Yearly Archives: 2018

A Long Farewell (2017) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): Farewell to one old apartment complex area

Apartment complexes were an important part of my childhood life during the 1980-90s. As I and my family often moved from one apartment complex to another one, I always looked at those big buildings with wonder and curiosity, and I … Continue reading

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Ode to the Goose (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Ode to Gunsan

The works of Zhang Lü, who drew my attention for the first time with “Dooman River” (2011), always have a palpable sense of people and locations. While “Dooman River” immersed us into the realistic daily life of Korean Chinese characters … Continue reading

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Call Me Lucky (2015) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Meet Barry Crimmins

Documentary film “Call Me Lucky” presents a talented and passionate comedian who was also a complex and compelling human being. While it is engaging to observe the considerable talent and spirit of this rather obscure comedian, the documentary also powerfully … Continue reading

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Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Here they sing and dance again

“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is better than I expected, and that is a little surprise for me. Yes, this is your typical jukebox musical movie just like its predecessor, but it is somehow less tiresome in comparison as … Continue reading

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Halloween (2018) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): He’s back – but she’s quite ready this time

As I sat for watching David Gordon Green’s new film “Halloween”, I was ready to be scared and thrilled, but I only found myself disappointed in the end. Although the movie is certainly well-made with some interesting elements to notice, … Continue reading

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The Other Side of the Wind (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Now here comes his last completed film

I feel rather ambivalent about “The Other Side of the Wind”, Orson Welles’ last completed film which was finally released on Netflix this Friday. While I am not so sure about whether it is as successful as intended, I observed … Continue reading

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They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): On Welles’ last completed film

As many of you know, Orson Welles’ filmmaking career was full of frustrations and disappointments. Although he drew lots of attention when he made his first feature film “Citizen Kane” (1941), it took many years for that film to be … Continue reading

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Intimate Strangers (2018) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A dinner game gone wrong

South Korean “Intimate Strangers” is an amusing comedy film about secrets and lies exposed via a dinner game gone wrong. As cheerfully pushing its main characters into more troubles and embarrassments, the movie generates a number of humorous moments which … Continue reading

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Shirkers (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): In search of a stolen movie

Netflix documentary film “Shirkers”, which won World Cinema Documentary Director Award at the Sundance Film Festival early in this year, is a vivid, compelling collection of personal memories surrounding one small stolen film. As following a dramatic quest revolving around … Continue reading

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Crazy Rich Asians (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): When she meets his crazy rich family

“Crazy Rich Asians” is a conventional romantic comedy film cheerfully flaunting many clichés and stereotypes with some fresh air of change. Although its story and characters are not so far from your average Asian TV soap drama, the movie distinguishes … Continue reading

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