Asian Cinema : Recently Seen, part 11 (March, 2016)

Kaboom indeed. Another example of Korea taking a kind of absurd premise and playing it straight ahead. I also thought there might be a secret reveal pulled out but that would have killed it. Ye-jin's "I'm not dividing my love, I'm doubling it!" has nothing behind it.

I think The Treacherous mainstreamed the lesbian scissor boink. We'll probably see a lot of the going forward.

Terra Formars (2016)

One of the few Takashi Miike films that sucked. The concept itself is really bad, I saw the anime before watching this film and it was the worst thing ever.
This film is a bit more watchable than the anime version, but it's still one of the worst in Miike's awesome career.

4/10

Finding Dory (2016)

Good old pixar. Dory's memory loss was well explored and they created a good story from it. It was a bit sad sometimes though, and there were some strong feelings of friendship and family themes. With lots of good moments and funny characters, I had a fun time. It's far from having the impact that Finding Nemo had 13 years ago, but it never feels like an unnecessary sequel.

7/10

Gunnm (1993)

This is the manga/anime that Cameron was going to adapt to film (Battle Angel). The story is pretty good! Also I loved the mix between the violence and the sweet love story. There's really great material here, I wish it wasn't so short (60 minutes) because at the end I wanted to see so much more, shame it didn't turn in a long running series.


8/10

Wings of Honneamise (1987)

7/10

They Were Eleven (1986)

5/10

The Thieves (2012)

5/10

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

It's boring and the plot is just so week.

4/10

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Favourite films:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls006514680/

Part 43 of my Asian Horror Year In Review playlist is now up. It covers some of the lesser films released during 2008:

Here are the films I saw this week.

Highly Recommended

Green Tea (2003) (Chinese Romance) (repeat viewing) Excellent romance film about a man (Jiang Wen) who befriends and quickly falls for a shy, conservative college graduate (Zhao Wei). The cinematography and soundtrack are amazing, but the films true strength is the fascinating dialogue and well-written screenplay that deploys an unending assault of indirect communication and hyper-intelligent set pieces that use storytelling (told by the female lead) as a basis for character interaction and romantic development. The acting is exceptional. This is a must see film where the romantic tension reaches an all-time high. In terms of classy romance, this is about as perfect as humanly imaginable.

Final Fantasy: Advent Children (2005) (Japanese Anime Action) (repeat viewing) This absolutely gorgeous anime action film is excellently paced and entertaining from beginning to end. The storyline does have some ambiguity that requires the viewers imagination to fill in some of the blanks. The graphics are stellar and state-of-the-art, while the action sequences blow away virtually every other animated film ever made. The opening motorcycle scene, the fist fight in a gothic building, the sword melee in the neon-white forest at night, and the final three part extravaganza (which includes an inner city face-off between a half dozen protagonists and a gigantic flying Bahamut, a motorcycle pursuit, and a climatic sword duel lasting over 25 minutes) are all phenomenal. For pure entertainment value and adrenaline, this is up there.

Hellsing Ultimate (2006-2012) (Japanese Anime Horror/Action) (repeat viewing) In present day London, the Protestant Knights (led by an ancestor of Abraham Van Helsing and the vampire Alucard) battle against vampires, zombie-like ghouls, and a Nazi army that has been dorment for decades. A total of 10 OVAs were made (approximating 45 minutes in length each). The first observation to be communicated is that this OVA collection is a significant improvement over the original Hellsing anime series in almost every conceivable aspect. The animation is gawk-worthy, the atmosphere is horrific, the pacing is blistering fast, and the action is very stylish and creative (even ramping up to full blown battles). The storyline is marketed as being more faithful to the original manga, which results in more interesting characters and more frightening villains. There is also a lot of graphic bloodletting and violence, which should please fans of horror. As if all of this werent impressive enough, the character Alucard is one of the most powerful and creative renditions of Dracula ever conceived. The final few OVAs drag out a bit and there isnt much depth of drama, but this is pretty damn awesome.

In the Line of Duty 4 (1989) (Chinese Action) (repeat viewing) Donnie Yen and Cynthia Khan take down a group of corrupt CIA officials. There are a lot of high quality action scenes. The storyline is commonplace, but the characters are very likable and there are also some effective bits of humor. A very satisfying finale as well. The enjoyability of this entry is surprising considering the mediocrity of the first three installments, yet there is more entertainment value here than in all of its predecessors combined. Its not an overstatement to say that this is one of the most action-packed movies of the 1980s. Its also Cynthia Khans best outing.

Recommended

Dead Man Inferno (aka Z Island) (2015) (Japanese Crime Action/Horror) A yakuza and his men travel to a Japanese island in an effort to reunite with his daughter, but they must tangle with rival gangsters and a legion of zombies. The gangster stuff is rather basic, but about 20 minutes in, there is a fun, lengthy fight involving two schoolgirls that sets the stage for an amusing flick. There is more than enough undead attacks to be entertaining, and a lot of zombies and people die on screen, with some of the zombie deaths being good and bloody. The second half has a lot of action. A few recognizable faces too (Sho Aikawa, etc.). (Viewed without subtitles.)

For Love or Money (1993) (American Romantic Comedy) Doug is a young man who works all day as a concierge at a luxurious hotel, saving money to make his own business. Unfortunately, when he finds the financial supporter he needs, he discovers that his saviour is having an affair with the woman he loves. Now, he must choose between money and love. Michael J. Fox does well in the lead role, portraying his character as smart and effective at his job. The romance itself is merely okay, as is the business conflict, but overall this is good.

Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) (American Animated Action/Drama) Based on Alan Moores graphic novel. As Batman hunts for the escaped Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime attacks the Gordon family to prove a diabolical point. Action is pretty good and entertaining. I liked the ending too, which has a bit of subtlety. There are quite a few flaws, however. Animation quality is mostly equivalent to a television episode, which is a bit disappointing considering the hype behind this film. Dialogue is mediocre and voice-acting is stiff. The Bat Girl character was also too whiny and such a weak character, with the act of sex used in cheap, shallow ways to drive her story forward. This is a very soft R rating as well. Overall, this is watchable but totally undeserving of the online hype.

Not Recommended

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) (American Action) Bearing the ominous moniker of Apocalypse, a legendary mutant comes to life after thousands of years and resolves to impose an oppressive new world order. With humanitys fate at stake, the X-Men team prepares for an all-or-nothing showdown. The opening hour bored the hell out of me, introducing me to characters weve already met before, as well as developing characters that we already know. The entire gamut of protagonists and antagonists are as dull as dirt. Plus, theres no urgency to anything, with lots of pointless, cringe-worthy dialogue and repetitive recruitment scenes involving Apocalypse. Action consists mostly of lazy CGI porn and a really drawn out finale. The only interesting scene in the entire movie was the ridiculous slow motion extravaganza involving Quicksilver.

Terra Formars (2016) (Japanese Sci Fi Action/Horror) In an attempt to colonize Mars, 21st century scientists terraform the planet over the course of 500 years. They then send a group of expendables to wipe out the mutant cockroaches that have evolved there. This movie is stupid, and not in a good way. It has a fine cast, but the dialogue and scriptwriting are atrocious. This is especially true of the human villain, who is sleep-inducing. None of the action is well-staged or fun, choosing to lazily rely on cartoonish nonsense. This is boring to watch, and really lame. This is one of Takashi Miikes worst films in recent memory.

YouTube Asian Movie Review Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/anticlimacus100

5

* This review may contain spoilers ***

Getting the wonderful chance to be the host for an event held on IMDb's Film Festival board,I decided to take a closer look at the nominated titles. Introduced to Film Noir from Asia via John Woo's Heroic Bloodshed movie The Killer,I was intrigued to find a Neo-Noir from China on the list,which led to me breaking into the ice.

The plot:

In the city of Heilongjiang Province,dried up body parts of Liang are found in bags of coal.Sent to investigate, Zhang and his partner Wang go to interview a suspect,who opens fire on them and is soon killed. Shaken by the events,Zhang sinks into booze and gets dropped into being a security. Finding out that two men who have recently dated Liang former wife Wu have recently been found killed in a similar way,Zhang decides to become an ice breaker for the case and for Wu.

View on the film:

Burning up the black coal,co-writer/director Yi'nan Diao unveils a Neo-Noir landscape of frosty blues and decayed greys,with the people in the outdoor scenes being drained of as much colour as the body parts. Getting in from the cold, Diao sets Zhang's life in stylish chalk Neo-Noir reds and yellows which bluntly hit the pessimism of the case.

