Paul Enicola
@paulenicola.bsky.social
🍅-Approved film critic. Bylines: The Movie Buff, Movie-Blogger, and The Asian Cut. Member: FIPRESCI, SFFR, OFTA, and PIFC. Isodobs with heroes Ebert and McCartney. Runs on caffeine, sleeps with butterflies. He/Him. 🇵🇭 🇪🇸 🇨🇳
A personal pick for the best film of the year, #OneBattleAfterAnother sees Paul Thomas Anderson turning Thomas Pynchon’s misfits (and Steely Dan’s sly bite) into a portrait of America’s frayed soul.
open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
‘One Battle After Another’ (2025) Review: Dirty Work, Divine Cinema—Paul Thomas Anderson in the Now
Potentially the best film of the year sees the director turning Pynchon’s misfits (and Steely Dan’s sly bite) into a portrait of America’s frayed soul.
open.substack.com
September 24, 2025 at 6:28 AM
A personal pick for the best film of the year, #OneBattleAfterAnother sees Paul Thomas Anderson turning Thomas Pynchon’s misfits (and Steely Dan’s sly bite) into a portrait of America’s frayed soul.
open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
Reposted by Paul Enicola
‘Stranger Eyes’ Review: Yeo Siew Huas latest lingers where it looks when considering a surveillance state
Read @paulenicola.bsky.social's review below!
🔗 : theasiancut.com/review/stran...
Read @paulenicola.bsky.social's review below!
🔗 : theasiancut.com/review/stran...
August 5, 2025 at 2:42 PM
‘Stranger Eyes’ Review: Yeo Siew Huas latest lingers where it looks when considering a surveillance state
Read @paulenicola.bsky.social's review below!
🔗 : theasiancut.com/review/stran...
Read @paulenicola.bsky.social's review below!
🔗 : theasiancut.com/review/stran...
Lots of thoughts about the #GawadUrian noms, but the most important for me: for Best Film, 5 out of the 7 nominees made my list of the top 10 Philippine films of 2024.
- Alipato at Muog (7th)
- Green Bones (6th)
- Phantosmia (5th)
- Kono Basho (3rd)
- Tumandok (1st)
- Alipato at Muog (7th)
- Green Bones (6th)
- Phantosmia (5th)
- Kono Basho (3rd)
- Tumandok (1st)
September 4, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Lots of thoughts about the #GawadUrian noms, but the most important for me: for Best Film, 5 out of the 7 nominees made my list of the top 10 Philippine films of 2024.
- Alipato at Muog (7th)
- Green Bones (6th)
- Phantosmia (5th)
- Kono Basho (3rd)
- Tumandok (1st)
- Alipato at Muog (7th)
- Green Bones (6th)
- Phantosmia (5th)
- Kono Basho (3rd)
- Tumandok (1st)
Reposted by Paul Enicola
'Great Absence' Review: Dissecting Memory, Estrangement and the Language of Silence
Read @paulenicola.bsky.social's ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ below!
🔗 : theasiancut.com/review/great...
Read @paulenicola.bsky.social's ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ below!
🔗 : theasiancut.com/review/great...
July 23, 2025 at 2:15 PM
'Great Absence' Review: Dissecting Memory, Estrangement and the Language of Silence
Read @paulenicola.bsky.social's ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ below!
🔗 : theasiancut.com/review/great...
Read @paulenicola.bsky.social's ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ below!
🔗 : theasiancut.com/review/great...
James Gunn’s kickoff to the DC Universe is a mixed bag in depicting the hero. But capturing the man? That part’s SUPER.
‘Superman’ (2025) Review: Finding the Man in the Cape open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
‘Superman’ (2025) Review: Finding the Man in the Cape open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
‘Superman’ (2025) Review: Finding the Man in the Cape
James Gunn’s kickoff to the DC Universe is a mixed bag in depicting the hero. But capturing the man? That part’s SUPER.
open.substack.com
July 9, 2025 at 5:53 PM
James Gunn’s kickoff to the DC Universe is a mixed bag in depicting the hero. But capturing the man? That part’s SUPER.
‘Superman’ (2025) Review: Finding the Man in the Cape open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
‘Superman’ (2025) Review: Finding the Man in the Cape open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
quick selfie after rummaging through the bins and before playing with dad
July 2, 2025 at 8:51 AM
quick selfie after rummaging through the bins and before playing with dad
F1 doesn’t have much to say, but when the rubber hits the road, it says it with style.
