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Cruel Winter Blues

Cruel Winter Blues

Crime · Drama · 2006

A gangster's quest for revenge is sidetracked by an encounter with his target's mother in this deeply-felt hybrid of a crime thriller and a family drama.

Movie details

Cruel Winter Blues

“A man dreams of a most brutal revenge.”

2006 Crime · Drama 1h 58m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

A gangster's quest for revenge is sidetracked by an encounter with his target's mother in this deeply-felt hybrid of a crime thriller and a family drama.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Cruel Winter Blues?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Sunflower

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Riot in Cell Block 11

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A prisoner leads his counterparts in a protest for better living conditions which turns violent and ugly.

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Shy sixteen-year-old Stacy Collins can't believe that the most popular guy in school, an attractive athlete named Bobby Tennison, is interested in her. At first she is flattered by his constant attention, but then he becomes possessive and jealous-telling her who she can speak to and what she can wear. Threats escalate into violence when Bobby thinks Stacy has stepped out of line. Soon she is walking on egg shells and living in fear. Having seen the tell-tale bruises, Stacy's best friend convinces her to break things off with Bobby-but in a moment of weakness, Stacy goes to meet him. It will be the last time she is seen alive.

Little Caesar

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Drama · 1931

A small-time hood shoots his way to the top, but how long can he stay there?

Cry of the City

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The Outsiders

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When a young rancher crosses paths with a Lakota girl from a nearby reservation, her mysterious disappearance sparks a search that uncovers a harrowing past and hints at a dire future.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Lee Jeong-beom

Written by

Lee Jeong-beom

Sul Kyung-gu

Sul Kyung-gu

Jae-moon

Jo Han-sun

Jo Han-sun

Chi-gook

Na Moon-hee

Na Moon-hee

Jeom-sim

Yoon Je-moon

Yoon Je-moon

Dae-sik

Ryu Seung-ryong

Ryu Seung-ryong

Min-jae

Oh Yong

Oh Yong

Sang-geun

Shim Yi-young

Shim Yi-young

Mi-ryung

Court is in session

Put Cruel Winter Blues on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.