Author Archives: kaist455

Shoot the Piano Player (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): A ‘blind’ piano player in trouble

Posted on September 7, 2019 by kaist455

Indian film “Shoot the Piano Player”, which was recently released in South Korea as “The Blind Melody”, is a ridiculously funny black comedy thriller packed with some good laughs and wild twists. Although it is uneven and incoherent at times … Continue reading →

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The Monster (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Mother and daughter menaced by a monster

Posted on September 6, 2019 by kaist455

“The Monster”, which will belatedly be released in South Korea during this month, is a little independent horror film which works better than expected despite its rather thin premise and limited background. While it surely has a freakish creature as … Continue reading →

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It Chapter Two (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): It returns…

Posted on September 5, 2019 by kaist455

“It Chapter Two” attempts to deliver many scares and shocks just like its predecessor, and it succeeds to some degree. Although it is rather overlong as arduously building up narrative momentum for its expected big finale and closure, the movie … Continue reading →

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Angel of Mine (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A disturbing maternal thriller starring Noomi Rapace

Posted on September 4, 2019 by kaist455

“Angel of Mine” is a disturbing maternal thriller which constantly unnerves us through a number of dark, intense moments of grief and obsession. Although there are several deficient spots including its rather contrived finale, the movie mostly works thanks to … Continue reading →

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Nothing Like a Dame (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Tea with the Dames

Posted on September 1, 2019 by kaist455

British documentary film “Nothing Like a Dame”, which was released in US as “Tea with the Dames” in last year, simply observes whatever is being generated among four old British actresses who have been well-known for their respective acting careers … Continue reading →

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Falling Inn Love (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Falling in clichés with charm

Posted on August 31, 2019 by kaist455

Some romantic comedy movies can charm us even though they fall into myriad genre clichés, and “Falling Inn Love”, which was released on Netflix two days ago, is one of such cases. Right from its very title, you can clearly … Continue reading →

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House of Hummingbird (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): This girl’s life in Seoul, 1994

Posted on August 30, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “House of Hummingbird”, which received the Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury when it was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival early in this year, observes a young ordinary girl’s life in specific place … Continue reading →

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Tune in for Love (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): As they try to be in tune with each other

Posted on August 29, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean “Tune in for Love” is so familiar in terms of story and characters that you will clearly guess what you are going to listen and watch even before tuning in to it at the beginning. While it is … Continue reading →

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Fourth Place (2015) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): What does really matter to this swimmer boy?

Posted on August 26, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Fourth Place” surprised me as defiantly swimming across lanes of genre conventions with grace and tact. At first, the movie merely seems to be a simple educational tale on teaching and student civil rights, but then it … Continue reading →

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Cemetery of Splendour (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): Baffling but intriguing

Posted on August 25, 2019 by kaist455

Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Cemetery of Splendour” alternatively baffled and intrigued me. Just like his previous film “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” (2010), the movie intentionally blurs the line between reality and fantasy in its own idiosyncratic way, so … Continue reading →

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