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Reviews

DECADE OF THE DEAD is the zombie bite that Hawai‘i indie filmmaking needs

Vicious zombies, grisly action set-pieces, and shocking gore are not a regular occurrence in Hawai‘i indie films. If that doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, then DECADE OF THE DEAD is not for you. But for those who are able to stomach such intense visuals, and even enjoy them in a perverse […]

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Cultivating community in UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL

Directed by husband and wife filmmaking duo, Todd Soliday and Leah Warshawski, UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL spotlights a surf instructor in Lahaina, Bull Kotter (Uncle Bully), and his dedication to serving his community amidst the pandemic and following the wake of the August 8th Lahaina wildfire. The documentary begins by showcasing Uncle Bully and the

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He Aliʻi ka ʻĀina, He Kauwā ke Kanaka (The Land is Chief, Man is its Servant) – KĀHULI, SEEING WITH HAWAIIAN EYES & KEEPER OF THE BAY

KĀHULI,  SEEING WITH HAWAIIAN EYES, and KEEPER OF THE BAY, all official selections of the 43rd Hawai‘i International Film Festival, are three documentaries bringing awareness to topics such as climate change, rapid extinction and decline of native plants and animals, sustainable Hawaiian practices, and some of the people who are working to preserve this ʻāina.

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HOCCI @ HIFF42: FASHIONED REIMAGINED, LYNCH/OZ & ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED

FASHIONED REIMAGINED, LYNCH/OZ, and ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED were official selections of the 42nd Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani I love documentaries a lot, but I know that puts me in the minority. Most of my friends can’t stand documentaries, they think that they’re boring and are only meant to be

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HOCCI @ HIFF42: Hunting for context in Lee Jung-jae’s HUNT

It’s no secret that the highlight of my experience at HIFF42 was the screening of Lee Jung-jae’s HUNT (HIFF42 Centerpiece), which, as of writing this article, is now available on-demand online (I strongly recommend it!). So, given that I am neither Korean, nor am I particularly familiar with Korean history, I decided to look into

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HOCCI @ HIFF42: BROKER Review [Podcast]

BROKER was an official selection of the 42nd Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani. The film will be released commercially in select U.S. theaters in late December.  HIFF ONLINE CREATIVES & CRITICS IMMERSIVE (HOCCI) mentee Jim Fahey sits down with Leo Williams, a NY-based film critic, to discuss about the HIFF42 Closing Night Film BROKER

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HOCCI @ HIFF42: GODDAMNED ASURA shows how everyone has demons [Review]

GODDAMNED ASURA was an official selection of the 42nd Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani. Warning, this review contains spoilers. GODDAMNED ASURA (2021, Dir. Lou Yi-an) is a Taiwanese crime drama that takes place twice with two alternative endings. In this movie, we originally follow the storyline of a young rich kid with divorced

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HOCCI @ HIFF42: PLAN 75: Subtlety in Tragedy [Video Essay]

PLAN 75 was an official selection of the 42nd Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani. The film will be released in U.S. theaters and on demand in early 2023. Here is a video essay review of PLAN 75 by HIFF ONLINE CREATIVES & CRITICS IMMERSIVE (HOCCI) mentee Carson Lommers. After the HIFF42 screening, Carson overhears

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HOCCI @ HIFF42: “Why You Should Watch NANNY” [Video Essay]

NANNY was an official selection of the 42nd Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani. The film will be released on Amazon Prime on December 16th. HIFF ONLINE CREATIVES & CRITICS IMMERSIVE (HOCCI) mentee Alioune Fall turns in a video essay on the HIFF42 official selection NANNY, which won the Grand Prize Jury Award at Sundance

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