Directors Brad Bennett and Chris Haley join the Changing Directions to talk about Unmarked, their documentary short film. Unmarked marks its place in history by literally uncovering historical remnants of American slavery and black history.

Unmarked - Documentary Review

The Documentary: Unmarked

The Directors: Brad J. Bennett, Chris Haley

The Story: The final resting places of many deceased African Americans, both enslaved and free, have been lost or left in shambles. Some are dedicated to righting this wrong.

The Interview:

Boys from County Hell - Movie Review

The Movie: Boys from County Hell

The Director: Chris Baugh

The Cast: Jack Rowan, Nigel O’Neill, Louisa Harland, Fra Fee, John Lynch, Michael Hough

The Story: A crew of hardy road workers, led by a bickering Father and Son, must survive the night when they accidentally awaken an ancient Irish vampire.

Bloodthirsty - Movie Review

The Movie: Bloodthirsty

The Director: Amelia Moses

The Cast: Lauren Beatty, Greg Bryk, Katharine King So, Judith Buchan, Michael Ironside

The Story: Grey is an indie singer who is having visions that she is a wolf. When she gets an invitation to work with notorious music producer Vaughn Daniels at his remote studio in the woods she begins to find out who she really is.

All Those Small Things - SIFF 2021 Movie Review

The Movie: All Those Small Things

The Director: Andrew Hyatt

The Cast: James Faulkner, Kerry Knuppe, Aaron Dalla Villa, Gloria Laino, Lacy Hartselle, Cliff Parisi, David Robb, Nigel Betts, Jim Meskimen, Andrew Bicknell, Obadiah Freeman

The Story: Longtime British game show host, Jonathan Robbins, finds himself questioning his mortality and legacy after the recent death of a close friend. When he comes across an unexpected letter from a young fan, he heads to rural Spokane, WA in search of deeper meaning for his life.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Rick Castaneda & Greena Park - Director and Star of All Sorts

Director Rick Castaneda and actress Greena Park join the Changing Directions podcast series to talk about their movie All Sorts which world premiered during the 2021 Seattle International Film Festival. The story is a mix of offbeat antics, creative fantasy, and heartwarming rom-comedy all brought to life by a perfectly put together cast of characters and a talented director who is a true hometown hero.

The Banishing - Movie Review

The Movie: The Banishing

The Director: Christopher Smith

The Cast: Jessica Brown Findlay, Sean Harris, John Lynch, and John Heffernan

The Story: A young reverend and his wife and daughter move into a manor with a horrifying secret. When a vengeful spirit haunts the little girl and threatens to tear the family apart, the reverend and his wife are forced to confront their beliefs.

When I'm Done Dying - SIFF 2021 Movie Review

The Movie: When I'm Done Dying

The Director: Nisan Dağ

The Cast: Oktay Çubuk, Hayal Köseoglu, Ushan Çakir

The Story: An aspiring young rapper living in the Istanbul slum of Karacinar is addicted to a cheap drug, bonzai, which threatens his career ambitions and his relationship with an upper class DJ.

Beast Beast - Movie Review

The Movie: Beast Beast

The Director: Danny Madden

The Cast: Shirley Chen, Will Madden, Jose Angeles, Courtney Dietz, Daniel Rashid, Anissa Matlock, Stephen Ruffin, Chip Carriere, Kron Moore, Susan Gallagher

The Story: A look at the lives and trauma surrounding three people living in a southern town.

Reefa - Movie Review

The Movie: Reefa

The Director: Jessica Kavana Dornbusch

The Cast: Tyler Dean Flores, Clara McGregor, Cinthya Carmona, Ricardo Chavira, José Zúñiga, George Sear, Margarita Rosa de Francisco, Ezana Alem

The Story: A fatal encounter with a police officer leaves Israel "Reefa" Hernandez Jr's family and friends devastated, the Miami community outraged, and the country reeling from another case of police brutality.

In the Earth - Movie Review

The Movie: In the Earth

The Director: Ben Wheatley

The Cast: Joel Fry, Reece Shearsmith, Hayley Squires, Ellora Torchia

The Story: As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run.

All Sorts - 2021 SIFF Movie Review

The Movie: All Sorts

The Director: Rick Castaneda

The Cast: Eli Vargas, Greena Park, Luis Deveze

The Story: Diego finds himself in the strange, strange land of Data-Mart. There he meets June, an incredibly fast filer, and as the two make their way into the secret world of underground filing, things will never be the same.

The Interview

Slalom - Movie Review

The Movie: Slalom

The Director: Charlène Favier

The Cast: Noée Abita, Jérémie Renier, Marie Denarnaud, Muriel Combeau, Maïra Schmitt, Axel Auriant

The Story: Under the guidance of a strict ex champion, a promising 15 year old girl trains as a professional skiing star. Will she be able to endure the physical and emotional pressures?

