Category: Cha Review of Books and Films
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Tammy Lai-Ming Ho’s If I Do Not Reply Is Poetry, Gentle Irony and Defiance” by Cyril Camus Click HERE to read all entries in Cha on If I Do Not Reply. Tammy Lai-Ming Ho, If…
![[ESSAY] “Tammy Lai-Ming Ho’s πΌπ πΌ π·π πππ‘ π
ππππ¦ Is Poetry, Gentle Irony and Defiance” by Cyril Camus](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/tammy-lai-ming-ho-2026.png?w=952)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βHong Kong, Cantopop and the Memory of Home: Emma-Lee Mossβs My Cantopop Nightsβ by Susan Blumberg-Kason Emma-Lee Moss. My Cantopop Nights: A Memoir in Songs. Jonathan Cape, 2026. 352 pgs. The…
![[REVIEW] “Hong Kong, Cantopop and the Memory of Home: Emma-Lee MossβsΒ ππ¦ πΆπππ‘ππππ πππβπ‘π ” by Susan Blumberg-Kason](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/emma-lee-moss.-my-cantopop-nights-a-memoir-in-songs.png?w=1009)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Picked Up by Wingtips: Tammy Lai-Ming Ho’s Hula Hooping” by Jonathan Han Tammy Lai-Ming Ho. Hula Hooping, Chameleon Press, 2015. 108 pgs. Tammy Lai-Ming Ho at the launch of Hula…
![[REVIEW] “Picked Up by Wingtips: Tammy Lai-Ming Hoβs π»π’ππ π»ππππππ” by Jonathan Han](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/hh1.jpg?w=900)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βBeyond the Activist: Discovering the Man Behind Katski FloresβsΒ Edjopβ by Bryan Elijah Trajano Katski Flores (director). Edjop, 2026. 122 min. Martial Law remains one of the darkest chapters in Philippine…
![[REVIEW] βBeyond the Activist: Discovering the Man Behind Katski FloresβsΒ πΈππππβ by Bryan Elijah Trajano](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ering-the-man-behind-katski-floress-edjop-1.jpeg?w=495)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Up Close, A Portrait” by Jose P. Mojica The face serves as the most recognisable feature of an individual. It captures oneβs expressions and character, revealing a persona even without…
![[REVIEW] “Up Close, A Portrait” by Jose P. Mojica](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/https-blanc.phexhibitsgallery-3a-patch-a-portrait.jpg?w=768)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Witness and Knowledge: Reading Victoria Changβs Trees” by Anna Nguyen Also read Anna Nguyen’s reivew ofIldikΓ³ Enyediβs Silent Friend π» Victoria Chang. The Trees Witness Everything, Copper Canyon Press, 2022. 125…
![[REVIEW] “Witness and Knowledge: Reading Victoria Changβs Trees” by Anna Nguyen](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/victoria-chang-cha.png?w=724)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] “Asian Pirates? In a Musical?” by Shanon Shah Zhui Ning Chang (director). Asian Pirate Musical, Upstairs at the Gatehouse, 28 Julyβ2 August 2026. I have always been drawn to people…
![[ESSAY] “Asian πππππ‘ππ ? In a ππ’π ππππ?” by Shanon Shah](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/asian-pirate-musical-2.png?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “The Everyday Kindness of Sho Miyake’s All the Long Nights” by Sam Yu Wing Chan Sho Miyake (director). All The Long Nights, 2024. 119 min. As all the long nights screen,the…
![[REVIEW] “The Everyday Kindness of Sho Miyake’s π΄ππ π‘βπ πΏπππ πππβπ‘π ” by SamΒ Yu Wing Chan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/all-the-long-nights.jpeg?w=375)
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[ESSAY] “The Unstuck City: Dorothy Tse’s City Like Water” by Luca Griseri Click HERE to read all entries in Chaon City Like Water. Dorothy Tse (author), Natascha Bruce (translator). City Like Water, Graywolf Press, 2026. 112 pgs. The novel resembles a dΓ©collage precisely because…
![[ESSAY] “The Unstuck City: Dorothy Tse’s πΆππ‘π¦ πΏπππ πππ‘ππ” by Luca Griseri](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/city-like-water-dorothy-tse-cha-an-asian-literary-journal.jpg?w=1000)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “From Korean Nostalgia to Filipino Gunita: Jalz Zarateβs Sunny” by Bryan Elijah Trajano Jalz Zarate (director). Sunny, 2024. 122 min. Sunny (2011), directed by Kang Hyoung-chul, has been one of…
![[REVIEW] “From Korean Nostalgia to Filipino Gunita: Jalz Zarateβs ππ’ππ𦔠by Bryan Elijah Trajano](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/jalz-zarate-sunny.png?w=958)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] “Singing in Hiragana: On The Chronicles of Japan” by Mario Rustan All entries in Chaon The Chronicles of Japan Matthieu Felt (translator). The Chronicles of JapanβVolume I: Age of the…