Spending 8 years writing the screenplay, Diao gives the Noir mystery a clinical edge,as Zhang becomes entwined in a detached love for Femme Fatale Wu.Cut down from the original 210 minutes cut, Diao sets the Noir in a glacial mould.Whilst giving light to some startling images,the sparse nature of the dialogue and the stilted solving of the mystery leaves to any feeling of intrigue being frozen under thin ice.

We often grade Chinese films on a curve around here. I forget why, but a 5 on a curve would be an 8, or maybe a 2. I forget which way the curve works. I give it a straight up 9, one of the best Chinese films in years. I thought it was beautifully shot without calling attention to its production valuesthe ice-skating scene notwithstanding, which is otherworldlysomething less interesting film makers often do to mask a lack of ideas. Yes, it's cold and frosty, but I found it gripping. The last scene, where the guy starts dancing, is genius, and wrapped up the film nicely.

9

** This review may contain spoilers ***

Getting a chance to host an event on IMDb's Film Festival thread,I started gathering up the titles on DVD.Putting things into place whilst nearing the end of IMDb's Horror board October Challenge,I was pleased to discover that one of the films was hitting UK DVD on Halloween, (despite coming out in cinemas in 2014)which led to me entering the world of Kanako.

The plot:

After a bitter divorce detective Akihiro Fujishima loses contact with his wife and their innocent teenage daughter Kanako. Carrying the bitterness on his shoulders, Fujishima is taken aback when his ex-wife phones to reveal that Kanako has gone missing.Finding that Kanako (who got perfect marks at school) has left all her belongings in the bedroom, Fujishima starts tracking down her pals.Pulling info out of them, Fujishima is horrified to discover a completely different world of Kanako to the one he knew.

View on the film:

Spraying the screen with Comic-Book-style credits,co-writer/(along with Miako Tadano & Nobuhiro Monma) director Tetsuya Nakashima and cinematographer Shôichi Atô unleash a hyper-stylised Neo-Noir revenge nightmare,blazing with unsettling catchy cover songs and burning rapid-fire edits from editor Yoshiyuki Koike.Breaking out in waves of lavish animation being kicked with harsh point-blank violence, Nakashima closely works with Koike to pull back some of the confrontational edge with a rich dour Neo-Noir stillness splashed from every clue Fujishima finds,as the vibrant reds and blues engulfing Kanako life image fade into bursts of crimson and sour greens.

Taken from the world of Akio Fukamachi's hard-nosed novel,the screenplay by Nakashima/ Tadano and Monma sharply use flashbacks to get under the burnt skins of loners Fujishima and Kanako,as the writers brilliantly twist and turn the initial pristine image of Kanako,and also tear open the ruthless brittle wires of Fujishima's scrambled mind.Shaking the animated violence he uses to get clues on Kanako,the writers soak the title in a tense, sombre Neo-Noir atmosphere,as Fujishima finds his perfect image of Kanako to melt away in the snow.Screaming out in pure anger over finding Kanako, Kôji Yakusho gives an excellent performance as Fujishima,whose Noir loner desperation Yakusho fires up with unforgiving, wounded rage,as the world of Kanako crumbles.

I'm a huge fan of this one. My review is here:

YouTube Asian Movie Review Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/anticlimacus100

8

* This review may contain spoilers ***

Getting the chance to host an event on IMDb's Film Festival board,I started looking at the nominated titles. Finding the list to be filled with exciting-sounding Neo-Noirs,animation and troubled "indie dinners",I was caught completely by surprise by a Hip-Hop Musical Crime flick (!) on the list,which led to me booking a ticket to Tokyo.

The plot-

Japan in the future:

In an alternate Japan street gangs collectively called Tokyo Tribes hold a truce by each being in control of their section of the city. Desperate to expand his territory, Merra of the Wu-Ronz hires hit-man Buppa to help his gang start a war with fellow gang the Musashino Saru.Aiming to kill the leader of the Saru's,Merra accidentally kills a friend of the Saru's,which leads to all of the other tribes teaming up for a big showdown in little Tokyo.

