Tag Archives: Documentary

Best of Enemies (2015) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Buckley Vs. Vidal

Posted on February 22, 2016 by kaist455

Focusing on the tense, dynamic progress of the infamous TV debates between two antagonizing American intellectuals, documentary film “Best of Enemies” observes their turbulent era which ironically mirrors the current sociopolitical status of the American society at present. Through their … Continue reading →

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Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Behind the belief

Posted on February 20, 2016 by kaist455

As far as I can remember, the first time I heard about the Church of Scientology was when I read a review on “Battlefield Earth” (2000), an infamous Hollywood turkey which was based on the SF novel of the same … Continue reading →

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Cartel Land (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): The drug war viewed through vigilantes

Posted on February 15, 2016 by kaist455

“Cartel Land”, which was recently Oscar-nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film, is sobering and disturbing to say the least. If you are already familiar with its subject through other movies and documentary films such as “Narco Cultra” (2013) and “Sicario” … Continue reading →

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Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): That turbulent winter

Posted on February 14, 2016 by kaist455

Oscar-nominated documentary film “Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” presents a close look into the Euromaidan protest in Ukraine, which was ignited in 2013 November and then blazed for 93 days until President Viktor Yanukovych left the country in … Continue reading →

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What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): What happened in her life and career

Posted on February 5, 2016 by kaist455

Oscar-nominated documentary film “What Happened, Miss Simone?” gives us close, intimate glimpses into Nina Simone, a legendary American singer who was called “the High Priestess of Soul”. Even if you are unfamiliar with her career like me (full confession: I … Continue reading →

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Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015) ☆☆☆(3/4): He knew where he was going

Posted on November 28, 2015 by kaist455

Alex Gibney’s new documentary “Steve Jobs: the Man in the Machine” is both baffled and fascinated with many contradictions inside Steve Jobs, and so are we. While he will surely be remembered as one of the giants in the history … Continue reading →

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The Hunting Ground (2015) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): An alarming presentation on rape in campus

Posted on November 28, 2015 by kaist455

Documentary film “The Hunting Ground” cheerfully begins with the montage of video clips showing young girls excited to be accepted by the colleges they applied to for admission. They are all full of hope and pride as expecting what they … Continue reading →

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Listen to Me Marlon (2015) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Brando on Brando

Posted on November 23, 2015 by kaist455

Marlon Brando lived a curious life to amuse and baffle us. While this legendary Hollywood actor gave us a number of great performances to behold and admire, he often seemed to be drifted away with no particular interest in acting, … Continue reading →

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Virunga (2014) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Guarding their park from human greed and violence

Posted on November 21, 2015 by kaist455

My fellow film critic Michael Mirasol often uses a phrase when he informs me and his other Twitter followers of some infuriating cases of how people ruin nature for greed or other despicable reasons: F*cking humans. Oscar-nominated documentary “Virunga” will … Continue reading →

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Red Army (2014) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The rise and fall of Soviet ice hockey

Posted on November 18, 2015 by kaist455

Simultaneously amusing and compelling, documentary film “Red Army” tells us a dramatic story about the rise and fall of Soviet ice hockey. Mainly through some of its best players, the documentary looks around their best and worst times during the Cold … Continue reading →

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