Tag Archives: Crime

Kill Room (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A killing art business

Posted on July 4, 2024 by kaist455

I still remember when I looked around the Contemporary Art section of the Art Institute of Chicago in April 2010. Many of those artworks in that section looked pretty valuable as far as I could see, but I often wondered … Continue reading →

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Hit Man (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The story of a fake hit man

Posted on June 11, 2024 by kaist455

Richard Linklater’s latest film “Hit Man”, which was released on Netflix in last week, is a delightful black comedy packed with lots of wit, humor, and personality to be appreciated. What we get here is often typical to the core, … Continue reading →

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Drive-Away Dolls (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A whimsical crime comedy from Ethan Coen

Posted on May 24, 2024 by kaist455

In my inconsequential opinion, Joel and Ethan Coen have often swung back and forth between two extreme ends during last several decades. On one end, they can give us extremely wacky comedy films such as “Raising Arizona” (1987), “The Hudsucker … Continue reading →

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Silent Night (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A mute revenge action flick by John Woo

Posted on May 20, 2024 by kaist455

“Silent Night” tries to put an unconventional spin on its very familiar genre elements. While this is your average revenge drama action flick, the movie has itself driven mostly by actions instead of words from the beginning to the end, … Continue reading →

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The Shawshank Redemption (1994) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): More than a prison break

Posted on May 16, 2024 by kaist455

It has been nearly 30 years since I watched Frank Darabont’s “The Shawshank Redemption” for the first time. As far as I remember, I watched it at least three times, and I saw it again a local movie theater yesterday … Continue reading →

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Wicked Little Letters (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A little problem in their town

Posted on April 30, 2024 by kaist455

“Wicked Little Letters” is a lightweight comedy film coupled with a bit of mystery. While it is not that difficult for us to guess the answer to the mystery inside the story even before its half point, the movie remains … Continue reading →

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Blood for Dust (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Descent of a salesman

Posted on April 23, 2024 by kaist455

“Blood for Dust” is a moody but tense noir film which follows the descent of one ordinary salesman who lets himself driven more into crime and corruption by his growing despair and frustration. While this is not a pleasant sight … Continue reading →

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Laroy, Texas (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A little comic noir set in Texas

Posted on April 23, 2024 by kaist455

“Laroy, Texas” is a little comic noir which reminds us again of that old genre lesson: the world always wins no matter how much you try to win by any means necessary. Clearly reminiscent of its senior noir films such … Continue reading →

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Jeong-sun (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): After she is exposed

Posted on April 20, 2024 by kaist455

South Korean film “Jeong-sun”, which was belatedly released in South Korea in this week (It was premiered at the Jeonju International Film Festival in May 2022, where it received the Grand Prize award), is a dry but intense character drama … Continue reading →

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Vengeance (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): An offbeat comedy mystery drama set in Texas

Posted on April 12, 2024 by kaist455

“Vengeance” baffled me with some amusement and disappointment. Languidly driven by a little investigative reporting process on the mystery surrounding one seemingly plain incident, the movie attempts to make some barbed points on the current social/cultural gaps and divides in … Continue reading →

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