Tag Archives: Documentary

Jodorowsky’s Dune (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : It could have been awesome, maybe

Posted on February 15, 2015 by kaist455

 One of my fond memories involved with an arthouse movie theater near my KAIST campus, which is gone now, is involved with a double feature showing of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s “El Topo” (1970) and “The Holy Mountain” (1973). The promotional leaflet … Continue reading →

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The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4): Studio Ghibli in Twilight

Posted on February 2, 2015 by kaist455

As a gentle tribute to one great animation director who has been one of the key leading figure in Studio Ghibli, Japanese documentary “The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness” has a bittersweet quality considering the uncertain future of Studio Ghibli … Continue reading →

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My Love, Don’t Cross That River (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4): The last chapter of their long life

Posted on December 26, 2014 by kaist455

  South Korean documentary “My Love, Don’t Cross That River” is about the last chapter of a long relationship which lasted for more than 70 years. Although the movie does not give much background information about its aging couple, its … Continue reading →

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The Missing Picture (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Memories of a genocide

Posted on August 30, 2014 by kaist455

 The documentary film “The Missing Picture” attempts an unconventional approach for its grim historical subject. Mainly through its simple but delicate presentation of clay figurine dioramas, it conveys to us the personal memories of pain and horror from one of … Continue reading →

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Tim’s Vermeer (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Recreating a Vermeer

Posted on August 9, 2014 by kaist455

 Whenever the camera looks closely at Johannes Vermeer’s paintings in fascinating documentary “Tim’s Vermeer”, you cannot help but marvel at their vivid colors and details – and their verisimilitude which almost approaches to the level of modern photography. This Dutch … Continue reading →

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Narco Cultura (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Bloody culture of drug, violence, and ballad

Posted on May 8, 2014 by kaist455

 One of the memorable scenes in the American TV series “Breaking Bad” was a music video opening scene for one of its episodes. While three musicians, who are the members of Los Cuates de Sinaloa, perform a cheerful Spanish ballad, … Continue reading →

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The Unknown Known (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : What can be known from Mr. Rumsfeld?

Posted on May 7, 2014 by kaist455

“There are known knowns; there are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns; that is to say, there are things that we now know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things … Continue reading →

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At Berkeley (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Scenes from Berkeley

Posted on May 6, 2014 by kaist455

 Frederick Wiseman’s “At Berkeley” demands a certain amount of patience to its audiences because all this extraordinary documentary do during its 4 hours is merely looking around the University of California, Berkeley. We are just supposed to sit and watch … Continue reading →

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Manshin (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A shaman with ten thousands spirits

Posted on March 9, 2014 by kaist455

 South Korean documentary “Manshin” vividly presents the cultural value in Korean shamanic rituals through its haunting images which lingered on my mind for a long time after watching it. Looking around the long, dramatic life story of a woman who … Continue reading →

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Cutie and the Boxer (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Two different artists as life partners

Posted on February 21, 2014 by kaist455

 They fell in love with each other as artists, and they have been inseparable from each other as life partners for 40 years. The documentary “Cutie and the Boxer” is a quirky love story between two artists complementing each other … Continue reading →

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