View on the film:

Whilst sadly not featuring any sounds from the late Japanese Hip-Hop legend Nujabes,writer/director Sion Sono delivers some solid beats,that hit the gang warfare with wheels of steel,as the lyrics skip being exposition chords thanks to some catchy choruses that bring da ruckus. Laying the tracks down themselves,the ensemble cast give explosive performances,with Riki Takeuchi delivering some cackling boo-hiss flavor flav baddie vibes as Buppa, and Shôta Sometani pulling the viewer into the world of the tribes as MC Show.

Sprung from the Manga by Santa Inoue, Sono & cinematographer Daisuke Sôma hit a bombtrack opening whirling with lush Comic-Book stylisation. Moshing to the beat from composer B.C.D.M.G.,Sono brilliantly blends Hip-Hop kicks with lashings of vibrant Kung-Fu gang wars being fired up in groovy reds and purples,along with deliciously off-beat displays of clockwork orange flesh.

Picking up the mic,the screenplay by Sono cleverly gives each tribe their own "track" which allows for the distinctive features of each gang to swing high from the Rock-band T-Shirt welding thugs in the Wu-Ronz, to the gold-plated ruthlessness of Buppa.Although Raekwon has shown in his magnificent albums Only Built 4 Cuban Linx part 1 and 2 that Hip-Hop can be a fantastic genre to build concept albums on,Sono struggles to bring all of the gang themes together,with the individual sides that Sono gave each group not offering space for a foundation to be made on their paths crossing,as the Tokyo tribe are called on their quest.

I really enjoyed this one as well.

Im no expert on this kind of music, but the rapping here seems to be a mixed bag of good and not-so-good technique; some actors obviously have no rapping experience, but the professionals come in and pick up the overall quality. Direction offers lots of long tracking shots (the opening shot is over 5 minutes, uncut), and the vibrant set designs create a fun environment. The film really takes off near the midpoint when all hell breaks loose. The entire second half is like one huge action/chase sequence involving a plethora of characters that include deadly schoolgirls. There are some good martial arts and acrobatic maneuvers to behold, as well as some outrageous deaths. Set designs are particularly excellent, with vibrant colors and lights that complement the night-time setting. A bit on the perverted side, as is expected from this director. If you want something different, here you go.

YouTube Asian Movie Review Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/anticlimacus100

Hi Ebo,I hope that you have a Merry Christmas and I'm sorry about the late post.For Tribes I completely agree with you about the vibrant colors and lights giving the night scenes a neon shine. Although you are not a fan of the genre,I think that you might find the late Japanese rapper Nujabes interesting:

Sadly, I couldn't get past the first few minutes of the film. The rap and futuristic-which-is-not-so-futuristic theme kinda annoyed me. And the music was dreadful. It was like random musical instruments and letters were merged. The result: too alien for my taste.





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Remembrance-

10

* This review may contain spoilers ***

When taking a look at the films which had been nominated for viewing on IMDb's Film Festival board,this was the one that went right to the top of my most anticipated list.With Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke being my fifth favourite film of all time,I got set to meet another Ghibli princess.

The plot:

Chopping bamboo, Sanuki no Miyatsuko a bamboo shoot and finds a baby girl growing inside it! Believing her to be a miracle,Sanuki and his wife decide to raise the girl as their own.Giving her the name "Princess" the Miyatsuko's soon find their daughter to grow at an abnormal speed,as she develops a close friendship with Sutemaru,a fellow child in the village.Cutting bamboo one day, Miyatsuko cuts into bamboo shoots of gold. Taking this as a sign that their daughter really is a "princess",the parents tear her away from the village,and take her to live in a Palace. Christened with the name Princess Kaguya,Kaguya decides to give all of the men who want her hand in marriage impossible challenges,as Kaguya looks to her past in the nights sky.

View on the film:

Based on the 10th century Japanese folklore tale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,co-writer/(along with Riko Sakaguchi) director Isao Takahata paints the tale with exquisite water colours,giving the title a haunting atmosphere of being a fading memory. Taking the brave step of not filling every inch of the frame with a constant stream of action, Takahata expertly uses space to give the film an extraordinary poetic quality,with the royal ruby colours Kaguya is surrounded by being unable to replace the lush greens and blues of the flowers in Kaguya's former village.

