plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Yes, I meant the Alzheimers one, what's so wrong with that????????????????????
Your constant marvelling at wood abs makes your vision worse.
Recently Seen, Part 26 (March 2019)
- Thread starter ebossert
- Start date
Your constant marvelling at wood abs makes your vision worse.
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
There's another flick that comes to mind... The one where there's a past-day mother accused of Murder of her husband...And then goes Interstellar type where she goes through a door to see his present-day son.
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
Tokyo Gore Police (2008)
Well. It's presumably set in Tokyo. There are police. And there is certainly gore. Or at least lots of blades and saws and teethy arms/legs cutting through obviously fakey rubber suits and appendages to allow for copious amounts of blood to spray out and cover everything, including the camera lens. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat yet again.
So the movie delivers exactly what you would expect it to deleiver. A perfect case of "it does what it says on the box."
Unfortunatley for me, I chose the wrong box.
1.5 stars.
(But in keeping with the theme of the thread, a dude does get his sausage bitten off, so there is that.)
Well. It's presumably set in Tokyo. There are police. And there is certainly gore. Or at least lots of blades and saws and teethy arms/legs cutting through obviously fakey rubber suits and appendages to allow for copious amounts of blood to spray out and cover everything, including the camera lens. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat yet again.
So the movie delivers exactly what you would expect it to deleiver. A perfect case of "it does what it says on the box."
Unfortunatley for me, I chose the wrong box.
1.5 stars.
(But in keeping with the theme of the thread, a dude does get his sausage bitten off, so there is that.)
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
It was decades ago that I watched this, and I've been wanting to revisit for quite a while. I was a huge fan of the novel in my early teenage years, and I think that coloured my impression of the film unfavourably ... I recall being quite disappointed with some of the changes that had been made to the story. It was David Gulpilil's first role - I would regard him as one of the finest Australian actors ever.
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
Maybe you just don't like Eihi Shiina movies? "kiri kiri kiri"
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
The Road to Mandalay (Midi Z, 2016) begins with an understated surreptitious border crossing – Lianqing is taken in silence across a river, from Burma into Thailand, with the hope of finding a better life. On the journey to a north-eastern town where she hopes to meet up with others who have made the trip before her, a young man Guo takes an instant shine to her, and without invitation assumes the role of her protector and guardian. But while Guo wants nothing more than a job that puts food on the table one day at a time with a little left over to send home, Lianqing dreams of something more, and sees working as an illegal immigrant in a factory as nothing more than a stepping stone. Midi Z takes a neorealist approach (think Robert Bresson, or Aki Kaurismaki without the humour) to the dispassionate quasi-romance that follows, which I’m sure some people here will find off-putting. But what I really like in his approach is the natural imagery he captures and the way his films have a real sense of place – this wasn’t as much guerrilla filmmaking as his earlier Ice Poison, but he’s still got a way of making me feel immersed in the location, not just watching a bunch of actors doing their thing in a setting.
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
Battle Creek Brawl (aka The Big Brawl) (1980)
Not really an "international" film, as it was a Warner Brothers (Hollywood) effort, directed and shot in the U.S. by a U.S. crew and (mostly) U.S. cast. Filmed in English (not dubbed). I guess that since everyone spoke English, it doesn't matter that Jackie Chan's uncle is played by a Japanese actor. I believe some of the production money came from Golden Harvest (HK), so perhaps that will qualify it for being an "Asian" film.
Not a lot to recommend here except as a novelty to see Jackie Chan in his first U.S. movie. It's not any sillier than some of Chan's Hong Kong slapsticky films, but there's just something about seeing Jackie mugging for the camera while doing stunts in a HK movie that just seems more palatable than him doing it in an English speaking movie. The stunts aren't that great, and since he is fighting big beefy wrestler types here, and not martial artists, there's not much chance to see his real skills. The story is mildly entertaining/interesting, but a subplot that is introduced and could have been the source of some real laughs (or drama) was totally forgotten about. But all in all, it probably has more of a plot than some of Chan's earlier HK stuff. Worth a look if you happen to catch it or are a Jackie Chan fan.
2.5 stars
Not really an "international" film, as it was a Warner Brothers (Hollywood) effort, directed and shot in the U.S. by a U.S. crew and (mostly) U.S. cast. Filmed in English (not dubbed). I guess that since everyone spoke English, it doesn't matter that Jackie Chan's uncle is played by a Japanese actor. I believe some of the production money came from Golden Harvest (HK), so perhaps that will qualify it for being an "Asian" film.
