Tag Archives: Family

The Farewell (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A bittersweet Chinese family story

Posted on December 6, 2019 by kaist455

As an Asian audience, I knowingly smiled as watching the heroine of “The Farewell” coming inside her dear grandmother’s residence full of their family members. When I was young, I and my family routinely visited the house of my mother’s … Continue reading →

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Knives Out (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A deliciously entertaining whodunnit

Posted on December 5, 2019 by kaist455

Rian Johnson’s latest film “Knives Out” is a deliciously entertaining whodunnit which will delight any devoted fan of mystery novels like me. While I could see through its wily, dexterous handling of plot elements at time, I was really caught … Continue reading →

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Ready or Not (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A deadly game with her in-laws

Posted on December 2, 2019 by kaist455

The heroine of “Ready or Not” faces a lot more risks and troubles than she ever imagined, and that is the main source of naughty pleasure in this morbid black comedy film. Poor girl, she only wants to present herself … Continue reading →

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Moonlit Winter (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A letter from her first love

Posted on November 19, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Moonlit Winter” reminds me that it is always more compelling to observe star-crossed lovers in agony and restraint. Here are two very unhappy women who have quietly yearned for each other since they were separated from each … Continue reading →

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Blinded by the Light (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): When he discovers Bruce Springsteen

Posted on October 29, 2019 by kaist455

“Blinded by the Light” is a familiar but enjoyable feel-good movie driven by a number of songs from Bruce Springsteen. I must confess that I do not know much about the music of Springsteen besides his haunting Oscar-winning song for … Continue reading →

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Terminator Genisys (2015) ☆☆(2/4): Another unnecessary sequel

Posted on October 29, 2019 by kaist455

“Terminator Genisys” is another unnecessary sequel in a franchise which did not impress or excite me much during last two decades. Sure, James Cameron’s “The Terminator” (1984) is one of the notable science fiction action films in the 1980s, and … Continue reading →

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Strange But True (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): When she comes into their life

Posted on October 1, 2019 by kaist455

“Strange But True” starts with an absurd but interesting mystery but then it is turned into something less engaging as eventually arriving at a resolution too easy and contrived to say the least. While I am still reluctant to recommend … Continue reading →

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Crooked House (2017) ☆☆(2/4): A pedestrian Agatha Christie mystery flick

Posted on September 20, 2019 by kaist455

Watching “Crooked House” is one of the most joyless movie experiences I have ever had during recent years. Thoroughly flat and tedious in terms of storytelling and characterization, the movie bored me from the beginning to the end, so I … Continue reading →

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House of Hummingbird (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): This girl’s life in Seoul, 1994

Posted on August 30, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “House of Hummingbird”, which received the Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury when it was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival early in this year, observes a young ordinary girl’s life in specific place … Continue reading →

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Ray & Liz (2018) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): On his two lousy parents

Posted on August 4, 2019 by kaist455

“Ray & Liz” is a melancholic family drama which observes its human subjects and their squalid living environment with considerable emotional detachment. While this is surely not something you can casually watch on Sunday afternoon, it works to some degree … Continue reading →

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