Category Archives: Movies

Gone Girl (2014) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : What lies behind…

  Something does not feel good right from the beginning of “Gone Girl”, a gripping top-notch thriller which gradually and chillingly reveals its nasty and insidious cards behind its back step by step with icy, merciless precision. Considering its dark, … Continue reading

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Boyhood (2014) ☆☆☆☆(4/4) : Along the stream of time

 As preparing for the last steps of my graduate course at the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in these days, I sometimes feel a bit wistful about my long years at KAIST. The day when I entered the … Continue reading

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Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011) ☆☆1/2 (2.5/4) : Yes, they’re really going to do that

 “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” is not as whimsy or outrageous as its odd title suggests, and that was a little disappointment for me. The movie is a mild, pleasant comedy, and there is nothing wrong with that, but, considering … Continue reading

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The Immigrant (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4): A rich, somber classic melodrama from a bygone era

 Right from its evocative opening shot, “The Immigrant” takes us into the era when many poor, desperate people struggled hard in a world which was not as generous to them as they hoped. They might have some bright hopes about … Continue reading

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Whistle Blower (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Against a big national lie

 South Korean film “Whistle Blower” gave me and other audiences an odd experience to talk about. Although it emphasizes that its story is entirely fictional, I and others knew too well that it was inspired by a big academic scandal … Continue reading

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Seven Psychopaths (2012) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Screenplay work in criminal process

 “Seven Psychopaths” is about one funny screenplay writing process which is cheerfully juxtaposed with absurd humor and striking violence to shock you and then amuse you. As we follow its convoluted plot, it becomes apparent to us that it is … Continue reading

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A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A sombre but intense noir thriller

 Through its tarnished hero’s melancholic investigation process, “A Walk Among the Tombstones” looks into the dark, twisted face of human evil, and there are several chilling moments which will make you cringe or gasp for the horror implied during these … Continue reading

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The Maze Runner (2014) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : It runs around many familiar things

 Running around many familiar things we have seen before, “The Maze Runner” is as much as you can expect from a film based on popular SF young adult novel. It surely has a teenager hero who will clash with the … Continue reading

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Frank (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Did he ever wash his face or hair?

 When I saw its trailer several months ago, I wondered whether “Frank” could work, but it turns out to be better than I expected. While its distant, enigmatic title character and other oddball characters surely draw our attention, the movie … Continue reading

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Fading Gigolo (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5): A little more than sex for cash, so to speak

 As a comedy about the world’s oldest profession(and the second one), “Fading Gigolo” caresses, curdles, massages, and tickles its story and characters while not going a lot into its carnal affairs. Although it occasionally shows humor and poignancy while handling … Continue reading

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