Not a lot to recommend here except as a novelty to see Jackie Chan in his first U.S. movie. It's not any sillier than some of Chan's Hong Kong slapsticky films, but there's just something about seeing Jackie mugging for the camera while doing stunts in a HK movie that just seems more palatable than him doing it in an English speaking movie. The stunts aren't that great, and since he is fighting big beefy wrestler types here, and not martial artists, there's not much chance to see his real skills. The story is mildly entertaining/interesting, but a subplot that is introduced and could have been the source of some real laughs (or drama) was totally forgotten about. But all in all, it probably has more of a plot than some of Chan's earlier HK stuff. Worth a look if you happen to catch it or are a Jackie Chan fan.
2.5 stars
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
6ixtynin9 (1999) (Thailand)
A cute and fun flick. I didn't find it as funny as y'all who recommended it, but the increasing absurdity of the situations kept me interested and entertained. And the lead girl was cute and I liked her style. I noticed a few continuity errors and I hated the ending, but all in all a fun film.
(Is it just me, or is the Thai language just sooo annoying? From the dudes, I can take it, but listening to girls speaking Thai is like fingernails on the blackboard. Just not a pretty sound at all.)
3 stars
A cute and fun flick. I didn't find it as funny as y'all who recommended it, but the increasing absurdity of the situations kept me interested and entertained. And the lead girl was cute and I liked her style. I noticed a few continuity errors and I hated the ending, but all in all a fun film.
(Is it just me, or is the Thai language just sooo annoying? From the dudes, I can take it, but listening to girls speaking Thai is like fingernails on the blackboard. Just not a pretty sound at all.)
3 stars
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
Tampopo (Juzo Itami, 1985) is a downtrodden, harried single mother trying to make ends meet by running a not very good ramen bar, a hangout for various lowlife drifters that treat her with contempt. Then one dark and stormy night, a tall, handsome stranger and his sidekick swagger into the bar … they’re not looking for trouble, but they find it anyway, when defending Tampopo’s honour. So instead of riding off into the distance they stay, promising to turn the place into the best ramen stall in the land.
This is famed as one of the great food movies of all time, and true to its reputation, I doubt anyone could manage to watch it all in one sitting, without the need for a meal break. It’s an absolute hoot, with the storyline meandering all over the place – structurally, it’s kind of like wandering through a marketplace, full of little side alleys, distractions and diversions to go and explore before snapping back to main storyline. Wacky, completely unique, and essential fare that everyone should try at least once in their life.
Eat Drink Man Woman (Ang Lee, 1994) is a family drama that follows the lives and loves of three young-adult sisters and their windowed father, a semi-retired master chef who steadfastly holds on to the tradition of bringing everyone together for a feast every Sunday. It begins with a mouth-watering montage of his preparation for the meal, punctuated with introductions to the three daughters; the eldest a devoutly born-again Christian, the middle a high-powered career woman who enjoys the company of her friends with benefits, and the youngest a care-free student doling out love advice to her co-workers at the burger place she works.
This rather happy and fairly standard beginning to the film becomes a bit disorientating when we get to the meal, though, as the bounciness of their individual lives give way to a meal where the atmosphere of is so awkward and thick you cut it with a knife. This isn’t family dynamics where people let out their emotions; rather there’s this undercurrent of unspoken resentment that simmering tensions that lie below the surface. The children are growing, they’re readying to leave the nest, and their father is neither ready to accept it, nor really capable of expressing his love in a way that the modern young women can understand.
I originally watched this when it first came out on VHS, and liked it alright in a “I can see that it’s well done, but it didn’t really grab me” kind of way. This time around, I thought it was brilliant, a magnificent array of wonderfully created characters that are completely relatable. I loved every minute of the journey the film took me on – only the most uncultured philistine could find this boring!
This is famed as one of the great food movies of all time, and true to its reputation, I doubt anyone could manage to watch it all in one sitting, without the need for a meal break. It’s an absolute hoot, with the storyline meandering all over the place – structurally, it’s kind of like wandering through a marketplace, full of little side alleys, distractions and diversions to go and explore before snapping back to main storyline. Wacky, completely unique, and essential fare that everyone should try at least once in their life.
Eat Drink Man Woman (Ang Lee, 1994) is a family drama that follows the lives and loves of three young-adult sisters and their windowed father, a semi-retired master chef who steadfastly holds on to the tradition of bringing everyone together for a feast every Sunday. It begins with a mouth-watering montage of his preparation for the meal, punctuated with introductions to the three daughters; the eldest a devoutly born-again Christian, the middle a high-powered career woman who enjoys the company of her friends with benefits, and the youngest a care-free student doling out love advice to her co-workers at the burger place she works.
This rather happy and fairly standard beginning to the film becomes a bit disorientating when we get to the meal, though, as the bounciness of their individual lives give way to a meal where the atmosphere of is so awkward and thick you cut it with a knife. This isn’t family dynamics where people let out their emotions; rather there’s this undercurrent of unspoken resentment that simmering tensions that lie below the surface. The children are growing, they’re readying to leave the nest, and their father is neither ready to accept it, nor really capable of expressing his love in a way that the modern young women can understand.
