Popular reviews

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  Review by MLP ★★

  "Over-reaching in its ambitions, Madonna is a 121–minute slog through heavy-handed symbolism and absurd religious allegory."

  Full Review:
  www.photogenie.be/photogenie_blog/blog/madonna-young-critics-workshop-2015

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  Review by mallwave

  Very telling that our class sat in silence for a solid minute after this ended rather than bursting into conversation like after every other film we’ve watched

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  Review by kalebleblebleb ★★★ 2

  this was..something

  i feel so bad for her

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  Review by Jared ★★½

  Summer of South Korean Cinema - Directed by Women: Shin Su-won

  
  This movie was rough. Its very well directed and the story unfolds in an interesting way but this is misery porn at it's finest. There was many times where I had to look away from my screen because something was happening that made me uncomfortable.

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  Review by felonioustongue ★★½

  One of those films that revels in how awful life and human beings can be to one another, with just a smidge of light at the end of the tunnel. Misery porn is not my thing.

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  Review by iceberrie ★★★★

  This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

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  Review by Carl Sandell ★★★

  Structurally entertaining as the titular character is slowly fleshed out through flashbacks while an ethical dilemma plays out in the present. The dilemma is unnecessarily lopsided though and ends up being more of a comment on the old class hierarchy.

  That hierarchy is depicted in amusingly sinister scenes of the entitled son of the rich dying man humiliating people for no good reason. If he had been a little bit smoother and tried some diplomacy the dilemma would actually be tougher for the other characters, but he's so comfortable in his social position that he doesn't think he needs to. Or maybe he's a sad little boy lacking confidence and overcompensates with aggression. This is the most interesting part of the film, which may be a weakness as the real focus is on the Madonna and the allegory of Jesus as a rape baby.

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  Review by Marc Raymond ★★

  Surprised at the very positive reviews of this film. Perhaps I was expecting something more nuanced and low key rather than the outlandish religious allegory (granted the title was a giveaway). The social issues that it's obviously concerned get drowned out as a result of the ultimate silliness and even exploitation of the narrative ( and narrative form). Makes one appreciate Lee Chang-dong all the more in his ability to combine melodrama and realism.

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  Review by Hieu Chau ★★½

  Shin's story of women and survival definitely feels like a film that has been guided by a woman's touch and there are even flashes of feminist author Natsuo Kirino seen throughout the film. Unfortunately, many of Shin's ideas are too scattered and don't remain as cohesive as it could be. The alternating past/present timeline also serves no favours as it hinders the progression of the film greatly, resulting in a product that feels like three hours instead of two. Disappointing follow up to the excellent Pluto.