Ken and Robin Consume Media: Backrooms, The Furious, and One of Korea’s Robin Hoods
June 16th, 2026 | Robin
Recommended
Backrooms (Film, US, Kane Parsons, 2026) Failed architect Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) phases into an eerie yellow liminal space beside his furniture store’s basement and the creepery commences. Renate Reinsve enlivens a tricky role as Clark’s baggage-laden therapist, and the “follow these characters’ linear path through a series of increasingly unnerving sets” storyline relies strongly on her and Ejiofor’s sheer believability. You can occasionally sense the script and scope threatening to escape directorial control, but those swerves often bring their own frisson. And hey, it’s Parsons’ first feature film.—KH
The French Conspiracy (Film, France, Yves Boisset, 1972) Burned out activist (Jean-Louis Trintignant) becomes a pawn in a Deuxieme Bureau scheme to lure an exiled Algerian resistance leader (Gian Maria Volonte) onto French soil. Paranoid spy thriller with a stacked cast and more actual geopolitics than the genre usually admits.—RDL
The Furious (Film, Hong Kong/US, Kenji Tanigaki, 2026) Mute repairman Wei (Miao Xie) and investigator Navin (Joe Taslim) team up to rescue loved ones from evil human traffickers in not-Bangkok. Although Taslim’s dogged charm remains intact, and up-and-comer Brian Le stuns in a “biggest henchman” role, the real standout is Tanigaki’s collaboration with action choreographer Kensuke Sonomura. Together, they create a symphony of bone-crunching battles featuring whole new ways to dodge, hit, weave, and climb in combat. Not quite best of breed, but hey, it’s Tanigaki’s first feature film.—KH
The Furious (Film, Hong Kong, Kenji Tanigaki, 2026) In his effort to rescue his preteen daughter from human traffickers, a mute handyman (Miao Xie) teams with an equally fight-capable independent investigator (Joe Taslim) searching for his missing reporter wife. In his first feature as helmer, the most exciting action director working today delivers complex, crunching battles in a style adding MMA moves to restrained wirework. HK cinema fans will remember the lead from his scrappy kung fu kid roles in such 90s classics as My Father Is a Hero and The New Legend of Shaolin.—RDL
Lim Kkeok-jeong (Film, South Korea, Yu Hyun-mok, 1961) While ass-kicking the minions of a corrupt mayor, a heroic bandit discovers the righteousness of his daughter. Period adventure epic about Korea’s real-life 16th century Robin Hood equivalent was considered a lost film until a print was found in the Library of Congress and restored by the Korean Film Archive.—RDL
One of Them Days (Film, US, Lawrence Lamont, 2025) When the latter’s sponging boyfriend absconds with their rent money, together Dreux (Keke Palmer) and flaky Alyssa (SZA) quest through South L.A. to replace it. Affirming portrait of a community built around a chaotic buddy comedy.—RDL
Okay
The Law According to Lidia Poët Season 3 (Television, Italy, Netflix, Guido Iuculano and Davide Orsini, 2026) Lidia puts her brother’s political career in jeopardy by browbeating him into defending a friend who killed her abusive husband. To its detriment the show’s final season adopts a serialized structure, giving perfunctory treatment to its cases of the week.—RDL
