Monthly Archives: July 2025

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): A simple but indelible country fantasy tale

Posted on July 21, 2025 by kaist455

As revisiting Hayao Miyazaki’s classic animation film “My Neighbor Totoro” (1988), I observed again how plainly simple it is in terms of story and characters. The story can be just described as a series of episodic childhood moments unfolded in … Continue reading →

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Misericordia (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Stuck in absurd predicament

Posted on July 20, 2025 by kaist455

Alain Guiraudie’s latest film “Misericordia” is a wry comedy thriller which has some naughty fun behind its back as steadily maintaining its deadpan attitude to its hero’s absurd predicament. No matter how much he tries in one way or another, … Continue reading →

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The Balconettes (2024) ☆☆(2/4): An uneven and messy female genre mix

Posted on July 19, 2025 by kaist455

Noémie Merlant’s second feature film “The Balconettes” is uneven at best and messy at worst. The movie tries really hard to balance itself among comedy, drama, thriller, and horror, but the overall result is often too jarring and incoherent to … Continue reading →

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Swallowtail Butterfly (1996) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Yentown stories

Posted on July 19, 2025 by kaist455

Shunji Iwai’s 1996 film “Swallowtail Butterfly”, which happens to be re-released in South Korean theaters in this week, alternatively frustrated and fascinated me. While I admired its style and ambition, I could not care that much due to its broad … Continue reading →

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M3GAN 2.0 (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): She is back – and upgraded

Posted on July 18, 2025 by kaist455

“M3GAN 2.0” tries to surpass its predecessor, but its upgrade is a bit less fun to my little dissatisfaction. While its titular character gives us some naughty entertainment as expected, the movie is no more than a conventional genre variation … Continue reading →

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The Lady in the Van (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): His eccentric homeless neighbor

Posted on July 17, 2025 by kaist455

Maggie Smith, who sadly died in last year, was always a pleasure to watch for many years. Yes, she has been mainly known for her supporting performances in those Harry Potter movies and the acclaimed British TV series “Downton Abbey”, … Continue reading →

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Temple Grandin (2010) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Different, Not Less

Posted on July 15, 2025 by kaist455

I have a personal soft spot for Mick Jackson’s 2010 HBO TV movie “Temple Grandin”, a deeply empathic drama about the remarkable life and career of Dr. Temple Grandin. Despite being on the autistic spectrum, Dr. Grandin became a respectable … Continue reading →

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You Don’t Know Jack (2010) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): He cared a lot

Posted on July 15, 2025 by kaist455

Barry Levinson’s 2010 HBO TV movie “You Don’t Know Jack” observes the legal troubles of Jack Kevorkian (1928 ~ 2011), an American pathologist who became quite controversial as a prominent euthanasia proponent during the 1990s. As sticking to its somber … Continue reading →

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Shiri (1999) ☆☆(2/4): A seriously dated South Korean blockbuster

Posted on July 14, 2025 by kaist455

I wonder how I would have responded to the 1999 South Korean film “Shiri” if I had watched it 26 years ago. I did not feel any particular need to watch it mainly because I was unfortunately exposed to its … Continue reading →

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Spring Night (2024) ☆☆(2/4): Misery loves company…

Posted on July 12, 2025 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “Spring Night” is often frustrating for its dry and austere storytelling which does not add much on its barebone narrative. This is a simple story about two miserable people who somehow choose to live together, and … Continue reading →

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