My review of Joseph Kosinski's Formula One sports drama starring Brad Pitt #F1TheMovie
‘F1’ Review: Brad Pitt Races Toward Glory in a Film That Goes Fast—But Not Deep open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
My review of Joseph Kosinski's Formula One sports drama starring Brad Pitt #F1TheMovie
‘F1’ Review: Brad Pitt Races Toward Glory in a Film That Goes Fast—But Not Deep open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
‘F1’ Review: Brad Pitt Races Toward Glory in a Film That Goes Fast—But Not Deep
Joseph Kosinski’s Formula One drama is a sleek, adrenalized spectacle that never quite finds the finish line emotionally—but for two-plus hours, it sure knows how to move.
open.substack.com
June 26, 2025 at 2:21 PM
F1 doesn’t have much to say, but when the rubber hits the road, it says it with style.
My review of Joseph Kosinski's Formula One sports drama starring Brad Pitt #F1TheMovie
‘F1’ Review: Brad Pitt Races Toward Glory in a Film That Goes Fast—But Not Deep open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
My review of Joseph Kosinski's Formula One sports drama starring Brad Pitt #F1TheMovie
‘F1’ Review: Brad Pitt Races Toward Glory in a Film That Goes Fast—But Not Deep open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
when she saw my P0.22 account balance.
me too, woman. me too.
me too, woman. me too.
June 25, 2025 at 5:06 PM
when she saw my P0.22 account balance.
me too, woman. me too.
me too, woman. me too.
Fourth consecutive year covering one of my personal favorite film fests. Let's go, Tribeca Festival. 📽️✍️
May 5, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Fourth consecutive year covering one of my personal favorite film fests. Let's go, Tribeca Festival. 📽️✍️
We did it, gang.
I'm 10 years sober today.
I'm 10 years sober today.
April 28, 2025 at 10:23 AM
We did it, gang.
I'm 10 years sober today.
I'm 10 years sober today.
Reader, I've just watched an imperfect, challenging, and laborious film today—and my first 5-star movie of 2025.
April 19, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Reader, I've just watched an imperfect, challenging, and laborious film today—and my first 5-star movie of 2025.
National Artist and Philippine icon, Nora Aunor ("Himala," "Bona"), has died at the age of 71.
Farewell to one of the greatest actors who ever graced the movie screen.
Farewell to one of the greatest actors who ever graced the movie screen.
April 16, 2025 at 3:45 PM
National Artist and Philippine icon, Nora Aunor ("Himala," "Bona"), has died at the age of 71.
Farewell to one of the greatest actors who ever graced the movie screen.
Farewell to one of the greatest actors who ever graced the movie screen.
Today's film screening at the office, featuring the High School Musical movies:
Work friend: "oh that song played in our school prom!"
Me, getting bitch-slapped by age-related reality check in real time:
Work friend: "oh that song played in our school prom!"
Me, getting bitch-slapped by age-related reality check in real time:
April 15, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Today's film screening at the office, featuring the High School Musical movies:
Work friend: "oh that song played in our school prom!"
Me, getting bitch-slapped by age-related reality check in real time:
Work friend: "oh that song played in our school prom!"
Me, getting bitch-slapped by age-related reality check in real time:
Late to the party, but yeah. Disney’s latest live-action remake is many things.
“The fairest of them all” is not one of them.
'Snow White' Review: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who Asked for This at All? open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
“The fairest of them all” is not one of them.
'Snow White' Review: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who Asked for This at All? open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
'Snow White' Review: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who Asked for This at All?
Disney’s latest live-action remake, 'Snow White', is many things. “The fairest of them all” is not one of them.
open.substack.com
March 28, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Late to the party, but yeah. Disney’s latest live-action remake is many things.
“The fairest of them all” is not one of them.
'Snow White' Review: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who Asked for This at All? open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
“The fairest of them all” is not one of them.
'Snow White' Review: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who Asked for This at All? open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
Reposted by Paul Enicola
THE NAMESAKE "doesn’t demand attention through spectacle or sentimentality; instead, it lingers in the small details."
Continuing our #MiraNair retrospective, @paulenicola.bsky.social considers identity and diaspora in the 2006 film starring Kal Penn and Irrfan Khan: https://buff.ly/3QicQcD
Continuing our #MiraNair retrospective, @paulenicola.bsky.social considers identity and diaspora in the 2006 film starring Kal Penn and Irrfan Khan: https://buff.ly/3QicQcD
February 16, 2025 at 3:00 PM
THE NAMESAKE "doesn’t demand attention through spectacle or sentimentality; instead, it lingers in the small details."
