Category Archives: Movies

Blue Giant (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): All for Jazz

Japanese animation film “Blue Giant” is simply riveting whenever it conveys to us that ecstatic quality of jazz music performance. Probably because of being singled-minded as its main characters’ artistic pursuit for sublime perfection, the movie often feels a bit … Continue reading

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The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): William Freidkin’s last work

Willaim Friedkin’s last film “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial”, which incidentally came out a few months after his death, is a modest but engaging legal drama to watch. While looking inherently theatrical at times, the movie is also compelling enough to … Continue reading

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Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on the Exorcist (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): How he made it

William Friedkin, who sadly left us a few months ago, has always been associated with “The Exorcist” (1973), one of the iconic classic horror films in the 1970s. To be frank with you, I was not so scared when I … Continue reading

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The Conference (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A deadly conference

Swedish Netflix film “The Conference”, which was released a few days ago, is a viciously violent but undeniably amusing at least. Although its setting is derived from many other similar genre films ranging from “Friday the 13th” (1980) to “Severance” … Continue reading

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The Burial (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Two different men against a big corporation

“The Burial”, which was released on Amazon Prime on last Friday, is a modest but engaging drama about the legal battle of two different men who came to stand against a big corporation. While it does not exceed our expectation … Continue reading

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Vesper (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): One defiant girl in the middle of a post-apocalyptic world

Post-apocalyptic science fiction tales are dime a dozen, but “Vesper” distinguishes itself via its vividly barren and strange background. Although it is rather modest in terms of scope and production budget, the movie did a fairly good job of filling … Continue reading

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Benediction (2021) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The final film by Terence Davies

“Benediction”, which is now the last film by Terence Davies after he died a few days ago, is a melancholic collection of personal memories from a real-life British poet who had a fair share of bitter anger and sadness as … Continue reading

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Juliet of the Spirits (1965) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): Her spiritual journey of self-discovery

Federico Fellini’s “Juliet of the Spirits” baffles me a lot in good ways. When I watched the film for the first in 2005, I felt like not totally understanding how it is about or what it is about, and that … Continue reading

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I vitelloni (1953) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A group of village slackers

Federico Fellini’s “I vitelloni”, which means “The slackers” in Romagnol slang, is a dry but funny comedy drama film about a group of young but pathetic village slackers. Although it may not be one of Fellini’s best works in my … Continue reading

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Fair Play (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A risky office relationship

Netflix film “Fair Play”, which was released on last Friday, is a tense and disturbing thriller drama about one supposedly cool office relationship deteriorated by toxic office environment. Alternatively chilling and harrowing, the movie often feels like watching the slow-motion … Continue reading

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