Currently the longest movie to come from Studio Ghibli,the screenplay by Takahata & Sakaguchi brilliantly use the time to meditate on the emotional bond Kaguya has to her childhood home,which sails off into a devastating, melancholy final,where Kaguya's parents find their daughter to grow away from them. Along with the heart-wrenching family Drama,the writers sparkle the title with a dose of Ghibli magic weaved in the attempts to get Kaguya's hand in marriage having the touch of tall tales from the lights of The Canterbury Tales and the fragmented encounters between Kaguya and Sutemaru leaping from an earthy bond into a pure,bittersweet flight of fantasy,as the bamboo shoots open up the tale of Princess Kaguya.

Battle Royale (2000) - 4th viewing

This is still such an entertaining film with nonstop action, stylish gore and chaotic characters. It is such a thrill ride and the true survival horror film, it was interesting to see what the students decided to do with some of them embracing the game for their own survival, some decide to run and hide and others decide to end the game by killing themselves.

I think it was the first japanese live-action film I'ver seen so it still holds a special place in my heart (it was either this or Ichi the Killer). It's very strong both in style and concept and I understand it much better than I did in highschool. Takeshi Kitano is *beep* cruel and he would become a few years later one of my favourite directors. The manga is way more violent and made me feel more for the characters but I still love this film. Never read the novel though. Not going to rewatch the sequel.

9/10

Suicide Squad (2016)

The first half or so was so boring I fell asleep, I didn't feel any attachment to the characters and I just thought it was all a mess, plus the songs gave it such a juvenile tone. Soon it got much better as the film focused more on the action and the emotional side of the characters. Deadshot and Harley Quinn were the best characters. The action was fun to watch and the whole thing looked nice, both this and Superman vs Batman look so much better than most Marvel films. It's a nice film for people who are just looking for some entertainment, and maybe I could give it a better score if the introduction of the characters in the first half of the film wasn't been so awkward, because in the end I was really enjoying them.

6/10

Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

Liked it a bit more than the original. It had more going on than and it was all about hatter, the funniest and most *beep* up character in these films. Not as bad as I expected.

5/10

Final Scandal: Madam Likes it Hard (1983)

Midori Satsuki plays Tamako, the owner of a boarding house and a pawn shop who gets into some erotic entanglements.

5/10

Ju-on: The Grudge (2002) - 2nd viewing

I watched this film again 10 years later. It was one of the first japanese films that I've seen and I liked it a lot more this time. The concept is good and it has a scary atmosphere. Going to watch all the films and also The Rings is preparation for the Kayako vs Sadako film.

7/10

Memento Mori (1999)

6/10

Blood: The Last Vampire (2000)

6/10

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

7/10

Jason Bourne (2016)

I liked the original trilogy, especially Ultimatum. But I don't remember the action scenes beeing as shacky and elaborated as they were in this film. It didn't create any tension to me and they were so tiring. A few shots looked pretty cool, but the whole action sequences got me looking away from the screen sometimes to give my head some rest. I didn't care for the character this time as well, and overall, I don't know what this film added to the franchise which, in my opinion, ended so well with Ultimatum.

4/10

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Favourite films:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls006514680/

7


* This review may contain spoilers ***

Whilst having read a lot of praise for Bone Tomahawk and seeing Late Phases director Adrián García Bogliano mentioned a number of times on IMDb's Horror board,I found the third horror flick chosen for viewing on IMDb's Film Festival board to be a complete unknown. Checking the films IMDb page,I found a fellow IMDber who has given me awesome recs had written a review praising the movie,which led to me getting ready to find out how grateful the dead could be.

The plot:

After the suicide of her dad, Nami spends the next few years comfortably living off the cash left to her in his will. Suffering a tough childhood where her dad ignored the family for his new mistress,Nami has picked up some unusual habits,one of which is watching/spying on old people. Nicknaming the people she spies on "Solitarians",Nami becomes obsessed with a lonely old man called Shiomi.Spying on her favourite loner,Nami is shocked to find that Shiomi is no longer lonely,but is now taking part in bible studies. Horrified by Shiomi now not being on his own (!) Nami decides to stop spying,and to pay Shiomi a special visit.

