Joshua Polanski
@joshuapolanski.bsky.social
A pessimist writing about movies from a world in collapse. Thinking mostly about non-English cinemas (Baltic, Korean, Chinese, etc). Tomatometer approved. Watches too much hockey. Occasionally uses full sentences.
therewerenogodsleft.com
therewerenogodsleft.com
Pom Klementieff as Paris in the MI franchise.
November 4, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Pom Klementieff as Paris in the MI franchise.
I was grateful to discuss Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk with Sepideg Farsi. We talked about her bold stylistic choices, her experiences in Iran shaped her impulse to tell this story, and how Fatma Hassona’s memory will live on with the people of Gaza.
bostonhassle.com/boston-pales...
bostonhassle.com/boston-pales...
October 24, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I was grateful to discuss Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk with Sepideg Farsi. We talked about her bold stylistic choices, her experiences in Iran shaped her impulse to tell this story, and how Fatma Hassona’s memory will live on with the people of Gaza.
bostonhassle.com/boston-pales...
bostonhassle.com/boston-pales...
October 10, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Chief of War was phenomenal. It also unlocked a new celebrity crush for me, Te Ao o Hinepehinga.
September 25, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Chief of War was phenomenal. It also unlocked a new celebrity crush for me, Te Ao o Hinepehinga.
AI is so helpful.
September 15, 2025 at 4:05 PM
AI is so helpful.
Final day of TIFF
September 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Final day of TIFF
I am seated for my fifth movie today, Wizard of the Kremlin. So far it's been a good day for East Asian films and a bad one for English language ones.
September 12, 2025 at 1:20 AM
I am seated for my fifth movie today, Wizard of the Kremlin. So far it's been a good day for East Asian films and a bad one for English language ones.
"He was a motherfucker." - Lav Diaz on Ferdinand Magellan at TIFF.
He also called Putin and Duterte "motherfuckers."
He also called Putin and Duterte "motherfuckers."
September 10, 2025 at 3:27 AM
"He was a motherfucker." - Lav Diaz on Ferdinand Magellan at TIFF.
He also called Putin and Duterte "motherfuckers."
He also called Putin and Duterte "motherfuckers."
Alex Garland's Civil War is almost too familiar to the present for a rewatch. It feels a lot like watching Contagion in March of 2021.
The part that is scary is that Garland is able to imagine a resistance. I'm not sure I can.
The part that is scary is that Garland is able to imagine a resistance. I'm not sure I can.
September 6, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Alex Garland's Civil War is almost too familiar to the present for a rewatch. It feels a lot like watching Contagion in March of 2021.
The part that is scary is that Garland is able to imagine a resistance. I'm not sure I can.
The part that is scary is that Garland is able to imagine a resistance. I'm not sure I can.
Just watched a remarkable 10 minute animated Soviet short adapting a Russian folk tale called The Battle of Kerzhenets.
The animation mixes glass panel animation, stop motion, and more traditional 2D drawings for marvelous results. I've never seen medieval-styled frescos look so alive.
The animation mixes glass panel animation, stop motion, and more traditional 2D drawings for marvelous results. I've never seen medieval-styled frescos look so alive.
August 20, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Just watched a remarkable 10 minute animated Soviet short adapting a Russian folk tale called The Battle of Kerzhenets.
The animation mixes glass panel animation, stop motion, and more traditional 2D drawings for marvelous results. I've never seen medieval-styled frescos look so alive.
The animation mixes glass panel animation, stop motion, and more traditional 2D drawings for marvelous results. I've never seen medieval-styled frescos look so alive.
Jackie Chan is our greatest entertainer.
July 31, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Jackie Chan is our greatest entertainer.
6) Someone needs to pay Jia Zhangke and inordinate amount of money to make a bio-pic of Xi Jinping's years living in rural Iowa.
July 30, 2025 at 10:25 PM
6) Someone needs to pay Jia Zhangke and inordinate amount of money to make a bio-pic of Xi Jinping's years living in rural Iowa.
5) Soviet marketing posters were simply superior to whatever we have now.
