Cinema Escapist

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Sep 29, 2026 Once Upon a Time in the Middle East deserves the attention it is receiving in Western media as a sign of China’s rise in the Global South. The movie’s timing is rather convenient... Go to Full Review Once Upon a Time in the Middle East (2026) 100% - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Aug 28, 2026 The President’s Cake represents a triumph of Iraqi cinema. Like its protagonists, the film... Go to Full Review The President's Cake (2025) 99% - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Aug 28, 2026 while Colony may be worth a watch for its novel "zombie network" concept and action, it does not... Go to Full Review Colony (2026) 81% - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Apr 22, 2026 We Are Family proves a competent and entertaining tearjerker, though it slightly... Go to Full Review We Are Family (2022) - - - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Dec 2, 2025 While one might expect this adultery to cause some explosive tension...any conflict...climaxes in a rather flaccid manner and does not... Go to Full Review This City Is a Battlefield (2025) - - - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Jul 11, 2025 MA – Cry of Silence performs superbly at creating an atmosphere of oppression whilst staying true to the realities of garment worker tribulations in post-coup Myanmar. The film also excels at... Go to Full Review Ma: Cry of Silence (2024) - - - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Feb 19, 2025 ... the film feels even more “truthful” and “real” than actual nonfiction documentaries about COVID... Go to Full Review An Unfinished Film (2024) 81% - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Oct 20, 2024 It’s not often that a movie that’s both so historically accurate and entertaining comes around, which makes 12.12 especially laudable... Go to Full Review 12.12: The Day (2023) - - - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Aug 8, 2024 ... Taiwanese popular movie vibe that feels distinct from the darker, more sardonic tone of Western heist stories like Money Heist or Ocean’s Eleven... Go to Full Review Breaking and Re-entering (2024) 80% - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Jul 3, 2024 Despite being about a North Korean soldier who strives to defect across the DMZ, Escape feels more like a veiled commentary on South Korean society... Go to Full Review Escape (2024) 71% - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Mar 5, 2024 Advocates for Taiwan ought to be pleased with Invisible Nation's degree of focus, nuance, and... Go to Full Review Invisible Nation (2023) 80% - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Oct 12, 2023 "Incidents that received mere seconds and soundbites in news reports play out in extended, uncensored takes jaggedly filmed under fire, making the destruction seem an order of magnitude worse than what short headlines could reveal..." Go to Full Review 20 Days in Mariupol (2023) 100% 96%

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Sep 28, 2023 ...heartwarming mix of tears, laughs, and sighs of relief... Go to Full Review You & Me & Me (2023) - - 86%

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Sep 28, 2023 ...while Sri Asih has flaws, its role in helping establish Indonesia as a new center of superhero movie innovation makes it worth paying attention to... Go to Full Review Queen of Justice - Sri Asih (2022) - - - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Jul 11, 2023 More nationalistic types will probably embrace the movie as a way to reinvigorate patriotic sentiments. But don’t be surprised if... Go to Full Review The Wandering Earth II (2023) 83% 95%

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Dec 16, 2022 Even if you’re not interested in politics, or didn’t watch Servant of the People season one, this movie is an enjoyable romp that you could easily watch on a weekend night. Go to Full Review Servant of the People (2016) - - - -

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Dec 16, 2022 While it’s action-packed and cinematographically competent, the film is like a “greatest hits” compilation of historical tropes from 1980’s South Korea, one that fails to innovate upon the era’s historiography. Go to Full Review Hunt (2022) 68% 80%

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Dec 16, 2022 The Ambush is best analogized to the UAE’s F-16s. It’s something you’d enjoy watching, but not the main attraction compared to America’s latest productions—say, some F-35s stuck in political limbo. Go to Full Review The Ambush (2021) - - 38%

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Nov 13, 2022 1976 shows how oppression need not be active nor visible, for its most pernicious varieties whisper rent-free in people’s heads... Go to Full Review Chile '76 (2022) 91% 97%

Anthony Kao Cinema Escapist Aug 21, 2022 Yuni offers a distinctive artistic vision with its usage of poetry and color, and is all the more remarkable for emotively addressing potentially sensitive topics amidst Indonesia’s ongoing rise in religious conservatism. Go to Full Review Yuni (2021) 100% - -