![[ESSAY] “Singing in Hiragana: On πβπ πΆβππππππππ ππ π½ππππ” by Mario Rustan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/71mw8p3wrll._sl1500_.jpg?w=993)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βFathers Arenβt Mountains: A Closer Look at Buddhisagarβs Karnali Bluesβ by Abhinav Tulachan Buddhisagar (author), Michael Hutt (translator). Karnali Blues, Penguin Random House, 2022. 422 pgs. What role does a…
![[REVIEW] βFathers Arenβt Mountains: A Closer Look at Buddhisagarβs πΎππππππ π΅ππ’ππ β by Abhinav Tulachan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/buddhisagar-author-michael-hutt-translator.-karnali-blues-.png?w=970)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] “Tony Leung in the Cinema: Between Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur” by Liew KH Tony Leung WKW went to Bangkok to film In the Mood for Love because there was…
![[ESSAY] “Tony Leung in the Cinema: Between Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur” by Liew KH](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/images-1.jpeg?w=387)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] “Reading Cinema Beyond Geopolitics: Rey Chowβs Sentimental Fabulations, Contemporary Chinese Films” by Jessica Morris Rey Chow. Sentimental Fabulations, Contemporary Chinese Films: Attachment in the Age of Global Visibility, Columbia University…
![[ESSAY] “Reading Cinema Beyond Geopolitics: Rey Chowβs ππππ‘πππππ‘ππ πΉπππ’πππ‘ππππ , πΆπππ‘ππππππππ¦ πΆβππππ π πΉππππ ” by Jessica Morris](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/sentimental-fabulations-contemporary-chinese-films-attachment-in-the-age-of-global-visibility.jpg?w=455)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Theory after Academia: The Frenchmen, A Loverβs Discourse, and the Return to Everyday Life” by Anna Nguyen β Emily Eakin. The Frenchmen: Or, My Life in Theory. Penguin, 2026. 496…
![[REVIEW] “Theory after Academia: πβπ πΉππππβπππ, π΄ πΏππ£ππβπ π·ππ πππ’ππ π, and the Return to Everyday Life” by Anna Nguyen](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/theory-after-academia-cha.png?w=895)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Jiang Qing, Power, and Historical Vilification: MarΓa Teresa Ogliastri’s From the Diary of Madame Mao” by Jennifer Eagleton All entries in Cha on Madame Mao. MarΓa Teresa Ogliastri (author), Yvette…
![[REVIEW] “Jiang Qing, Power, and Historical Vilification: MarΓa Teresa Ogliastri’s πΉπππ π‘βπ π·ππππ¦ ππ ππππππ πππ” by Jennifer Eagleton](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/from-the-diary-of-madame-mao.jpg?w=971)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Unfortunately, I Return to Panahon: Glenn Baritβs Cleaners and the Materiality of Memory” by Richell Isaiah Flores Glenn Barit (director). Cleaners, 2019. 79 min. Critical for me is the word…
![[REVIEW] “Unfortunately, I Return to ππππβππ: Glenn Baritβs πΆπππππππ and the Materiality of Memory” by Richell Isaiah Flores](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/glenn-barit-director.-cleaners-1.jpg?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Mapping Belonging in Sonia Bahlβs Eighteen Inches Apart” by Namrata Sonia Bahl. Eighteen Inches Apart, Fingerprint, 2026. 362 pgs. In Eighteen Inches Apart, Sonia Bahl turns to the fleeting encounters…
![[REVIEW] “Mapping Belonging in Sonia Bahlβs πΈππβπ‘πππ πΌππβππ π΄ππππ‘” by Namrata](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/eighteen-inches-apart-by-sonia-bahl.jpg?w=944)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βConan, A Barbarian: Inside Bulong, the Filipino Obsessionβ by William Carlo Antonio Sanchez β Chito S. RoΓ±o (director). Bulong, 2011. 105 min.β Curry Barker (director). Obsession, 2025. 100 min. Curry…
![[REVIEW] βConan, A Barbarian: Inside π΅π’ππππ, the Filipino πππ ππ π πππβ by William Carlo Antonio Sanchez](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/bulong-2011-and-obsession-2025.png?w=940)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βRevisiting Farewell My Concubine: Is Devotion Enough to Keep Art Alive?β by Stella Kwok Chen Kaige (director). Farewell My Concubine, 1993. 172 min. Like everyone in the audience, I was…
