Tag Archives: Romance

Chemical Hearts (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): His new partner at his school newspaper

Posted on August 23, 2020 by

“Chemical Hearts”, which was recently released on Amazon Prime, looks plain and predictable at first but then comes to engage us more than expected. Yes, this is another case of troubled adolescent romance, but it distinguishes itself a bit via … Continue reading →

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Yankinku Dragon (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Nowhere but here in Japan

Posted on August 15, 2020 by

Japanese film “Yankinku Drangon” is a corny but heartfelt drama mainly revolving around one colorful Korean Japanese family. While you can instantly discern that it tries to pull our heartstrings as hard as it can, the movie has a big … Continue reading →

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Vertigo (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A woman on the edge

Posted on August 15, 2020 by

South Korean film “Vertigo” is a quietly harrowing melodrama about one woman on the edge. While this is not a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 masterpiece, it is worthwhile to watch as a painful reflection on what many South Korean … Continue reading →

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Work It (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A mild underdog movie with predictable movements

Posted on August 10, 2020 by

Netflix film “Work It” is a mildly enjoyable underdog movie with predictable movements which will not surprise you much especially if you are familiar with its genre territory. As a high school comedy movie about dance competition, it is fairly … Continue reading →

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Better Days (2019) ☆☆☆1/2 (3.5/4): Her bodyguard

Posted on August 2, 2020 by

Chinese film “Better Days” is a familiar but compelling mixture of brutal school drama, sensitive coming-of-age tale, and unabashedly old-fashioned romance. Right from the beginning, you can clearly discern what you are going to get, but then you will find … Continue reading →

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Palm Springs (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Stuck together in a time loop

Posted on July 21, 2020 by

“Palm Springs” is a smart and funny comedy film which deftly handles a story promise which has been quite familiar to us since “Groundhog Day” (1993). Mainly driven by the good comic chemistry between its two appealing lead performers, the … Continue reading →

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The High Note (2020) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Her First Superstar

Posted on June 12, 2020 by

“The High Note”, which was recently released in South Korean theaters as “My First Superstar”, is a mildly entertaining comedy film about an aspiring young woman who wants to break into music industry. Although you will not be surprised much … Continue reading →

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The Half of It (2020) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A refreshing coming-of-age drama by Alice Wu

Posted on May 9, 2020 by

To be frank with you, I did not expect much when I watched the trailer of Netflix film “The Half of It”, which received the Founders Award at the Tribeca Film Festival before released on Netflix in last week. While … Continue reading →

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Queen & Slim (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): A duo on the run

Posted on March 11, 2020 by

“Queen & Slim” is a little crime romance drama which follows the footsteps of “Bonny and Clyde” (1967) and many other similar films while also presenting its own mood, ideas, and sensibility. As a foreign audience outside the American society, … Continue reading →

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Premature (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): One summer romance in Harlem

Posted on March 8, 2020 by

“Premature”, which won the Someone to Watch Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards early in this year, is a modest but intimate tale of young romance set in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Mainly revolving around a … Continue reading →

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