Tag Archives: Real-life incident

The Butler (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : The modern American history seen through a butler

Posted on November 28, 2013 by kaist455

While not as bad as I feared, “The Butler” is not as good as I hoped. The movie attempts to mix its personal drama the modern American history for presenting an interesting perspective to us, but it feels too blatant … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Farewell, My Queen (2012) ☆☆☆(3/4): Her last few days in the palace

Posted on November 15, 2013 by kaist455

The storm is coming, but they have no idea on what will happen to them and their world. It is July 14th, 1789, and everything looks fine just like any other day to the people in the royal palace of … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Captain Phillips (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A taut, intense hostage situation on the sea

Posted on October 21, 2013 by kaist455

 “Captain Phillips” is a gripping thriller tightly holding our attention as it is relentlessly sailing on its tumultuous course. Rigorously maintaining its realistic approach to the story and the characters based on a real-life hijacking incident, the movie forcefully accumulates … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Behind the Candelabra (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Behind his sparkling showmanship

Posted on September 28, 2013 by kaist455

“Behind the Candelabra” is as dazzlingly entertaining as its flamboyant entertainer hero who ironically hid himself through the bold, colorful, and sparkling presentation of his personality on the stage. When we see one of Liberace’s stage performances full of glamour … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Act of Killing (2012) ☆☆☆☆(4/4): This is one nutty filmmaking

Posted on September 15, 2013 by kaist455

 This is one nutty filmmaking. “The Act of Killing”, an absurd and chilling documentary about how the perpetrators of one atrocious political purge are still enjoying impunity along with power in public even after more than 40 years, has a … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The Face Reader (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A helpless hero in front of the big historical tide

Posted on September 13, 2013 by kaist455

 I do not have much interest or belief in phrenology, but, though it was a brief moment, I enjoyed watching how the phrenologist hero of South Korean period drama movie “The Face Reader” works during its first half. With his … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Bling Ring (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A superficial shopping spree on celebrities

Posted on September 11, 2013 by kaist455

I was amused a bit by the absurdity shown in Sophia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring”, which is based on Nancy Jo Sales’ Vanity Fair article “The Suspect Wore Louboutins”. Considering that how superficial and empty-headed its characters are, their immorality … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Jiseul (2012) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A sad, restrained elegy for the nameless victims

Posted on March 22, 2013 by kaist455

“Jiseul” reminded me that I did not know much about the Jeju uprising, which was one of the most tragic incidents in the modern Korean history but a merely small fact in my high school history textbook. Although it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Zero Dark Thirty (2012) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : Terror, Torture, Soldier, Spy

Posted on January 13, 2013 by kaist455

 As far as we know, Osama(or Usama) bin Laden was officially dead in May 2011. That is a major ‘spoiler’ to Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty”, but the movie is a gripping espionage thriller about a long, exhausting journey its … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lincoln (2012) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A portrait of a saintly and wily politician

Posted on January 9, 2013 by kaist455

 During my childhood, I came across several sets of biographies of the famous historical figures for elementary school/kindergarten children, and Abraham Lincoln’s biography was a sort of obligatory volume in these sets like Jesus’ or Einstein’s was. Except nice illustrations, … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments