Category: Foreign Films I Don’t Hate
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The Host (English dubbed) (***1/2) on the verge
We’re never entirely scared, sometimes on the verge of laughing. Sometimes though, it is quite moving. Not sure these are selling points for a classic, but it is definitely not a waste of one’s evening.
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Mother (****1/2) is responsible
Bong is one of the best directors of his time, as evidenced by this year’s Parasite. His form is exceptional here, as he is able to strike every resonant chord of truth and still keep enough of a mystery for the viewer to hope.
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Parasite (****1/2): When it comes to making plans…
Parasite is one of the best cast, directed and uniquely written films of the year.
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The Wandering Earth (***) is not far from Armageddon
“The producers consulted the Chinese Academy of Sciences, though what questions they asked is not immediately clear. I’d like to think I know at least as much as the average college graduate about the physical sciences, but they lost me when the Earth stopped rotating. ”
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Roma (*****) – Share the Well
#roma “It’s a tough viewing, to be sure. It is also incredibly rewarding. It is so much higher a level of movie making that one is used to seeing. It’s not the kind of film that everyone could make it through, but it’s the kind of film that is utterly the point for art itself.”
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Along with the Gods: The 49 Days Exceeds Every Expectation (*****)
“The greatness of this series is in its ability to mix action, emotion, mythology and philosophy effortlessly and quite earnestly. Whether one believes in the premise, we understand that the characters believe it. This makes it as important to us as it is to them. ”
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Champion (***1/2) a good film inspired by a film I never liked
#KDrama #Champion #DonLee #Dongseokma “When, one of the bad guy bosses of Champion describes his body as “efficient,” my lack of understanding of Korean culture makes me hesitate to assume it’s a mistaken translation. If by efficient, they mean “he’s likely to win in a fight, but would rather avoid the fight,” I would have…
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Adams and Jefferson on Pan’s Labyrinth
Two old friends dissect the best del Toro film and discuss the career of the great modern master.
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Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (****1/2) opens a new world
Along with the Gods is deceptively good. Not being an expert on Buddhism or the afterlife, I can only relate that what is presented it consistently intriguing. It pulls the viewer along into an emotional crescendo that belies the simple concept of “do good, get rewarded.”
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Midnight Runners (***): I think I’ve figured out how to be sweet
I am aware through a myopic lens of a lifetime watching baseball that Korean men can be a little different than their American brethren. To what degrees can vary by age, but it seems to me that in Korean pop culture, any man younger than 25 can be just as likely be seen holding a…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 