Author Archives: kaist455

Hijacking 1971 (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): An intense South Korean hijacking drama

Posted on June 27, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean film “Hijacking 1971” almost made me forget that it is actually the heavily fictionalized version of one real-life incident. While I and many other audiences knew where it will eventually land, we all were gripped by its dramatic … Continue reading →

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The Taste of Things (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A gourmet and his cook

Posted on June 22, 2024 by kaist455

 Trần Anh Hùng’s latest film “The Taste of Things”, which was submitted as the French submission to Best International Film Oscar in last year instead of Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” (2023), is as lovely and tasty as you … Continue reading →

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Sanctuary (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): A sanctuary for wildlife animals

Posted on June 17, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean documentary film “Sanctuary” focuses on the activists of a bunch of people dedicated to providing a sanctuary for wildlife animals in South Korea. While they care a lot about saving and taking care of those unfortunate animals out … Continue reading →

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Under Paris (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The Shark in Paris (no kidding)

Posted on June 13, 2024 by kaist455

French Netflix film “Under Paris” attempts to have and eat its cake, and that is sort of amusing to me. On one hand, it wants to be a serious shark flick like Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” (1975), whose greatness still makes … Continue reading →

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Inside Out 2 (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): More emotions to come

Posted on June 13, 2024 by kaist455

Pixar animation film “Inside Out 2”, which is the sequel to Oscar-winning animation film “Inside Out” (2015), shows us that Pixar still has it. While it is another fantasy adventure into the state of mind just like its predecessor, the … Continue reading →

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Dicks: The Musical (2023) ☆☆1/2 (2.5/4): A wacky musical of deliberate bad taste

Posted on June 12, 2024 by kaist455

I guess I am not an ideal audience for “Dicks: The Musical”. As shown from a series of footage clips during its end credits, the people behind and in front of the camera go all the way for making a … Continue reading →

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Hit Man (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The story of a fake hit man

Posted on June 11, 2024 by kaist455

Richard Linklater’s latest film “Hit Man”, which was released on Netflix in last week, is a delightful black comedy packed with lots of wit, humor, and personality to be appreciated. What we get here is often typical to the core, … Continue reading →

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Shooting Stars (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The Best Years of Their Lives

Posted on June 11, 2024 by kaist455

“Shooting Stars”, which is currently available on Netflix in South Korea, is a standard biographical sports drama film which plays and then delivers as much as expected. While any good sports drama film needs to do more than that in … Continue reading →

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Star of Ulsan (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): Her gloomy daily life in Ulsan

Posted on June 10, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “Star of Ulsan” is a tough stuff to watch for good reasons. As following the gloomy daily life of one strong-willed woman and several others around her, the movie presents a daunting slice of life to … Continue reading →

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A Lonely Island in the Distant Sea (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): As his life goes on…

Posted on June 10, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “A Lonely Island in the Distant Sea”, which I belatedly watched only after it unexpectedly won the Grand Prize at the Wildflower Film Awards in South Korea, simply and leisurely rolls along with its plain hero’s … Continue reading →

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