Tag Archives: Crime

Nightmare Alley (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): A fatalistic neo-noir film by Guillermo del Toro

Posted on February 4, 2022 by kaist455

Guillermo’s del Toro’s latest film “Nightmare Alley” is an admirable genre piece whose strength mainly lies in mood and details rather than the story itself. There are several weak parts in the story which could be improved more in my … Continue reading →

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Mass (2021) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Four troubled parents in the room

Posted on January 18, 2022 by kaist455

“Mass” is a modest but undeniably compelling drama about four ordinary people struggling to deal with their respective human losses caused by one terrible incident. While it simply observes a series of tense and strained interactions among them, the movie … Continue reading →

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The Policeman’s Lineage (2022) ☆☆(2/4): A tepidly murky police procedural

Posted on January 6, 2022 by kaist455

South Korean film “The Policeman’s Lineage” is probably one of the most tedious police procedurals I have ever encountered at movie theater during several recent years. While I did not care much about its main characters mainly defined by their … Continue reading →

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Titane (2021) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): You’ll have to see it for yourself

Posted on December 8, 2021 by kaist455

Julia Ducournau’s new film “Titane”, which won the Palme d’Or when it had a premiere at the Cannes Film Festival several months ago and then was recently selected as the French entry for Best International Film Oscar, is wild, provocative, … Continue reading →

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The Beta Test (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): He had it coming, you know

Posted on December 7, 2021 by kaist455

“The Beta Test” is a vicious and morbid black comedy which often goes wild with its edgy sense of black humor to our horror, embarrassment, and amusement. Mainly revolving around one very unlikable Hollywood dude who surely deserves all those … Continue reading →

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Wild Indian (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): When the past returns to him

Posted on December 6, 2021 by kaist455

“Wild Indian” is a calm but unnerving thriller about two different Indigenous American men who come to face their old dark childhood secret in the past. As slowly rolling its story and characters to the expected narrative point, the movie … Continue reading →

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Snakehead (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): A little crime thriller flick set in Chinatown

Posted on November 26, 2021 by kaist455

“Snakehead” is a little crime thriller flick which did its job better than expected within its genre conventions. As delving into the seedy sides of the Chinatown area of New York City along with its feisty criminal heroine, the movie … Continue reading →

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Casting JonBenet (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Casting performers to play her and others

Posted on November 22, 2021 by kaist455

Netflix documentary film “Casting JonBenet” takes an unorthodox approach to an infamous unsolved murder case at its center. Because I am not familiar with that notorious case which happened almost 25 years ago, I was a bit disappointed to see … Continue reading →

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Operation Hyacinth (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): A grim but compelling Polish police noir drama

Posted on November 22, 2021 by kaist455

Polish film “Operation Hyacinth”, which was released on Netflix in last month, looks into its moody period background via a typical noir tale of obsession, confusion, and corruption. As steadily following a supposedly clean-cut young hero who becomes quite obsessed … Continue reading →

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The Dissident (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Behind the assassination of one Saudi Arabian journalist

Posted on November 8, 2021 by kaist455

Documentary film “The Dissident” will alternatively chill and infuriate you for good reasons. While going into the details on the shocking death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, the documentary also gives us the alarming presentation of how the … Continue reading →

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