Author Archives: kaist455

Room No.7 (2017) ☆1/2(1.5/4): Witless and toothless

Watching South Korean film “Room No.7” was one of the most tedious experiences I have ever had during recent years. As a comedy, the movie is not funny at all, and, as far as I can remember, the audiences around … Continue reading

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Justice League (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): DCEU on recovery (sort of)

While it is basically a 2-hour teaser, “Justice League” is a little better than expected. Although there are several glaring flaws due to its problematic storytelling, it is thankfully not as ponderous and joyless as that bloated mess called “Batman … Continue reading

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The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): Her ‘B-photos’

As watching Errol Morris’ latest documentary film “The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography”, which is currently available on Netflix, I came to reflect on the fact that I have never used Polaroid or any other instant camera before. Sure, I … Continue reading

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The Seeds of Violence (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): A soldier’s hard day

Unlike many South Korean lads, I did not have to go through two years of mandatory military service. Because I was a graduate student studying in Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), all I had to do during … Continue reading

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Loving Vincent (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): An impressionistic animation film a la Van Gogh

Animation feature film “Loving Vincent” gave me one of the most colorful experiences of this year. Vividly and authentically recreating that recognizable oil painting style of Vincent van Gogh, the film puts us right into its stylish world filled with … Continue reading

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Gaga: Five Foot Two (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Gaga the entertainer

Although I do not know much about Lady Gaga, I found that Netflix documentary film “Gaga: Five Foot Two” is an interesting behind-the-scenes documentary about one of the most popular entertainers in the world at present. Although I was a … Continue reading

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Bad Genius (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A smart, exhilarating heist film from Thailand

Thailand film “Bad Genius” surprised me a lot. Bringing some fresh air into its genre conventions via its seemingly mundane story material, this smart, exhilarating heist film is constantly electrifying as serving us a number of memorable moments to amuse … Continue reading

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Heart Blackened (2017) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Flawed but not without entertainment

South Korean film “Heart Blackened” starts as a typical courtroom mystery tale but then later becomes something more serious than expected. As its plot often trudges around a number of predictable narrative turns, I frequently felt impatient during my viewing, … Continue reading

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A Perfect Day (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): The trouble with a well

Leisurely alternating between comedy and drama, “A Perfect Day” works as an absurd farce about war and its tragic mess. While its story and background are specific, those human absurdities of war depicted in the film feel universal in many … Continue reading

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1922 (2017) ☆☆(2/4): The year when he killed his wife

Since the considerable success of “Carrie” (1976), many of Stephen King’s novels and short stories were adapted into movies during last 41 years, but 2017 is quite an interesting year because we have no less than four feature films based … Continue reading

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