View on the film:

Skipping along to the off-beat of Nami's mind,co-writer/(along with Etsuo Hiratani) director Eiji Uchida & cinematographer Shinya Kimura spray the screen with a quirky indie vibe,as stylish slow-motion scenes of Nami walking around care-free slyly hide her nasty habits. Cutting into the gore of Nami and Shiomi's relationship, Uchida impressively keeps the bonkers nature of their relationship be a central theme to the violence,as the sharp use of slo-mo reveals the calm behind Nami's mad eyes.

Gradually revealing Nami's set of horror fangs,the screenplay by Uchida and Hiratani stab Nami's habits with jet-black Comedy venom, hilariously stiffening as Nami's peaks on her loners sexual interest,to flowing over the viewer,as Shiomi gives a less than cheerful response to Nami's desire to keep him a loner. Casting an eerie shadow from Nami's troubled childhood,the writers nail it to the floor with brittle torture horror.Grinding the gory horror with a nail-gun,the writers strip away the bitterness of the Torture Horror sub-genre via dipping the action in comedic tar. Joined by a wonderfully gruff Takashi Sasano as Shiomi, Kumi Takiuchi gives a superb performance as Nami,thanks to Takiuchi smoothly threading Nami's odd,butter wouldn't melt in her mouth outer shell with a gleefully murderous grin bubbling underneath,as Nami makes the dead feel grateful.

I started posting videos of my DVD collection recently. Heres the playlist:

Here are the films I saw this week.

Highly Recommended

Fate Zero (2011-2012) (Japanese Anime Action/Drama Television Series) (repeat viewing) Set ten years before the events of Fate Stay Night, this series tells the story of the Fourth Holy Grail War, a secret magical tournament held in Fuyuki City, Japan where seven magicians known as masters summon servants, reincarnations of legendary souls and heroes from all across time. They fight in a deadly battle where the winner obtains the Holy Grail, a magical legendary chalice capable of granting wishes. A number of characters are introduced early on, but they are all properly developed, distinguishable, and even fascinating. Multiple protagonists and anti-heroes make it difficult to root for just one character. The relationships between the magicians and their servants are also nuanced and interesting. This series (25 episodes, 26 minutes each) would be a great intro to anime for newbies who are not accustomed to first-rate scriptwriting for cartoons, because the storyline here is very well written and impressive in its dramatic intensity. In terms of action, there are some great, thrilling battles that use spellcasting, weapon attacks, and even some very cool monster designs. There is some bloody violence and disturbing content. Last, but certainly not least, the animation and scoring are outstanding. Totally essential viewing.

The Garden of Sinners (aka Kara no Kyokai) (2007-2011) (Japanese Anime Drama Horror Thriller) (repeat viewing) This is a series of 8 films ranging from 30 to 120 minutes in length, for a total runtime of approximately 9 hours (a few bonus OVAs also exist). There are essentially two main characters: a young woman (gifted with the mystic eyes of death perception) and her male friend who investigate mysterious deaths and strange events. The tone here is very mature, with intelligent scriptwriting and a complex, non-linear narrative that demands ones undivided attention. Character development is top notch and although the dialogue frequently concerns psychology, it avoids descending into meaningless psychobabble (even the final film, which is essentially one long philosophical monologue, is quite interesting). Viewers will probably need to rewatch these movies multiple times in order to understand all of the details, because there is a lot of depth. The animation is gawk-worthy, with excellent use of color and some horrific atmosphere. Violence gets bloody and there are a few references to rape, but it helps to add to the intensity. The theme song is awesome. There are stretches of deliberate pacing and quietness, but in this case its a positive.