Voyagers - Movie Review

The Movie: Voyagers

The Director: Neil Burger

The Cast: Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp, Fionn Whitehead, Chanté Adams, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Viveik Kalra, Archie Madekwe, Quintessa Swindell, Madison Hu, Colin Farrell       

The Story: A crew of astronauts on a multi-generational mission descend into paranoia and madness, not knowing what is real or not.

Space Sweepers / 승리호 - Movie Refview

The Movie: Space Sweepers / 승리호

The Director: Jo Sung-hee

The Cast: Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Jin Seon-kyu, Yoo Hae-jin

The Story: Set in the year 2092 and follows the crew of a space junk collector ship called The Victory. When they discover a humanoid robot named Dorothy that's known to be a weapon of mass destruction, they get involved in a risky business deal.

Godzilla vs. Kong - Movie Review

The Movie: Godzilla vs. Kong

The Director: Adam Wingard

The Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison, Lance Reddick, Demián Bichir, Kyle Chandler, Kaylee Hottle, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Ronnie Chiang, John Pirruccello

The Story: Godzilla and Kong get in a fight and some people do some things, too.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Ema Ryan Yamazaki - Director of Koshien: Japan's Field of Dreams

Director Ema Ryan Yamazaki joins the Changing Directions podcast series to talk about her documentary Koshien: Japan's Field of Dreams. Yamazaki hits a home run with this highly entertaining documentary about the annual high school baseball tournament that is considered to be the biggest sporting even in Japan.

Nobody - Movie Review

The Movie: Nobody

The Director: Ilya Naishuller

The Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Alexey Serebryakov, Christopher Lloyd

The Story: A bystander who intervenes to help a woman being harassed by a group of men becomes the target of a vengeful drug lord.

See You Then - Movie Review

The Movie: See You Then

The Director: Mari Walker

The Cast: Pooya Mohseni, Lynn Chen, Nican Robinson, Danny Jacobs

The Story: A decade after abruptly breaking up with Naomi, Kris invites her to a dinner to catch-up on their complicated lives, relationships, and Kris' transition. Over the course of their one night encounter, they engage in a series of increasingly intimate and vulnerable conversations, before a shocking secret is revealed.

Cosmoball - Movie Review

The Movie: Cosmoball

The Director: Dzhanik Fayziev

The Cast: Evgeniy Mironov, Evgeniy Romantsov, Viktoriya Agalakova, Maria Lisovaya, Ivan Ivanovich

The Story: An enormous spaceship hovers over Earth-this is a stadium, which hosts sports events that resemble soccer but at mind-boggling speeds. The name of the game is cosmoball.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Sabrina Doyle - Director of Lorelei

Director Sabrina Doyle joins the Changing Directions podcast series to talk about Lorelei, her award winning debut feature film. Lorelei is one of those movies that sneaks up on you with emotionally powerful performances and a relatable story that steers far away from any type of Hollywood story telling or fairy tale endings.

The Courier (2021) - Movie Review

The Movie: The Courier

The Director: Dominic Cooke

The Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan, Jessie Buckley

The Story: A true-life spy thriller, the story of an unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history.

Nomadland - Movie Review

The Movie: Nomadland

The Director: Chloé Zhao

The Cast: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, Swankie

The Story: Follows a woman in her sixties who, after losing everything in the Great Recession, embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Mallorie Ortega - Director of The Girl Who Left Home

Director Mallorie Ortega joins the Changing Directions podcast series to talk about her debut film, The Girl Who Left Home. Mallorie's debut feature film is filled with promise and entertaining performances. Job well done all the way around.

Cosmic Sin - Movie Review

The Movie: Cosmic Sin

The Director: Edward Drake

The Cast: Frank Grillo, Bruce Willis, Brandon Thomas Lee, Corey Large, Perrey Reeves, CJ Perry, Lochlyn Munro, Costas Mandylor, Adelaide Kane

The Story: Seven rogue soldiers launch a preemptive strike against a newly discovered alien civilization in the hopes of ending an interstellar war before it starts.

Underplayed: Documentary Review

The Documentary: Underplayed

The Director: Stacey Lee

The Story: Filmed over the summer festival season, Underplayed presents a portrait of the current status of the gender, ethnic, and sexuality equality issues in dance music.

