Monthly Archives: February 2026

Rental Family (2025) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A service business of emotion

Posted on February 28, 2026 by kaist455

“Rental Family” draws your attention first with its curious story subject and then touches you more than expected. Inspired by a rather odd type of real-life service business in the Japanese society (Werner Herzog’s 2019 film “Family Romance, LLC” already … Continue reading →

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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) ☆☆☆(3/4): It will give you more hell

Posted on February 27, 2026 by kaist455

Nia DaCosta’s new film “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple”, the sequel to “28 Years Later” (2025), is a dark and brutal horror story decorated with human evil and some raging zombies. While you will surely cringe more than once … Continue reading →

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Ne Zha 2 (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A spectacular but hollow sequel

Posted on February 25, 2026 by kaist455

Chinese animation film “Ne Zha 2”, the sequel to “Ne Zha” (2019), strives to be bigger, longer, and better, but it ends up only accomplishing its first two tasks to my dissatisfaction. Thanks to its much more production budget, it … Continue reading →

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Ne Zha (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The story of a demon boy

Posted on February 24, 2026 by kaist455

2019 Chinese animation film “Ne Zha” works best when it cheerfully bounces with a vibrant sense of fun and energy during its first half. I found its mischievous little demonic hero rather endearing even though he sometimes reminds me of … Continue reading →

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Arco (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): When a boy from the future meets a girl in the past

Posted on February 22, 2026 by kaist455

Animation feature film “Arco”, which was nominated for Best Animation Film Oscar in last month, is often quite engaging for its lovely cell animation style to remember. Although it is rather thin in terms of story and characters, this notable … Continue reading →

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Sisu: Road to Revenge (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): This time, it’s personal

Posted on February 21, 2026 by kaist455

Jalmari Helander’s new film “Sisu: Road to Revenge”, the sequel to his previous film “Sisu”, is a simple but very intense action movie which is actually quite amusing from time to time. Again, our taciturn hero is going to show … Continue reading →

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Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): Things change, so they change

Posted on February 20, 2026 by kaist455

I must confess that I observed British TV drama series “Downton Abbey” as frequently going back and forth between amusement and annoyance from the beginning to the end. This is basically your average British upstairs/downstairs class drama, and I could … Continue reading →

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The Sound of Music (1965) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Still catchy anyway…

Posted on February 20, 2026 by kaist455

Robert Wise’s 1965 film “The Sound of Music” is a likable Hollywood classic musical movie filled with a number of catchy musical moments which will never leave you alone. Although it does not reach to the level of great musical … Continue reading →

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The Voice of Hind Rajab (2025) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A devastating docudrama to reckon with

Posted on February 19, 2026 by kaist455

Kaouther Ben Hania’s latest movie “The Voice of Hind Rajab”, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival and then received a Best International Film Oscar nomination in last month, is a devastating docudrama to reckon … Continue reading →

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The Smashing Machine (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): A mildly unconventional sports drama from Benny Safdie

Posted on February 18, 2026 by kaist455

Benny Safdie’s new film “The Smashing Machine” is mildly unconventional as often being deliberately subdued and anti-climactic in terms of narrative. This can be considerably frustrating to you at times, but it is somehow held together by the admirably committed … Continue reading →

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