Author Archives: kaist455

Song to Song (2017) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Moment to Moment

Posted on July 24, 2017 by kaist455

Terrence Malick’s latest work “Song to Song” will surely confound many of you for good reasons. Like any other films by Malick, it reaches for something sublime and transcendent as gliding along a series of beautiful stream-of-consciousness moments, but it … Continue reading →

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The Merciless (2017) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): It’s merciless indeed…

Posted on July 23, 2017 by kaist455

South Korean film “The Merciless” is another South Korean gangster film which is as brutal and violent as you can expect. While it is not entirely without sense of humor and there is some interesting subtext glimpsed from its two … Continue reading →

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Frantz (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): Secrets, Lies, and Life

Posted on July 23, 2017 by kaist455

Sometimes lie is less inconvenient than truth, and François Ozon’s new movie “Frantz” presents that tricky fact of life via its somber period melodrama. Although it is not wholly successful in making its points especially during the second half and … Continue reading →

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Dunkirk (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A grueling but gripping war film from Christopher Nolan

Posted on July 22, 2017 by kaist455

“Dunkirk”, an ambitious World War II movie directed by Christopher Nolan, instantly grabs us right from its first moment and then never loses its grip on us till the end credits. Although looking rather modest compared to Nolan’s previous works, … Continue reading →

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Much Ado About Nothing (2012) ☆☆☆(3/4): A little charming Shakespeare comedy

Posted on July 20, 2017 by kaist455

When I was young and wild, I vaguely knew about William Shakespeare. To me, he was just a famous British playwright who wrote several classic tragedies including “Hamlet”, and I only read the Korean translation version of “Hamlet” and his … Continue reading →

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Maudie (2016) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Her artistry and their life

Posted on July 16, 2017 by kaist455

Besides illuminating the undeniable artistry of its real-life artist heroine, “Maudie” focuses on small intimate moments from her plain, shabby life with a man she came to live with for many years. While it is interesting to get the occasional … Continue reading →

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Cars 3 (2017) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Vehicles running on a clichéd route

Posted on July 15, 2017 by kaist455

“Cars 3” is a surprisingly conventional sequel from Pixar Animation Studios. While I chuckled several times along with a few audiences around me, it did not excite and amuse me enough during my viewing, and I walked out of the … Continue reading →

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Berlin Syndrome (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): A captive tourist girl in Berlin

Posted on July 11, 2017 by kaist455

Decidedly unnerving and uncomfortable, “Berlin Syndrome” calmly examines the disturbing relationship between its captive heroine and her twisted captor. Reminiscent of “The Collector” (1965) and many other similar thriller films, the movie is often very unpleasant to say the least, … Continue reading →

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Ash Flower (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): A tale of two girls

Posted on July 9, 2017 by kaist455

South Korean film “Ash Flower”, which is the last chapter of the Flower trilogy by director/co-writer Park Seok-yeong, is a simple but intimate character drama to admire for its sensitive and thoughtful storytelling. While it is mainly about two young … Continue reading →

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The Day After (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): A slight minor work from Hong Sang-soo

Posted on July 9, 2017 by kaist455

Besides being one of the most prominent filmmakers working in South Korea, Hong Sang-soo is one of the most prolific ones. Like Woody Allen, he has usually made one or two works every year, and watching his new film has … Continue reading →

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