Arpi Khachatryan
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“Father Mother Sister Brother” (Jim Jarmusch, 2025) – 7/10
Modern people, never-changing family issues, and Jim Jarmusch’s genius in both simplicity and depth. Father Mother Sister Brother uses somewhat mundane scenes of everyday family lives to make us reminisce that people need people and, sometimes, that’s all there is… Continue reading
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“Asura,” Episodes 1-3 (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2025) – 8/10
Affairs, affairs everywhere – this seems to be the theme of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s new TV series Asura. Was it also that of 1979 Tokyo or is it Kore-eda’s subjective depiction? Asura brings in nostalgia, intrigue, subtle humour, complex family dynamics,… Continue reading
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“That Christmas” (Simon Otto, 2024) – 7.5/10
One of the best family Christmas movies I’ve seen this year. Heartwarming and full of educational messages for children and adults alike, sprinkled with new-age/liberal philosophies, That Christmas can definitely compete for a spot on your feel-good Christmas movie list.… Continue reading
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“Blossoms Shanghai” Episodes 1-3 (Wong Kar-wai, 2023) – 9/10
The Wong Kar-wai-ness is there, but the poetry’s almost lost. However. Blossoms Shanghai is the best series I’ve seen in 2025 – IF evaluated aside from its director. Originally released in China on December 27, 2023, Wong Kar-wai’s new (and… Continue reading
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“No Other Choice” (Park Chan-wook, 2025) – 7.5/10
Survival of the fittest – in the workplace and society alike, especially in the age of AI. And, in the filmmaking world, Park Chan-wook is definitely still one of the “fittest” as this is the oversimplified message of his new… Continue reading
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“After the Hunt” (Luca Guadagnino, 2025) – 5.5/10
This is not a conventional review – because After the Hunt itself resists conventional judgment. Reviewing this film full of “artsy” star cast feels like a mousetrap. I’m not sure how to write about it. Every single cinematic technique and… Continue reading
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“Lost in Starlight” (Han Ji-won, 2025) – 8.5/10
A futuristic YET nostalgic utopian sci-fi romance with hints of Satoshi Kon’s style! Released a few months ago, Han Ji-won’s Lost in Starlight (2025) is set in 2051 and tells the story of a young NASA scientist-astronaut, Dr. Joo Nan-young… Continue reading
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“House of Guinness,” Episode 1 (Steven Knight, 2025) – 7/10
Overly commercial yet charged, and witty, House of Guinness (2025) seems to be the lovechild of Peaky Blinders and Succession – just infused with an Irish spirit, modern, fast-paced montage, and a killer score! Steven Knight’s new historical drama series… Continue reading
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“My Oxford Year” (Iain Morris, 2025) – 2/10
No. Absolutely not. Iain Morris’ My Oxford Year (2025) is not only a disgrace to the romantic comedy genre but also to any portrayals of academia on screen. The same movie that was rumored to “bring back the romcom era” … Continue reading
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Japanese “Little Forest: Summer/Autumn” (Jun’ichi Mori, 2014) – 6.5/10
We have grown numb to the little things in life. And, if it is almost impossible to regain that connection in big bustling cities, films like the Japanese Little Forest, which feel like actual hymns to the slice-of-life subgenre, can… Continue reading
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“Monsieur Aznavour” (Mehdi Idir and Grand Corps Malade, 2024) – 7.5/10
A classic biopic. One would think Monsieur Aznavour‘s formula is like that of any other: tragic childhood, ambition, a big sponsor, personal scandals, sacrifices, some cheesy moments of self-doubt, and, finally, fame. Yet, this monsieur is much more layered –… Continue reading
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“Fanny and Alexander” (Ingmar Bergman, 1982) – 7/10
With all the commercial crap going on on Netflix, do ‘pure Christmas’ movies still exist? And, I’m not talking about the cheesy Hallmark kind. But, ones that captured the spirit of the holiday. Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander (1982) is… Continue reading
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“Damsel” (Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, 2024) – 5/10
An on-screen manifestation of female rage. Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s 2024 Damsel tells the story of Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown) who marries the prince of her kingdom to help her family financially. However, the idea of a once-in-a-lifetime marriage is not… Continue reading
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“Days” (Tsai Ming-liang, 2020) – 8/10
Take your notorious slow-paced filmmaking style, double it in a new film you make with your fav leading actor, enter the Berlin International Film Festival, and BOOM – you have the best recipe for a comeback as a film director… Continue reading
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“Runaway Bride” (Garry Marshall, 1999) – 6.5/10
Films like Runaway Bride are real cinema. All my life, I’ve been obsessed with films like Otto e mezzo, or Seven Samurai – the real cinema, you know. I’ve also tried employing that style in my shorts – extra-stylized, deeply… Continue reading
Light-Tinted Lens 