Author Archives: kaist455

The Piano Lesson (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): The family trouble with a piano

Posted on November 25, 2024 by kaist455

Netflix film “The Piano Lesson”, which was released on last Friday, is about a little but complex family issue surrounding one old piano. Although it feels rather contrived during its second half as veering off a bit from what has … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A gory Thanksgiving season

Posted on November 24, 2024 by kaist455

Eli Roth’s latest film “Thanksgiving”, which is currently available on Netflix in South Korea, is cheerfully gory and violent to our horror and amusement. While this is basically another typical slasher horror movie featuring a bunch of cardboard figures to … Continue reading →

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Mimang (2023) ☆☆1/2 (2.5/4): Three different meanings via three acts

Posted on November 22, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “Mimang” presents the three different meanings of its title via the three acts loosely connected together. Although I am not sure about whether it works as well as intended by its filmmaker, it is engaging to … Continue reading →

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Wicked (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): When they were friends…

Posted on November 21, 2024 by kaist455

“Wicked”, which is actually based on the first half of the popular Broadway musical of the same name, is as colorful and spirited as expected. While this is your average bloated musical film, it is thankfully buoyed by the good … Continue reading →

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Occupied City (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): The past and present of one European city

Posted on November 20, 2024 by kaist455

Steve McQueen’s documentary film “Occupied City” is an ambitious piece of work alternatively interesting and demanding. For more than 4 hours, the documentary simply shows and tells the old past of a heap of different spots in Amsterdam of the … Continue reading →

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The Voices of the Silenced (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The chronicles of Zainichi Koreans

Posted on November 18, 2024 by kaist455

Documentary film “The Voices of the Silences”, which won the Mecenat Award for Best Documentary when it was shown at the Busan International Film Festival in last year, is about one defiant old Korean Japanese woman and her old but … Continue reading →

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Times Still Turns the Pages (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A young boy’s diary

Posted on November 18, 2024 by kaist455

Hong Kong film “Time Still Turns the Page” is a sad, harrowing character drama which mainly follows the story of a young boy under lots of emotional pressure and torment. He simply wanted to be loved and recognized, but there … Continue reading →

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Pedro Páramo (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Walking into a ghost town

Posted on November 17, 2024 by kaist455

Netflix film “Pedro Páramo”, which was released a few weeks ago, is often terrific to watch for its undeniably haunting visual moments, but it is also frequently frustrating in terms of story and character. While its period background looks impeccable … Continue reading →

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Emilia Pérez (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): A mixed musical film by Jacques Audiard

Posted on November 17, 2024 by kaist455

Jacques Audiard’s new film “Emilia Pérez”, which was recently selected as the French submission to Best International Film Oscar, is a mixed musical which sometimes works with striking emotional intensity. Although it does not wholly work as well as intended, … Continue reading →

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Look Back (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Two young collaborators

Posted on November 16, 2024 by kaist455

Japanese animation film “Look Back”, which has been enjoying a considerable success in South Korean theaters since it was released two months ago, is a small but poignant coming-of-age drama about the friendship between two young and talented collaborators. Although … Continue reading →

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