I originally watched this when it first came out on VHS, and liked it alright in a “I can see that it’s well done, but it didn’t really grab me” kind of way. This time around, I thought it was brilliant, a magnificent array of wonderfully created characters that are completely relatable. I loved every minute of the journey the film took me on – only the most uncultured philistine could find this boring!
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
^Food themes everywhere.
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
From a while back:
4.5 stars
Oh my god, what a powerful movie. I'm going to need a day or so to process this one. It's an emotional punch in the gut. With something like this, it's hard to say I was "entertained," but I was moved. This affected me to the core. I'll give you my rating up front. Thoughts to follow at some point; I can't hqrdly talk right now.
4.5 stars
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
Han Gong-ju (2013)
I went into this completely cold. I knew nothing of the plot or circumstances of the film. I'm not going to give any major spoilers below, but will have to frame the discussion, so if you haven't seen it and want to go in blind (like I did, and very much recommend you doing as well), then read no further.
......
......
The movie starts off with a group of teachers surrounding Gong-ju, a teen girl about 16. Everyone is obviously distraught. "It's not your fault" they tell her, but it is soon obvious that she isn't welcome in her school any more. So her teacher schleps her off to another city and calls in a favor to get the principal of the new school to enroll her as a student. Since her mother and father are obviously absent from the picture, he convinces his mother to take her in to live with her. The teacher's mother is not real keen on the idea.
I don't think I need to disclose any more actual plot points. The viewer is not clued in to exactly what Gong-ju did, until the movie is ready to reveal that. Sure, there are hints at the nature of the situation, but we don't know the details. We follow Gong-ju as she tries to get on with her high school life, and little by little the film opens itself up to us. And with every revelation, we get to know (and like) Gong-ju more and more.
Unlike the stereotypical circumstance of the school kids not accepting, or making fun, or bullying the "new kid," several of the female students are intrigued by her and try honestly to befriend her. Gong-ju revelas some talents that make the girls like and respect her even more. Gong-ju vascillates between accepting the friendship and setting rigid boundaries that test those friendships.
The last half hour of the movie is some of the most powerful cinema I can recall. We've gotten to know and love Gong-ju...and...and...well, it angers me to think how Korean society obviously considers girls. Like something to be discarded, I guess. Whether as a toy or a piece of trash. Once used, just throw it away. This applies to her parents, (some) of her peers, school administrators, and a large number of other adults. Even her teacher, who does show her kindness, seems to be motivated by getting rid of the problem by hiding it than by offering real help. Other adults in a position of authority behave despicalby. There is a scene at the school that is just devastating. When the dad shows up, and we finally realize why, it is doubly devastsating. The musical cue at the end is the final straw. I felt like someone reached into my gut and yanked emotions out of me I didn't know I had.
What makes it even more effective is that the movie is based on a true story. This really happened. I didn't know that going in to the movie, but a few wiki links I researched after watching made it quite obvious that the way Korean society was portrayed in the movie was 100% accurate as to how the girl was treated. This angers me.
One further thing to note: the movie was quite confusing in that it bounced between "present" and "flashback" with no real cues that was happening. I had to rewind and rewatch some scenes b/c at some points I was very confused about who Gong-ju was talking to and what their role was. Helpful hint: When Gong-ju is working at the 7-11; that's the past. The other store is the present. When she's talking with her long-haired friend, that's the past. The short-haired girl is the present. If you keep that straight, you can suss out the rest, but you really have to be paying attention. That's the only reason for the half-star deduction.
4.5 stars
I went into this completely cold. I knew nothing of the plot or circumstances of the film. I'm not going to give any major spoilers below, but will have to frame the discussion, so if you haven't seen it and want to go in blind (like I did, and very much recommend you doing as well), then read no further.
......
......
The movie starts off with a group of teachers surrounding Gong-ju, a teen girl about 16. Everyone is obviously distraught. "It's not your fault" they tell her, but it is soon obvious that she isn't welcome in her school any more. So her teacher schleps her off to another city and calls in a favor to get the principal of the new school to enroll her as a student. Since her mother and father are obviously absent from the picture, he convinces his mother to take her in to live with her. The teacher's mother is not real keen on the idea.
I don't think I need to disclose any more actual plot points. The viewer is not clued in to exactly what Gong-ju did, until the movie is ready to reveal that. Sure, there are hints at the nature of the situation, but we don't know the details. We follow Gong-ju as she tries to get on with her high school life, and little by little the film opens itself up to us. And with every revelation, we get to know (and like) Gong-ju more and more.
