Category Archives: Movies

Good Person (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A teacher oscillating between faith and doubt

Posted on September 11, 2021 by kaist455

South Korean film “Good Person” is a calm but tense drama mainly revolving around the gloomy plight of one man oscillating between faith and doubt after one devastating incident. Struggling with the resulting grief and anger, he simply tries to … Continue reading →

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Beyond You (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Beyond Him

Posted on September 11, 2021 by kaist455

To be frank with you, I was rather bored during the first 30 minutes of South Korean independent film “Beyond You” because I did not know much about what and how it was going to be about. On the surface, … Continue reading →

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Snowball (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): They try their best – and they also do their worst

Posted on September 4, 2021 by kaist455

I often wanted to shake my head as watching South Korean film “Snowball”, which mainly revolves around three different adolescent girls who try their best but end up doing their worst. Although it phlegmatically observes their worsening circumstance from the … Continue reading →

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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): Hail to Tony Leung

Posted on September 2, 2021 by kaist455

Superhero movie can only be as good as its villain character, and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”, the latest product from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is often elevated by the very compelling presence of its villain … Continue reading →

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Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): A decent painter betrayed by his greedy partners

Posted on August 29, 2021 by kaist455

As far as I can see from Netflix documentary “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed”, which was released a few days ago, Bob Ross was not only a decent painter but also a good man to admire. He simply … Continue reading →

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CODA (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): A bit better remake on the whole

Posted on August 25, 2021 by kaist455

“CODA” is a solid crowd-pleaser which has its big heart in the right place. Based on French film “La Famille Bélier” (2014), the movie gives us a sensitive and heartwarming tale of one musically talented girl and her culturally deaf … Continue reading →

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Annette (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): Leos Carax back in action

Posted on August 25, 2021 by kaist455

Leos Carax’s latest film “Annette” may be another case of style-over-substance, but what a wild and ambitious genre exercise it is. Exultantly gliding from one solid musical number to another as your typical sung-through musical film, the movie confidently reaches … Continue reading →

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John and the Hole (2021) ☆☆(2/4): A boy who traps his family in the hole

Posted on August 24, 2021 by kaist455

“John and the Hole” begins with a very twisted story promise to grab your attention, but it is unfortunately not developed into something really interesting or compelling as humorlessly trudging along its increasingly flat storyline. While this is not a … Continue reading →

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Words on Bathroom Walls (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): His little mental secret

Posted on August 22, 2021 by kaist455

“Words on Bathroom Walls” is another typical coming-of-age drama about a troubled adolescent romance, but it is more thoughtful and sincere than expected. While it handles its story and characters well with considerable care and attention, the movie does not … Continue reading →

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Underground (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A calm and thoughtful observation of subway workers

Posted on August 21, 2021 by kaist455

South Korean documentary film “Underground” simply observes a bunch of various subway workers who have devoted themselves to making their public system work everyday for millions of citizens out there. Although it does not explain that much to us as … Continue reading →

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