Continuing our #MiraNair retrospective, @paulenicola.bsky.social considers identity and diaspora in the 2006 film starring Kal Penn and Irrfan Khan: https://buff.ly/3QicQcD
Continuing our #MiraNair retrospective, @paulenicola.bsky.social considers identity and diaspora in the 2006 film starring Kal Penn and Irrfan Khan: https://buff.ly/3QicQcD
Ever since I began listing my top films of the year back in 2008 (with The Dark Knight), 2024 marks the first time that my top pick, All We Imagine as Light, didn’t receive a single nomination at the #Oscars.💔
January 23, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Ever since I began listing my top films of the year back in 2008 (with The Dark Knight), 2024 marks the first time that my top pick, All We Imagine as Light, didn’t receive a single nomination at the #Oscars.💔
To those doubting whether Tom Holland is up to the task of top-billing Christopher Nolan's upcoming film The Odyssey, it’s clear that many of you haven’t watched The Impossible, and it shows.
a young boy with curly hair is sitting at a table with his arm outstretched and looking at the camera .
ALT: a young boy with curly hair is sitting at a table with his arm outstretched and looking at the camera .
media.tenor.com
January 22, 2025 at 7:53 AM
To those doubting whether Tom Holland is up to the task of top-billing Christopher Nolan's upcoming film The Odyssey, it’s clear that many of you haven’t watched The Impossible, and it shows.
I'll be covering one of my favorite film fests,
#SBIFF, for the third consecutive year this coming February. Excited for all the underrated and hidden gems the festival has to offer. ♥️📽️
#SBIFF, for the third consecutive year this coming February. Excited for all the underrated and hidden gems the festival has to offer. ♥️📽️
January 22, 2025 at 3:02 AM
I'll be covering one of my favorite film fests,
#SBIFF, for the third consecutive year this coming February. Excited for all the underrated and hidden gems the festival has to offer. ♥️📽️
#SBIFF, for the third consecutive year this coming February. Excited for all the underrated and hidden gems the festival has to offer. ♥️📽️
Remember when Cord Jefferson said in his acceptance speech at the Oscars that "instead of making one $200 million movie, try making twenty $10 million movies. Or fifty $4 million movies"? The Brutalist is THAT one $10 million movie.
January 12, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Remember when Cord Jefferson said in his acceptance speech at the Oscars that "instead of making one $200 million movie, try making twenty $10 million movies. Or fifty $4 million movies"? The Brutalist is THAT one $10 million movie.
In a year of pure cinematic excellence, world cinema reigned supreme.
Here are my top 10 films of 2024.
open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
Here are my top 10 films of 2024.
open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
Stories Without Borders: The Top 10 Films of 2024
In a year of pure cinematic excellence, world cinema reigned supreme.
open.substack.com
January 7, 2025 at 4:31 PM
In a year of pure cinematic excellence, world cinema reigned supreme.
Here are my top 10 films of 2024.
open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
Here are my top 10 films of 2024.
open.substack.com/pub/paulenic...
I can't remember the last time I really went digging through thrift shops for secondhand books—you know, the kind where you practically bend over or lie on the floor, searching for books tucked away in corners, courtesy of fellow book lovers who’ve hidden them to come back for later.
Until today.
Until today.
December 19, 2024 at 2:49 PM
I can't remember the last time I really went digging through thrift shops for secondhand books—you know, the kind where you practically bend over or lie on the floor, searching for books tucked away in corners, courtesy of fellow book lovers who’ve hidden them to come back for later.
Until today.
Until today.
It leans unapologetically into mawkish territory, but HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS BEFORE GRANDMA DIES does so with much sincerity. This is a tender melodrama that truly works, only because it is done right. My review of #หลานม่า, opening in the UK on Dec 26. #Filmsky
www.themoviebuff.net/2024/10/how-...
www.themoviebuff.net/2024/10/how-...
'How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies' Review (2024) | The Movie Buff
Looking for an in-depth review of Pat Boonnitipat's 'How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies'? The Movie Buff is your source for reviews, news, content, and more!
www.themoviebuff.net
December 17, 2024 at 3:40 PM
It leans unapologetically into mawkish territory, but HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS BEFORE GRANDMA DIES does so with much sincerity. This is a tender melodrama that truly works, only because it is done right. My review of #หลานม่า, opening in the UK on Dec 26. #Filmsky
www.themoviebuff.net/2024/10/how-...
www.themoviebuff.net/2024/10/how-...