Tag Archives: Husband and Wife

Leviathan (2014) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4) : A moody, fatalistic social drama from Russia

Reticent and foreboding right from during its first scene, Russian film “Leviathan”, which was recently Oscar-nominated for Best Foreign Language Film early in this year, is shrouded in a moody, fatalistic aura of ill fortune. Even when things seem to … Continue reading →

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A Most Violent Year (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A gloomy, fateful pastiche of crime movies

 In “The Godfather” (1972), crime comes to look more like business at the end of its story. In case of “A Most Violent Year”, a dark, tense drama about an ambitious New York business man trying not to lose everything … Continue reading →

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Winter Sleep (2014) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4) : Dormant in his own hypocrisy

 The first thing to draw my attention in Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s new film “Winter Sleep” is the rocky, mountainous landscape of Cappadocia, Turkey. While making wonderful sights for tourism in their weathered appearances, those soft rocks, which were formed from … Continue reading →

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Selma (2014) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A March to Equality

Focusing on one of the monumental moments during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, “Selma” instantly takes us to that turbulent era viewed from Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists. While being a complex portrayal of its hero, … Continue reading →

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The Skeleton Twins (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Estranged Twins’ reunion

While not flinching from the dark, gloomy side of its story, “The Skeleton Twin” works as an intimate and humorous story about the rocky relationship between two estranged siblings who respectively struggle with each own personal problems. As observing their … Continue reading →

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Cheap Thrills (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : They will be ready for anything….

“Cheap Thrills” is a mean, vicious black comedy with recognizable human traits as its major driving factor. Some of the uncomfortable behaviors presented in the film are so cringe-inducing that we cannot help but roll our eyes with more horror … Continue reading →

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Big Eyes (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Behind those big eyes

 What is the standard of good art? Or is there really such a standard like that? Mostly shying away from these interesting questions evoked by its fascinating real-life story, Tim Burton’s new film “Big Eyes” takes a rather plain, earnest … Continue reading →

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Chronicle of a Blood Merchant (2015) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : The matter of Blood and Family

 South Korean film “Chronicle of a Blood Merchant” is funny and lightweight at first, and I enjoyed its comic moments with smile and amusement. Unfortunately, its plot becomes clunky after taking a sudden melodramatic turn around its third act, and … Continue reading →

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American Sniper (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A Sniper’s Story

  As a war film, “American Sniper” is gritty and thought-provoking as steadily maintaining its unadorned and respectful attitude to its subject. While it is uncomfortable to watch at times due to its hero’s narrow viewpoint, the story feels direct … Continue reading →

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Still Alice (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Fading away from others – and herself

 When we meet the heroine of “Still Alice” at first, she looks satisfied with her life which has been fairly good to her. She is an academic researcher on the top of her field, and she has a husband who … Continue reading →

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