Reviews

I've been wanting to try a new format for a while — a loose round-up of everything I've been consuming recently, rather than a curated "best of" list. Credit where it's due: this was inspired by Amber Cassette, who does something similar around books. I don't read nearly enough to fill a segment like that, so I'm swapping books for music instead. Here's what's been on my radar the past few weeks. At the Cinema My mum and I caught the newest Insidious film last weekend — anoth

Every so often a year comes along that forces you to reconsider your assumptions about where an art form is headed. For cinema, 2026 has been one of those years — weird, unpredictable, and full of contradictions that somehow add up to something encouraging. As someone who has spent years thinking, writing, and talking about film, I didn't expect to end this year feeling more hopeful about the state of cinema than I have in a long time. But here we are. The Billion-Dollar Surp

BFI IMAX in Waterloo No one really talks about the "struggle" that fans of Japanese Cinema, like myself, go through by being fans outside of Japan. This experience is often overlooked, yet it is a nuanced topic that deserves attention and deeper exploration. While I fully acknowledge that this may fall under the category of "first-world problems," the challenges faced by international fans of Japanese films are multifaceted and can significantly impact our engagement with thi

Badly In Love season 2 has just dropped on Netflix, and it has once again reaffirmed itself as my favourite take on the Japanese reality television formula since Terrace House. This new season builds upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, introducing a fresh cast of colourful characters, even more tattoos, and diverse personalities who navigate the complexities of romance and relationships in a modern context. If you don't know, Badly In Love is a Japanese reality TV Sh

Are you a fan of Japanese movies and TV shows? Do you have a subscription to Amazon Prime? If you answered yes to both questions, then you’re in luck! Amazon Prime has a vast collection of Japanese movies and TV shows that you can watch anytime, anywhere. Now, some of these shows may not be available in your region. If that is the case, then let me know in the comment section, and I can send you a list of new recommendations! Without any further ado lets get into it! TV Shows

Everyone's still talking about shows like Last Samurai Standing and Shogun. Fair enough — they deserve the hype. But while these shows have been hogging the spotlight, Netflix Japan has quietly stacked its library with a run of dramas that almost nobody's covering. A legal drama about a lawyer who defends the people everyone else has given up on. A marriage mystery that plays out like a slow, quiet unraveling. A show about a man who can turn himself into gas and use it to ki