Author Archives: kaist455

The Animal Kingdom (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): When people are turning into animals

Posted on January 26, 2025 by kaist455

French film “The Animal Kingdom” is a modest but intriguing SF drama with enough style and substance to interest and then engage us. Although it is rather a bit too vague about its story premise, the movie stays focused on … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Family, Father and son, SF | Leave a comment

Memory (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): An accidental romance tale between two troubled persons

Posted on January 26, 2025 by kaist455

Micheal Franco’s latest film “Memory” is about an accidental romance between two troubled persons. While both of them have each own issue to struggle with, they cannot help but attracted to each other after their rather unpleasant encounter, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Caregiver, Dementia, Romance, sexual abuse | Leave a comment

Dark Nuns (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): It’s the time to bring nuns…

Posted on January 25, 2025 by kaist455

South Korean horror film “Dark Nuns”, which is a spin-off of “The Priests” (2015), is another typical exorcism flick with a bit of refreshing element. Again, the Catholic Church comes forward for fighting with the supernatural force of evil, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Catholic Church, Demon, Exorcism, Horror, Nun, Possession, South Korean Film | Leave a comment

Handling the Undead (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Facing an inexplicable happening

Posted on January 24, 2025 by kaist455

Norwegian film “Handling the Undead” is a dry and detached genre piece simply going all the way for its unsettling mood. Without explaining a lot about its story premise, the movie calmly and distantly observes its several main characters facing … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Horror, Zombie | Leave a comment

A Different Man (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A humorously ironic comedy on identity and appearance.

Posted on January 20, 2025 by kaist455

“A Different Man”, which won the Best Picture award at the Gotham Awards ceremony a few months ago, is often quite amusing as cheerfully exploring the issues of identity and appearance. After patiently building up its comic momentum during the … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Comedy, Disfigurement, Performer, Play | 1 Comment

The Apprentice (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The early years of one deplorable figure

Posted on January 20, 2025 by kaist455

Ali Abbasi’s latest film “The Apprentice” looks into the early years of one deplorable figure who has been exerting toxic influences over not only the American society but also the whole world during last several years. While it surely drew … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Businessman, Lawyer, Real-life figure, Real-life story | 1 Comment

Ripples (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): The ripples in her mind

Posted on January 18, 2025 by kaist455

Japanese film “Ripples”, which happens to be released in South Korean theaters in this week, is a distant but occasionally amusing character study to observe. Although you may not like its rather neurotic heroine that much, you will also observe … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Comedy, Cult, Family, Husband and Wife | Leave a comment

A Real Pain (2024) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): A tour about pain

Posted on January 17, 2025 by kaist455

“A Real Pain” really amused and touched me more than once, and that is quite an achievement in my trivial opinion. While it initially seems fairly simple as a familiar buddy road comedy-drama film, the movie is often surprisingly funny … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Family, The Holocaust, Travel | 2 Comments

Nosferatu (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A grim and intense remake

Posted on January 16, 2025 by kaist455

Robert Eggers’ new film “Nosferatu” is something he has been destined to make. After all, his three previous films, “The Witch” (2015), “The Lighthouse” (2019), and “The Northman” (2022), are all intensely gothic in one way or another, and his … Continue reading →