Author Archives: kaist455

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): They’re back – with their little boss

Posted on July 23, 2022 by kaist455

Animation feature film “Minions: The Rise of Gru” entertained me more than I expected. Yes, I only mildly enjoyed “Despicable Me” (2010), its following 2013 sequel, and its spin-off entry “Minions” (2015), and I am not a big fan of … Continue reading →

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Don’t Make Me Go (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A road trip with her dad

Posted on July 18, 2022 by kaist455

“Don’t Make Me Go”, which was released on Amazon Prime in last week, is predictably sappy but fairly engaging before taking a sudden distracting left turn in the last act. While I will not go into details here for not … Continue reading →

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Persuasion (2022) ☆☆(2/4): A mediocre Jane Austen adaptation from Netflix

Posted on July 18, 2022 by kaist455

I sometimes wonder what Jane Austen would have written if she had not died not long after her last novel “Persuasion”, which is one of her moodier works in my humble opinion. While it is another story about courtship and … Continue reading →

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Gunda (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Animal life at farm

Posted on July 16, 2022 by kaist455

Documentary film “Gunda”, which is finally released in South Korean theaters in this week, gives us a seemingly plain but ultimately extraordinary look into animal life at farm. Mainly revolving around one particular sow and her piglets, the documentary has … Continue reading →

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Elvis (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Extremely excessive and incredibly superficial

Posted on July 16, 2022 by kaist455

Baz Luhrmann’s latest film “Elvis” is extremely excessive and incredibly superficial. Like many of his previous works such as “Romeo + Juliet” (1996), “Moulin Rouge!” (2001), and “The Great Gatsby” (2013), the movie is full of Luhrmann’s own dizzy stylish … Continue reading →

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Men (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): Stalked by…. men

Posted on July 12, 2022 by kaist455

Alex Garland’s latest film “Men” is deliberately disorienting and baffling with the warped reality surrounding its heroine. While we can sense from the beginning that something is not so right, the movie keeps catching us off guard via a number … Continue reading →

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Girl in the Picture (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): Who is she?

Posted on July 11, 2022 by kaist455

Netflix documentary film “Girl in the Picture”, which was released in last week, looks into one infamous criminal case which will unnerve you a lot as the documentary doles out those disturbing details of the case step by step. Although … Continue reading →

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The Sea Beast (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): How to Befriend Your Sea Beast

Posted on July 11, 2022 by kaist455

Netflix animation film “The Sea Beast” sometimes takes its time as paying some attention to its rich details and backgrounds, and I like that. While it is rather familiar in terms of story and characters, the film entertains us via … Continue reading →

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Cure (1997) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): An old creepy psychological thriller by Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Posted on July 9, 2022 by kaist455

Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 1997 film “Cure”, whose 4K restoration version is released in South Korean theaters in this week, is an unnervingly creepy and insidious masterwork to be appreciated for many good reasons. While you may be disappointed if you expect … Continue reading →

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Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Man, Woman, and Metal

Posted on July 7, 2022 by kaist455

“Thor: Love and Thunder”, the latest offering from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), does not surprise or impress me enough. While there are a number of inspired comic moments, the movie still feels like a passable mixed bag on the … Continue reading →

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