Author Archives: kaist455

September 5 (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): The Munich Massacre of 1972 via live TV 

Posted on February 8, 2025 by kaist455

It is always interesting to watch professionals doing their best, and “September 5” is one of such prime examples. Here are a bunch of professionals simply trying to do their job well under one extraordinary circumstance which drew the attention … Continue reading →

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I.S.S. (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A thriller inside the International Space Station

Posted on February 8, 2025 by kaist455

“I.S.S.”, which is currently available on Netflix in South Korea, is a modest space thriller film about several astronauts suddenly finding themselves under a rather tricky circumstance. While it is often hampered by plot contrivance and superficial characterization, the movie … Continue reading →

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Inside (2023) ☆☆(2/4): A man who gets trapped

Posted on February 8, 2025 by kaist455

I guess any good performer is bound to go for the challenging task of carrying a movie alone by his or her sheer talent and presence. While Ryan Reynolds pushed his acting ability as much as possible while being the … Continue reading →

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Mulholland Drive (2001) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): An ultimate David Lynch film

Posted on February 6, 2025 by kaist455

Somebody must be sad, regretful, and fading away. That is a lingering impression I get whenever I visit David Lynch’s 2001 film “Mulholland Drive”, which happens to be re-released here in South Korean theaters not long after Lynch’s death in … Continue reading →

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Black Box Diary (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): As she steps forward as a survivor

Posted on February 3, 2025 by kaist455

Documentary film “Black Box Diary”, which received an Oscar nomination a few weeks ago, is a personal chronicle of one young female journalist who courageously stepped forward in public as the survivor of a high-profile case in Japan several years … Continue reading →

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Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A Cold War plot behind jazz

Posted on February 3, 2025 by kaist455

Documentary film “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”, which was recently nominated for Best Documentary Oscar, is a superb presentation of the hidden aspects of a political turmoil in Africa during the early 1960s. While it is simply a collage of … Continue reading →

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Caravaggio’s Shadow (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): An artist between the holy and the secular

Posted on February 2, 2025 by kaist455

“Caravaggio’s Shadow”, which incidentally came to South Korean theaters in last month, is fascinated with what inspired Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571 ~ 1610), who was one of the best artists in Italy around the early 17th century. Although he … Continue reading →

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The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): A fantasy of silence and whispers

Posted on January 31, 2025 by kaist455

Víctor Erice’s 1973 film “The Spirit of the Beehive”, which is currently being shown in South Korean theaters after his recent comeback work “Close Your Eyes” (2023) came in last year, has delicately sublime qualities to be admired and appreciated. … Continue reading →

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Persona a Strange Girl (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): That elusive girl

Posted on January 31, 2025 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “Persona a Strange Girl” reminds me again of how the works of Hong Sang-soo have considerable influence over South Korean independent cinema for many years. Just like the works of Woody Allen have been followed by … Continue reading →

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Silver Apricot (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): Dealing with her dysfunctional family

Posted on January 28, 2025 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “Silver Apricot” is about one young woman who must deal with several flawed family members who have been estranged from her for many years. This is surely a familiar story setting, but the movie did a … Continue reading →

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