Category Archives: Movies

Calm with Horses (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A fatalistic Irish crime drama about one ex-boxer

Posted on September 7, 2020 by kaist455

“Calm with Horses”, which was released in US as “The Shadow of Violence”, is a fatalistic crime drama which virtually announces its ill-fated hero’s doom to us right from the beginning. No matter how much he tries, he is bound … Continue reading →

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I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): I’m Thinking of Many Things

Posted on September 6, 2020 by kaist455

I am thinking of many things as reflecting on Charlie Kaufman’s new film “I’m Thinking of Ending Things”, which was released on Netflix two days ago. Because I happened to be dizzy and sleepy when I watched it for the … Continue reading →

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The Invitation (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): One suspicious dinner party

Posted on September 5, 2020 by kaist455

“The Invitation” is a little but solid piece of work which deftly toys with sinister possibilities. Right from the beginning, we feel rather uneasy and uncomfortable about what is being unfolded in front of us, and we come to wonder … Continue reading →

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The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Broad but spirited

Posted on September 4, 2020 by kaist455

Some of those classic Victorian novels written by Charles Dickens delighted me a lot when I read them during my adolescent and college years. Sure, many of the characters in his novels are essentially stereotypes, but they are strikingly and … Continue reading →

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The One and Only Ivan (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A tale of one painting gorilla

Posted on September 4, 2020 by kaist455

“The One and Only Ivan”, which was released on Disney+ a few weeks ago, is a safe and sappy product which does not overcome its several glaring shortcomings much. While I was quite distracted by those talking animals in the … Continue reading →

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Ghosts of War (2020) ☆☆(2/4): Soldiers stuck in a predictable haunted spot

Posted on September 3, 2020 by kaist455

“Ghosts of War” looks like an interesting hybrid of two different genres at first, but it ultimately lets us down a lot. While you may be entertained a bit by how different genre elements clash with each other for a … Continue reading →

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The Rental (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A competent test run by Dave Franco

Posted on September 3, 2020 by kaist455

Dave Franco’s debut feature film “The Rental” is a modest test run for his nascent filmmaking career. Although it will not surprise you much especially if you are familiar with its genre territory, it is mostly competent on the whole … Continue reading →

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Sputnik (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Beauty and the Host

Posted on August 31, 2020 by kaist455

Russian film “Sputnik” is a little creepy SF horror flick which intrigues and then chills you as patiently developing the story and characters within its limited background. Evoking many various movies ranging from “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962) to “Venom” (2018), … Continue reading →

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Rising Phoenix (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): They are indeed superheroes

Posted on August 30, 2020 by kaist455

Netflix documentary film “Rising Phoenix” is an uplifting examination of the Paralympic Games and a number of various participants. Rather than merely living with their disabilities, these and many other disabled athletes push themselves really hard at the Paralympic Games … Continue reading →

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Beats (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Revolt in beats

Posted on August 30, 2020 by kaist455

British film “Beats”, which incidentally should not be confused with the 2019 American film of the same name, is often fascinating as a plain but vivid slice of adolescent life in Scotland, 1994. As closely following its two teenage heroes, … Continue reading →

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