Author Archives: kaist455

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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Gladiator II (2024) ☆☆(2/4): A ponderous sequel without much fun

Posted on November 14, 2024 by kaist455

Ridley Scott’s latest film “Gladiator II”, a sequel to his Oscar-winning film “Gladiator” (2000), is a ponderous sequel which does not provide anything fun and new to enjoy. Sure, “Gladiator” is not exactly a great film, so it seems easy … Continue reading →

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Work to Do (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): What he has to do

Posted on November 12, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “Work to Do” is about the moral dilemma of a young man tasked with one unenviable job to do. Phlegmatically observing how he and his colleagues do their rather unpleasant job step by step, the movie … Continue reading →

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Heavy Snow (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Between Two Girls

Posted on November 12, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean film “Heavy Snow” depends a lot on the presence of its two lead actresses. Whenever they are together on the screen, they click well with each other all the time in addition to ably filling their rather under-developed … Continue reading →

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Lucky, Apartment (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): That smell of fear and anxiety in their apartment

Posted on November 11, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “Lucky, Apartment” is a quiet but tense drama about one lesbian couple who happen to be under a lot of pressure and conflict. All they simply want is a stable living environment where they can happily … Continue reading →

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Close Your Eyes (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Victor Erice returns

Posted on November 11, 2024 by kaist455

Victor Erice’s “Close Your Eyes”, which is incidentally his comeback work after “Dream of the Light” (1992), takes quite a time as slowly revealing what and how it is about. This surely requires some patience from you, but the movie … Continue reading →

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Music by John Williams (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The title itself is already enough for us, you know

Posted on November 9, 2024 by kaist455

Documentary film “Music by John Williams”, which is currently available on Disney+, looks over the long, illustrated career of one of the best film composers of our time. Since he rose to prominence around the late 1960s, John Williams has … Continue reading →

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