Tag Archives: Thriller

Grand Piano (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A deadly comeback concert

Posted on April 16, 2014 by kaist455

 While many thriller movies try to play audiences like piano, “Grand Piano” tries to play not only its audiences but also a real piano at the center of its plot. Its premise is preposterous to say the least, but this … Continue reading →

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Lebanon Emotion (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : An odd, somber mix of romance and thriller

Posted on March 29, 2014 by kaist455

 “Lebanon Emotion”, a South Korean independent film which was released in South Korea early in this month, quietly meanders around its background at first and then goes into an unexpected direction through its odd, somber mix of romance and thriller. … Continue reading →

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Non-Stop (2014) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : You don’t mess with Liam Nisson

Posted on March 6, 2014 by kaist455

 One thing I miss about Roger Ebert is his witty amusement with action thriller movies which are full of preposterous plot holes big enough for a Boeing 777 plane to fly through. He did not point them out just for … Continue reading →

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The Suspect (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : A taxi driver from the North

Posted on December 25, 2013 by kaist455

 “The Suspect” is a well-made action film which will remind you of many, many thriller films about a lone guy on the run. Its busy style represented by quick cuts and shaky handheld camera movement is certainly influenced by none … Continue reading →

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Steel Cold Winter (2013) ☆☆☆(3/4) : A dark, bloody winter romance in the countryside

Posted on November 8, 2013 by kaist455

South Korean film “Steel Cold Winter”, which is released as “A Girl” at South Korean theaters in this weekend, is dripping with the moody atmosphere which will draw you to its dark secret hidden behind one mysterious girl and the … Continue reading →

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The Purge (2013) ☆☆(2/4) : A suburban night of legalized killings

Posted on November 2, 2013 by kaist455

“The Purge” starts with an outrageous but intriguing premise: what if the society temporarily allows killings as a way of ventilating the social anger/resentment pressed inside its individuals? I can think of at least five or six implausible aspects of … Continue reading →

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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 →

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Prisoners (2013) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4) : Good cop, Bad citizen

Posted on October 3, 2013 by kaist455

 “Prisoners” tries to roll two things at once to create bigger dramatic impacts. The one is about the grief and subsequent anger caused by a terrible incident, and the other one is about an increasingly frustrating investigation process for finding … Continue reading →

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The Flu (2013) ☆☆(2/4) : Its symptoms are depressing rather than alarming

Posted on August 14, 2013 by kaist455

 The symptoms shown at the beginning of South Korean action thriller film “The Flu” are depressing rather than alarming. The symptoms are 1) flat characterization full of bland or annoying characters we do not give a damn about, and 2) … Continue reading →

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Arbitrage (2012) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4) : A crook stuck between multiple crises

Posted on August 13, 2013 by kaist455

Some of the most engaging movies I have seen tell their stories through unlikable characters I can hardly identity with or care about, and these movies remind me that we do not always have to like or identify with the … Continue reading →

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