Author Archives: kaist455

Radiance (2017) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Another gentle, meditative work from Naomi Kawase

Posted on December 3, 2017 by kaist455

To be frank with you, Naomi Kawase’s works have been an acquired taste to me. Although I admired the serene atmosphere of “The Mourning Forest” (2007), I felt impatient at times during my viewing, and I doubt whether I will … Continue reading →

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Romans 8:37 (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Inside a Christian community

Posted on December 3, 2017 by kaist455

South Korean film “Romans 8:37” is something we do not encounter everyday: a thought-provoking Christian film which does not give us any easy answer in its gloomy tale of faith and disillusionment. As an agnostic atheist who grew up in … Continue reading →

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On Body and Soul (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): An unusual romance tale from Hungary

Posted on December 2, 2017 by kaist455

While it is your average workplace romance tale, Hungarian film “On Body and Soul” draws our attention through its unusual setting at first. Here are two different people who happen to be connected with each other via a rather preposterous … Continue reading →

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The Lure (2015) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A Polish musical film with two man-eating mermaids

Posted on November 28, 2017 by kaist455

Deliberately weird and whimsical, Polish musical movie “The Lure” is destined to be a cult film. While it provides several lively musical sequences to delight you, it is also a dark horror melodrama about two beautiful but lethal mermaids, and … Continue reading →

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Dancesport Girls (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Dancing high school girls and their good teacher

Posted on November 27, 2017 by kaist455

South Korean documentary film “Dancesport Girls” is filled with genuine positive spirit. Here are a bunch of high school girls who simply enjoy themselves as preparing for their big moment to come, and it is really fun to watch them … Continue reading →

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A Quiet Passion (2016) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The life and poetry of Emily Dickinson

Posted on November 26, 2017 by kaist455

While she is now regarded as one of the great American poets during the 19th century, Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) did not get much recognition during her lifetime. Although she wrote nearly 1,800 poems, only a few of them were published … Continue reading →

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The Sweet Hereafter (1997) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A cold but harrowing tale of loss and grief

Posted on November 26, 2017 by kaist455

There is one haunting monologue scene in Atom Egoyan’s “The Sweet Hereafter”, one of the saddest films I have ever seen. One of its main characters recollects one eventful summer day he experienced a long time ago, and he vividly … Continue reading →

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Mudbound (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A tale of two families in Mississippi

Posted on November 20, 2017 by kaist455

Filled with so much of the sense of life and location, “Mudbound”, which is currently available on Netflix while getting a limited theatrical release in US, makes a vivid, powerful impression on us. Right from its very first scene, it … Continue reading →

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Battle of the Sexes (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Feminism Vs. Sexism

Posted on November 19, 2017 by kaist455

“Battle of the Sexes” is a mild but entertaining comedy drama which closely looks at an amusing sports event between two contrasting real-life figures. Although it sometimes feels a bit unfocused, the movie works as an engaging tale while supported … Continue reading →

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A Ghost Story (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): An atypical ghost story

Posted on November 18, 2017 by kaist455

“A Ghost Story” is not your average ghost story. Although it may initially look ridiculous due to its rather goofy premise, the movie slowly comes to engage us as its unconventional narrative rolls along with its ghost hero, and it … Continue reading →

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