Category Archives: Movies

Mulholland Drive (2001) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): An ultimate David Lynch film

Somebody must be sad, regretful, and fading away. That is a lingering impression I get whenever I visit David Lynch’s 2001 film “Mulholland Drive”, which happens to be re-released here in South Korean theaters not long after Lynch’s death in … Continue reading

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Black Box Diary (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): As she steps forward as a survivor

Documentary film “Black Box Diary”, which received an Oscar nomination a few weeks ago, is a personal chronicle of one young female journalist who courageously stepped forward in public as the survivor of a high-profile case in Japan several years … Continue reading

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Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A Cold War plot behind jazz

Documentary film “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”, which was recently nominated for Best Documentary Oscar, is a superb presentation of the hidden aspects of a political turmoil in Africa during the early 1960s. While it is simply a collage of … Continue reading

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Caravaggio’s Shadow (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): An artist between the holy and the secular

“Caravaggio’s Shadow”, which incidentally came to South Korean theaters in last month, is fascinated with what inspired Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571 ~ 1610), who was one of the best artists in Italy around the early 17th century. Although he … Continue reading

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The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): A fantasy of silence and whispers

Víctor Erice’s 1973 film “The Spirit of the Beehive”, which is currently being shown in South Korean theaters after his recent comeback work “Close Your Eyes” (2023) came in last year, has delicately sublime qualities to be admired and appreciated. … Continue reading

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Persona a Strange Girl (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): That elusive girl

South Korean independent film “Persona a Strange Girl” reminds me again of how the works of Hong Sang-soo have considerable influence over South Korean independent cinema for many years. Just like the works of Woody Allen have been followed by … Continue reading

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Silver Apricot (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): Dealing with her dysfunctional family

South Korean independent film “Silver Apricot” is about one young woman who must deal with several flawed family members who have been estranged from her for many years. This is surely a familiar story setting, but the movie did a … Continue reading

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Heritage (2023) ☆☆(2/4): Two different young people in desperation

South Korean independent film “Heritage” is often frustratingly slow and opaque in my humble opinion. Mainly revolving around two different young persons in each own desperation, the movie attempts to make some point on the generational/social divides in the South … Continue reading

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The Animal Kingdom (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): When people are turning into animals

French film “The Animal Kingdom” is a modest but intriguing SF drama with enough style and substance to interest and then engage us. Although it is rather a bit too vague about its story premise, the movie stays focused on … Continue reading

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Memory (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): An accidental romance tale between two troubled persons

Micheal Franco’s latest film “Memory” is about an accidental romance between two troubled persons. While both of them have each own issue to struggle with, they cannot help but attracted to each other after their rather unpleasant encounter, and the … Continue reading

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