Author Archives: kaist455

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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Diane Warren: Relentless (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): Still Relentless as ever

Posted on February 18, 2026 by kaist455

Documentary film “Diane Warren: Relentless” looks over the life and career of Diane Warren, one of the most famous songwriters in our time. As a talented female artist who has gone her way for more than 40 years, she surely … Continue reading →

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Top Secret! (1984) ☆☆☆(3/4): A silly but hilariously free-wheeling parody

Posted on February 18, 2026 by kaist455

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker’s 1984 film “Top Secret!”, which recently happens to be available on Netflix in South Korea along with a bunch of notable American films from the 1980s, remains as a fairly funny comedy movie. … Continue reading →

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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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