To minimize as much disappointment as possible, it would be best to view Nadine Labaki's Capernaum as a simple showcase for her directorial capabilities and penchant for humanistic storytelling. Several moments, for example, reveal an effortless combination of pathos and humor, brimming with a particular kind of compassion that confirms her good intentions, regardless of how misguided they may be. Indeed, any criticism addressing Capernaum as "poverty porn" isn't exactly unfounded. What fatally undermines the overarching story is the film's…

What sets The Taebaek Mountains apart from other films that criticize capitalist ideologies is its willingness to also place their communist counterparts under the same level of scrutiny. After all, the core issues aren't based on the mere subscription of either ideology. Rather, the central conflict arises from a national crisis in which a nation's people are submerged by the weight of cultural and political unrest. The small town of Bulkyo is at the heart of this collective quest to…