Category Archives: Movies

Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) ☆1/2(1.5/4): Such a bloody boring bad place this hell is…

Posted on August 15, 2026 by kaist455

Tony Randel’s 1988 film “Hellbound: Hellraiser II”, a sequel to Clive Barker’s “Hellraiser” (1987), is a bloody boring mess I observed from the distance without much care or attention. Sure, there are a number of well-made moments intended to disgust … Continue reading →

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Hellraiser (1987) ☆☆(2/4): It didn’t tear my soul apart at all

Posted on August 15, 2026 by kaist455

Clive Barker’s 1987 film “Hellraiser” did not tear my soul at all when I watched it for the first time via an old VHS copy in 1996. When I saw its promotional poster before that, it looked so scary to … Continue reading →

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Kiss of the Spider Woman (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): Two different prisoners between desperation and fantasy

Posted on August 12, 2026 by kaist455

Bill Condon’s 2025 musical film “Kiss of the Spider Woman”, which went straight to streaming in South Korea, is about two very different but equally desperate prisoners whose reality swings back and forth between desperation and fantasy. As they begin … Continue reading →

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Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Between two different prisoners

Posted on August 10, 2026 by kaist455

Brazilian filmmaker Héctor Babenco’s 1985 film “Kiss of the Spider Woman” is a hauntingly complex prison drama between two very different figures. Although there are not many common things between them, they cannot help but connect more with each other … Continue reading →

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Last Summer (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): As a country summer passes…

Posted on August 9, 2026 by kaist455

It may take some time for you to sense and then process what and how South Korean independent film “Last Summer” is about. Leisurely establishing its vividly realistic rural atmosphere across the screen, the movie gradually blurs the line between … Continue reading →

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The Odyssey (2026) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Nolan’s stark and gritty spectacle

Posted on August 6, 2026 by kaist455

Christopher Nolan’s new film “The Odyssey” is a stark and gritty spectacle quite determined to overpower and then exhaust you. Based on the ancient Greek work of the same name by Homer, the movie may disappoint you for not having … Continue reading →

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The Truth vs. Alex Jones (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The judgment on a vile purveyor of lies

Posted on August 2, 2026 by kaist455

As far as I heard from many others during last several years, Alex Jones is a truly vile piece of sh*t, and 2024 HBO documentary film “The Truth vs. Alex Jones” confirms me on that more. It is often infuriating … Continue reading →

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The Gorals (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): A modest but charming coming-of-age tale

Posted on August 2, 2026 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “The Gorals” is a modest but likable coming-of-age tale about four different high school girls banding together for their little mission to accomplish. As they bounce from one point to another along the story, the movie … Continue reading →

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What Should We Have Done? (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): The memories of his schizophrenic sister

Posted on August 2, 2026 by kaist455

Japanese documentary filmmaker Tomoaki Fujino’s 2023 documentary film “What Should We Have Done?” is often difficult to watch for good reasons. Mainly consisting of old video clips showing a number of personal moments from Fujino’s deeply troubled older sister and … Continue reading →

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) ☆☆☆(3/4): Brand Old Familiar Day

Posted on July 29, 2026 by kaist455

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” works best whenever it is just about its earnest superhero character. As a matter of fact, it could just try less on connecting itself with those other notable characters of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and then … Continue reading →

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