Author Archives: kaist455

I, the Executioner (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Same as before

Posted on September 13, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean film “I, the Executioner”, which is the sequel to director/co-writer Ryoo Seung-wan’s 2015 film “Veteran” (It is simply released as “Veteran 2” today in South Korean theaters, by the way), attempts to excite and entertain audiences as much … Continue reading →

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Didi (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): His suburban summer in 2008

Posted on September 12, 2024 by kaist455

“Didi” is a coming-of-age tale which feels both specific and universal. While its adolescent hero and his family background are quite specific, but his emotional struggles with not only his family but also himself are universal to say the least, … Continue reading →

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We Grown Now (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Their childhood in Cabrini-Green, 1992

Posted on September 12, 2024 by kaist455

“We Grown Now” is a little but intimate coming-of-age drama about growing up in the Cabrini-Green neighborhood of Chicago in 1992. Mostly sticking to the viewpoint of two young African American boys living there during that time, the movie often … Continue reading →

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My First Film (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Memories of her abandoned first film

Posted on September 11, 2024 by kaist455

As watching Zia Anger’s fascinating feature film “My First Film”, I frequently wondered how much it actually reflects Anger’s life and career in real life. Yes, she did make her little first feature film “Always All Way, Anne Marie” between … Continue reading →

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Rebel Ridge (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A guy rides into a town…

Posted on September 10, 2024 by kaist455

Netflix film “Rebel Ridge”, which was released on last Friday, is a rare thriller film which actually captivated me from the beginning to the end. While it seems a rather typical genre piece at first, the movie slowly but masterfully … Continue reading →

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Breaking (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): A desperate man driven to the breaking point

Posted on September 10, 2024 by kaist455

“Breaking” is a small but tense drama about one desperate man who resorts to a drastic measure as driven to the breaking point. Inspired by a tragic real-life incident which did happen in Marietta, Atlanta in 2017, the movie patiently … Continue reading →

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MaXXXine (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Maxine goes to Hollywood…

Posted on September 9, 2024 by kaist455

Ti West’s latest film “MaXXXine”, the third installment of West’s X film series after “X” (2022) and “Pearl” (2022), is willing to go further from what was modestly but impressively achieved in its two predecessors. It surely has a lot … Continue reading →

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The Bikeriders (2023) ☆☆(2/4): They simply ride and ride…

Posted on September 9, 2024 by kaist455

Jeff Nichols’ new film “The Bikeriders” could provide a fascinating anthropological presentation of one particular social group in the American society during the 1960-70s. While it attempts a fresh perspective via its sole substantial female character, many of its main … Continue reading →

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Kinds of Kindness (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Kinds of Self-indulgence

Posted on September 8, 2024 by kaist455

I sometimes found Yorgos Lanthimos’ early films such as “Dogtooth” (2009) a bit too dry and vicious for me, and his latest film “Kinds of Kindness”, which is currently available on Disney+ in South Korea, shows him back in his … Continue reading →

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Eileen (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): That unnerving attraction between them

Posted on September 8, 2024 by kaist455

William Oldroyd’s second feature film “Eileen” is a rather uneven mix of noir thriller and coming-of-age drama. The movie is fairly compelling during its first two acts thanks to its good mood and storytelling as well as the two talented … Continue reading →

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