Author Archives: kaist455

Send Help (2026) ☆☆☆(3/4): The Taming of the Boss

Posted on February 1, 2026 by kaist455

Sam Raimi’s latest film “Send Help” is a little naughty genre film you can exactly expect from its director. While you can clearly see how the story will end in one way or another, the movie has some vicious fun … Continue reading →

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Another Simple Favor (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A less charming sequel

Posted on January 29, 2026 by kaist455

“Another Simple Favor”, which was released on Amazon Prime several months ago, mildly dissatisfied me. While it is still fun to watch its two engaging lead actresses pushing and pulling each other from the beginning to the end, the movie … Continue reading →

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Death of a Unicorn (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): They have an accident… with a unicorn

Posted on January 28, 2026 by kaist455

“Death of a Unicorn” begins with an utterly outrageous story premise which will instantly draw your attention: what if a certain mythical creature actually exist? I was a bit disappointed to see that the overall result is rather uneven and … Continue reading →

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Castle in the Sky (1986) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The first official Ghibli work from Miyazaki

Posted on January 28, 2026 by kaist455

Hayao Miyazaki’s 1986 animation feature film “Castle in the Sky”, which was re-released in South Korean theaters in last week, still soars high even after 40 years. When I walked into the screening room on last evening, I did not … Continue reading →

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Videodrome (1983) ☆☆☆(3/4): A grotesquely prophetic nightmare from Cronenberg

Posted on January 27, 2026 by kaist455

David Cronenberg’s 1983 film “Videodrome” is a grotesquely prophetic nightmare I still observe from the distance. There are a number of striking visual moments which have lingered on somewhere in my mind for more than 30 years, and they chillingly … Continue reading →

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The Secret Agent (2025) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A look into that dangerous period in Brazil

Posted on January 26, 2026 by kaist455

 Kleber Mendonça Filho’s latest film “The Secret Agent”, which won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Films Festival early in last year and then garnered 4 Oscar nominations including the ones for Best Picture and Best International Film, is … Continue reading →

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Sentimental Value (2025) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Can she work with her filmmaker dad?

Posted on January 25, 2026 by kaist455

Joachim Trier’s new film “Sentimental Value”, which won the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival early in last year and then recently received no less than 8 Oscar nominations including the ones for Best Picture, Best Director, and … Continue reading →

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The Alabama Solution (2025) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The systemic failures of Alabama prisons

Posted on January 21, 2026 by kaist455

HBO documentary film “The Alabama Solution” is often sobering as presenting the alarming failures of the prison system of the state of Alabama in US. It may not surprise you much if you have ever heard about how problematic the … Continue reading →

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2000 Meters to Andriivka (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): In the middle of a battle over one Ukrainian village

Posted on January 20, 2026 by kaist455

Ukrainian documentary filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov’ latest documentary film “2000 Meters to Andriivka”, which won the Directing Award when it was premiered at the World Cinema Documentary section of the Sundance Film Festival early in last year, is a pretty grim … Continue reading →

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Cover-up (2025) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A journalist still fighting for truth and transparency

Posted on January 19, 2026 by kaist455

Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus’ Netflix documentary film “Cover-up”, which was released around the end of the last year, gives an overview on the career of Seymore Hersh, a Pulitzer-winning American investigative journalist who deserves to be known more in … Continue reading →

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