Category Archives: Movies

The 2nd Repatriation (2022) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Still waiting for repatriation

South Korean documentary film “The 2nd Repatriation”, which is the sequel to director Kim Dong-won’s acclaimed 2003 documentary “Repatriation” (It won the Freedom of Expression Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, by the way), covers last two decades of … Continue reading

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Repatriation (2003) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Waiting for repatriation

South Korean documentary film “Repatriation” simply follows the lives of a bunch of unconverted North Korean people who could not go back to their country even after being imprisoned in South Korea for many years. As observing their long struggle … Continue reading

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Athena (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): Three brothers in the middle of an intense urban conflict

French film “Athena”, which was released on Netflix in last week, is quite gritty and intense in the presentation of one increasingly chaotic conflict in a slum neighborhood. While it takes some time for you to grasp what is exactly … Continue reading

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A Jazzman’s Blues (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Tyler Perry comes to Netflix

Here is my inconsequential confession: I did not watch any film directed by Tyler Perry during last two decades. Sure, like many of you, I do know that he has made a bunch of notable films since his first commercial … Continue reading

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Honest Candidate 2 (2022) ☆☆(2/4): She is back – with less laugh

Surprise is always crucial for comedy, but there is not much surprise for me in South Korean comedy film “Honest Candidate 2”, a sequel to the 2020 South Korean remake of Brazilian comedy film “The Honest Candidate” (2014). I could … Continue reading

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Cow (2021) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The daily life of two cows

Andrea Arnold’s documentary film “Cow” directly looks into an inconvenient fact of dairy business. It is undeniable that our human society has exploited millions of cows to get lots of milk produced from their bodies everyday, and the documentary gives … Continue reading

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Homeless (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): They need a place to stay…

South Korean film “Homeless” is about a desperate young couple helplessly stuck in their grim economic status. Without getting any financial help or support at all, they come to resort to some desperate measures for not only themselves but also … Continue reading

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Vestige (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Two short films set in Muju

South Korean independent film “Vestige” alternatively intrigued and baffled me for good reasons. While this is actually two different short films packaged together as a feature film, these two short films are connected with each other in more than one … Continue reading

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Sisters on the Road (2009) ☆☆☆(3/4): Two different sisters on a journey

South Korean film “Sisters on the Road”, whose remastered version happens to be re-released in South Korean theaters in this week, engaged me more than expected. At first, it begins as a simple but intimate drama revolving around two very … Continue reading

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Beast (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Idris Elba vs. Lion

Baltasar Kormákur’s new film “Beast” is a simple but fairly competent survival thriller drama. Although I wish it had a bit more fun and excitement besides having more substance in terms of story and character, the movie has some tense … Continue reading

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