Author Archives: kaist455

The House of Us (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): An intimate summer story of three young girls

Posted on August 24, 2019 by kaist455

I could not help but smile as watching South Korean film “The House of Us”, which is another remarkable work from director/writer Yoon Ga-eun. The movie presents its three young main characters and their daily life with considerable intimacy and … Continue reading →

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Futuro Beach (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4): After leaving the beach

Posted on August 24, 2019 by kaist455

“Futuro Beach”, a Brazilian-German film directed by Karim Aïnouz, is a dispassionate but interesting queer drama to observe and appreciate. Although it is often a bit too oblique and distant in terms of story and characters, the movie steadily engages … Continue reading →

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American Factory (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): One new factory in post-industrial Ohio

Posted on August 23, 2019 by kaist455

Netflix documentary “American Factory”, which received the Documentary Directing Award when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival early in this year, is initially amusing but then becomes more pointed than expected. As closely looking into one particular industrial … Continue reading →

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Cold Case Hammarskjöld (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A compelling conspiracy investigation

Posted on August 20, 2019 by kaist455

Danish documentary film “Cold Case Hammarskjöld”, which received the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival early in this year, is about a potentially dubious but undeniably compelling conspiracy investigation. While I still … Continue reading →

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The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Of a house and the city

Posted on August 19, 2019 by kaist455

“The Last Black Man in San Francisco” is a seemingly simple but surprisingly rich and powerful drama packed with mood and details to be savored and admired. Although I must confess that it took some time for me to become … Continue reading →

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Being 17 (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): A tricky matter of their young hearts

Posted on August 18, 2019 by kaist455

French film “Being 17” is an intimate adolescent drama revolving around a difficult situation between its two young heroes struggling with a tricky matter of their young hearts. Calmly presenting the dynamic interactions between them, the movie gradually engages us … Continue reading →

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Ghost Walk (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): As time goes backward for her

Posted on August 17, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Ghost Walk” is a modest but haunting fantasy drama about urban loneliness and isolation. As its heroine calmly journeys backward through her last several days as a ghost, the movie slowly establishes its melancholic mood surrounding her … Continue reading →

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Warning: Do Not Play (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Searching for one cursed horror flick

Posted on August 17, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Warning: Do Not Play” is a little mystery horror flick alternatively creepy and amusing for its main target audiences. While being as sinister and ominous as required, the movie often throws some wryly amusing moments to be … Continue reading →

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Wiener-Dog (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): Four short stories around a dog

Posted on August 15, 2019 by kaist455

I cringed and winced from time to time as watching “Wiener-Dog”, the latest work of Todd Solondz. While it is relatively less edgy and uncomfortable compared to his previous works such as “Welcome to the Dollhouse” (1995) and “Happiness” (1998), … Continue reading →

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Catfight (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): Morbid, vicious, and, yes, violent

Posted on August 15, 2019 by kaist455

“Catfight” is a morbid and vicious black comedy about the violent conflict between two different characters. Although it simply observes from the distance how these two characters respectively go up and down while occasionally clashing hard with each other, the … Continue reading →

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