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Diego Andaluz Jeffery Zhang Tessa Smith Valerie Complex

‘Cryptozoo’ Review: A Spielbergian Acid Trip That Doesn’t Let Up (Sundance 2021)

On this episode of The Global Film Podcast, Editor-In-Chief and Host Diego Andaluz reviews Dash Shaw’s latest film Cryptozoo. Joined by contributors Valerie Complex (Variety), Jeffery Zhang (Strange Harbors), and Tessa Smith, they discuss their in-depth thoughts on the technical and thematic strengths and shortcomings of the film, among other notable highlights.

As cryptozookeepers struggle to capture a Baku (a legendary dream-eating hybrid creature) they begin to wonder if they should display these rare beasts in the confines of a cryptozoo, or if these mythical creatures should remain hidden and unknown.

Cryptozoo premiered at the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. Listen to our review at the Sundance Special episode below or here on your preferred podcast platform.

You can find the episode and stay up to date with the latest reviews and releases by subscribing to our show on SpotifyApple PodcastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsiHeart RadioRadio Public, AnchorOvercast, Player FM, Breaker, Castbox, Castro, Podchaser, Podlink, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, RSS Feed, & more, and you can also follow host Diego Andaluz on social media here!

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Categories
Diego Andaluz Jeffery Zhang Tessa Smith Valerie Complex

‘I Was A Simple Man’ Review: A Beautifully Intimate Exploration of Life After Death (Sundance 2021)

On this episode of The Global Film Podcast, Editor-In-Chief and Host Diego Andaluz reviews  Christopher Makoto Yogi’s latest film I Was a Simple Man. Joined by contributors Valerie Complex (Variety), Jeffery Zhang (Strange Harbors), and Tessa Smith, they discuss their in-depth thoughts on the technical and thematic strengths and shortcomings of the film, among other notable highlights.

A ghost story set in the pastoral countryside of the north shore of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Told in four chapters, it tells the story of an elderly man facing the end of his life, visited by the ghosts of his past.

I Was a Simple Man premiered at the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. Listen to our review at the 20-minute mark of our Sundance Special episode below or here on your preferred podcast platform.

You can find the episode and stay up to date with the latest reviews and releases by subscribing to our show on SpotifyApple PodcastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsiHeart RadioRadio Public, AnchorOvercast, Player FM, Breaker, Castbox, Castro, Podchaser, Podlink, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, RSS Feed, & more, and you can also follow host Diego Andaluz on social media here!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Categories
Diego Andaluz Jeffery Zhang Tessa Smith Valerie Complex

‘Human Factors’ Review: A Gratingly Passive Look at the Introspective Aftermath of a Home Invasion (Sundance 2021)

On this episode of The Global Film Podcast, Editor-In-Chief and Host Diego Andaluz reviews  Ronny Trocker’s latest film Human Factors. Joined by contributors Valerie Complex (Variety), Jeffery Zhang (Strange Harbors), and Tessa Smith, they discuss their in-depth thoughts on the technical and thematic strengths and shortcomings of the film, among other notable highlights.

Amin arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Denmark from Afghanistan. Today, at 36, he is a successful academic and is getting married to his long-time boyfriend. A secret he has been hiding for over 20 years threatens to ruin the life he has built for himself. For the first time he is sharing his story with his close friend.

Human Factors premiered at the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. Listen to our review at the 34-minute mark of our Sundance Special episode below or here on your preferred podcast platform.

You can find the episode and stay up to date with the latest reviews and releases by subscribing to our show on SpotifyApple PodcastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsiHeart RadioRadio Public, AnchorOvercast, Player FM, Breaker, Castbox, Castro, Podchaser, Podlink, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, RSS Feed, & more, and you can also follow host Diego Andaluz on social media here!

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
Categories
Diego Andaluz Jeffery Zhang Tessa Smith Valerie Complex

‘Censor’ Review: Prano Bailey-Bond’s Off-Kilter Atmosphere Results in an Unforgettably Horrific Achievement (Sundance 2021)

On this episode of The Global Film Podcast, Editor-In-Chief and Host Diego Andaluz reviews Prano Bailey Bond’s latest film Censor. Joined by contributors Valerie Complex (Variety), Jeffery Zhang (Strange Harbors), and Tessa Smith, they discuss their in-depth thoughts on the technical and thematic strengths and shortcomings of the film, among other notable highlights.

