Tag Archives: Real-life figure

A Private War (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Driven to front line

Posted on January 28, 2019 by kaist455

“A Private War”, the first feature film directed by documentary filmmaker Matthew Heineman, looks into the life and career of Marie Colvin (1956-2012), an American journalist who devoted herself to her risky jobs till her unfortunate death in 2012. While … Continue reading →

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Fyre (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Absurd and devastating

Posted on January 25, 2019 by kaist455

To be frank with you, I did not know much about the Fyre Festival incident in 2017 before watching Netflix documentary film “Fyre”, which gives us a close look on how absurd and devastating that unbelievable case of fraud was … Continue reading →

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Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): An intimate and dynamic portrait of M.I.A.

Posted on January 20, 2019 by kaist455

Documentary film “Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.”, which received the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival early in last year, is an intimate and dynamic portrait of one renowned female musician who is not only … Continue reading →

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Blaze (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Inside Blaze Foley

Posted on January 20, 2019 by kaist455

Ethan Hawke’s “Blaze” is as melancholic and poignant as you can expect from a movie based on the life and career of a rather obscure real-life country musician. While thankfully free of genre conventions and clichés, the movie freely rolls … Continue reading →

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Brexit (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Behind Brexit

Posted on January 19, 2019 by kaist455

When I encountered the trailer of British TV movie “Brexit”, I wondered whether it was too early to make a film about Brexit. After all, Britain and its government and people are still struggling with the ongoing consequence of that … Continue reading →

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The Favourite (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A queen and her two ladies

Posted on January 17, 2019 by kaist455

Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film “The Favourite”, which received the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival in last year, is a delightfully edgy period comedy drama film to be savored. While it is relatively less dark and bizarre … Continue reading →

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Vice (2018) ☆☆1/2 (2.5/4): The scattershot portrayal of Dick Cheney’s life and career

Posted on January 17, 2019 by kaist455

“Vice”, which is intends to give us a funny, scathing look into Dick Cheney’s life and career, turns out to be middling at best and plodding at worst. While it is at least anchored by one of the most committed … Continue reading →

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Lizzie (2018) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): What if she did it with her housemaid

Posted on January 12, 2019 by kaist455

Around two years ago, I happened to come across a magazine article on Lizzie Borden and that infamous real-life murder case involved with her. Because I vaguely knew about her notoriety, I read that article with considerable fascination, and I … Continue reading →

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Beautiful Boy (2018) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A father and his addict son

Posted on January 11, 2019 by kaist455

“Beautiful Boy” is not so successful despite some harrowing and painful moments it is required to deliver as a serious drama about addiction. Although its mostly non-linear narrative structure initially seems effective at first as its two main characters respectively … Continue reading →

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Leto (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): A biographical rock drama set in Leningrad during the 1980s

Posted on January 5, 2019 by kaist455

Russian film “Leto” tries to give us a glimpse into the Russian rock music culture during the early 1980s, and I admire its attempt to some degree. Although my mind frequently went somewhere when I watched it early in this … Continue reading →

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