Category Archives: Movies

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Stories that hurt

Posted on November 10, 2019 by kaist455

“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” is a little creepy horror flick which serves us a number of good scary moments within our expectation. As a sort of hybrid between “Final Destination” (2000) and “Goosebumps” (2015), the movie does … Continue reading →

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Taipei Story (1985) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Lost in Taipei

Posted on November 10, 2019 by kaist455

Edward Yang’s “Taipei Story”, which was released in South Korean theaters a few days ago, is a melancholic urban drama about loneliness and disconnection. Although it initially requires considerable patience from us due mainly to its slow narrative pacing and … Continue reading →

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Maurice (1987) ☆☆☆(3/4): A sumptuous queer period drama

Posted on November 9, 2019 by kaist455

James Ivory’s 1987 film “Maurice”, which happens to be released in South Korean in this week, is a sumptuous queer period drama to be admired and appreciated. Based on the novel of the same name by E. M. Forster, the … Continue reading →

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Doctor Sleep (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): An eclectic sequel between King and Kubrick

Posted on November 8, 2019 by kaist455

Mike Flanagan’s new film “Doctor Sleep” is an eclectic sequel sandwiched between two contrasting sources of inspiration: Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick. While officially based on King’s novel of the same name which is a sequel to his famous horror … Continue reading →

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Luce (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): They need to talk about their adopted son…

Posted on November 7, 2019 by kaist455

“Luce” is supposed to be a complex and compelling drama on race and identity, but it somehow left me with considerable dissatisfaction. While raising several interesting questions to reflect on, the movie often feels contrived and heavy-handed in terms of … Continue reading →

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This Changes Everything (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Why they need more women in Hollywood

Posted on November 4, 2019 by kaist455

Documentary film “This Changes Everything”, which is currently being shown as “Woman in Hollywood” in South Korean theaters, attempts to illuminate a longtime gender issue in Hollywood. Although it does not go that far beyond what I have learned on … Continue reading →

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Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Redundant but entertaining

Posted on November 3, 2019 by kaist455

“Terminator: Dark Fate” is a redundant but surprisingly entertaining sequel whose strong elements compensate for its weak ones to some degree. While it stumbles at times as an action flick, the movie manages to recharge its story formula via some … Continue reading →

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Weathering with You (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Rain, Rain, Rain…

Posted on November 3, 2019 by kaist455

I think I am a little too grounded in reality to enjoy Japanese animation film “Weathering with You”, which was recently selected as the Japanese entry for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in this year. While it surely looks fantastic … Continue reading →

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The Cat and the Moon (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A solid directorial debut by Alex Wolff

Posted on November 2, 2019 by kaist455

“The Cat and the Moon” is your typical coming-of-age drama about a troubled adolescent hero wandering and struggling a lot in his unstable life, but it is a bit better than I expected. Sure, there are some rough spots here … Continue reading →

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63 Up (2019) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): Life at 63

Posted on October 31, 2019 by kaist455

Dear Roger How have you been these days, Roger? It has been more than 5 years since you passed away in 2013, but I often cannot help but think of you whenever I encounter something great at a movie theater. … Continue reading →

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