Tag Archives: Real-life figure

The Mole Agent (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): The old mole operating at a retirement home

Documentary film “The Mole Agent”, which was recently nominated for Best Documentary Oscar early in this month (It was also selected as the Chilean entry for Best International Film Oscar and then included in the 15-film shortlist, by the way), … Continue reading

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Helene (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): How she evolved more as an artist

Finnish film “Helene” is about the late life and career of Helene Schjerfbeck (1862-1946), who, as far as I can observe from her several notable works shown at the end of the film, deserves to be mentioned along with more … Continue reading

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Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry (2021) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): So, what’s next for her?

R.J. Cutler’s new documentary film “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry”, which was released on Apple+ in last month, often feels like watching the extended opening chapter for whatever will come next. Here is an apparently talented singer/songwriter, and … Continue reading

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Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): A criminal who exploited the broken education system

Netflix documentary film “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal”, which was released on Netflix a few days ago, looks into an infamous bribery scandal which drew lots of public attention in 2019. As examining how those numerous incidents of … Continue reading

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The Mauritanian (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): A flawed but earnest legal drama

Kevin Macdonald’s new film “The Mauritanian” is a flawed but earnest legal drama which could be better if it stuck more to its unjustly imprisoned hero. Yes, the movie sometimes loses its narrative focus and momentum as shuffling around several … Continue reading

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Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell (2021) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A mild tribute to the Notorious B.I.G.

Netflix documentary film “Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell”, which was released a few weeks ago, is a mildly engaging tribute to the Notorious B.I.G., who was one of the legendary rap artists in the 1990s. As a guy … Continue reading

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Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): A revolutionary and his traitor

I must confess that I had some prejudice on the Black Panther Party when I was young and wild many years ago. Probably because of that brief comical moment in “Forrest Gump” (1994), I once regarded the Black Panther Party … Continue reading

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Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Of meteors and men

Documentary film “Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds”, which was released on Apple+ in last November, is alternatively sublime and amusing with its genuine interest and fascination in meteors. As hopping from one interesting place to another around the world, the … Continue reading

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On the Record (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Another harrowing #MeToo era documentary

Documentary film “On the Record” is often chilling and devastating as listening to several female survivors who were sexually assaulted or abused by a man who is still regarded as one of the most influential figures in the American hip-hop … Continue reading

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The Dig (2021) ☆☆☆(3/4): Their friendship over burial mounds

Netflix film “The Dig”, which was released on last Friday, is a low-key period drama mainly revolving around two different people who happened to get involved in one historic excavation of the 20th century England. While sensitively observing the development … Continue reading

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