Tag Archives: Documentary

Black Box Diary (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): As she steps forward as a survivor

Posted on February 3, 2025 by kaist455

Documentary film “Black Box Diary”, which received an Oscar nomination a few weeks ago, is a personal chronicle of one young female journalist who courageously stepped forward in public as the survivor of a high-profile case in Japan several years … Continue reading →

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Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A Cold War plot behind jazz

Posted on February 3, 2025 by kaist455

Documentary film “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”, which was recently nominated for Best Documentary Oscar, is a superb presentation of the hidden aspects of a political turmoil in Africa during the early 1960s. While it is simply a collage of … Continue reading →

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Efterskole, Going to the Wonderland Korea (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): Their freedom to look to the side

Posted on January 14, 2025 by kaist455

While watching South Korean independent documentary film “Efterskole, Going to the Wonderland Korea”, I could not help but reflect on how I was often driven by myself and my parents to do more and more study during my childhood and … Continue reading →

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Anselm (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Inside Anselm Kiefer

Posted on January 13, 2025 by kaist455

Wim Wenders’ latest documentary film “Anselm” is as unconventional as you can expect from him. As he did in his previous documentary film “Pina” (2011), Wenders presents the artistry of his human main subject with considerable interest and thoughtfulness, and … Continue reading →

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Umberto Eco: A Library of the World (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): A brilliant mind surrounded by lots of books

Posted on January 12, 2025 by kaist455

When I was young and wild during the 1990s, I voraciously consumed any book good enough to intrigue my innocent and curious mind. At first, it was just a bunch of science books which were the origin of my current … Continue reading →

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Piece by Piece (2024) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Merely pleasant and amusing

Posted on January 12, 2025 by kaist455

Morgan Neville’s new documentary film “Piece by Piece” is merely pleasant and amusing despite some novelty in the presentation of its main human subject. As that figure in question suggests early in the documentary, it surely sounds cool to present … Continue reading →

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Dahomey (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The return of stolen artifacts

Posted on January 5, 2025 by kaist455

Mati Diop’s documentary film “Dahomey”, which won the Golden Bear award when it was premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival early in last year, mainly revolves around a number of stolen artifacts finally returned to their home country. As … Continue reading →

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Sugarcane (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): An investigation into one tragic past in Canada

Posted on December 24, 2024 by kaist455

Documentary film “Sugarcane”, which is currently available in Disney+ in South Korea, is alternatively chilling and heartbreaking with its emerging big picture of one tragic past in Canada. As already known to many of us via recent news reports a … Continue reading →

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Blink (2024) ☆☆☆(3/4): Before their kids become blind

Posted on December 24, 2024 by kaist455

Documentary film “Blink”, which is currently available on Disney+ in South Korea, is the story of one loving family who decide to have a very special trip around the world. As the parents sincerely try to help their four children … Continue reading →

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Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger (2024) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Scorsese on Powell and Pressburger

Posted on December 7, 2024 by kaist455

In my trivial opinion, you must stop and then listen if you ever encounter Martin Scorsese lecturing on movies. While he is surely one of the greatest filmmakers of our time, he is also one of the most knowledgeable movie … Continue reading →

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