Tag Archives: Family

Hopeless (2023) ☆☆(2/4): Hopelessly grim and tepid

Posted on October 8, 2023 by kaist455

South Korean film “Hopeless” is a grim crime noir drama which tediously pushes the story and characters into more violence and misery without much substance or interest. Besides being unlikable or pathetic, most of the main characters in the film … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Hatching (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Her issues get hatched…

Posted on September 21, 2023 by kaist455

It is difficult not to be impressed by the offbeat qualities of Finnish horror film “Hatching”. Besides several memorably gruesome moments of body horror to be admired for the considerable skills and efforts behind them, the movie mostly works mainly … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Love Life (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): A low-key drama of love and life

Posted on September 13, 2023 by kaist455

Koji Fukuda’s new film “Love Life” calmly follows the emotional struggles of its two main characters who come to reflect a lot on love and life after one shattering incident. This is surely a familiar melodramatic setting, but the movie … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , | Leave a comment

One Fine Morning (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): Some uncertainties in her daily life

Posted on September 11, 2023 by kaist455

Mia Hansen-Løve’s new film “One Fine Morning” is another nice slice of life you can expect from her. Although it may not be one of her better works, there are a number of good things including that plain but palpable … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Bad Axe (2022) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): An Asian Immigrant family in the time of COVID-19

Posted on September 3, 2023 by kaist455

Documentary film “Bad Axe” presents an intimate personal portrayal of one Asian immigrant family struggling to live and run their little business during the COVID-19 pandemic. While it is heartening to see how this family strenuously stick together for enduring … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A mildly pleasant product from the Sandler family

Posted on September 2, 2023 by kaist455

Probably because I am a South Korean nerd who was mostly occupied with getting good grades except when reading a book or watching a movie, many of American coming-of-age drama or comedy films feel like alien stories from very different … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Speak No Evil (2022) ☆☆☆(3/4): Their disturbing hosts

Posted on August 12, 2023 by kaist455

“Speak No Evil” warns us right from the very beginning that something bad will happen sooner or later, and that turns out to be quite disturbing to say the least. Starting from one sunny and pleasant environment, the movie eventually … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The tale of a Kraken girl

Posted on July 29, 2023 by kaist455

Animation feature film “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kragen” might have felt a bit more refreshing if it came out a few years earlier at least. During my viewing, I was reminded of several other recent animation films including “Luca” (2020) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Son (2022) ☆☆(2/4): The disappointing second film by Florian Zeller

Posted on July 29, 2023 by kaist455

Florian Zeller’s second film “The Son” is disappointing for seeming to have all the right elements to give us a fairly good family drama on the surface. Again, Zeller adapted one of his acclaimed plays along with Christopher Hampton, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

My Sailor, My Love (2022) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): One winter romance coupled with a family issue

Posted on July 13, 2023 by kaist455

“My Sailor, My Love” tries two different things together, but the resulting mix is often clunky and unconvincing. On one hand, we have a supposedly intimate romance drama between two aging people, and the movie did a fairly good job … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , | Leave a comment