Category Archives: Movies

The Roses (2025) ☆☆(2/4): A less vicious and funny remake

Posted on September 21, 2025 by kaist455

Jay Roach’s latest film “The Roses” is too mild and mellow for becoming truly mean and vicious enough to delve into the dark aspects of its story and characters. As unwisely trying to make the two main characters at the … Continue reading →

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Oddity (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): A piece of oddity

Posted on September 19, 2025 by kaist455

“Oddity” is a little but effective horror film which gradually reveals what it is about as patiently building up its creepy atmosphere and suspense along the story. While it is rather simple in terms of story and characters, the movie … Continue reading →

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Oslo (2021) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The negotiations behind the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords.

Posted on September 17, 2025 by kaist455

HBO TV movie “Oslo” cannot help but look rather naïve to me, considering how things have alarmingly gotten worse between Israel and Palestine since it came out four years ago. Yes, as dramatically presented in the film, there was a … Continue reading →

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Spirited Away (2001) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): A girl’s adventures in Miyazaki’s Wonderland

Posted on September 15, 2025 by kaist455

As revisiting Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 animation feature film “Spirited Away” yesterday, I marveled again on the vivid and mesmerizing qualities of its endlessly fascinating fantasy world. Even though the movie does not explain that much on the whole, we instantly … Continue reading →

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The Ugly (2025) ☆☆(2/4): That face, that face, that face…

Posted on September 14, 2025 by kaist455

South Korean film “The Ugly” is willing to explorer the very, very, very ugly sides of the South Korean society during the 1970s, and I appreciate that to some degree even though I am not that sure about whether it … Continue reading →

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Perfect Blue (1997) ☆☆☆(3/4): Someone to watch over her

Posted on September 13, 2025 by kaist455

Satoshi Kon’s 1997 animation feature film “Perfect Blue”, whose 4K restoration version happens to be released in South Korean theaters in this week, is a disturbing but striking psychological thriller about one young actress under a certain insidious influence. I … Continue reading →

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Homeward Bound (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): Guess who’s coming to her home…

Posted on September 13, 2025 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “Homeward Bound” is a little family movie with secrets to be revealed in one way or another. As each of its main characters struggles to handle their rather tricky circumstance while hiding each own secret, the … Continue reading →

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Princess Mononoke (1997) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): An epic fantasy drama by Hayao Miyazaki

Posted on September 10, 2025 by kaist455

Hayao Miyazaki’s 1997 animation feature film “Princess Mononoke”, which happens to be re-released in South Korean theaters today, is an epic fantasy historical drama to behold and admire. While its story engages us as a complex drama of ideas, intrigues, … Continue reading →

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Highest 2 Lowest (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): A colorful NYC remake from Spike Lee

Posted on September 9, 2025 by kaist455

Spike Lee’s latest film “Highest 2 Lowest”, which was released on Apple TV+ in last week, is an interesting remake of “High and Low” (1963), one of the classic films from great Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. While mostly following the … Continue reading →

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The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Another spooky case of Mr. and Mrs. Warren

Posted on September 9, 2025 by kaist455

“The Conjuring: Last Rites”, which another entry of the Conjuring franchise, delivers more or less than what you can expect from it. While there is nothing particularly new or surprising here, the movie gives us a fair share of shock … Continue reading →

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