Tag Archives: Fantasy

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025) ☆☆(2/4): A big bland boring journey

Posted on May 3, 2026 by kaist455

Kogonada’s 2025 film “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey”, which is currently available on Netflix and several other streaming services in South Korea, is surprisingly flat and tepid despite a lot of talented figures assembled together for it. While it is … Continue reading →

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Swapped (2026) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Visually wonderful but ultimately flawed

Posted on May 2, 2026 by kaist455

Netflix animation film “Swapped”, which was released on this Friday, works whenever it pays attention to its wondrous fantasy background. Packed here and there with vivid and colorful details to notice, the film is certainly a nice eye candy for … Continue reading →

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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) ☆☆(2/4): Bland and uninspired as before

Posted on April 30, 2026 by kaist455

I felt depressed as phlegmatically observing how my mind was frequently turned off as watching animation film “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie”, the sequel to “The Mario Bros. Movie” (2023). I did try to focus on its barebone plot and … Continue reading →

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Dust Bunny (2025) ☆☆☆(3/4): So this little girl hires a hit man…

Posted on April 20, 2026 by kaist455

“Dust Bunny” is a whimsical fantasy adventure film about a young little girl who happens to hire a professional killer for taking care of a monster under her bad. Now this sounds pretty preposterous to you to say the least, … Continue reading →

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Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) ☆☆☆(3/4): This plucky delivery girl 

Posted on April 18, 2026 by kaist455

Hayao Miyazaki’s 1989 animation film “Kiki’s Delivery Service”, which is being shown at selected theaters in South Korea, flies on a substantial amount of charm and beauty to be savored. Although it is relatively less engaging compared to Miyazaki’s more … Continue reading →

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Orlando (1992) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): As a man and then a woman…

Posted on April 12, 2026 by kaist455

Sally Porter’s 1992 film “Orlando”, whose 4k remastered version recently came to South Korean theaters, is a distinctively poetic work on gender identity and individuality. Based on the 1928 novel of the same name by Virginia Woolf, the movie freely … Continue reading →

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The Bride! (2026) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): This bride is wild!

Posted on March 6, 2026 by kaist455

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s latest film “The Bride!” is a wild mess which alternatively fascinates and distracts you. Loosely inspired by Mary Shelley’s 1818 classic novel “Frankenstein”, the movie attempts to try a lot of different things ranging from horror to musical, … Continue reading →

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Ne Zha 2 (2025) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A spectacular but hollow sequel

Posted on February 25, 2026 by kaist455

Chinese animation film “Ne Zha 2”, the sequel to “Ne Zha” (2019), strives to be bigger, longer, and better, but it ends up only accomplishing its first two tasks to my dissatisfaction. Thanks to its much more production budget, it … Continue reading →

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Ne Zha (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The story of a demon boy

Posted on February 24, 2026 by kaist455

2019 Chinese animation film “Ne Zha” works best when it cheerfully bounces with a vibrant sense of fun and energy during its first half. I found its mischievous little demonic hero rather endearing even though he sometimes reminds me of … Continue reading →

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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): The end of an ambitious trilogy

Posted on February 9, 2026 by kaist455

Peter Jackson’s 2003 film “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”, which was re-released in selected South Korean theaters a few weeks ago, did almost everything it was expected to do as the end of its ambitious … Continue reading →

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