Monthly Archives: September 2024

Will & Harper (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): On the road with his transgender friend

Netflix documentary film “Will & Harper”, which was released on last Friday, follows a little road journey of one famous American comedian and his transgender friend. Simply focusing the frank and earnest interactions between them, the documentary gives us a … Continue reading

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The Mountain (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): The Call of the Mountain

French film “The Mountain” impressed me a lot for a number of breathtaking shots to behold, but then it baffled me a lot as taking a sudden left turn in the middle of the story. While several audiences including a … Continue reading

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Band of Outsiders (1964) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): When Godard was really cool

Jean-Luc Godard was at the height of his artistic creativity when he was young and bold in the 1960s. After making a huge milestone spot in the cinema history with his great film “Breathless” (1960), he gave us a number … Continue reading

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All the Long Nights (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): As they help and support each other

Japanese filmmaker Shô Miyake’s latest film “All the Long Nights” is a calm and somber character drama between two different troubled people who come to help and support each other more than expected. Although it feels predictable at times, the … Continue reading

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A Confucian Confusion (1994) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A cheerful confusion

During last several years, I and South Korean audiences have been fortunate to watch the works of Edward Yang (1947 ~ 2007), who was one of the leading figures in the Taiwanese New Wave during the 1980s alongside Hou Hsiao-hsien … Continue reading

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Trap (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): He gets trapped…

M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film “Trap” seems willing to be trapped along with its hero for a while during its first half. As its hero tries to get away from his increasingly claustrophobic circumstance, the movie steadily dials up and … Continue reading

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The Watchers (2024) ☆☆(2/4): They are being watched…

“The Watchers” looks promising with an interesting story promise shrouded in a good mood and background. As the nervous score by Abel Korzeniowski is swirling on the soundtrack with the heroine going to some very remote area, we can clearly … Continue reading

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By the Stream (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A minor misfire from Hong Sang-soo

South Korean independent film “By the Stream”, which is another film from Hong Sang-soo during this year after “A Traveler’s Needs” (2023), sadly did not engage me much as frequently feeling rather thin and vague in terms of story and … Continue reading

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Sing Sing (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): As they prepare for another show in their prison

It is always fascinating for me to observe different people and lives via good movies, and “Sing Sing” is one of such terrific films. Although most of its main characters are quite different from me in many aspects, I observed … Continue reading

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Ghostlight (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A personal healing via art

“Ghostlight” is a modest but extraordinary human drama about the surprising healing power of art. Mainly revolving around one plain man’s struggle to understand and process his anger and grief via one unlikely artistic opportunity, the movie comes to show … Continue reading

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