Author Archives: kaist455

Clouds of Sils Maria (2014) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Life imitating Art – or Art imitating Life

Posted on December 22, 2014 by kaist455

 Life and art playfully intersect with each other in “Clouds of Sils Maria”, an intriguing drama about an aging star actress who happens to find herself in an ironic turning point in her career. As she finds herself in the … Continue reading →

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Mommy (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A wild, bouncy drama of mother and son

Posted on December 22, 2014 by kaist455

 As a wild, bouncy melodrama of mother and son relationship, “Mommy” is packed with style and energy. Although it lacks stability on narrative level at times, it has a number of strong moments generated between its flawed characters, and it … Continue reading →

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The One I Love (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4): A couple’s weird weekend

Posted on December 20, 2014 by kaist455

 Playing well with its intriguing surreal premise, “The One I Love” throws us a number of intriguing questions on love and relationship. Do we love our life partners as who they really are or as whom we think they are? … Continue reading →

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Coming Home (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Forgotten From Her

Posted on December 20, 2014 by kaist455

  Restrained in its somber attitude, “Coming Home” is a sentimental drama reticent on its historical subject. While not saying a lot about the horror behind a key historical event which still haunts everyone in the story, the movie instead focuses … Continue reading →

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Tom at the Farm (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : His lover, His brother, and His mother

Posted on December 20, 2014 by kaist455

 It just looked like a simple visit at first – but then it is gradually turned into something which is very twisted to say the least. Xavier Dolan’s “Tom at the Farm” is a darkly fascinating psychological thriller with quiet … Continue reading →

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The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): An elegant Japanese folk tale

Posted on December 18, 2014 by kaist455

  Japanese animation film “The Tale of Princess Kaguya” dazzles us with elegant style to enjoy and haunting tale to reflect on. Based on the 10th century Japanese folk tale “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter”, this simple but superlative … Continue reading →

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The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) ☆☆(2/4) : Is he back yet?

Posted on December 18, 2014 by kaist455

 Now we finally arrive at “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”, the final chapter of a bloated trilogy which just went on and on in the previous films and then gets sunken into one very, very, very long … Continue reading →

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Stranger by the Lake (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Lust, Sex, and….

Posted on December 15, 2014 by kaist455

 Right from its first act, “Stranger by the Lake” strikes us with its frank, direct presentation of nudity and sex. While naked male bodies are usual sights as required by its story and background, the movie never pulls its punches … Continue reading →

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The Theory of Everything (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4): The Theory of Love, so to speak.

Posted on December 14, 2014 by kaist455

Needless to say, the life of Dr. Stephen Hawking is an inspiring story to tell. When he was about to begin his promising academic career, he was diagnosed to have Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and it was assumed that he … Continue reading →

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Land Ho! (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Two aging tourists in Iceland

Posted on December 14, 2014 by kaist455

 Sometimes, two real characters interacting with each other can be a far more interesting sight than usual CGI spectacles, and “Land Ho!” can be a prime example of that. While it is just a simple story about two old guys … Continue reading →

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