Author Archives: kaist455

20,000 Species of Bees (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The rural summer story of a trans kid

Posted on January 1, 2024 by kaist455

Spanish film “20,000 Species of Bees” is a little but intimate coming-of-age tale of one trans kid who becomes more serious and conflicted about her sexual identity during one summer. As gradually immersing us in her confused emotional state, the … Continue reading →

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The Teachers’ Lounge (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A trouble at one school

Posted on December 30, 2023 by kaist455

German film “The Teachers’ Lounge”, which was selected as the German submission to Best International Film Oscar then was recently included the shortlist, is a dry but riveting school drama about how one small matter becomes quite complicated for everyone … Continue reading →

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Theater Camp (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Another season of their summer theater camp

Posted on December 27, 2023 by kaist455

“Theater Camp”, which is currently available on Disney+ in South Korea, is a familiar type of comedy which could be improved here and there in my trivial opinion. While it is apparent that the main cast members of the film … Continue reading →

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Saltburn (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Which one is more horrible?

Posted on December 26, 2023 by kaist455

Emerald Fennell’s second feature film “Saltburn”, which is currently available on Amazon Prime, is as disturbing and vicious as its very title suggests. Following one young man’s insidious journey into the isolated world of wealth, ennui, and decadence, the movie … Continue reading →

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Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): The Father of Video Art

Posted on December 23, 2023 by kaist455

I remember an old local TV commercial featuring Nam June Paik and one of his artworks. Although I was just a little boy when I came across it in the early 1990s, what was shown from that local TV commercial … Continue reading →

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Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): His last performance

Posted on December 23, 2023 by kaist455

Documentary film “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus”, which was premiered in the Venice International Film Festival several months ago and then will be released in South Korean theaters in the last week of this year, is quite simple in its presentation setting. … Continue reading →

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Trolls Band Together (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Shiny and colorful again with lots of songs

Posted on December 23, 2023 by kaist455

Animation film “Trolls Band Together” is shiny and colorful just like its two predecessors. I was not particularly excited about “Trolls” (2016) and “Trolls World Tour” (2020), but they were fairly watchable mainly thanks to its bright optimistic energy mainly … Continue reading →

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Beyond the Visible: Hilma af Klint (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A hidden female artistic pioneer

Posted on December 22, 2023 by kaist455

Documentary film “Beyond the Visible: Hilma af Klint” focuses on one exceptional female artist who definitely deserves a lot of attention and appreciation for her pioneering artistic achievement. Although it has been almost 80 years since she died, many of … Continue reading →

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Fallen Leaves (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A deadpan romantic comedy from Aki Kaurismäki

Posted on December 22, 2023 by kaist455

Aki Kaurismäki’s latest work “Fallen Leaves”, which was chosen as the Finnish entry for Best International Film Oscar in this year and then was recently included in the shortlist, is a seemingly bleak but ultimately heartwarming romantic comedy to remember. … Continue reading →

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Noryang: Deadly Sea (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Driven into the last battle

Posted on December 21, 2023 by kaist455

South Korean film “Noryang: Deadly Sea”, the third and (definitely) final film of the trilogy after “The Admiral: Roaring Currents” (2014) and “Hansan: Rising Dragon” (2022), is often relentlessly epic and loud in what it is expected to present on … Continue reading →

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