Schema Magazine

Film Festival Reviews

Sponsored by the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival

2013 Oscar nominee 'Django Unchained' and its complicated (silent) violence

By Phuong Nguyen

It's clear that Tarantino wants to relieve the tension of "real slave violence" in his movie with the happy, all-out shooting spree by Django in the last third of the film. But Schultz's death reveals that the film is really about Schultz's moral dilemma, regardless of the title, regardless of artful shoots of blood bursting through images of whiteness.

RAIFF 2012 | The Fruit Hunters by Yung Chang

By Zoe Tennant

Inspired by the New York Times acclaimed book of the same name, Yung Chang's documentary The Fruit Hunters is a delicious journey through space and time. Chang (director of Up The Yangtze and China Heavyweight) introduces us to a handful of fruit obsessed adventurers who guide us through a world of fruit beyond the grocery store.

RAIFF 2012 | 10+10

By Billie-Ann Woo (from VIFF 2012)

Twenty shorts from 10 emerging and 10 veteran Taiwanese filmmakers—10+10 is a must see!

RAIFF 2012 | Seeking Asian Female

By Avneet Toor (originally from AAIFF 2012)

What you get from this exploratory film is something unexpected. What starts as a look into the creepy nature of men targeting Asian women for companionship turns into the real life reality of two people from different worlds trying to make it work with each other.

RAIFF 2012 | Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings

By Billie-Ann Woo

What image do you get when you listen to ukulele music? Don Ho? Luaus? Kitschy American movies? Your ideas of ukulele music will be blown away after watching this documentary on Jake Shimabukuro. This documentary was directed by Tadashi Nakamura and profiles Shimabukuro's rise from ukulele prodigy to internationally touring artist.

RAIFF 2012 | A Fish

By Phuong Nguyen

Part psychological thriller, part philosophical consideration, A Fish's sparse exposition only emphasizes how much of the story is expressed with elements other than dialogue, foregrounding the actors' slightest expressions, the editing, the special effects, and the incredible sound.

RAIFF 2012 | People's Park

By Zoe Tennant (from VIFF 2012)

People's Park, which has its North American premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival this month, is set in the vibrant People's Park in Chengdu, Sichuan. In this documentary, American directors J.P. Sniadecki and Libbie Cohn transport the audience to Southern China on a sunny Saturday in July.

RAIFF 2012 | Wolf Children

By Phuong Nguyen

In Wolf Children, a daughter narrates the story of her unusual family history, revealing a tale fraught with the themes of familial loyalty and self-realization.

RAIFF 2012 | Prison Dancer

By Phuong Nguyen

Prison Dancer is a mockumentary that deploys security camera footage, interviews, and music video direction to show the individual dramas of four prison inmates.

RAIFF 2012 | Egg and Stone

By Billie-Ann Woo (From VIFF 2012)

I was glad to have taken a meditative swim after watching this film. As my arms methodically dove and pushed through the water, I thought about the film that I had just watched. I had been anticipating this film with a quiet sense of dread. For me, this was about pushing myself out of my cinema comfort zone (usually occupied by documentaries and animated movies) and the film did not disappoint.

RAIFF 2012 | First Time

By Phuong Nguyen

Don't let the title trick you—First Time includes all the details that build and sustain a relationship, rather than obsessively culminating into a sex scene (of which there is only an implication, but not the slightest confirmation).

VIFF 2012 | Together

By Annie Chung

I didn't quite know what to expect entering the screening of Together, but in the end I found myself pleasantly surprised. Together is lively and humorous, but perhaps even more so, heart-felt and thoughtful.

VIFF 2012 | Come As You Are

By Jennifer Giesbrecht

Lars, Philip and Jozef are three very typical young Belgian men. They hang out, annoy their siblings, and fantasize about girls. Yet two things set them apart from the rest of their peers: they all have physical disabilities, and they're all crazy for wine.

VIFF 2012 | This Ain't California

By Jennifer Giesbrecht

This Ain't California is officially labeled a documentary, but, much like the skaters the film follows, it pushes all boundaries. Part doc, part found footage mashup, part reenactment, the film reflects Perisel's previous work in music videos and commercials with brilliant results.

Film Festival Reviews

2013 Oscar nominee 'Django Unchained' and its complicated (silent) violence

RAIFF 2012 | The Fruit Hunters by Yung Chang

RAIFF 2012 | 10+10

RAIFF 2012 | Seeking Asian Female

RAIFF 2012 | Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings

RAIFF 2012 | A Fish

RAIFF 2012 | People's Park

RAIFF 2012 | Wolf Children

RAIFF 2012 | Prison Dancer

RAIFF 2012 | Egg and Stone

RAIFF 2012 | First Time

VIFF 2012 | Together

VIFF 2012 | Come As You Are

VIFF 2012 | This Ain't California

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