Category Archives: Movies

Kajillionaire (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Stuck with her small-time crook parents

Posted on November 10, 2020 by kaist455

“Kajillionaire” is as quirky and charming as you can expect from Miranda July, who previously delighted us with “Me and You and Everyone We Know” (2005) and “The Future” (2011). Like these two films, the movie often baffles us with … Continue reading →

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Funan (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): A poignant animation film about the Cambodian genocide

Posted on November 10, 2020 by kaist455

Denis Do’s animation feature film “Funan” tells us a dark but ultimately poignant tale of human cruelty and resilience. Loosely inspired by Do’s family history associated with the Khmer Rouge revolution in Cambodia during the late 1970s, the movie often … Continue reading →

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The Witches (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A bland and redundant adaptation

Posted on November 5, 2020 by kaist455

Many of Roald Dahl’s stories for children have certain dark and vicious qualities, and “The Witches” is no exception. Although it did not scare me much when I happened to read it around 1993, its twisted sense of humor often … Continue reading →

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His House (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A refugee couple under insidious influence

Posted on November 2, 2020 by kaist455

Netflix film “His House” is a modest but undeniably effective horror flick which turns out to be more than your average haunted place tale. Gradually dialing up its level of creepiness along its story as required, the movie comes to … Continue reading →

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Charm City Kings (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A rough but electrifying coming-of-age drama set in Baltimore

Posted on November 2, 2020 by kaist455

It is hard not to be impressed by what is so vividly and palpably presented in “Charm City Kings”, a rough but electrifying mix of typical coming-of-age tale and gritty crime drama. While its story and characters are familiar to … Continue reading →

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Cut Throat City (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Colorful but jumbled

Posted on November 2, 2020 by kaist455

“Cut Throat City” is a colorful but uneven crime drama which alternatively engaged and frustrated me. While it is mostly watchable thanks to its diverse array of cast members and a palpable sense of locations and people, it is frequently … Continue reading →

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David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): An exuberant concert film presented by Byrne and Lee

Posted on November 1, 2020 by kaist455

“David Byrne’s American Utopia”, which was released on HBO in last month, gave me one of the most exuberant experiences I ever had during this year. Although I must tell you first that I am not that familiar with the … Continue reading →

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Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): As he records with his colleagues

Posted on November 1, 2020 by kaist455

Documentary film “Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You”, which came out shortly before his twentieth studio album of the same name was released in last month, gives us a close look on the artistic process of Springsteen and his regular backing … Continue reading →

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Vitalina Varela (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): There is nothing for her here, but…

Posted on November 1, 2020 by kaist455

Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa’s latest film “Vitalina Varela” is an austerely reticent but strikingly haunting piece of work. I must confess that I checked some other reviews after watching it because I was not so sure about what it was … Continue reading →

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Slay the Dragon (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): American citizens against gerrymandering

Posted on October 31, 2020 by kaist455

I remember well when I heard about gerrymandering for the first time. On one day in 1991, I was going through the third year of my elementary school education, and I and other students of my class were studying elementary … Continue reading →

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