Tag Archives: Coming-of-age drama

Jesus (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A simple but haunting coming-of-age drama

Posted on August 10, 2019 by kaist455

Japanese film “Jesus” is a simple but haunting coming-of-age drama to be admired for not only its sensitive coming-of-age tale but also its thoughtful handling of its religious subjects. While it is often a little playful as observing how its … Continue reading →

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The Souvenir (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Scenes from her toxic personal relationship

Posted on August 9, 2019 by kaist455

“The Souvenir” is a somber and detached mix of coming-of-age and romance drama which is occasionally emotionally painful to watch for good reasons. As calmly observing how things alternatively go up and down between its young heroine and a very … Continue reading →

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Booksmart (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Their wild night before graduation

Posted on June 30, 2019 by kaist455

My high school life was pretty uneventful on the whole. While bullied and ridiculed for my odd personality from time to time, all I cared about was books, movies, and, above all, grades, and having a fun was the last … Continue reading →

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Rafiki (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): A lesbian coming-of-age drama from Kenya

Posted on June 30, 2019 by kaist455

Kenya film “Rafiki”, which means ‘Friend’, is interesting to watch for several good reasons. While it drew lots of attention for dealing with a subject quite sensitive in Kenya (It was banned by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) before … Continue reading →

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Winter Flies (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Two boys driving a car

Posted on May 7, 2019 by kaist455

“Winter Flies”, which was selected Czech’s official submission to the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91th Academy Awards in last year and recently happened to be shown at the Jeonju International Film Festival in this month, is a modest … Continue reading →

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Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A dark fairy tale amidst gangs and ghosts

Posted on May 4, 2019 by kaist455

Mexican film “Tigers Are Not Afraid” is a dark fairy tale set between two different kinds of horror. While it gives us a chillingly realistic glimpse into a harsh and brutal world riddled with crime and violence everyday, it also … Continue reading →

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The Hate U Give (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): She won’t be quiet at all

Posted on January 19, 2019 by kaist455

“The Hate U Give”, which is based on the novel of the same name by Angie Thomas, handles a timely subject with earnest care and compassion. Through the intimate human story of a young girl who becomes a lot more … Continue reading →

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Mid90s (2018) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Growing up with skateboarding in the mid-1990s

Posted on December 25, 2018 by kaist455

“Mid90s” works best when it gives us a glimpse into its specific subculture in the mid-1990s. Because I am not that familiar with its subject, I observed the film with anthropological curiosity as enjoying its authentic mood and laid-back style … Continue reading →

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Summer 1993 (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): That summer of Frida

Posted on December 7, 2018 by kaist455

Spanish film “Summer 1993”, which was selected as the Spanish entry for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in last year, tells its story via the limited but unadulterated viewpoint of its little young heroine. As she tries to cope with … Continue reading →

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We the Animals (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): As he grows up with his brothers

Posted on December 2, 2018 by kaist455

“We the Animals” is something I cannot forget easily. As a haunting mixture of intimate family drama and sensitive coming-of-age drama, the movie has a number of lyrical and poetic moments to remember, and they are still lingering on my … Continue reading →

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