The Devil Below - Movie Review

The Movie: The Devil Below

The Director: Bradley Parker

The Cast: Alicia Sanz, Adan Canto, Zach Avery, Chinaza Uche, Jesse Latourette, with Jonathan Sadowski, Will Patton

The Story: There is an abandoned place nestled deep in Appalachian country where underground coal mines have been ablaze for decades. When a team of researchers try to find out how the fires started, they soon discover something more startling than the mystery that sent them there: they’re not alone.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Larissa Lam and Baldwin Chiu - Far East Deep South

Director Larissa Lam and Producer Baldwin Chiu join the Changing Directions podcast series to talk about their documentary, Far East Deep South. The documentary is heart wrenching because of the generations of history the Chiu family has lost and it is also filled with hope because of how much of that history has been recovered for future generations to learn from and appreciate.

The Girl Who Left Home - SAAFF 2021 Movie Review

The Movie: The Girl Who Left Home

The Director: Mallorie Ortega

The Cast: Haven Everly, Emy Coligado, Paolo Montalban, Lora Nicolas, Liz Casasola, Russwin Francisco, Mitch Poulos

The Story: A musical dramedy about a Filpino-American female who must put her dreams aside to keep her family restaurant from eviction.

Raya and the Last Dragon - Movie Review

The Movie: Raya and the Last Dragon

The Directors: Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada

The Co-Directors: Paul Briggs and John Ripa

The Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Benedict Wong, Izaac Wang, Thalia Tran, Alan Tudyk, Lucille Soong, Patti Harrison and Ross Butler

The Story: In a realm known as Kumandra, a re-imagined Earth inhabited by an ancient civilization, a warrior named Raya is determined to find the last dragon.

Far East Deep South - 2021 SAAFF Documentary Review

The Documentary: Far East Deep South

The Director: Larissa Lam

The Story: When a Chinese-American family travels from California to Mississippi to visit the grave of their ancestors, they stumble upon surprising revelations.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Chelsea Christer - Director of Bleeding Audio

Director Chelsea Christer joins the Changing Directions podcast series to talk about her documentary, Bleeding Audio. Bleeding Audio is an inspiring documentary and an intriguing look into the realities of being in a band, dealing with the music business, and learning some valuable life lessons along the way.

Chaos Walking - Movie review

The Movie: Chaos Walking

The Director: Doug Liman

The Cast: Daisy Ridley, Tom Holland, Mads Mikkelsen, Demián Bichir, Cynthia Erivo, Nick Jonas, Kurt Sutter, David Oyelowo

The Story: A dystopian world where there are no women and all living creatures can hear each other's thoughts in a stream of images, words, and sounds called Noise.

And Then - 2021 SAAFF Short Film Review

The Short Film: And Then

The Director: Jenn Ravenna Tran

The Cast: Erika Ishii, Rina Hoshino

The Story: A short film about two women who meet and grow closer to each other through insomnia, exploring a new city, and art.

Pixie (2021) - Movie Review

The Movie: Pixie

The Director: Barnaby Thompson

The Cast: Olivia Cooke, Ben Hardy, Daryl McCormack, Colm Meaney, Alec Baldwin

The Story: On a path to avenge her mother’s death, Pixie Hardy attempts a heist that will give her the means to leave her small town life behind.  When the plan goes horribly wrong she’s forced to team up with a pair of misfits who are clearly in over their heads.

Boogie - Movie Review

The Movie: Boogie

The Director: Eddie Huang

The Cast: Taylor Takahashi, Pamelyn Chee, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Taylour Paige, Perry Yung, Mike Moh, Domenick Lombardozzi

The Story: Coming-of-age story of Alfred "Boogie" Chin, a basketball phenom living in Queens, New York, who dreams of one day playing in the NBA. While his parents pressure him to focus on earning a scholarship to an elite college, Boogie must find a way to navigate a new girlfriend, high school, on-court rivals and the burden of expectation.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2021 Seattle Asian American Film Festival

The Seattle Asian American Film Festival is back for another year although this time with a virtual setup that will allow people within certain geo locked regions to enjoy the festival from the comfort of their own homes. The festival will begin on Thursday March 4th with an Opening Night program and will conclude on Sunday March 14th. Below you will find the six films, five features and one short, that I have selected as this year's TwoOhSix Picks.

The Vigil - Movie Review

The Movie: The Vigil

The Director: Keith Thomas

The Cast: Dave Davis, Malky Goldman, Menashe Lustig, Lynn Cohen

The Story: A man providing overnight watch to a deceased member of his former Orthodox Jewish community finds himself opposite a malevolent entity, in writer-director Keith Thomas' electrifying feature debut.

Cherry (2021) - Movie Review

The Movie: Cherry

The Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

The Cast: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo, Jack Reynor, Michael Rispoli, Jeff Wahlberg, Forrest Goodluck, 

Michael Gandolfini

The Story: An Army medic suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder becomes a serial bank robber after an addiction to drugs puts him in debt.