Author Archives: kaist455

The Iron Lady (2011) ☆☆(2/4) : Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher – and what else?

Posted on February 18, 2012 by kaist455

I remember the bland biographies of famous historical figures I read from time to time during my innocent childhood. Written for inspiring young elementary school kids like me, they were usually packaged together and then sold to the good-intentioned parents … Continue reading →

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The Grey (2011) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : All the Scary Wolves – and more

Posted on February 18, 2012 by kaist455

Above all, “The Grey” made me very grateful to our modern civilization. The nature is surely beautiful to look at, but it is also merciless to its inhabitants. Thanks to our civilization, most of us are fortunately protected from being … Continue reading →

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War Horse (2011) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A horse going through the horrors of war

Posted on February 11, 2012 by kaist455

While watching “War Horse” on this Thursday evening, I recalled what one South Korean blogger wrote a few years ago. According to him, there are two kinds of manipulative drama films. Both of them try to tug our heartstrings, but … Continue reading →

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My FFC review for The Front Line (2011)

Posted on February 6, 2012 by kaist455

My Far-flung correspondent review  for “The Front Line”(2011) has just been posted. If you want to read it, click here. The review was revised from my original review written in July 2011.

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Nameless Gangster (2012) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A dirty rotten scoundrel and his goodfellas

Posted on February 4, 2012 by kaist455

 If you have little background knowledge about South Korean society, you will probably not be able to believe your eyes while watching South Korean movie “Nameless Gangster”, whose subtitle could have been “How to Succeed in Underworld Without Really Trying”. … Continue reading →

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Lourdes (2009) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Religion, People, and ‘Miracle’

Posted on January 28, 2012 by kaist455

 I have never been to Lourdes, one small town near the Pyrenees in southwestern France, but, considering what I saw from Jessica Hausner’s film “Lourdes”, I think Lourdes looks like a nice place to visit. The hotel shown in the … Continue reading →

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The Artist (2011) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A charming/loving homage to the silent film era

Posted on January 26, 2012 by kaist455

Despite lots of acclaims and awards it has recently garnered throughout the Oscar season of this year at present, I have a feeling that “The Artist” may not get a wide release in South Korean theaters in the next month. … Continue reading →

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The Descendants (2011) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : His family matters in paradise

Posted on January 26, 2012 by kaist455

“The Descendants” is about a man who suddenly finds himself at the crucial moment. He has been leading a comfortable life for him and his family without much thought, but, whether he likes it or not, now he has to … Continue reading →

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A low-key 3D job during the Cold war era

Posted on January 21, 2012 by kaist455

 In John le Carré’s novels, you will not find any glamor or fancy gadget you have seen in James Bond stories. The spies in his novels are more or less than public servants in shadows. They tentatively move around their … Continue reading →

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We Bought a Zoo (2011) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : They start over…. with a zoo

Posted on January 19, 2012 by kaist455

 In Cameron Crowe’s new film “We bought a Zoo”, the hero says at one point that sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. I guess that is what he has when he makes an important decision for … Continue reading →

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