Tag Archives: Real-life story

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

Posted on March 18, 2021 by kaist455

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.

Posted on March 14, 2021 by kaist455

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

Posted on February 14, 2021 by kaist455

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

Posted on February 6, 2021 by kaist455

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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Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A modest tribute to The Band

Posted on February 1, 2021 by kaist455

Daniel Roher’s documentary film “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band” looks over the rather brief history of The Band, which was founded by Robbie Robertson and his four fellow musicians in 1968. Although its five members eventually came … Continue reading →

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One Night in Miami (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Their night to remember

Posted on January 19, 2021 by kaist455

“One Night in Miami”, which was released on Amazon Prime in last week, humbly and thoughtfully presents a fictional account of one night meeting among four prominent real-life African American figures in the 1960s. Regardless of how much it is … Continue reading →

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Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): He is a lot cooler than you may think…

Posted on January 17, 2021 by kaist455

Jimmy Carter was surely one of the most decent and admirable American Presidents in the 20th century. While his presidency was not entirely without faults and failures, he and his government certainly showed the better sides of the country to … Continue reading →

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Kingdom of Silence (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A journalist who cared about his country

Posted on January 10, 2021 by kaist455

Showtime documentary film “Kingdom of Silence” glimpses into the life and career of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whose brutal murder at the Saudi Arabian embassy in Istanbul, Turkey shocked many of us in October 2018. Mainly revolving around the … Continue reading →

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The Man Standing Next (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): It’s really hard for him to stand next to his big boss…

Posted on January 5, 2021 by kaist455

South Korean film “The Man Standing Next” is a slick and competent period drama film which does not go further than what I and many other South Korean audiences already know. Based on one of the major historical incidents in … Continue reading →

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Dear Santa (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Operation Santa

Posted on January 4, 2021 by kaist455

Although the holiday season of 2020 is over now, I must confess that I need some extra holiday cheer before officially beginning the first week of 2021, and Dana Nachman’s documentary film “Dear Santa” thankfully provided that to me. While … Continue reading →

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