Category Archives: Movies

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Anderson’s early dollhouse play

Posted on March 4, 2025 by kaist455

Revisiting Wes Anderson’s 2001 film “The Royal Tenenbaums”, I was reminded again of how consistent Anderson has been during last several decades. While this movie and many subsequent works of his are basically his own little dollhouse plays, they are … Continue reading →

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Take Out (2004) ☆☆☆(3/4): One day of a Chinese delivery guy

Posted on March 4, 2025 by kaist455

Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou’s 2004 film “Take Out”, which was released on DVD and Blu-ray by Criterion in US a few years ago, is a modest but engaging immigrant drama which gradually draws you into its plain hero’s one … Continue reading →

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My Prediction on the 97th Academy Awards

Posted on February 27, 2025 by kaist455

I have often grumbled a bit about how the Oscar season has been predictable during the last two decades. Especially after the season got shorter and tighter around 20 years ago, it has been much easier to detect whether there … Continue reading →

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Mickey 17 (2025) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): More than one Pattinson presented by Bong Joon-ho

Posted on February 27, 2025 by kaist455

Bong Joo-ho’s films always have his own offbeat sensibility to be cherished. Even his phenomenal Oscar-winning film “Parasite” (2019), which is incidentally the most mainstream work in his career, shows that odd and interesting quality at times behind its almost … Continue reading →

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Nickel Boys (2024) ☆☆☆1/2: A singular African American film to admire

Posted on February 26, 2025 by kaist455

My late mentor/friend Roger Ebert said that the movies are like a machine that generates empathy, and that is quite true in case of RaMell Ross’ latest work “Nickel Boys”, which was recently Oscar-nominated for Best Picture. Quite closely sticking … Continue reading →

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Lucca’s World (2025) ☆☆(2/4): She’s simply trying her best for her son…

Posted on February 25, 2025 by kaist455

Netflix film “Lucca’s World”, which was released in last month, is unabashedly sincere and sentimental without much honesty or human depth for becoming something more than “the disability of the week” movie. The movie is certainly pleasant and appealing to … Continue reading →

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The Gorge (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): What lies between them

Posted on February 25, 2025 by kaist455

“The Gorge”, which was released on Apple TV+ a few weeks ago, focuses on its two main characters first before eventually going for your average video game action, and I must confess that I enjoyed this process more than expected. … Continue reading →

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The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Stuck in a diner together

Posted on February 24, 2025 by kaist455

“The Last Stop in Yuma County” is a simple but effective genre piece to entertain you. While clearly influenced by the works of Quentin Tarantino and Coen brothers, the movie plays its genre game mostly fair and straight, and the … Continue reading →

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The Painter and the Thief (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): One painter and her messy muse

Posted on February 23, 2025 by kaist455

Norwegian documentary film “The Painter and the Thief” observes a complex human relationship between two total strangers who happened to get involved with each other under one extraordinary circumstance. As alternating between their different viewpoints, the documentary makes us reflect … Continue reading →

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Paddington in Peru (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): Back in Peru

Posted on February 23, 2025 by kaist455

“Paddington in Peru” is as amiable and pleasant as it can be despite being a bit underwhelming at times. Although you may be disappointed to see that it does not reach the sublime comic level of “Paddington 2” (2017), the … Continue reading →

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