Unlike the stereotypical circumstance of the school kids not accepting, or making fun, or bullying the "new kid," several of the female students are intrigued by her and try honestly to befriend her. Gong-ju revelas some talents that make the girls like and respect her even more. Gong-ju vascillates between accepting the friendship and setting rigid boundaries that test those friendships.
The last half hour of the movie is some of the most powerful cinema I can recall. We've gotten to know and love Gong-ju...and...and...well, it angers me to think how Korean society obviously considers girls. Like something to be discarded, I guess. Whether as a toy or a piece of trash. Once used, just throw it away. This applies to her parents, (some) of her peers, school administrators, and a large number of other adults. Even her teacher, who does show her kindness, seems to be motivated by getting rid of the problem by hiding it than by offering real help. Other adults in a position of authority behave despicalby. There is a scene at the school that is just devastating. When the dad shows up, and we finally realize why, it is doubly devastsating. The musical cue at the end is the final straw. I felt like someone reached into my gut and yanked emotions out of me I didn't know I had.
What makes it even more effective is that the movie is based on a true story. This really happened. I didn't know that going in to the movie, but a few wiki links I researched after watching made it quite obvious that the way Korean society was portrayed in the movie was 100% accurate as to how the girl was treated. This angers me.
One further thing to note: the movie was quite confusing in that it bounced between "present" and "flashback" with no real cues that was happening. I had to rewind and rewatch some scenes b/c at some points I was very confused about who Gong-ju was talking to and what their role was. Helpful hint: When Gong-ju is working at the 7-11; that's the past. The other store is the present. When she's talking with her long-haired friend, that's the past. The short-haired girl is the present. If you keep that straight, you can suss out the rest, but you really have to be paying attention. That's the only reason for the half-star deduction.
4.5 stars
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Okay I'll watch Han Gong-ju in the next couple of days.
JepGambardella
Member: Rank 1
I saw "Furie" yesterday, the first Vietnamese movie to be released in commercial theatres here in Canada in a very long time. It's an action movie that follows one mother's frantic quest to rescue her kidnapped daughter. It's quite good as an action movie, with some great fighting scenes, but it's one of those movies where one can't look too closely at the story.
I won't recommend it enthusiastically but for fans of Asian films (especially Asian action films) I think it's well worth the time.
https://letterboxd.com/film/furie/
I won't recommend it enthusiastically but for fans of Asian films (especially Asian action films) I think it's well worth the time.
https://letterboxd.com/film/furie/
ebossert
Member: Rank 3
Highly Recommended
River’s Edge (2018) (Japanese Drama) – Set in the 1990s, this film revolves around a small handful of highschool students. The main protagonist is a girl named Haruna (played by Fumi Nikaido) who interacts with a handful of her highschool peers. This film actually avoids a lot of cliches and does not play out like you think it will for much of its runtime. In terms of tone, this is a very serious movie that has dramatic intensity to it because it focuses a lot on its characters. It really gets into the psychology and mentality of these students while also explores some dark themes. There’s quite a bit of sex in this movie, which I was not expecting. Some of the actors are too old to play teenagers, but performances are solid regardless.
Top Secret! (1984) (American Comedy/Musical) – Parody of WWII spy movies in which an American rock and roll singer (Val Kilmer) becomes involved in a Resistance plot to rescue a scientist imprisoned in East Germany. This movie is really funny. There are jokes littered all over the place, so it’s impressive that so many of them land. Some creative and unexpected stuff here to enjoy. Look out for the one scene that was shot in reverse. The musical interludes have energy and are fun. Val Kilmer is really good.
Fulltime Killer (2001) (Hong Kong Action) (repeat viewing) – Two assassins (one played by Andy Lau in flamboyant fashion) compete against one another in this movie directed by Johnnie To. This is a stylish, engaging and fun movie. A portion of the film is spent with Lau and his video shop girlfriend (played by Kelly Lin) who hang out and chat, which adds some character and charm to the proceedings. There’s quite a bit of indirect communication in this, which may require the viewer to piece together a few things for themselves. The action scenes are good, employing some original methods, such as chaotic water hoses. One particular sequence stands out, taking place in an apartment complex with both assassins eradicating dozens of policemen. There’s also a funny scene involving fake grenades. Simon Yam and Cherry Ying have supporting roles. This would make a sweet double feature with “Time and Tide.”
Running on Karma (2003) (Hong Kong Drama/Action) (repeat viewing) – Johnnie To directs this genre-bending film about a lady cop (Cecilia Cheung) who meets an ex-monk bodybuilder (Andy Lau) with the ability to see the karma of other people. The comedic elements are good, the development of the relationship between the two leads is well done, the pacing is brisk, and the content provides a bit of insight into the concept of karma itself. Viewer beware that this has significant tonal shifts and some dark elements that make it both ridiculous and dramatic at the same time.
