Author Archives: kaist455

Wasp Network (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A sprawling misfire based on one intriguing tale

Posted on June 25, 2020

Olivier Assayas’ new movie “Wasp Network”, which was released on Netflix in last week, is a curious misfire. While it has not only an intriguing story setting but also a bunch of talents assembled together under Assayas’ direction, the overall … Continue reading →

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Baseball Girl (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): You will definitely root for her

Posted on June 21, 2020

I love it when I come to root for a movie character a lot more than expected, and South Korean film “Baseball Girl” is one of such wonderful examples. Like a number of certain unforgettable movie heroines I encountered during … Continue reading →

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Onward (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A passable work from Pixar Studios

Posted on June 18, 2020

Pixar Studios Animation film “Onward”, which was finally released yesterday in South Korean theaters after several months of delay caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, did not surprise me much, and that was a surprise for me. Although the film … Continue reading →

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Da 5 Bloods (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Boys are back in Vietnam

Posted on June 15, 2020

Spike Lee’s latest work “Da 5 Bloods”, which was released on Netflix on last Friday, is quite a compelling mix of adventure drama, social commentary. and history lesson. While it is rather uneven and a bit too overlong in my … Continue reading →

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Clemency (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A calm, sobering drama on death penalty

Posted on June 14, 2020

“Clemency”, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival early in 2019 but was unfortunately overlooked shortly after its limited theatrical release in US around the end of the same year, will shake you hard for good … Continue reading →

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Just Mercy (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Conventional but timely anyway

Posted on June 14, 2020

“Just Mercy” is a conventional but timely drama film based on one infuriating real-life case of legal injustice. Although it occasionally feels too mild and colorless in terms of story and characters, it is still engaging mainly thanks to several … Continue reading →

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Innocence (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A daughter who returns to her shady hometown

Posted on June 12, 2020

South Korean movie “Innocence” is a compelling mix of detached courtroom mystery drama and heated family melodrama. Although the mystery at the heart of the film is a bit too easily solved, the movie still holds our attention as its … Continue reading →

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The High Note (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Her First Superstar

Posted on June 12, 2020

“The High Note”, which was recently released in South Korean theaters as “My First Superstar”, is a mildly entertaining comedy film about an aspiring young woman who wants to break into music industry. Although you will not be surprised much … Continue reading →

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Spelling the Dream (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Breaking the Bee

Posted on June 10, 2020

Netflix documentary “Spelling the Dream”, which is also known as “Breaking the Bee”, examines one interesting current ethnic trend of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, but it only comes to scratch the surface in the end. Although it is fairly … Continue reading →

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Jazzy Misfits (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Mother, daughter, and some other colorful misfits

Posted on June 4, 2020

South Korean film “Jazzy Misfits” bounces here and there in one colorful neighborhood area of Seoul along with its two very different main characters. Although we can clearly see its eventual destination from the very beginning, the movie diligently amuses … Continue reading →

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