Author Archives: kaist455

Molly’s Game (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): A crackling drama from Sorkin and Chastain

Posted on January 22, 2018 by kaist455

“Molly’s Game” is as talky and snappy as you can expect from a work written by Aaron Sorkin, who makes a directorial debut here in this film. While it surely has numerous lengthy dialogue scenes where its characters talk quite … Continue reading →

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City of Ghosts (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Brave Syrian civilian journalists against ISIS

Posted on January 21, 2018 by kaist455

Documentary film “City of Ghosts” often chills us with its unflinching presentation of what was going on in Raqqa, a Syrian city which was relatively unknown before it became the self-declared capital city of ISIS in 2014. We see video … Continue reading →

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The Shape of Water (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Mute beauty and the water beast

Posted on January 20, 2018 by kaist455

“The Shape of Water”, the latest film from Guillermo del Toro, is a haunting mix of fairy tale and love story with a bit of social commentary. While it does not entirely succeed in mixing its many different story elements … Continue reading →

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The Disaster Artist (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Meet Tommy Wiseau

Posted on January 20, 2018 by kaist455

“The Disaster Artist” is a wacky comedy film based on one bizarre real-life figure and his nutty filmmaking which led to one of the most awful films in the movie history. Although the movie is often frustratingly vague about who … Continue reading →

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Darkest Hour (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Oldman’s Finest Hour

Posted on January 19, 2018 by kaist455

For Winston Churchill, 1940 was one of the most dramatic years in his illustrious life and career. While everything seemed to be over for Britain as Nazi Germany swiftly advanced over the Europe continent during that turbulent and perilous time, … Continue reading →

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Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) ☆☆(2/4): The tedious last chapter of the trilogy

Posted on January 18, 2018 by kaist455

“Maze Runner: The Death Cure”, the last chapter of the trilogy which began with “The Maze Runner” (2014), is a tedious mix of familiar things you can expect from a SF action film set in dystopian world. While “The Maze … Continue reading →

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Lady Bird (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Precisely funny and effortlessly poignant

Posted on January 15, 2018 by kaist455

At first, “Lady Bird” looks like another conventional adolescent coming-of-age drama. Again, we have a young heroine eager to go further with her burgeoning life and she surely comes to grow up a lot in the end as being ready … Continue reading →

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I, Tonya (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): The rise and fall of Tonya Harding

Posted on January 14, 2018 by kaist455

I could not help but shake my head while watching “I, Tonya”, a darkly funny cautionary tale based on the rise and fall of Tonya Harding. While she might have some right stuffs for being one of the best figure … Continue reading →

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The Florida Project (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Their young innocence in hard reality

Posted on January 14, 2018 by kaist455

Full of a vivid, palpable sense of life, “The Florida Project” is simply unforgettable. While constantly recognizing a hard reality surrounding its young heroine and other characters around her, the movie also finds precious moments of joy and happiness as … Continue reading →

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Coco (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A lovely Mexican fantasy tale from Pixar

Posted on January 13, 2018 by kaist455

Alternatively enchanting and moving, “Coco” is another lovely work from Pixar Animation Studios. Right from its very first scene, I was instantly charmed by its colorful style and vibrant spirit, and that was just the beginning of more things to … Continue reading →

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