Kambole Campbell

Kambole Campbell is a freelance critic based in London, with work appearing in Empire Magazine, Sight and Sound, Little White Lies, The Independent, The Guardian, Hyperallergic and Polygon.

All articles by Kambole Campbell

Reviews

Ainu Puri: a watchful tribute to the traditions of Japan’s indigenous Ainu community

Director Fukunaga Takeshi’s quietly moving documentary follows an Ainu man his family as they balance indigenous traditions with modern living on the island of Hokkaido.

By Kambole Campbell

Ainu Puri: a watchful tribute to the traditions of Japan’s indigenous Ainu community

Festivals

11 Rebels: long, bloody and uncompromising samurai action cinema

By Kambole Campbell

11 Rebels: long, bloody and uncompromising samurai action cinema

Festivals

Ghost Cat Anzu: a freewheeling anime adventure

By Kambole Campbell

Ghost Cat Anzu: a freewheeling anime adventure

Lists

A great action film for every year, 1924 to now

By Henry Barnes, Anton Bitel and others

A great action film for every year, 1924 to now

Reviews

Milisuthando: a personal interrogation into the lingering horrors of South African apartheid

By Kambole Campbell

Milisuthando: a personal interrogation into the lingering horrors of South African apartheid

Reviews

Flow: charming animal odyssey turns its limited resources into strengths

By Kambole Campbell

Flow: charming animal odyssey turns its limited resources into strengths

Reviews

The Kitchen: ambitious London sci-fi sends an important message about the devastating impact of aggressive regeneration

By Kambole Campbell

The Kitchen: ambitious London sci-fi sends an important message about the devastating impact of aggressive regeneration

Reviews

Goodbye, Don Glees!: a bittersweet anime that leans heavily into schmaltz

By Kambole Campbell

Goodbye, Don Glees!: a bittersweet anime that leans heavily into schmaltz

Reviews

Vesper: a weak script hampers an otherwise brilliantly realised sci-fi dystopia

By Kambole Campbell

Vesper: a weak script hampers an otherwise brilliantly realised sci-fi dystopia

Festivals

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman: Murakami Haruki gets the animation treatment

By Kambole Campbell

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman: Murakami Haruki gets the animation treatment

Reviews

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey sees Samuel L. Jackson deliver his most vulnerable performance in years

By Kambole Campbell

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey sees Samuel L. Jackson deliver his most vulnerable performance in years

Where to begin

Where to begin with Masaaki Yuasa

By Kambole Campbell

Where to begin with Masaaki Yuasa

Where to begin

Where to begin with FromSoftware

By Kambole Campbell

Where to begin with FromSoftware

Reviews

EAMI is a lyrical tribute to an indigenous Paraguayan community under threat

By Kambole Campbell

EAMI is a lyrical tribute to an indigenous Paraguayan community under threat

Lists

Go west: 8 Japanese classics and the western films inspired by them

By Kambole Campbell

Go west: 8 Japanese classics and the western films inspired by them

Features

A year of lockdown: the screen culture that got us through it

By Henry Barnes, Whelan Barzey and others

A year of lockdown: the screen culture that got us through it

Features

Wong Kar Wai’s needle-drops: a journey through his melancholic soundscapes

By Kambole Campbell

Wong Kar Wai’s needle-drops: a journey through his melancholic soundscapes

Festivals

Rotterdam round-up: the best of the 2021 IFFR

By Kambole Campbell

Rotterdam round-up: the best of the 2021 IFFR

Best of 2020

Mogul Mowgli confronts Riz Ahmed’s rapper’s battle of the soul

By Kambole Campbell

Mogul Mowgli confronts Riz Ahmed’s rapper’s battle of the soul

Reviews

Mulan review: live-action Disney remake feels more retrograde than the original

By Kambole Campbell

Mulan review: live-action Disney remake feels more retrograde than the original

Lists

50 key anime films

By Nick Bradshaw, Darren Ashmore and others

50 key anime films

Videos

Critics’ talk: an introduction to anime (for BFI at Home)

By Michael Leader, Kambole Campbell and others

Critics’ talk: an introduction to anime (for BFI at Home)

Features

Family guy: the anime worlds of Mamoru Hosoda

By Kambole Campbell

Family guy: the anime worlds of Mamoru Hosoda

Interviews

How we animated Luis Buñuel – The making of Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles

By Kambole Campbell

How we animated Luis Buñuel – The making of Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles

Lists

The best Japanese film of every year – from 1925 to now

By Alejandra Armendáriz-Hernández, Kambole Campbell and others

The best Japanese film of every year – from 1925 to now

Where to begin

Where to begin with Studio Ghibli

By Kambole Campbell

Where to begin with Studio Ghibli

Lists

The best musical of every year – from the dawn of sound to the rise of the jukebox musical

By Grace Barber-Plentie, Kambole Campbell and others

The best musical of every year – from the dawn of sound to the rise of the jukebox musical

Reviews

Dolemite Is My Name: Eddie Murphy stars in a bawdy biopic of Rudy Ray Moore

By Kambole Campbell

Dolemite Is My Name: Eddie Murphy stars in a bawdy biopic of Rudy Ray Moore

Reviews

Just Mercy first look: Michael B Jordan leads a legal rescue drama on the front lines of death row

By Kambole Campbell

Just Mercy first look: Michael B Jordan leads a legal rescue drama on the front lines of death row

Reviews

37 Seconds first look: debut filmmaker Hikari looks at desire and discrimination with compassion

By Kambole Campbell

37 Seconds first look: debut filmmaker Hikari looks at desire and discrimination with compassion