Tag Archives: Crime

Everybody Knows (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): An engaging letdown by Asghar Farhadi

The opening scene of Asghar Farhadi’s new film “Everybody Knows”, which opened the Cannes Film Festival early in last year, summarizes well what I felt during my viewing. In the inner space of a church clock tower, the camera looks … Continue reading

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The Old Man and the Gun (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): An old man living through bank robbery

“The Old Man and the Gun” is a little offbeat film which leisurely takes its time along with its aging criminal hero for its laid-back fun. Mainly working as a quirky and amusing character study, the movie gives us a … Continue reading

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The Guilty (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A taut, suspenseful thriller on the phone

“The Guilty”, which was selected as the Danish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Academy awards and was recently included in the category short-list early in this month, is a taut, suspenseful thriller which is quite … Continue reading

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The Drug King (2018) ☆☆(2/4): The trite rise and fall of a drug lord

South Korean crime drama “The Drug King” bored me without much interest or excitement. While there is nothing particularly new or fresh here in terms of story, characters, and other genre aspects, the movie does not even have enough distinctive … Continue reading

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Dogman (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): A grim and gritty tale of a criminal underdog

The hero of “Dogman”, which was recently selected as the Italian entry for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 2019 Academy Awards, is probably one of the most pathetic criminal underdogs I have ever seen from movies. Petite, timid … Continue reading

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Galveston (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): A familiar crime drama better than expected

“Galveston” is a crime drama which is quite familiar but turns out to be better than expected. While being bleak and seedy as demanded, the movie generates some genuinely poignant moments as rolling its two main characters along its leisurely … Continue reading

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In the Fade (2017) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): After her terrible loss

The first two acts of German film “In the Fade”, which won the Golden Globe award for Best Foreign Language Film early in this year but did not get nominated for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar despite being included in … Continue reading

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Hold the Dark (2018) ☆☆1/2 (2.5/4): A cold, brutal genre exercise in Alaska

I feel ambivalent about “Hold the Dark”, a cold, brutal genre exercise which is admirable in technical aspects but too distant to engage me on the emotional level. While I was entertained by its atmosphere and performance to some degrees, … Continue reading

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No Country for Old Men (2007) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): A great thriller from the Coen Brothers

It is always exhilarating to recognize a great film right from when it comes out, and the Coen Brothers’ “No Country for Old Men” was my first experience of encountering a new great film to cherish and admire. When I … Continue reading

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Our Kind of Traitor (2016) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A middling adaptation of John le Carré novel

“Our Kind of Traitor”, which is based on the novel of the same name by John le Carré, engaged me to some degrees but then eventually disappointed me. Although this is a fairly watchable espionage thriller film with some good … Continue reading

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