Tag Archives: Domestic Violence

Herself (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Starting over with building a house

“Herself” is a small but genuine human drama shining with compassion and kindness. As calmly but sensitively observing one ordinary woman’s difficult situation and how hard she struggles to take care of it along with many others around her, the … Continue reading

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Honey Boy (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Memories of his traumatized childhood

Alam Har’el’s first feature film “Honey Boy”, which won the Special Jury Prize when it was premiered at the Sundance Film Festival early in last year, looks closely into the painful childhood memories of one troubled young man still struggling … Continue reading

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The Invisible Man (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Terrified by someone invisible

“The Invisible Man”, which is the contemporary adaptation of the 1897 novel of the same name by H.G. Wells, will unnerve and frighten you for good reasons. While it was initially intended as a mere reboot of James Whale’s 1933 … Continue reading

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Burning Cane (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Southern lives stuck in anger and despair

“Burning Cane”, which won two awards including the Founders Prize when it was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival early in this year, is a small but remarkable work to be appreciated. Although this is the first feature film of … Continue reading

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A Vigilante (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): A female avenger against domestic violence

“A Vigilante” is a small but fascinating drama about one troubled woman who chooses a rather drastic way of fighting against domestic violence. While firmly sticking to its austere attitude, the movie works as a restrained but intense character study … Continue reading

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Custody (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): It’s not over for them yet

Disturbing but undeniably gripping, French film “Custody” chillingly examines the problematic family relationship among its main characters. Right from its opening scene, we sense a trouble coming from the distance, and then the movie gradually dials up its level of … Continue reading

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Affliction (1997) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A cold but harrowing mediation on domestic violence

The hero of “Affliction” knows how messy his life has been, but he tragically lacks the perspective of what has made him so miserable and pathetic throughout his meager life. He wants to believes that he is a good man … Continue reading

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Small Change (1976) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : The lively kids in one French town

When I watched one film directed by François Truffaut for the first time during one Sunday afternoon of 2008, I had a little expectation about the movie, which was shown on TV as “Pocket Money”. Although I was already familiar … Continue reading

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Bedevilled (2010) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : There will be revenge

 Revenge is served raw and simple in “Bedevilled”(2010). The movie delivers exactly what it promises to us, but that is not for free. There are barbarous scenes that make you wince, and then there are bloody scenes that make you … Continue reading

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Breathless (2009) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Abuse is thicker than water

Sang-hoon is a terrifying piece of work. He is someone you never want to mess up with. He is callous, narrow-minded, vulgar and, above all, very volatile. Whenever his hair-trigger fury erupts, there is more than hell to pay – and that happens often. Even when his temper relatively abates, he is still difficult and hostile to communicate with, probably even with himself. In the opening sequence, we see a young woman being beaten by some guy in the night streets. Sang-hoon appears and he savagely beats that guy. And then, he spits at her, smacks her, and insults her.
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