Author Archives: kaist455

Queen of Chess (2026) ☆☆☆(3/4): The story of a trail-blazing female chess player

Posted on February 17, 2026 by kaist455

Netflix documentary film “Queen of Chess”, which was released on last Friday, follows the remarkable story of Judit Polgár, a Hungarian female chess grandmaster who was an exceptional trailblazer during her prime. Despite numerous obstacles including sexism, she really tried … Continue reading →

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Once We Were Us (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): Looking back at when they were in love

Posted on February 16, 2026 by kaist455

South Korean film “Once We Were Us”, which is a remake of Rene Liu’s 2018 Chinese film “Us and Then”, is an engaging variation equipped with some distinctive personality. While being mostly faithful to the plot and characters of the … Continue reading →

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Flowers of Shanghai (1998) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Distant but exquisite anyway

Posted on February 15, 2026 by kaist455

Hou Hsiao-hsien’s 1998 film “Flowers of Shanghai”, which was released in South Korean theaters in last week, often requires some patience from you for good reasons. As your average arthouse movie, it is slow, distant, and opaque in terms of … Continue reading →

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Good Morning (1959) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): They want a TV…

Posted on February 14, 2026 by kaist455

Yasujirō Ozu’s 1959 film “Good Morning”, which happens to come to South Korean theaters in this week, is often cheerfully sweet and naughty to my little amusement. While it is as gentle and humane as you can expect from Ozu, … Continue reading →

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Wuthering Heights (2026) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A cheeky but ultimately hollow adaptation

Posted on February 12, 2026 by kaist455

Emerald Fennell’s new film “Wuthering Heights”, the latest adaptation of the 1847 classic novel by Emily Brontë, attempts to be wild and cheeky, and I appreciate that to some degree although the result turns out to be hollow and superficial … Continue reading →

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Humint (2026) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A slick but bland genre product

Posted on February 12, 2026 by kaist455

South Korean filmmaker Ryoo Seung-wan’s latest film “Humint” is a slick but deficient genre product. While there are a number of well-executed scenes to entertain us, the movie also feels a bit too trite and bland in terms of storytelling … Continue reading →

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Marty Supreme (2025) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Timothée Supreme 

Posted on February 11, 2026 by kaist455

Josh Safdie’s new film “Marty Supreme” is an ambitious mix between absurd comedy and intense sports drama. Quite willing to go all the way along with its increasingly obnoxious and incorrigible hero during its rather long running time (150 minutes), … Continue reading →

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Hamnet (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): Shakespeare in Grief

Posted on February 10, 2026 by kaist455

Chloé Zhao’s latest film “Hamlet”, which received the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in last year and then recently garnered 8 Oscar nominations including the ones for Best Picture and Best Director, is a curious mix … Continue reading →

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Song Sung Blue (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The story of a singing couple

Posted on February 10, 2026 by kaist455

Craig Brewer’s latest film “Song Sung Blue” is a bit too conventional to my little disappointment. Probably because I am already familiar with its dramatic real-life story, the movie often felt to me like being no more than a merely … Continue reading →

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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The end of an ambitious trilogy

Posted on February 9, 2026 by kaist455

Peter Jackson’s 2003 film “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”, which was re-released in selected South Korean theaters a few weeks ago, did almost everything it was expected to do as the end of its ambitious … Continue reading →

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