‘Xiao Wu’ – Jia Zhangke’s Remastered Feature Debut On The Drifting Connections Of Alienated Youth [NYFF]

After hitching aboard public transportation on the way into town, a reckless pickpocket named Xiao Wu (Hongwei Wang) slouches into an open bus seat, sporting a jacket too big for him, a bright-wool sweater vest, and bug-eyed rims. “Make him pay his fare,” the driver tells the man nearest to him. “I’m a policeman,” Xiao … Continue reading ‘Xiao Wu’ – Jia Zhangke’s Remastered Feature Debut On The Drifting Connections Of Alienated Youth [NYFF]

Disney’s ‘Mulan’ Remake Gives Its Folk Hero A Mythic Failure State, But Loses Much Of The Original’s Lyrical Soul

As someone who grew up wearing out my “Mulan” VHS tape – having seen the movie in theaters with my family and forcing my parents to endure my endless replaying/singing along to "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" – I enjoyed many things about Disney’s new live-action remake, but it's lacking much of the … Continue reading Disney’s ‘Mulan’ Remake Gives Its Folk Hero A Mythic Failure State, But Loses Much Of The Original’s Lyrical Soul