Tag Archives: Religion

The Prayer (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A little robot morality play

South Korean film “The Prayer”, which is actually the theatrical version of one episode of South Korean TV anthology drama series “SF8”, is a simple but thought-provoking SF morality play which examines one familiar but undeniably impossible moral dilemma via … Continue reading

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Yes, God, Yes (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): The little sexual awakening of one Christian girl

“Yes, God, Yes” is a little coming-of-age comedy film which turns out to be more considerate and thoughtful than you may expect from its very title. While surely generating some good laughs from its adolescent Christian heroine’s gradual sexual awakening, … Continue reading

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A Hidden Life (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A meditative resistance

Terrence Malick’s latest film “A Hidden Life” is a meditative drama film which calmly and austerely explores its religious/spiritual themes via the real life of one ordinary man who chose to stick to his belief despite being aware of the … Continue reading

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Fatima (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): A little more thoughtful than you may expect

“Fatima” is a little more thoughtful than you may expect from its religious story subject. As your average agnostic atheist, I naturally observed its faith-based drama with some degree of skepticism from the very beginning, but it engaged me enough … Continue reading

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The Devil All the Time (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The Devil Is Never Gone

Netflix movie “The Devil All the Time”, which was released on this Wednesday, feels rather rote and shallow despite all those interesting elements mixed into its decidedly grim and lurid narrative. Although I was not bored at all during its … Continue reading

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Young Ahmed (2019) ☆☆1/2 (2.5/4): A young fanatic

The Dardenne brothers’ latest film “Young Ahmed”, which won the Best Director award when it was shown at the Cannes Film Festival early in last year, gives us a phlegmatic observation of a young adolescent boy who happens to be … Continue reading

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Them That Follow (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Trapped in her isolated religious community

As a small but intense drama set in an isolated religious community, “Them That Follows” delivers several strong moments to remember. Although it is relentlessly gloomy and moody from the beginning to the end, the movie manages to avoid becoming … Continue reading

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The Confirmation (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): A weekend between father and son

“The Confirmation” is more entertaining and touching than I thought at first. While its overall mood is dry and glum just like its hero, the movie gradually reveals its sweet and humorous side as moving from one small good moment … Continue reading

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Hail Satan? (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): An amusing documentary on certain Satanists

I often chuckled while watching “Hail Satan?”, an amusing documentary film about the rise of a group of certain decent (!) Satanists. While they certainly look silly and weird at times with their rather unorthodox religious belief, it is interesting … Continue reading

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To Dust (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): A deadpan Jewish comedy on body decomposition

As watching “To Dust”, a little comedy film which won the Narrative Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival in last year, I was reminded of that memorable quote from Errol Morris’ great documentary “Gates of Heaven” (1978): “Death is … Continue reading

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