Tony Rayns
Tony Rayns is a film critic, commentator, festival programmer and screenwriter. He has written extensively for Sight & Sound, and its predecessor the Monthly Film Bulletin, and previously contributed to Time Out and Melody Maker.
One of the world’s leading experts on Asian cinema, he coordinated the Dragons and Tigers competition for Asian films at the Vancouver International Film Festival 1988-2006 and has provided many DVD commentaries and English subtitle translations for films from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Thailand.
He has written books about Seijun Suzuki, Wong Kar-wai and Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and has been awarded the Foreign Ministry of Japan’s Commendation for services to Japanese cinema.
Online articles
Faust Film of the month
Winner of the Golden Lion at last year’s Venice Film Festival, Alexander Sokurov’s retelling of the Faust legend finally arrives on these shores. But it’s not just the film’s hero who’s suffering from hubris, says Tony Rayns. From S&S June 2012
Where the mountain meets the street: Terayama Shuji Portrait
Poet, playwright and avant-garde filmmaker maudit, Terayama was both infamous and ubiquitous in late 60s and 70s Japan, and remains unforgettable there today. Tony Rayns recalls a legend. Web exclusive, March 2012
The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short
Lost and found
Tony Rayns welcomes the revival of a forgotten Belgian classic from the 1960s. from S&S February 2012
The Artist Review
Moving on from his OSS 117 James Bond spoofs, French entertainer Michel Hazanavicius has found novelty magic in the style and lore of silent Hollywood. Tony Rayns finds resonances in unexpected places.
from S&S January 2012
The films of 2011 Poll
In a strong year for arthouse cinema, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life emerged as the clear winner of the S&S poll of international critics’ best films of 2011, says Nick James. from S&S January 2012
Bernardo Bertolucci: Just like starting over Feature
Tony Rayns looks back at the early 1960s, when the great Italian director hit his stride and emerged from the shadow of his mentors, Pasolini and Godard.
from S&S May 2011
Essential Killing Review
Jerzy Skolimowski’s visceral study of an escaped jihadi’s struggle for survival in the Polish wilds makes a deft mix of involvement and estrangement, says Tony Rayns. from S&S April 2011
The films of 2010 Poll
The Social Network and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Remember His Past Lives head our round-up of the films and highlights of the year, as voted by 85 critics and curators. from S&S January 2011
24 City Film of the month
An unclassifiable hybrid of documentary and fiction, Jia Zhangke’s 24 City finds a telling microcosm of the transformation of China in the story of a factory relocated to make way for a shopping mall. By Tony Rayns. From S&S May 2010
AND 2009: Tropical rocket Festival report
Tony Rayns sees Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Primitive installation at the inaugural Abandon Normal Devices Festival of New Media and Digital Culture in Liverpool.
Web exclusive October 2009
Still Life Review
From S&S February 2008
Syndromes and a Century
Film of the Month
Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s new two-part film may sound more like an art installation than cinema, but the Thai director’s resonant meditation on love and misunderstanding is a pleasure to watch, says Tony Rayns. From S&S October 2007
The greatest films of all time Poll
How Tony Rayns voted in our 2002 poll.
From S&S September 2002
Charisma Express
The Innovators, 1990-2000
Tony Rayns examines the career so far of Wong Kar-Wai, director of Ashes of Time, Chungking Express and Happy Together, whose much imitated style reshaped 90s cinema.From S&S January 2000