Triple Threat (2019) (Chinese/Thai/American Action) – This flick stars Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Tiger Chen, Celina Jade, Scott Adkins, Michael Jai White, Michael Bisping, and JeeJa Yanin. Needless to say, the sheer amount of action star talent on display here is seriously impressive. And we get to see all of these action stars from a variety of different countries and film industries face-off throughout the entire film. The filmmakers understood what we want from a movie like this, and they gave it to us. This is only 96 minutes long, and it is loaded to the brim with shootouts and fights. It’s a “no nonsense” actioner that uses a mix of intense shootouts and nicely choreographed martial arts.
Recommended
Birds Without Names (2017) (Japanese Drama/Thriller/Romance) (repeat viewing) – Tawako (Yu Aoi) looks for love in all the wrong places, engaging in relationships with men who treat her badly and use her for sex. She shacks up with a male friend, but certain events lead her to investigate the disappearance of a former lover. Yu Aoi is fantastic in a lead role. She gives a gloomy and intense performance, with some sultry sex scenes early on. This is definitely one of the darkest films of her career. This is nicely directed as well, with a naturally evolving storyline that is legitimately interesting. One flaw is the ending, which is a bit unconvincing, melodramatic, over-explanatory and drawn out.
Us and Them (2018) (Chinese Romance) – A young girl and man meet on a train. Like many young couples, they meet, fall in love, and strive to make it work, but eventually, the harsh realities of life make them drift apart. I could watch Zhou Dongyu do laundry for two hours, so her casting in the lead role is one big reason why I enjoyed this. There is also some effective sexual tension that is developed during the opening half. The script is light on story, but heavy on realistic interaction. There’s also a theme of “success”, but the jumps to obtain it are unconvincing. Regardless, this is a good romance film.
Quartet (2017) (Japanese Drama/Romance Television Series) – Maki Maki (Takako Matsu), Suzume Sebuki (Hikari Mitsushima), Yutaka Iemori (Issey Takahashi) and Tsukasa Beppu (Ryuhei Matsuda) form a quartet, perform at small venues, and begin to live together in Karuizawa during the winter. This is a good J-drama (10 episodes, 45 minutes each) that focuses more on character development and drama instead of music. This has good dialogue and a realistic look at both musicianship and romantic relationships.
King Solomon’s Mines (1985) (American Action/Comedy) – Fortune hunter Allan Quatermain (Richard Chamberlain) teams up with a resourceful woman (Sharon Stone) to help her find her missing father lost in the wilds of 1900s Africa while being pursued by hostile tribes and a rival German explorer. This has a lot of action in it, which really helps. The set pieces are a mix of legit good stuff and unrealistic fluff, but it’s all fun. Chamberlain is a likeable lead as well. John Rhys-Davies and Herbert Lom are the villains, which is a good thing. Sharon Stone is very annoying, but also very hot. The theme song is fantastic. This is a surprisingly entertaining flick that is far better than its sequel, “The Lost City of Gold.”
The Secret In Their Eyes (2009) (Argentine/Spanish Crime Drama) – A retired legal counselor writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past homicide cases, which still haunts him decades later. This is a generic premise that adds nothing new. It’s also rather cliched and the pacing is slow, but the acting is very good and there are some effectively dramatic moments during the latter half. There are a few good plot turns as well.
River’s Edge (2018) (Japanese Drama) – Set in the 1990s, this film revolves around a small handful of highschool students. The main protagonist is a girl named Haruna (played by Fumi Nikaido) who interacts with a handful of her highschool peers. This film actually avoids a lot of cliches and does not play out like you think it will for much of its runtime. In terms of tone, this is a very serious movie that has dramatic intensity to it because it focuses a lot on its characters. It really gets into the psychology and mentality of these students while also explores some dark themes. There’s quite a bit of sex in this movie, which I was not expecting. Some of the actors are too old to play teenagers, but performances are solid regardless.
Top Secret! (1984) (American Comedy/Musical) – Parody of WWII spy movies in which an American rock and roll singer (Val Kilmer) becomes involved in a Resistance plot to rescue a scientist imprisoned in East Germany. This movie is really funny. There are jokes littered all over the place, so it’s impressive that so many of them land. Some creative and unexpected stuff here to enjoy. Look out for the one scene that was shot in reverse. The musical interludes have energy and are fun. Val Kilmer is really good.
Fulltime Killer (2001) (Hong Kong Action) (repeat viewing) – Two assassins (one played by Andy Lau in flamboyant fashion) compete against one another in this movie directed by Johnnie To. This is a stylish, engaging and fun movie. A portion of the film is spent with Lau and his video shop girlfriend (played by Kelly Lin) who hang out and chat, which adds some character and charm to the proceedings. There’s quite a bit of indirect communication in this, which may require the viewer to piece together a few things for themselves. The action scenes are good, employing some original methods, such as chaotic water hoses. One particular sequence stands out, taking place in an apartment complex with both assassins eradicating dozens of policemen. There’s also a funny scene involving fake grenades. Simon Yam and Cherry Ying have supporting roles. This would make a sweet double feature with “Time and Tide.”
