Tag Archives: Real-life story

Million Dollar Arm (2014) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : Another outsourcing from India

 “Million Dollar Arm” is a mild sports movie with a little dose of good will and local flavor. You can easily guess what you are going to get if you are aware of that this is your average Disney family … 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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Unbroken (2014) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : An old-fashioned biopic for Oscar season

  It goes without saying that Louis Zamperini, the hero of “Unbroken”, had an interesting life worthwhile to be told. While he initially drew lots of attention as a young promising Olympic distant runner through his athletic talent, he served … Continue reading →

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Belle (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : An extraordinary story of one different British lady

 Looking at the evil of slavery through an interesting viewpoint to notice, “Belle” tells us an engaging drama based on the life of a real-life figure who grew up under an extraordinary circumstance. While she was kindly accepted into the … Continue reading →

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The Theory of Everything (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4): The Theory of Love, so to speak.

Needless to say, the life of Dr. Stephen Hawking is an inspiring story to tell. When he was about to begin his promising academic career, he was diagnosed to have Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and it was assumed that he … Continue reading →

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Whistle Blower (2014) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Against a big national lie

 South Korean film “Whistle Blower” gave me and other audiences an odd experience to talk about. Although it emphasizes that its story is entirely fictional, I and others knew too well that it was inspired by a big academic scandal … Continue reading →

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The Missing Picture (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : Memories of a genocide

 The documentary film “The Missing Picture” attempts an unconventional approach for its grim historical subject. Mainly through its simple but delicate presentation of clay figurine dioramas, it conveys to us the personal memories of pain and horror from one of … Continue reading →

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Manshin (2013) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A shaman with ten thousands spirits

 South Korean documentary “Manshin” vividly presents the cultural value in Korean shamanic rituals through its haunting images which lingered on my mind for a long time after watching it. Looking around the long, dramatic life story of a woman who … Continue reading →

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The Monuments Men (2014) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : Saving artworks during World War II

  As the biggest war during the 20th century, World War II still has many interesting stories to be told even after so many books and movies about it came out, and the story told in “The Monuments Men” is … Continue reading →

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Philomena (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4): A long road to her lost son

 Any sensible person would feel angry about what happened to Philomena Lee, a woman who was unjustly treated just because of a small innocent mistake during her adolescent years. When she found herself getting pregnant after one passionate encounter with … Continue reading →

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