Monthly Archives: February 2016

The Dressmaker (2015) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): She’s back in the town – with a sewing machine

Posted on February 14, 2016 by kaist455

Australian film “The Dressmaker” is mildly entertaining as it tries to stitch different patches together for dressing up its comic revenge story. The overall result is not that satisfying, but it is not wholly without fun and charm thanks to … Continue reading →

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Affliction (1997) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A cold but harrowing mediation on domestic violence

Posted on February 12, 2016 by kaist455

The hero of “Affliction” knows how messy his life has been, but he tragically lacks the perspective of what has made him so miserable and pathetic throughout his meager life. He wants to believes that he is a good man … Continue reading →

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A War (2015) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Inside and outside the war

Posted on February 6, 2016 by kaist455

Danish film “A War”, which was recently nominated for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, observes difficult moral matters of action and consequence from inside and outside the war. While we come to understand an impossible circumstance its hero and others … Continue reading →

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Theeb (2014) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A simple but haunting tale of a young desert boy

Posted on February 6, 2016 by kaist455

Desert is a harsh environment for any living creature. As watching those barren desert landscapes in Oscar-nominated Jordanian film “Theeb”, I wondered about how men came to live there many thousands years ago. This is a stark world where survival … Continue reading →

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What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): What happened in her life and career

Posted on February 5, 2016 by kaist455

Oscar-nominated documentary film “What Happened, Miss Simone?” gives us close, intimate glimpses into Nina Simone, a legendary American singer who was called “the High Priestess of Soul”. Even if you are unfamiliar with her career like me (full confession: I … Continue reading →

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Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): There will be more pandas

Posted on February 4, 2016 by kaist455

“Kung Fu Panda 3”, the third entry of the popular animated film franchise from Dreamwork, faithfully follows its plot formula which has been established through its two predecessors. Again, its bumbling hero must rise to the challenge when another big … Continue reading →

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Mustang (2015) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): Five sisters trapped inside their house

Posted on February 3, 2016 by kaist455

They are young and free when we see them at first, and then they suddenly find themselves trapped inside their house turned into a prison for them. “Mustang”, which was recently Oscar-nominated for Best Foreign Language Film Award, often feels … Continue reading →

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Pawn Sacrifice (2014) ☆☆(2/4): An unstable pawn of his game

Posted on February 1, 2016 by kaist455

The life of Bobby Fischer was one of those typical examples of how genius can be both blessing and curse. While being one of the most brilliant chess players during the 20th history, Fischer was also a deeply troubled man … Continue reading →

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