Running on Karma (2003) (Hong Kong Drama/Action) (repeat viewing) – Johnnie To directs this genre-bending film about a lady cop (Cecilia Cheung) who meets an ex-monk bodybuilder (Andy Lau) with the ability to see the karma of other people. The comedic elements are good, the development of the relationship between the two leads is well done, the pacing is brisk, and the content provides a bit of insight into the concept of karma itself. Viewer beware that this has significant tonal shifts and some dark elements that make it both ridiculous and dramatic at the same time.
Triple Threat (2019) (Chinese/Thai/American Action) – This flick stars Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Tiger Chen, Celina Jade, Scott Adkins, Michael Jai White, Michael Bisping, and JeeJa Yanin. Needless to say, the sheer amount of action star talent on display here is seriously impressive. And we get to see all of these action stars from a variety of different countries and film industries face-off throughout the entire film. The filmmakers understood what we want from a movie like this, and they gave it to us. This is only 96 minutes long, and it is loaded to the brim with shootouts and fights. It’s a “no nonsense” actioner that uses a mix of intense shootouts and nicely choreographed martial arts.
Recommended
Birds Without Names (2017) (Japanese Drama/Thriller/Romance) (repeat viewing) – Tawako (Yu Aoi) looks for love in all the wrong places, engaging in relationships with men who treat her badly and use her for sex. She shacks up with a male friend, but certain events lead her to investigate the disappearance of a former lover. Yu Aoi is fantastic in a lead role. She gives a gloomy and intense performance, with some sultry sex scenes early on. This is definitely one of the darkest films of her career. This is nicely directed as well, with a naturally evolving storyline that is legitimately interesting. One flaw is the ending, which is a bit unconvincing, melodramatic, over-explanatory and drawn out.
Us and Them (2018) (Chinese Romance) – A young girl and man meet on a train. Like many young couples, they meet, fall in love, and strive to make it work, but eventually, the harsh realities of life make them drift apart. I could watch Zhou Dongyu do laundry for two hours, so her casting in the lead role is one big reason why I enjoyed this. There is also some effective sexual tension that is developed during the opening half. The script is light on story, but heavy on realistic interaction. There’s also a theme of “success”, but the jumps to obtain it are unconvincing. Regardless, this is a good romance film.
Quartet (2017) (Japanese Drama/Romance Television Series) – Maki Maki (Takako Matsu), Suzume Sebuki (Hikari Mitsushima), Yutaka Iemori (Issey Takahashi) and Tsukasa Beppu (Ryuhei Matsuda) form a quartet, perform at small venues, and begin to live together in Karuizawa during the winter. This is a good J-drama (10 episodes, 45 minutes each) that focuses more on character development and drama instead of music. This has good dialogue and a realistic look at both musicianship and romantic relationships.
King Solomon’s Mines (1985) (American Action/Comedy) – Fortune hunter Allan Quatermain (Richard Chamberlain) teams up with a resourceful woman (Sharon Stone) to help her find her missing father lost in the wilds of 1900s Africa while being pursued by hostile tribes and a rival German explorer. This has a lot of action in it, which really helps. The set pieces are a mix of legit good stuff and unrealistic fluff, but it’s all fun. Chamberlain is a likeable lead as well. John Rhys-Davies and Herbert Lom are the villains, which is a good thing. Sharon Stone is very annoying, but also very hot. The theme song is fantastic. This is a surprisingly entertaining flick that is far better than its sequel, “The Lost City of Gold.”
The Secret In Their Eyes (2009) (Argentine/Spanish Crime Drama) – A retired legal counselor writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past homicide cases, which still haunts him decades later. This is a generic premise that adds nothing new. It’s also rather cliched and the pacing is slow, but the acting is very good and there are some effectively dramatic moments during the latter half. There are a few good plot turns as well.
ebossert
Member: Rank 3
Continued from prior post.
Not Recommended
Robocop (2014) (American Action) – In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy, a loving husband, father and good cop, is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer. I’m not one to immediately criticize PG-13 versions to a historically R-rated franchise, but “Robocop 3” was ass and this one is painfully bland. It simply lacks any edge whatsoever and becomes instantly forgettable. The action is run-of-the-mill fluff that elicits no excitement. And this is from the same director who did the phenomenal “Elite Squad” films.
