Tag Archives: Coming-of-age drama

Queen of Walking (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): Walk, Man-bok, Walk!

Posted on October 23, 2016 by kaist455

Have you heard of racewalking? I did not know anything about this rather obscure sport until I watched a little lovable South Korean film called “Queen of Walking”. Before writing this review, I checked Wikipedia, and I was surprised to … Continue reading →

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A Tale of Love and Darkness (2015) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Looking at her from the distance

Posted on September 18, 2016 by kaist455

Israeli film “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is frequently frustrating in its distant attitude toward its sad, depressing human tale. Here is a woman who has probably been quite unhappy throughout her gray, melancholic life which has not given … Continue reading →

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Sing Street (2016) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : First Music – and First Love

Posted on May 30, 2016 by kaist455

“Sing Street” is a small but sweet musical movie with lots of charm and energy. While its musical period background is not that familiar to me, I was amused and entertained by its superlative soundtrack consisting of old and new … Continue reading →

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A Bronx Tale (1993) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A Bronx boy between two father figures

Posted on April 2, 2016 by kaist455

Any good coming-of-age tale is bound to be evaluated by two questions. What happens to our young lead character in the end besides looking older on the surface? And what happens to us as observing that inevitable process of maturation? … Continue reading →

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Theeb (2014) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A simple but haunting tale of a young desert boy

Posted on February 6, 2016 by kaist455

Desert is a harsh environment for any living creature. As watching those barren desert landscapes in Oscar-nominated Jordanian film “Theeb”, I wondered about how men came to live there many thousands years ago. This is a stark world where survival … Continue reading →

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When Marnie Was There (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4): The last Ghibli animation, probably

Posted on January 29, 2016 by kaist455

Watching Japanese animated feature film “When Marnie Was There” is a bittersweet experience because this may be the last work from Studio Ghibli, which has been in a ‘temporary’ hiatus period since “When Marnie Was There” was released in Japan … Continue reading →

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Dope (2015) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : Three Geeks in the Bottoms

Posted on October 25, 2015 by kaist455

“Dope” wants to do many things. At first, it unfolds a coming-of-age comedy drama about three adolescent kids struggling in their rough neighbourhood, and then it tries to be a crime story accompanied with drug and shooting, and then it … Continue reading →

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Paper Towns (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): Looking for his gone girl

Posted on October 24, 2015 by kaist455

When she suddenly comes closer to him, he is happy for that. When she is gone then, he is determined to see her again. “Paper Towns” is often predictable, but it handles its story and characters with sincerity and care … Continue reading →

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Me and Earl and Dying Girl (2015) ☆☆(2/4): Sweet and quirky and pretentious

Posted on October 24, 2015 by kaist455

“Me and Earl and Dying Girl” is one of those superficially whimsical American independent films often shown at the Sundance Film Festival, and I constantly groaned and grumbled throughout its running time. Brandishing its deliberately quirky style and mood, the … Continue reading →

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We Are the Best! (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : Not the best, actually

Posted on December 23, 2014 by kaist455

 First, let me talk about how I was not so entertained during the first viewing of Swedish film “We Are the Best!”. While it was interesting to hear a number of Swedish punk rock songs on the soundtrack, they did … Continue reading →

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