Category Archives: Movies

Cookie’s Fortune (1999) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A little Southern comedy by Altman

Posted on April 9, 2025 by kaist455

Roger Ebert once observed on Robert Altman: “There may not have been a director who liked actors more.” Altman’s 1999 film “Cookie’s Fortune” exemplifies that, and it is often fun to watch how its main cast members willingly embody the … Continue reading →

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Voices (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): Personal memories of a massacre

Posted on April 6, 2025 by kaist455

South Korean documentary “Voices” simply listens to the testimonies from a bunch of people traumatized in one way or another by the massacres during the Jeju uprising during 1948 ~ 1949. Focusing more on the female victims and survivors, the … Continue reading →

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Grand Tour (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): A pair of tours across Eastern Asia

Posted on April 6, 2025 by kaist455

Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes’ latest film “Grand Tour”, which was selected as Portugal’s submission to Best International Film Oscar in last year, a baffling but interesting work with some artistic touches to admire and appreciate. While you may occasionally scratch … Continue reading →

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The End We Start From (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Her motherhood after a disaster

Posted on March 31, 2025 by kaist455

“The End We Start From” is a simple but compelling movie which follows a young woman’s struggle for survival and motherhood after one big national disaster. Mostly limiting itself around its heroine’s viewpoint, the movie often accentuates how things become … Continue reading →

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The Match (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The competition between a mentor and his pupil

Posted on March 30, 2025 by kaist455

There are several factors preventing me from being really entertained by South Korean film “The Match”. While it did a fairly good job of presenting a series of intense Go matches on the screen, the movie feels rather unbalanced as … Continue reading →

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Arcadian (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): In their arcadian post-apocalyptic world

Posted on March 29, 2025 by kaist455

“Arcadian” tries to tackle its very familiar genre territory, and I like its earnest attempt to some degree. Yes, the overall result is still basically another typical post-apocalyptic horror drama film which does not break any new ground in my … Continue reading →

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Azrael (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A wordless post-apocalyptic horror flick

Posted on March 29, 2025 by kaist455

When did I begin to notice Samara Weaving? Well, that was actually not a long time ago at all, considering her delightful breakout performance in “Ready or Not” (2019). Since that point, she has impressed us more and more as … Continue reading →

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Crash (1996) ☆☆☆(3/4): The morbidly metallic exploration of a sexual fetish 

Posted on March 27, 2025 by kaist455

David Cronenberg’s 1996 film “Crash”, which happens to be re-released in South Korea this week, is still capable of challenging us even after almost 30 years since it came out. As a cold and dispassionate exploration of one deliberately weird … Continue reading →

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Origin (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A Writer’s Journey

Posted on March 25, 2025 by kaist455

Movies about writers and ideas are not usually something really engaging or compelling to watch, but Ava DuVernay’s latest film “Origin” is one of those rare exceptions. In addition to being a touching human drama to observe, the movie also … Continue reading →

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Presence (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): A presence in the house

Posted on March 24, 2025 by kaist455

Steven Soderbergh has tried many different things during last several years. Although he announced his decision to retire around the time when he gave us “Side Effects” (2013) and “Behind the Candelabra” (2013), he came back in business with little … Continue reading →

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