When a film censor is assigned to review a disturbing film from the archive that echoes her hazy childhood memories, she begins to unravel how this eerie work might be tied to her past.

Directed by Prano Bailey Bond, Censor premiered at the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. Listen to our review at the 42-minute mark of our Sundance Special episode below or here on your preferred podcast platform.

You can find the episode and stay up to date with the latest reviews and releases by subscribing to our show on SpotifyApple PodcastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsiHeart RadioRadio Public, AnchorOvercast, Player FM, Breaker, Castbox, Castro, Podchaser, Podlink, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, RSS Feed, & more, and you can also follow host Diego Andaluz on social media here!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Categories
Diego Andaluz Jeffery Zhang Tessa Smith Valerie Complex

‘Son of Monarchs’ Review: A Lyrical Rediscovery of a Fractured identity (Sundance 2021)

On this episode of The Global Film Podcast, Editor-In-Chief and Host Diego Andaluz reviews Alexis Gambis’ latest film Son of Monarchs. Joined by contributors Valerie Complex (Variety), Jeffery Zhang (Strange Harbors), and Tessa Smith, they discuss their in-depth thoughts on the technical and thematic strengths and shortcomings of the film, among other notable highlights.

After his grandmother’s death, a Mexican biologist living in New York returns to his hometown, nestled in the majestic monarch butterfly forests of Michoacán, for the first time in many years. The journey forces him to confront past traumas and reflect on his new hybrid identity, sparking a personal and spiritual metamorphosis.

Son of Monarchs premiered at the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. Listen to our review at the 49-minute mark of our Sundance Special episode below or here on your preferred podcast platform.

You can find the episode and stay up to date with the latest reviews and releases by subscribing to our show on SpotifyApple PodcastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsiHeart RadioRadio Public, AnchorOvercast, Player FM, Breaker, Castbox, Castro, Podchaser, Podlink, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, RSS Feed, & more, and you can also follow host Diego Andaluz on social media here!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Categories
Diego Andaluz Jeffery Zhang Tessa Smith Valerie Complex

‘Flee’ Review: A Compelling Examination of the Refugee Experience Bolstered by Stunning Animation (Sundance 2021)

On this episode of The Global Film Podcast, Editor-In-Chief and Host Diego Andaluz reviews Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s latest film Flee. Joined by contributors Valerie Complex (Variety), Jeffery Zhang (Strange Harbors), and Tessa Smith, they discuss their in-depth thoughts on the technical and thematic strengths and shortcomings of the film, among other notable highlights.

Amin arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Denmark from Afghanistan. Today, at 36, he is a successful academic and is getting married to his long-time boyfriend. A secret he has been hiding for over 20 years threatens to ruin the life he has built for himself. For the first time he is sharing his story with his close friend.

Flee premiered at the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. Listen to our review at the 27-minute mark of our Sundance Special episode below or here on your preferred podcast platform.

You can find the episode and stay up to date with the latest reviews and releases by subscribing to our show on SpotifyApple PodcastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsiHeart RadioRadio Public, AnchorOvercast, Player FM, Breaker, Castbox, Castro, Podchaser, Podlink, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, RSS Feed, & more, and you can also follow host Diego Andaluz on social media here!

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Categories
Diego Andaluz Jeffery Zhang Tessa Smith Valerie Complex

‘In The Same Breath’ Review: Soul-Crushing Imagery Highlights the Hauntingly Important Failures of Bureaucracy (Sundance 2021)

On this episode of The Global Film Podcast, Editor-In-Chief and Host Diego Andaluz reviews Nanfu Wang’s latest film In The Same Breath. Joined by contributors Valerie Complex (Variety), Jeffery Zhang (Strange Harbors), and Tessa Smith, they discuss their in-depth thoughts on the technical and thematic strengths and shortcomings of the film, among other notable highlights.

How did the Chinese government turn pandemic cover ups in Wuhan into a triumph for the Communist party? In The Same Breath follows how the Chinese and American governments reacted to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Directed by Nanfu Wang, In The Same Breath premiered at the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. Listen to our review at the 58-minute mark of our Sundance Special episode below or here on your preferred podcast platform.

You can find the episode and stay up to date with the latest reviews and releases by subscribing to our show on SpotifyApple PodcastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsiHeart RadioRadio Public, AnchorOvercast, Player FM, Breaker, Castbox, Castro, Podchaser, Podlink, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, RSS Feed, & more, and you can also follow host Diego Andaluz on social media here!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.