![[REVIEW] βRevisiting πΉππππ€πππ ππ¦ πΆππππ’ππππ: Is Devotion Enough to Keep Art Alive?β by Stella Kwok](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/images.jpeg?w=546)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “The Body Remade: On Sarah Wangβs New Skin” by Kailee Haong Ellis Sarah Wang. New Skin, Little, Brown and Company, 2026. 448 pgs. “Body horror” receives a new definition in…
![[REVIEW] “The Body Remade: On Sarah Wangβs πππ€ ππππ” by Kailee Haong Ellis](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sarah-wang.-new-skin-.jpg?w=993)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] “The Ecstasy of Love: The Precarious Line Between Reality and Illusion in Kiwi Chow’s Beyond the Dream” by Hilda Wong Kiwi Chow (director). Beyond the Dream, 2019. 120 min. Is…
![[ESSAY] “The Ecstasy of Love: The Precarious Line Between Reality and Illusion in Kiwi Chow’s π΅ππ¦πππ π‘βπ π·ππππ” by Hilda Wong](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/beyond-the-dream.webp?w=750)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “The Weight of Change: Shuang Xuetaoβs Hunter” by Seiya Tanase All things Jeremy Tiang in Cha. Shuang Xuetao (author), Jeremy Tiang (translator). Hunter, Granta Books, 2025. 288 pgs. In a…
![[REVIEW] “The Weight of Change: Shuang Xuetaoβs π»π’ππ‘ππ” by Seiya Tanase](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/shuang-xuetao-author-jeremy-tiang-translator.-hunter-granta-books.jpg?w=977)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] “Scattered Thoughts and Admiration for Her Name Upon the Strand and Other Tammythings: A Partial Retrospective” by Cyril Camus Click here to read all entries in Chaon An Extraterrestrial π»…
![[ESSAY] “Scattered Thoughts and Admiration for π»ππ ππππ ππππ π‘βπ ππ‘ππππ and Other Tammythings: A Partial Retrospective” by Cyril Camus](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/books-by-tammy-lai-miing-ho.png?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Hearing the Pandemic: Sound, State, and Care in Christina Schwenkel’s Sonic Socialism” by Hantian Zhang Christina Schwenkel. Sonic Socialism: Crisis and Care in Pandemic Hanoi, University of California Press, 2025.…
![[REVIEW] “Hearing the Pandemic: Sound, State, and Care in Christina Schwenkel’s πππππ ππππππππ π” by Hantian Zhang](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sonic-socialism-crisis-and-care-in-pandemic-hanoi-university-of-california-press-.jpg?w=1000)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] “Kore-eda Does Not Direct Life and Death” by Laurehl Onyx B. Cabiles Hirokazu Kore-eda (director). After Life, 1998. 112 min. Every time I say that I am from Carmen, people…
![[ESSAY] “Kore-eda Does Not Direct Life and Death” by Laurehl Onyx B. Cabiles](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/after-life-directed-by-hirokazu-kore-eda.jpg?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Many Hong Kongs: Xu Xiβs Horizon Hong Kong” by Rebekah Chan ClickΒ HERE to readΒ all entries inΒ Cha onΒ Horizon Hong Kong. Xu Xi. Horizon Hong Kong: Selected Stories, Gaudy Boy, 2026. 288…
![[REVIEW] “Many Hong Kongs: Xu Xiβs π»ππππ§ππ π»πππ πΎπππ” by Rebekah Chan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/horizonhongkong122925.webp?w=1000)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “How beautiful will be the feet, of the one who comes to announce my death to me”: Patrick HollandβsΒ OblivionΒ as “inchoate place on the shores of Oblivion and Mnemosyne”Β by Jason S…
![[REVIEW] “How beautiful will be the feet, of the one who comes to announce my death to me”: Patrick HollandβsΒ πππππ£πππΒ as “inchoate place on the shores of Oblivion and Mnemosyne” by Jason S Polley](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/patrick-hollands-oblivion.jpg?w=998)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Never Finish Making Refuge: Mai-Linh Hongβs Continental Drift” by Anna Nguyen Click HERE to read all entrieson Continental Drift. Mai-Linh Hong. Continental Drift, Trio House Press, 2026. 108 pgs. There…
![[REVIEW] “Never Finish Making Refuge: Mai-Linh Hongβs πΆπππ‘πππππ‘ππ π·ππππ‘” by Anna Nguyen](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/mai-linh-hong.-continental-drift.webp?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βRiver of Time: Maitreyee B. Chowdhuryβs I Walk Insteadβ by Mani Rao Maitreyee B. Chowdhury. I Walk Instead, Red River Press, 2026. Maitreyee B Chowdhury’s fifth book I Walk Instead…
![[REVIEW] βRiver of Time: Maitreyee B. Chowdhuryβs πΌ ππππ πΌππ π‘πππβ by Mani Rao](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/maitreyee-b.-chowdhury.-i-walk-instead-red-river-press-2026.jpg?w=871)
Cha 