Tag Archives: Family

Saving Mr. Banks (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A spoonful of medicine behind Mary Poppins

Posted on January 11, 2014 by kaist455

 As a dramatized version of the real-life story behind a beloved classic film, “Saving Mr. Banks” is as pleasant and gentle as it wants to be. It becomes sentimental at times, but its warm sincerity feels genuine, and it is … Continue reading →

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The Past (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : They’re not through with the past yet

Posted on December 25, 2013 by kaist455

 Sharply observing the troubles and dilemmas between its reserved characters we do not know entirely even in the end, Asghar Farhadi’s new film “The Past”, a quiet but compelling domestic melodrama, shows us how the present and future can be … Continue reading →

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Don Jon (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : He has a problem… with Internet porn

Posted on December 23, 2013 by kaist455

 “Don Jon” wants to talk about an interesting subject, but it only keeps scratching its surface. As a more humorous cousin of Steven McQueen’s “Shame”(2011), the movie tries to look cheerfully at a certain form of sex addiction and its … Continue reading →

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Like Father, Like Son (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Two couples, two switched sons

Posted on December 22, 2013 by kaist455

 Hirokazu Kore-eda’s new film “Like Father, Like Son” serenely observes its characters with deep sympathy toward their hard, difficult circumstance. Slowly and delicately immersing itself in the rhythm of daily life, the movie never overplays the accumulating emotions inside the … Continue reading →

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The Spectacular Now (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : That spectacular freshness

Posted on December 21, 2013 by kaist455

A boy meets a girl, and then something begins. Yes, this is a cliché indeed, but “The Spectacular Now” brings fresh air into that cliché we have encountered in countless movies about young teenager couples, and it grows on us … Continue reading →

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Fruitvale Station (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : One day of his life

Posted on December 20, 2013 by kaist455

 “Fruitvale Station” presents us the last slice of one plain life which was ended too soon by a sudden incident. As shown in the movie, his life was rather unremarkable before his death drew the attention of the media in … Continue reading →

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Way Back Home (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : It’ll take very long for her and her family

Posted on December 13, 2013 by kaist455

As a tear-jerking melodrama, South Korean movie “Way Back Home” is so transparent in its plot that I always knew every bright moment in the story would be soon followed by another punishing moment for its ill-fated heroine and her … Continue reading →

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The Butler (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : The modern American history seen through a butler

Posted on November 28, 2013 by kaist455

While not as bad as I feared, “The Butler” is not as good as I hoped. The movie attempts to mix its personal drama the modern American history for presenting an interesting perspective to us, but it feels too blatant … Continue reading →

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The Fake (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A dark, disturbing animation from South Korea

Posted on November 21, 2013 by kaist455

 South Korean animation “The Fake” is so bleak and hopeless from the beginning that I even found myself wondering during its first 30 minutes how further it would possibly go – and it did go further as I was horrified … Continue reading →

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The Purge (2013) ☆☆(2/4) : A suburban night of legalized killings

Posted on November 2, 2013 by kaist455

“The Purge” starts with an outrageous but intriguing premise: what if the society temporarily allows killings as a way of ventilating the social anger/resentment pressed inside its individuals? I can think of at least five or six implausible aspects of … Continue reading →

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