Category Archives: Movies

Jango: Uncharged (2023) ☆☆(2/4): A merely goofy B-spoof

South Korean “Jango: Uncharged” is a merely goofy B-spoof which mildly amused me from time to time. While it is thoroughly silly and outrageous from the beginning to the end, the movie eventually goes nowhere as showing its many limits … Continue reading

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): Another story begins…

The recent three movies from the Planet of the Apes franchise were remarkable for a number of good reasons. Besides the first-rate special effects which vividly presented a bunch of various ape characters on the screen, these movies made us … Continue reading

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The Fall Guy (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): The adventure of one stuntman

“The Fall Guy”, which is incidentally released as “The Stuntman” in South Korean theaters (I hope that local audiences will not mistake it for the remake of Richard Rush’s “The Stunt Man” (1979), by the way), has a lot of … Continue reading

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Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): The story of one album art design studio

Documentary film “Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnonsis” presents the story of one British album art design studio which gave us some of the most iconic album covers of all time. Although I do not know that much about … Continue reading

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Tchaikovsky’s Wife (2022) ☆☆(2/4): The Passion of Tchaikovsky’s Wife

They say misery loves company, but, after watching Kirill Serebrennikov’s “Tchaikovsky’s Wife”, I am wondering whether Russians love misery more than it wants. Here is a relentlessly grim, solemn, and miserable film which does not have much sense of human … Continue reading

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Wicked Little Letters (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A little problem in their town

“Wicked Little Letters” is a lightweight comedy film coupled with a bit of mystery. While it is not that difficult for us to guess the answer to the mystery inside the story even before its half point, the movie remains … Continue reading

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Petrov’s Flu (2021) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A baffling Russian flu fantasia

Kirill Serebrennikov’s “Petrov’s Flu” is a boldly self-indulgent mess you may admire for good reasons. Mainly revolving around one plain hero who happens to have a serious case of flu, the movie freely and whimsically goes back and forth between … Continue reading

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Challengers (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Are they ready to serve?

Luca Guadagnino’s new film “Challengers” is quick, deft, and passionate in its every serve, and I like that a lot. Electrifyingly and humorously bouncing along one very complicated situation among its three main characters, the movie alternatively amuses and thrills … Continue reading

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They Shot the Piano Player (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The disappearance of Francisco Tenório Júnior

How much I actually came to learn about Francisco Tenório Júnior? That was a lingering question left in my mind after I watched animated docudrama film “They Shot the Piano Player”, which was mainly about the real-life disappearance and presumed … Continue reading

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The Breaking Ice (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A quiet triangle in one cold Chinese city

“The Breaking Ice”, which was selected as the Singaporean entry for Best International Film Oscar in last year, is a somber but poignant drama about three different young people who happen to be stuck together during several cold winter days … Continue reading

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