Tag Archives: Biography

La Vie en Rose (2007) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Non, je ne Regrette rien

Posted on December 19, 2022 by kaist455

As your average inconsequential movie reviewer, I have seen heaps of musician biography films come and go for more than 20 years, and not many of them can top what is so powerfully achieved in Olivier Dahan’s “La Vie en … Continue reading →

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Elvis (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Extremely excessive and incredibly superficial

Posted on July 16, 2022 by kaist455

Baz Luhrmann’s latest film “Elvis” is extremely excessive and incredibly superficial. Like many of his previous works such as “Romeo + Juliet” (1996), “Moulin Rouge!” (2001), and “The Great Gatsby” (2013), the movie is full of Luhrmann’s own dizzy stylish … Continue reading →

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Tove (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): The early life of Tove Jansson

Posted on September 19, 2021 by kaist455

“Tove”, which was selected as the Finnish entry for Best International Film Oscar in last year, presents the early life of Tove Jansson, a Swedo-Finnish author and illustrator who has been mainly known for her lovely comic strip featuring the … Continue reading →

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Respect (2021) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A conventional biopic starring Jennifer Hudson

Posted on September 14, 2021 by kaist455

“Respect” is a thoroughly conventional musician biopic whose glaring flaws are occasionally compensated by the strong performance from its lead actress. Whenever the movie lets us down during its rather long running time (145 minutes), she always lifts it up … Continue reading →

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Radioactive (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A scattershot biopic on Marie Curie’s life and career

Posted on November 23, 2020 by kaist455

I remember well when I came to learn about the life and career of Marie Curie from a little biography book for children around 30 years ago. Although life was pretty hard and difficult for her because of a number … Continue reading →

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Neruda (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): An unconventional biopic inspired by Pablo Neruda

Posted on May 26, 2017 by kaist455

“Neruda” is not a conventional biopic at all. While mainly focusing on one crucial point in Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s life, the movie freely mixes fact and fiction for giving us a wider view on not only the poet himself … Continue reading →

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Miles Ahead (2015) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Miles before moving ahead

Posted on August 14, 2016 by kaist455

Shortly after the screening of “Miles Ahead” during this Saturday afternoon, I happened to have a brief conversation with one of the audiences. He pointed out how the movie was not so different from another recent jazz musician biography film … Continue reading →

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Born to Be Blue (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): Improvised from Chet Baker’s bluesy bottom

Posted on June 15, 2016 by kaist455

As a music drama loosely inspired by Chet Baker’s life, “Born to be Blue” tries a little different thing. While mainly focusing on a melancholic late period of this legendary American jazz musician’s life, it freely mixes reality and fiction … Continue reading →

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Love & Mercy (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Going down – and going up again

Posted on August 4, 2015 by kaist455

Brian Wilson has lived an interesting life which is sometimes too dramatic to be believed. After ascending to the top with his legendary band at young age, he tried to move forward with his new ideas, but then he slowly … Continue reading →

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Manshin (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A shaman with ten thousands spirits

Posted on March 9, 2014 by kaist455

 South Korean documentary “Manshin” vividly presents the cultural value in Korean shamanic rituals through its haunting images which lingered on my mind for a long time after watching it. Looking around the long, dramatic life story of a woman who … Continue reading →

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