Monthly Archives: April 2023

Ghost World (2001) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A quirky girl and her unexpected friend

I am fascinated with how Terry Zwigoff’s “Ghost World” has grown on me since I watched it for the first time around 15 years ago. At that time, I was a graduate student who was socially awkward but had been … Continue reading

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On the Sand House (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Now she is stuck with her family business…

South Korean independent film “On the Sand House” is a modest but sensitive character drama about one deeply frustrated young woman. It is clear that she has yearned to get out of her world for restarting her life as soon … Continue reading

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Archaeology of Love (2022) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Recovering from a toxic relationship

South Korean independent film “Archaeology of Love” is a haunting character drama revolving around one toxic relationship and its aftermath. As dryly but sensitively observing its ordinary heroine’s emotional struggle along the story, the movie lets us understand and empathize … Continue reading

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In Water (2023) ☆1/2(1.5/4): In Blur (or Bullsh*t, perhaps)

When my late mentor/friend Roger Ebert was going to review Ingmar Bergman’s great film “Persona” (1966) not long after he became the film critic of Chicago Sun-Times, he did not know what to write first, but then he simply began … Continue reading

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I Leave Home (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): An unexpected journey of two different losers

South Korean independent film “I Leave Home” is about an unexpected journey of two different losers who are utterly pathetic in each own way. They are not exactly interesting enough to draw our attention, and the movie also occasionally suffers … Continue reading

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The Talent Show (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Performing for their lost children

South Korean documentary film “The Talent Show” follows the story of several mothers who happen to try a bit on acting as a part of their personal process of dealing with immense loss and heartbreak. While that shocking tragedy involved … Continue reading

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Rebound (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Rebounding from the bottom

South Korean film “Rebound” follows its conventional genre playbook fairly well while making some unexpected moves at times. As your average underdog sports drama incidentally inspired by a dramatic real-life story, it will not surprise you that much if you … Continue reading

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John Wick: Chapter 4 (2022) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): John Wick Vs. the World (Continued)

“John Wick: Chapter 4” aims for being bigger, faster, and louder with more style, vision, and excitement than its predecessors, and I appreciate and enjoy that a lot. Sure, the movie is mostly all about style and entertainment without much … Continue reading

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Air (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Betting all on Michael Jordan

Ben Affleck’s new film “Air” jumps high from one spot to another for our amusement and entertainment, and I am happy to report to you here that it succeeds magnificently. Inspired by a real-life story about how one notable sportswear … Continue reading

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I Still Miss You, Roger

Dear Roger Hello, Roger. I cannot believe it has been no less than 10 years since you passed on April 4th, 2013, and I am rather amazed by that. I thought I might stop writing about films around the end … Continue reading

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