Author Archives: kaist455

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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Mr. Nobody Against Putin (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): A little but defiant personal chronicle from Karabash, Russia

Posted on February 8, 2026 by kaist455

Documentary film “Mr. Nobody Against Putin”, which won the Special Jury Award when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival early in last year and then received an Oscar nomination a few weeks ago (It was also the Danish … Continue reading →

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The King’s Warden (2026) ☆☆(2/4): A king comes to his village…

Posted on February 7, 2026 by kaist455

South Korean film “The King’s Warden” often tries too hard for laughs and then tears, and I do not like that much. Based on the real-life relationship between one plain common man and a tragically deposed king of the Joseon … Continue reading →

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Eternity (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): A choice for eternity

Posted on February 5, 2026 by kaist455

“Eternity” is alternatively amusing and touching as a human comedy about afterlife, eternity, and love. While surely reminiscent of several other movies ranging from Albert Brooks’ “Defending Your Life” (1991) to Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “After Life” (1998), the movie distinguishes itself … Continue reading →

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Us and Them (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Now and Then

Posted on February 5, 2026 by kaist455

Taiwanese filmmaker Rene Liu’s 2018 film “Us and Them”, which is currently available on Netflix, is a bittersweet romance drama between two different people looking back on their flawed but precious love in the past. At first, their past seems … Continue reading →

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The Housemaid (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): Her tricky employment

Posted on February 2, 2026 by kaist455

“The Housemaid”, which was one of the two films from Paul Feig during last year, is a slick genre film packed with enough pulpy fun to compensate for a few glaring narrative hiccups. As your average seasoned moviegoer, I instantly … Continue reading →

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The Wrecking Crew (2026) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A generic buddy cop action flick with some Hawaiian flavor

Posted on February 2, 2026 by kaist455

“The Wrecking Crew”, which was released on Amazon Prime in last week, is a generic buddy cop action flick spiced with some local flavor. While it has some personality besides being supported well by its two seasoned lead performers, the … Continue reading →

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The Lovers on the Bridge (1991) ☆☆☆(3/4): A shabby but bold tale of romance

Posted on February 1, 2026 by kaist455

Leo Carax’s 1991 film “The Lovers on the Bridge”, whose recent 4K restoration version happened to be released in selected South Korean theaters a few days ago, is a seemingly shabby but undeniably brash tale of romance. While simply rolling … Continue reading →

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The Chronology of Water (2025) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The remarkable debut work by Kristen Stewart

Posted on February 1, 2026 by kaist455

As many of you know well, Kristen Stewart has proven a lot of her undeniable talent during last two decades. Sure, she has often been remembered for those commercially successful but utterly disposable Twilight flicks, but her acting career subsequently … Continue reading →

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Primate (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Menaced by a mad chimpanzee (no kidding)

Posted on February 1, 2026 by kaist455

“Primate” is your typical mad killer movie with a rather amusing twist on its story premise. This time, we get a murderously raging ape at the center of the story, and the movie surely has a lot of vicious but … Continue reading →

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