Author Archives: kaist455

Mr. Robot (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A modest SF animation film from South Korea

Posted on April 13, 2025 by kaist455

If it had come out around, say, 20 years ago, I might have been more generous to South Korean animation feature film “Mr. Robot”, which should not be confused with that popular American TV drama series of the same name. … Continue reading →

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The Amateur (2025) ☆☆(2/4): Amateurish to say the least

Posted on April 12, 2025 by kaist455

“The Amateur” will not surprise or entertain you much for many bad reasons. Compared to all those countless spy thriller films during last several decades, the movie does not have any ounce of style and substance to distinguish itself at … Continue reading →

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Taxi Driver (1976) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): A disturbing urban masterpiece from Scorsese

Posted on April 10, 2025 by kaist455

Even after almost 50 years since it came out, Martin Scorsese’s 1976 film “Taxi Driver” still has the power to disturb and fascinate us. Here is a dark but undeniably compelling character study focusing on one very disturbed man and … Continue reading →

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Akira (1988) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A chaotically striking Japanese animation film

Posted on April 10, 2025 by kaist455

I must confess that I scratched my head more than once when I watched Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 animation feature film “Akira” for the first time in 2010, which happens to be released in South Korean theaters yesterday. Yes, this is … Continue reading →

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Cookie’s Fortune (1999) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A little Southern comedy by Altman

Posted on April 9, 2025 by kaist455

Roger Ebert once observed on Robert Altman: “There may not have been a director who liked actors more.” Altman’s 1999 film “Cookie’s Fortune” exemplifies that, and it is often fun to watch how its main cast members willingly embody the … Continue reading →

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Voices (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): Personal memories of a massacre

Posted on April 6, 2025 by kaist455

South Korean documentary “Voices” simply listens to the testimonies from a bunch of people traumatized in one way or another by the massacres during the Jeju uprising during 1948 ~ 1949. Focusing more on the female victims and survivors, the … Continue reading →

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Grand Tour (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): A pair of tours across Eastern Asia

Posted on April 6, 2025 by kaist455

Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes’ latest film “Grand Tour”, which was selected as Portugal’s submission to Best International Film Oscar in last year, a baffling but interesting work with some artistic touches to admire and appreciate. While you may occasionally scratch … Continue reading →

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The End We Start From (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Her motherhood after a disaster

Posted on March 31, 2025 by kaist455

“The End We Start From” is a simple but compelling movie which follows a young woman’s struggle for survival and motherhood after one big national disaster. Mostly limiting itself around its heroine’s viewpoint, the movie often accentuates how things become … Continue reading →

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The Match (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The competition between a mentor and his pupil

Posted on March 30, 2025 by kaist455

There are several factors preventing me from being really entertained by South Korean film “The Match”. While it did a fairly good job of presenting a series of intense Go matches on the screen, the movie feels rather unbalanced as … Continue reading →

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Arcadian (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): In their arcadian post-apocalyptic world

Posted on March 29, 2025 by kaist455

“Arcadian” tries to tackle its very familiar genre territory, and I like its earnest attempt to some degree. Yes, the overall result is still basically another typical post-apocalyptic horror drama film which does not break any new ground in my … Continue reading →

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