You know the feeling of seeing an author you used to respect struggling to hit the same earnestness of his past films? That’s Taika Waititi for us, the quirky Kiwi filmmaker whose offbeat style used to convey so much with so few words, and lately (since Jojo Rabbit, really) hammers his sappy third-rate philosophy. His new picture is more of the same, and frustratingly, every once in a while, he slips back into his old, more interesting self.
Not everything is lost, though. This week, we recommend the cozy comfort of Korean and Japanese literature, with Minyoung Kang’s Plant Lady and Banana Yoshimoto’s The Premonition. Two titles with compelling and layered plots (and in the case of Kang’s novel, maybe not THAT cozy) promise to keep you engaged. And a look into Daughter’s frontwoman, Elena Tonra, second solo project, which builds on the first record’s alt-grunge-inspired sound to find a more grounded and adult reality.
Film review: Klara and the Sun
Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun starts from the familiar place of many stories about the nature of being human. Klara (Jenna Ortega) is a robot from a discontinued model that is still for sale at a ragtag robot shop managed by a lady only known as Store Manager (Natasha Lyonne). Klara, like all of these things, is special. A different kind of robot th…
Book review: Plant Lady, The Premonition
The popularity of cosy Japanese and Korean literature shows no sign of abating. You know the ones: central is the location (usually a café or bookstore) and the presence of at least one cat. Within them, there is one person, or sometimes several, turning to acts of nourishment like browsing books or drinking their favourite coffee, relishing the calm fo…
