Tag Archives: Coming-of-age drama

Return to Seoul (2022) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A manic pixie adoptee girl returning to South Korea

“Return to Seoul”, which was the official submission of Cambodia for Best International Film Oscar in last year (It was later included in the shortlist, by the way), is an interesting work to observe and admire for good reasons. As … Continue reading

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Piggy (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): The butcher girl

“Piggy” is a little movie which will make you deeply uncomfortable from its very beginning. Dryly but chillingly illustrating its unforgettable adolescent heroine’s anger, fear, confusion, and frustration along the story, the movie will often unnerve you a lot for … Continue reading

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Bruiser (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): A young black man between two fathers

“Bruiser”, which is currently available on Disney+ in South Korea, is a familiar but engaging coming-of-age drama to be appreciated for good reasons. Although it stumbles a bit during its last act, the movie still holds our attention thanks to … Continue reading

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The Quiet Girl (2022) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The Importance of Being Loved

“The Quiet Girl”, which was recently nominated for Best International Film Oscar as an Irish film, is a little but precious coming-of-age drama about the importance of being loved. Calmly and sensitively following one summer of a little quiet lonely … Continue reading

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The Souvenir Part II (2021) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Her next chapter after his death

Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir Part II”, which is the sequel to her previous film “The Souvenir” (2019), illustrates the aftermath of its young heroine’s toxic romantic relationship depicted in the previous film. As she tries to process the devastating end … Continue reading

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Close (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): A friendship shattered

I know it is a clichéd expression, but I sincerely advise you not to read the following paragraphs if you want to be fully impacted by Lukas Dhont’s latest film “Close”, which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film … Continue reading

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The Fabelmans (2022) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): So he goes for filmmaking…

Steven Spielberg’s latest film “The Fabelmans” is a gentle and intimate drama which is incidentally inspired by the early years of his life. While you may wonder how much the movie is overlapped with Spielberg’s childhood and adolescent years, the … Continue reading

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Bones and All (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): Love and Cannibalism

Luca Guadagnino’s latest film “Bones and All” is an odd mix of two very different things which somehow work together fairy well despite lots of disparity between them. On one hand, we have a gory and disturbing coming-of-age tale associated … Continue reading

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Armageddon Time (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): So he grows up…

James Gray’s new film “Armageddon Time” is a somber and melancholic coming-of-age drama which feels rather uneven and superficial despite some good moments to be appreciated. Mainly revolving around a young boy of one stable middle-class Jewish family in New … Continue reading

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Rolling (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): As she begins to roll under the pandemic

South Korean independent film “Rolling” is a modest but sensitive character drama surrounding its young heroine’s emotional journey toward regained hope and optimism. Although it initially requires some patience from us due to its rather slow narrative pacing, the movie … Continue reading

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