Category Archives: Movies

Barbarian (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): This is a bad place indeed…

Posted on February 14, 2023 by kaist455

“Barbarian”, which is currently available on Disney+ in South Korea, is a darkly amusing horror thriller which skillfully toys with our expectations on its genre from the beginning to the end. I thought I knew where it was going during … Continue reading →

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Someone I Used to Know (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Before her ex-boyfriend’s wedding

Posted on February 13, 2023 by kaist455

“Someone I Used to Know”, which was released on Amazon Prime in last week, does not break any new ground in its genre territory, but it is smart and witty enough to engage us at least during its running time. … Continue reading →

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Close (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): A friendship shattered

Posted on February 12, 2023 by kaist455

I know it is a clichéd expression, but I sincerely advise you not to read the following paragraphs if you want to be fully impacted by Lukas Dhont’s latest film “Close”, which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film … Continue reading →

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More Than Ever (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): Her matter of life and death

Posted on February 12, 2023 by kaist455

“More Than Ever” is a little character drama which calmly observes its heroine’s quiet emotional struggles over her impending mortality. While it becomes occasionally melodramatic as you can expect from its main subject, the movie is still thoughtful and sensitive … Continue reading →

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Next Sohee (2022) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): She won’t be the last one…  

Posted on February 12, 2023 by kaist455

I got chilled and then saddened as watching South Korean film “Next Sohee”. If you are horrified and infuriated by what is so painfully presented during its first half, I guarantee you that you will be more exasperated and disgusted … Continue reading →

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Empire of Light (2022) ☆☆(2/4): Sincere but muddled

Posted on February 9, 2023 by kaist455

Sam Mendes’s new film “Empire of Light” is rather indecisive and muddled in its sincere love letter to movie theaters. On one hand, it attempts to emphasize the wonder of cinema, but nothing much sticks on the wall even though … Continue reading →

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See How They Run (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): See how they spoof Agatha Christie mystery

Posted on February 7, 2023 by kaist455

“See How They Run”, which is currently available on Disney+ in South Korea, is an amusing spoof on Agatha Christie mystery novels. Although it does not surpass its main source of inspiration, the movie is fairly entertaining mainly thanks to … Continue reading →

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Holy Spider (2022) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Based on one real-life Iranian serial killing case

Posted on February 6, 2023 by kaist455

Ali Abbasi’s third feature film “Holy Spider”, which was selected as the Danish submission to Best International Film Oscar in last year and then included in the finalist in this category, is a calm but angry crime thriller film loosely … Continue reading →

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Mother Land (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A modest South Korean stop-motion animation film

Posted on February 5, 2023 by kaist455

South Korean animation film “Mother Land” is a precious work to be cherished. As a stop-motion animation film, it is rather modest compared to, say, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (2022) or many of the recent acclaimed works from Laika Studios, … Continue reading →

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Irma Vep (1996) ☆☆☆(3/4): One troubled movie production

Posted on February 4, 2023 by kaist455

Olivier Assayas’ 1996 film “Irma Vep”, which happens to be released in South Korean theaters in this week, baffles me in enjoyable ways. Mainly revolving around one very troubled movie production, its story freely and unpredictably flows from one interesting … Continue reading →

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