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986) (American Action/Comedy) (repeat viewing) – Allan Quatermain (Richard Chamberlain) once again teams up with Jesse Huston (Sharon Stone) where the discovery of a mysterious old gold piece sends Quatermain looking for his long-lost brother, missing in the wilds of Africa after seeking a lost white race. This movie is HORRIBLE, but in a good way . . . because it is unintentionally funny. Of course, there’s a very long section where the protagonists travel thru different environments and face dangers like boobytraps and angry tribes. Some of the acting is awful and the humor is not funny at all. Also, a few of the special effects are bad. After the “travelogue”, the true hilarity begins . . . because Henry Silva shows up. I haven’t laughed this hard in a while. The theme song is the best thing about this movie, and they play it a lot. Not nearly as entertaining as “King’s Solomon’s Mines”, that’s for sure.
The Mad Monk (1993) (Hong Kong Fantasy Comedy/Horror) – To avoid punishment for his misdeeds, an arrogant god accepts a mission to reform three mortals on Earth, where he must also contend with a demon. This stars Stephen Chow, and was co-directed by Johnnie To. The humor is constantly silly, and one of the characters has the mind of a child for much of the time, which is very obnoxious. Things become more boring when it tries to get serious. Even when the demon monster dude shows up, it’s still stupid.
Halfworlds: Season 1 (2015) (Indonesian Thriller/Action Television Series) – Set in the city of Jakarta, this series (8 episodes, 30 minutes each) is about clans of bloodthirsty creatures who fight one another secret amidsty the society of humans. This is easily the worst thing that Joko Anwar has ever directed. The story is klunky, poorly written, and boring to watch. The characters are wafer thin and lacking in personality. Dialogue is lame. The sex scenes are gratuitous. Acting is extremely wooden and sleep-inducing. There is some bloody violence to enjoy, but the fight scenes are marred by editing problems, shaky cam, and lazy lighting tactics (strobes, etc.). The ending is a dumb cliffhanger that leads into Season 2, which I will never watch.
Bottom of the Barrel
Strange Invaders (1983) (American Horror) – After a man’s ex-wife disappears, he travels to her rural home town in the Midwest, but he is quickly confronted with aliens. There are some pretty good physical effects here, but that’s the only good thing about this movie. The lead actor contributes one of the most painfully wooden and boring performances in cinematic history. I am not exaggerating. The story is also really tedious. The ending is one of the lamest, most unwarranted cop-outs for an alien invasion film you’ll ever see. Nancy Allen (from “Robocop”) has a supporting role, but it doesn’t matter. If you can sit thru this movie from start to finish, you deserve a medal.
Not Recommended
Robocop (2014) (American Action) – In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy, a loving husband, father and good cop, is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer. I’m not one to immediately criticize PG-13 versions to a historically R-rated franchise, but “Robocop 3” was ass and this one is painfully bland. It simply lacks any edge whatsoever and becomes instantly forgettable. The action is run-of-the-mill fluff that elicits no excitement. And this is from the same director who did the phenomenal “Elite Squad” films.
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986) (American Action/Comedy) (repeat viewing) – Allan Quatermain (Richard Chamberlain) once again teams up with Jesse Huston (Sharon Stone) where the discovery of a mysterious old gold piece sends Quatermain looking for his long-lost brother, missing in the wilds of Africa after seeking a lost white race. This movie is HORRIBLE, but in a good way . . . because it is unintentionally funny. Of course, there’s a very long section where the protagonists travel thru different environments and face dangers like boobytraps and angry tribes. Some of the acting is awful and the humor is not funny at all. Also, a few of the special effects are bad. After the “travelogue”, the true hilarity begins . . . because Henry Silva shows up. I haven’t laughed this hard in a while. The theme song is the best thing about this movie, and they play it a lot. Not nearly as entertaining as “King’s Solomon’s Mines”, that’s for sure.
The Mad Monk (1993) (Hong Kong Fantasy Comedy/Horror) – To avoid punishment for his misdeeds, an arrogant god accepts a mission to reform three mortals on Earth, where he must also contend with a demon. This stars Stephen Chow, and was co-directed by Johnnie To. The humor is constantly silly, and one of the characters has the mind of a child for much of the time, which is very obnoxious. Things become more boring when it tries to get serious. Even when the demon monster dude shows up, it’s still stupid.
Halfworlds: Season 1 (2015) (Indonesian Thriller/Action Television Series) – Set in the city of Jakarta, this series (8 episodes, 30 minutes each) is about clans of bloodthirsty creatures who fight one another secret amidsty the society of humans. This is easily the worst thing that Joko Anwar has ever directed. The story is klunky, poorly written, and boring to watch. The characters are wafer thin and lacking in personality. Dialogue is lame. The sex scenes are gratuitous. Acting is extremely wooden and sleep-inducing. There is some bloody violence to enjoy, but the fight scenes are marred by editing problems, shaky cam, and lazy lighting tactics (strobes, etc.). The ending is a dumb cliffhanger that leads into Season 2, which I will never watch.
