Category Archives: Movies

The Martian (2015) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): Stranded Alone on Mars

Posted on October 9, 2015 by kaist455

Even though we have learned a lot about Mars since the Viking 1 lander touched down on its surface in 1976, our red neighbor planet still remains as intriguing and mysterious as many other distant places in our solar system … Continue reading →

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Slow West (2015) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : A slow, offbeat exercise in genre deconstruction

Posted on October 7, 2015 by kaist455

As literally reflected by its title, Western film “Slow West” is slow and languid in its offbeat exercise in genre deconstruction. It tries a number of whimsical things here and there as its archetype characters meander toward the inevitable arrival … Continue reading →

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Girlhood (2014) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): A girl’s life in Banlieue

Posted on October 4, 2015 by kaist455

  French word ‘Banlieue’ originally meant a middle-class suburban area in the vicinity of big cities like Paris, but its meaning was modified around the 1970s along with the increased influx of foreign immigrants in France. These immigrants, most of … Continue reading →

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Cop Car (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4) : They stole a wrong one…

Posted on October 3, 2015 by kaist455

“Cop Car” is about two kids who get more than they wish for after they come across a vehicle they should not have messed with. While there are a number of uneasy scenes of these naughty kids being put into … Continue reading →

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Turbo Kid (2015) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : Not for your kids, certainly

Posted on October 3, 2015 by kaist455

“Turbo Kid” is a junk food packed with cheesy and hammy elements while cheerfully drenched in a nasty hot sauce of violence. It is goofy and amusing at times, but the movie eventually feels more like an expired one-note joke … Continue reading →

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Danny Collins (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): A turning point belatedly coming to him

Posted on October 2, 2015 by kaist455

“Danny Collins” is the third Al Pacino movie I watched in this year, and it is easily the best of the bunch. While other two films “The Humbling” (2014) and “Manglehorn” (2014) were disappointing misfires despite his efforts, Pacino gives … Continue reading →

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Manglehorn (2014) ☆☆(2/4) : Pacino stuck in an uneventful dud

Posted on October 1, 2015 by kaist455

“Manglehorn” is an uneventful dud which is all the more disappointing when you consider the talents behind it. The movie is intended as a low-key character drama driven by small moments, but it is hopelessly uneven and tedious in its … Continue reading →

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Everest (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Into Thin Air

Posted on September 29, 2015 by kaist455

Based on an infamous real-life disaster which happened on Mount Everest in May 1996, “Everest” attempts to tell a chilling story about how everything went horribly wrong during that grim, horrifying moment of fear and chaos. Yes, they did know … Continue reading →

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The Intern (2015) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : An old intern and his young boss

Posted on September 29, 2015 by kaist455

“The Intern” is often warm and humorous, but I was constantly moving my judgement back and forth during my viewing. It goes without saying that its two talented lead performers are too good for the film, but I kept noticing … Continue reading →

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Right Now, Wrong Then (2015) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): Or Vice Versa

Posted on September 28, 2015 by kaist455

South Korean film “Right Now, Wrong Then” is another small piece of delight and amusement from Hong Sang-soo, one of the most prolific filmmakers in South Korea. Like Woody Allen, he makes one or two films per year, and watching … Continue reading →

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