Written by Patrick Hao "If “High School Musical” was a phenomenon, it was because it embraced the fakeness of it all. It perfectly coalesced into something earnest that became camp, partially because the original production was kind of a gamble."… Continue reading.
Tag: Patrick Hao
NYAFF 2022: The Girl on a Bulldozer
Written by Patrick Hao "The title “The Girl on a Bulldozer” is an evocative image, one that filmmaker, Park Ri-woong, relies heavily on in his debut feature. The image of a petite woman handling such a large, unwieldy machine with … Continue reading.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
Written by Patrick Hao "As someone who watched the old “Z” and “GT” series, it definitely hits the nostalgic feel. And the director, Tetsurô Kodama, really had a keen sense with this entry in making the film evoke the feeling … Continue reading.
Honk for Jesus. Save your Soul.
Written by Patrick Hao "“Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” is a satire but it is not a comedy. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. But, for an hour and forty-minute movie about a subject that feels like … Continue reading.
Luck
Written by Patrick Hao "It is disappointing then that “Luck” is such a milquetoast, paint-by-numbers feature. The film follows the seemingly endless group of American animated features in which the only way to express abstract concepts seems to be by … Continue reading.
NYAFF 2022: Nothing Serious
Written by Patrick Hao "Jeon Ga-young has been positioning herself as the next generation’s Hong Sang-soo with a trintet of meta films starring herself as a filmmaker seeking romance. So it is particularly interesting to see her break into a … Continue reading.
NYAFF 2022: Dealing with Dad
Written by Patrick Hao "Writer-director Tom Huang’s personal piece “Dealing with Dad” is a frustrating movie to watch. It focuses on the issues that first-generation Taiwanese American children have with their stern, domineering fathers. It is well-trodden territory that is … Continue reading.
NYAFF 2022: #LookAtMe
Written by Patrick Hao "Ken Kwek has always been a provocateur in his home country of Singapore so it is only natural that the relationship between artists and government censorship is constantly on his mind. His image of Singapore is … Continue reading.
2022 Tribeca Future Gold Film Fellowship
Written by Patrick Hao "Movies are hard to make with the high barrier of entry often being the biggest hurdle to making a career of it. That is why it is always heartening to see a film festival like Tribeca … Continue reading.
The Sea Beast
Written by Patrick Hao "As Netflix struggles to gain and retain subscribers to its platform, one element that has been successful for them has been their investment in children’s content. If binge viewing is a model of their success, then … Continue reading.
