Tag Archives: Fantasy

Trolls Band Together (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Shiny and colorful again with lots of songs

Posted on December 23, 2023 by kaist455

Animation film “Trolls Band Together” is shiny and colorful just like its two predecessors. I was not particularly excited about “Trolls” (2016) and “Trolls World Tour” (2020), but they were fairly watchable mainly thanks to its bright optimistic energy mainly … Continue reading →

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The Marvels (2023) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A little too late for the ladies

Posted on November 10, 2023 by kaist455

Probably around “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), Marvel Comics Universe (MCU) passed its peak period mainly due to giving us so many similar products for more than 10 years. After the immense success of “Black Panther” (2018), the franchise belatedly started to … Continue reading →

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The Boy and the Heron (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Miyazaki returns…

Posted on October 27, 2023 by kaist455

Hayao Miyazaki’s much-anticipated comeback animation film “The Boy and the Heron” feels more like an exercise than an entertainment. It is surely filled with lots of Miyazaki’s personal style and touches to admire, and there are certainly a number of … Continue reading →

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The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): When Halloween meets Christmas

Posted on October 22, 2023 by kaist455

Animation film “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, which was somehow released in South Korean theaters a few days ago probably because of its 30th anniversary, is still a joy to behold. When I watched it for the first time via a … Continue reading →

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Juliet of the Spirits (1965) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): Her spiritual journey of self-discovery

Posted on October 9, 2023 by kaist455

Federico Fellini’s “Juliet of the Spirits” baffles me a lot in good ways. When I watched the film for the first in 2005, I felt like not totally understanding how it is about or what it is about, and that … Continue reading →

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8 1/2 (1963) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): A filmmaker in chaotic crisis

Posted on October 8, 2023 by kaist455

Federico Fellini’s “8 1/2” is your average navel-gazing piece of work, but it is surely one of the best ones of its kind in addition to being the groundbreaking one. While having been emulated so much by numerous subsequent films … Continue reading →

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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 →

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Barbie (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): Gerwig’s silly but delightful romp with Barbies

Posted on July 19, 2023 by kaist455

Greta Gerwig’s latest film “Barbie” is a silly but delightful romp proudly embracing its glitzy artificial qualities to the end. Yes, it surely feels contradictory at times as boldly wielding messages of female empowerment and liberation via those well-known brand … Continue reading →

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Nimona (2023) ☆☆☆(3/4): A predictable but offbeat fantasy animation film from Netflix

Posted on July 3, 2023 by kaist455

Netflix animation film “Nimona”, which was released a few days ago, attempts to bring some fresh air of diversity and tolerance to its familiar fantasy story, and it succeeds to some degree. Although it is often predictable in terms of … Continue reading →

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Expanded with more style and substance

Posted on June 22, 2023 by kaist455

Animation film “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”, the sequel to its Oscar-winning predecessor “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”, is a busily rich experience I am willing to revisit for more fun and appreciation. Yes, as many of you already know, this is … Continue reading →

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