Tag Archives: High School

In Our Prime (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): His special math tutor

Posted on March 14, 2022 by kaist455

South Korean film “In Our Prime” is an engaging mix of familiar stuffs which dutifully and entertainingly sticks to its formulas from the beginning to the end. While it is pretty apparent that the story and characters are derived a … Continue reading →

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Belle (2021) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The Dragon and the Freckled Princess

Posted on February 1, 2022 by kaist455

Isn’t it pretty and beautiful to watch? That is what I grudgingly said to myself more than once with growing dissatisfaction while I watched Japanese animation filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda’s latest work “Belle”. On the surface, there is nothing particularly bad … Continue reading →

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Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): Here comes Jamie

Posted on September 25, 2021 by kaist455

“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie”, which was released on Amazon Prime a few weeks ago, is as energetic and flamboyant as demanded while also being as sweet and poignant as required. Based on the stage musical of the same which was … Continue reading →

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Good Person (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A teacher oscillating between faith and doubt

Posted on September 11, 2021 by kaist455

South Korean film “Good Person” is a calm but tense drama mainly revolving around the gloomy plight of one man oscillating between faith and doubt after one devastating incident. Struggling with the resulting grief and anger, he simply tries to … Continue reading →

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Snowball (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): They try their best – and they also do their worst

Posted on September 4, 2021 by kaist455

I often wanted to shake my head as watching South Korean film “Snowball”, which mainly revolves around three different adolescent girls who try their best but end up doing their worst. Although it phlegmatically observes their worsening circumstance from the … Continue reading →

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Words on Bathroom Walls (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): His little mental secret

Posted on August 22, 2021 by kaist455

“Words on Bathroom Walls” is another typical coming-of-age drama about a troubled adolescent romance, but it is more thoughtful and sincere than expected. While it handles its story and characters well with considerable care and attention, the movie does not … Continue reading →

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Blue Gate Crossing (2002) ☆☆☆(3/4): A little complicated adolescent triangle

Posted on August 19, 2021 by kaist455

Taiwanese film “Blue Gate Crossing”, which happened to be released in South Korean theaters yesterday, is a modest adolescent drama revolving around one little complicated triangle. Although it is a bit too short with some underdeveloped aspects, the movie is … Continue reading →

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Fear Street Part One: 1994 (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): So it begins…

Posted on July 5, 2021 by kaist455

Netflix film “Fear Street Part One: 1994”, the first chapter of the trilogy which was released on last Friday and will be followed by two other films during next two weeks, is a promising start packed with enough fun and … Continue reading →

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Not Out (2021) ☆1/2 (1.5/4): Out, please

Posted on June 6, 2021 by kaist455

South Korean film “Not Out” is the latest example of those drab and miserable movies about angry and disaffected South Korean lads. While there are some recent better cases including Lee Chang-dong’s rather overrated “Burning” (2018), this one is hopelessly … Continue reading →

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Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A disturbing suburban crime drama of Asian American teenagers

Posted on May 22, 2021 by kaist455

To be frank with you, my high school life during the late 1990s was mostly kept on the straight and narrow. Every day and night during that intense period, I was constantly driven and pressured for getting higher test scores, … Continue reading →

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