Bottom of the Barrel
Strange Invaders (1983) (American Horror) – After a man’s ex-wife disappears, he travels to her rural home town in the Midwest, but he is quickly confronted with aliens. There are some pretty good physical effects here, but that’s the only good thing about this movie. The lead actor contributes one of the most painfully wooden and boring performances in cinematic history. I am not exaggerating. The story is also really tedious. The ending is one of the lamest, most unwarranted cop-outs for an alien invasion film you’ll ever see. Nancy Allen (from “Robocop”) has a supporting role, but it doesn’t matter. If you can sit thru this movie from start to finish, you deserve a medal.
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
Running on Karma really is a great film ...
You forgot to mention that Andy Lau's ex-monk bodybuilder is working as a male stripper!
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
Angels Wear White (Vivian Qu, 2017) follows parallel storylines of two young girls whose lives are intertwined. Wen is a barely teenaged schoolgirl, her absent father a caretaker at a seaside carnival, and her mother an alcoholic who spends the nights out on the town. One evening, Wen and her school friend end up tipsy in a budget motel room, and are assaulted by the middle-aged man who had brought them there. Mia is the only employee on duty that night, and she uses her phone to record the security camera footage of the man forcing his way into the girls’ room. The police get involved, but as Wen’s life begins to further fall apart in the aftermath, it becomes apparent that Mia has her own difficulties which will prevent her from handing over the evidence that would convict the perpetrator.
This is a really intelligent drama with a touch of thriller elements, which presents complex characters facing a range of moral dilemmas that have no easy answers. The performances of Vicky Chen and Zhou Meijun were exceptional, and the film is served very well by choosing to cast two actresses who are close in age to the characters they play (Chen, who plays the receptionist, was apparently only 14 when the film was first released). And the ambiguous, possibly metaphorical ending was great. I suspect that @sitenoise will like this one.
Blind Way (Li Yang, 2017) is Li’s final part to his “Blind” trilogy (after Blind Shaft and Blind Mountain), and the obvious question is “Is it really as bad as its reputation would have it?
Director Li plays a down-on-his-luck ex pop singer, who ekes out an existence by pretending to be blind and begging on the streets. He’s a pretty scummy dude, one day even stooping so low as to steal from a 10 year old beggar girl who really is blind, although not so low as to leave her spending the night in snow without any shelter. But when he tries to drop her off a police station, she latches on to him, claiming he’s her father. So reluctantly, he takes her in for the night.
What happens next is pure Disney. Something stirs inside him, and as the orchestral strings rise up against the beauty of the snow falling in the street light, our hero’s hardened heart is magically transformed into a heart of gold, and we the audience can rapturously marvel at the transforming power of love.
Look, I want to say that the reputation that this film has over on douban isn’t warranted. I want to say that it is what it is … pure Hollywood, a cutesy, saccharine fairy-tale that touches on dark themes but is ultimately guided by the need to be uplifting fare for the whole family. I really want to. But I can’t. It’s shit.
This is a really intelligent drama with a touch of thriller elements, which presents complex characters facing a range of moral dilemmas that have no easy answers. The performances of Vicky Chen and Zhou Meijun were exceptional, and the film is served very well by choosing to cast two actresses who are close in age to the characters they play (Chen, who plays the receptionist, was apparently only 14 when the film was first released). And the ambiguous, possibly metaphorical ending was great. I suspect that @sitenoise will like this one.
Blind Way (Li Yang, 2017) is Li’s final part to his “Blind” trilogy (after Blind Shaft and Blind Mountain), and the obvious question is “Is it really as bad as its reputation would have it?
Director Li plays a down-on-his-luck ex pop singer, who ekes out an existence by pretending to be blind and begging on the streets. He’s a pretty scummy dude, one day even stooping so low as to steal from a 10 year old beggar girl who really is blind, although not so low as to leave her spending the night in snow without any shelter. But when he tries to drop her off a police station, she latches on to him, claiming he’s her father. So reluctantly, he takes her in for the night.
What happens next is pure Disney. Something stirs inside him, and as the orchestral strings rise up against the beauty of the snow falling in the street light, our hero’s hardened heart is magically transformed into a heart of gold, and we the audience can rapturously marvel at the transforming power of love.
Look, I want to say that the reputation that this film has over on douban isn’t warranted. I want to say that it is what it is … pure Hollywood, a cutesy, saccharine fairy-tale that touches on dark themes but is ultimately guided by the need to be uplifting fare for the whole family. I really want to. But I can’t. It’s shit.
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divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
This is one of my all-time favorite comedies. If you liked the humor of Airplane! and The Naked Gun, you must watch this. I've seen it at least 10 times and it just never gets old.