Tag Archives: Crime

Logan Lucky (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Can they be lucky?

Posted on March 13, 2018 by kaist455

Steven Soderbergh’s new film “Logan Lucky” is entertaining for its slick efficiency and laid-back fun. While cheerfully bouncing from one amusing moment to another along with colorful silliness, it works as a smart, lively heist flick which turns out to … Continue reading →

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The Polka King (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): A goofy American tale of greed and delusion

Posted on February 25, 2018 by kaist455

Based on a fascinating real-life criminal case, “The Polka King”, which is currently available on Netflix, tells us a goofy American tale of greed and delusion. Here is a nice guy who simply wanted to achieve his success as trying … Continue reading →

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A Prophet (2009) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): A criminal education in prison

Posted on February 11, 2018 by kaist455

It is always fascinating to see a smart character rising up from the bottom step by step, and French film “A Prophet” is one of such cases. Here is a plain young man thrown into a grim, violent closed world … Continue reading →

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Good Time (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Desperate hours

Posted on January 4, 2018 by kaist455

What a witless and hapless guy the hero of “Good Time” is. He thinks he can handle his messy situation, but things keep going wrong for him, and he only comes to find himself mired in more panic and desperation. … Continue reading →

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American Made (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): Cruise back in his element

Posted on September 16, 2017 by kaist455

Based on an absurd real-life story involved with CIA, a drug cartel, and the White House, “American Made” gives us some funny moments to savor as cheerfully flying up and down along with its sleazy opportunistic hero. Although it often … Continue reading →

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The Merciless (2017) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): It’s merciless indeed…

Posted on July 23, 2017 by kaist455

South Korean film “The Merciless” is another South Korean gangster film which is as brutal and violent as you can expect. While it is not entirely without sense of humor and there is some interesting subtext glimpsed from its two … Continue reading →

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O.J.: Made in America (2016) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): See O.J. run and rise – and fall

Posted on December 7, 2016 by kaist455

Documentary film “O.J.: Made in America” is not only impressive for its ambitious scope but also remarkable for its revealing insight. Besides its detailed examination of the dramatic rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, the documentary also provides us an … Continue reading →

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Elle (2016) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A twisted mid-life crisis thriller from Verhoeven and Huppert

Posted on December 5, 2016 by kaist455

The opening scene of Paul Verhoeven’s new film “Elle” is so striking and disturbing that you cannot help but admire how firmly and effortlessly he and his lead performer Isabelle Huppert establish the overall tone of their movie without any … Continue reading →

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13th (2016) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): From Slavery to Mass Incarceration

Posted on November 27, 2016 by kaist455

At the beginning, Netflix documentary film “13th” presents an alarming piece of statistical data. While the population of US is merely 5% of the entire human population in the world, 20% of the prisoners in the world are incarcerated in … Continue reading →

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Victoria (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): A crime thriller presented via a single continuous take

Posted on November 23, 2016 by kaist455

Although I do not think German film “Victoria” intends to be a cautionary moral tale, it can be said that there is a familiar moral to be learned from its heroine’s unfortunate plight during a few hours: Be discreet about … Continue reading →

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