July 30, 2025 at 10:14 PM
5) Soviet marketing posters were simply superior to whatever we have now.
Emma D'Arcy should star in 3-5 big movies a year.
July 30, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Emma D'Arcy should star in 3-5 big movies a year.
3) Den of Thieves is a mean, mean movie and I see little redemptive qualities. Not sure what all of you see in it.
July 30, 2025 at 9:56 PM
3) Den of Thieves is a mean, mean movie and I see little redemptive qualities. Not sure what all of you see in it.
2) The live action Scooby Doo movies are good.
July 30, 2025 at 9:49 PM
2) The live action Scooby Doo movies are good.
I'll do it too. One like = 1 film opinion.
July 30, 2025 at 9:44 PM
I'll do it too. One like = 1 film opinion.
See you at TIFF!
Editors: I'm open to writing for you about basically anything, but especially Baltic film, experimental works, and anything else a bit off the mainstream course.
Editors: I'm open to writing for you about basically anything, but especially Baltic film, experimental works, and anything else a bit off the mainstream course.
July 26, 2025 at 7:36 PM
See you at TIFF!
Editors: I'm open to writing for you about basically anything, but especially Baltic film, experimental works, and anything else a bit off the mainstream course.
Editors: I'm open to writing for you about basically anything, but especially Baltic film, experimental works, and anything else a bit off the mainstream course.
Woody Harrelson is truly one of our greats.
July 23, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Woody Harrelson is truly one of our greats.
In celebration of the great Woody Harrelson turning 65, for one day only, you can unlock all written material (& support my writing) for only $1 on my website.
You can also vote on what Woody film I review at the end of the month.
Use the code below.
www.therewerenogodsleft.com/one-for-woody
You can also vote on what Woody film I review at the end of the month.
Use the code below.
www.therewerenogodsleft.com/one-for-woody
July 23, 2025 at 3:14 AM
In celebration of the great Woody Harrelson turning 65, for one day only, you can unlock all written material (& support my writing) for only $1 on my website.
You can also vote on what Woody film I review at the end of the month.
Use the code below.
www.therewerenogodsleft.com/one-for-woody
You can also vote on what Woody film I review at the end of the month.
Use the code below.
www.therewerenogodsleft.com/one-for-woody
Exterritorial is an imperfect blast. Its at its best as an action thriller and at its worst as a psychological one.
It's also timely: the US Consulate, an entity controlling entry into the US, is made into a micro-axis of evil: abduction of foreign nationals, drug trade, political supression, etc
It's also timely: the US Consulate, an entity controlling entry into the US, is made into a micro-axis of evil: abduction of foreign nationals, drug trade, political supression, etc
July 15, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Exterritorial is an imperfect blast. Its at its best as an action thriller and at its worst as a psychological one.
It's also timely: the US Consulate, an entity controlling entry into the US, is made into a micro-axis of evil: abduction of foreign nationals, drug trade, political supression, etc
It's also timely: the US Consulate, an entity controlling entry into the US, is made into a micro-axis of evil: abduction of foreign nationals, drug trade, political supression, etc
ICE's new budget under the new bill, if it were a country of its own, would be one of the world's 10 largest militaries.
July 1, 2025 at 4:06 AM
ICE's new budget under the new bill, if it were a country of its own, would be one of the world's 10 largest militaries.
Seeing very little about Hot Milk. I rather enjoyed it! I found it warm, well-acted, nihilistic, and sensual in a non-lewd way.
Krieps is such a force. I can't wait for her to one day get the part of a lifetime.
Krieps is such a force. I can't wait for her to one day get the part of a lifetime.
June 29, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Seeing very little about Hot Milk. I rather enjoyed it! I found it warm, well-acted, nihilistic, and sensual in a non-lewd way.
Krieps is such a force. I can't wait for her to one day get the part of a lifetime.
Krieps is such a force. I can't wait for her to one day get the part of a lifetime.
If I could only take one director's filmography with me to a desert island, it has to be that of Zhang Yimou.
June 24, 2025 at 4:18 AM
If I could only take one director's filmography with me to a desert island, it has to be that of Zhang Yimou.