I Am a Hero (2015) (Japanese Horror/Thriller) A mysterious zombie virus suddenly spreads throughout Japan, causing widespread panic. An underachieving manga assistant gets caught up in the chaos, so he requests assistance from his trusty shotgun. The monster designs of these zombies are very good and excessively nasty looking, with an emphasis on off-center eyeballs, irrational speech, and awkward body movements. Some of the zombies move fast, while others move slow. There are some questionable reactions by the characters when faced with danger, but the action is exciting and fun to watch relying mostly on grounded, realistic, bloody violence. And there is a lot of gory violence in this one, especially near the end. The plot is generic and is similar to many other zombie movies, but there are a few surprises along the way. The character moments also add some drama and are nicely executed. Masami Nagasawa shows up near the mid-point.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) (American Action) (repeat viewing) Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier. During the earlier moments, the action design is more grounded than most modern superhero movies. The hand-to-hand fight choreography is also better than most American titles. The lengthy opening is very entertaining and the car chase shootout that follows is simply awesome. This action design is mostly sustained until the finale, which unfortunately does not achieve the same heights and at times regresses into overblown, cartoonish superhero fodder with lots of explosions. If the filmmakers had stayed with the grounded action design, this could have ended a bit stronger. Plot is generic, but with this much action it really doesnt matter all that much. Scarlett Johansson is underwhelming as usual; shes always the weakest actor in these movies and that doesnt change here because she boasts the dubious combination of flat delivery and lame dialogue. With all of that said, this is still very entertaining and certainly one of the best Marvel films.

Recommended

The Avengers (2012) (American Action) (repeat viewing) A bunch of superheroes (Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, etc.) team up to stop a supervillain. There are a few slow patches in this (especially during the opening hour), but pacing is still fairly brisk for a 142-minute film, and the special effects are very good (especially the floating battleship and those giant robot snake things). Some of the arguments between the protagonists are spiffy, which establishes some tension between them, but ultimately this has a basic superhero plot that isnt all that interesting. Scoring is completely forgettable. The action overall is good (I like the airship attack near the midpoint, as well as some of the tracking shots during the big finale). The fight choreography itself is run-of-the-mill, but there are some cool superhero attacks and the variety of protagonists help to mix things up. Loki is probably the most interesting villain in the Marvel universe, which isnt saying much, but he does have a bit of gravitas and suaveness to him.

The Bodyguard (2016) (Chinese Action) A super-strong kung fu dude takes a job protecting a woman, but tangles with gangsters. The opening fight has a lot of damage to surrounding environments, which is cool. This continues for the remaining fights, which creates a sense of impact. They are nicely choreographed and fun to watch, with the warehouse sequence being legitimately impressive. On the negative side, the dramatic elements are dumb. The editing and scene transitions are also awkward at times, but that doesnt stop this from being a brainless beat fest. Not to be confused with the Sammo Hung film of the same name, this was directed by Yue Song (King of the Streets).

Chihayafuru (2016) (Japanese Drama) A teenage girl starts a karuta club at her high school. The basic idea of any karuta game is to be able to quickly determine which card out of an array of cards is required and then to grab the card before it is grabbed by an opponent. This is a two-part movie that has a flimsy script and basic character interaction (including a teen love triangle). It is slow-paced and also follows some of the cliches of sports movies, with the karuta games themselves being rather repetitive. However, the cast have good chemistry together, and there is some authentic cultural value from the card game itself. A good lead actress (Suzu Hirose) and some effective bits of humor help to make this watchable.

Sadako vs. Kayako (2016) (Japanese Horror) After being cursed by Sadako, a young woman is convinced by a spiritual medium to use Kayako to stay alive. This was directed by Koji Shiraishi, a man who exhibits much creativity in his films. Unfortunately, that inspiration is lacking here because he plays things out in a fairly predictable manner. Consequently, this movie has pacing issues, with some filler to sit through in-between the horror, resulting in a rather lethargic experience. With that said, there is enough horror content and a few moments near the end that are entertaining. Ando Masanobu also shows up near the mid-point. A watchable disappointment.

Not Recommended

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016) (American Comedy/Horror) To start, this is a poorly made film overall, especially in terms of scriptwriting and dialogue. It lacks flow and feels disjointed, almost like a series of separate comedy skits. The characters and setup for the plot are all extremely boring with the antagonist being one of the most incompetent and clunky attempts at villainy in recent memory. The attempts at humor fail badly, relying on low hanging fruit and awkward pauses that are extremely repetitive and thoughtless. Theres also an inexplicably self-referential treatment to the jokes, with the characters themselves criticizing their own jokes, as if thats a legitimate excuse for using them. There are also many lazy homages to the original film. Did the scriptwriters even bother trying while writing this disaster? The finale has a lot of ghost slaughter, but its not playfully or charmingly cheesy . . . its just lame. Special effects are low-grade for a film with a $145 million budget; I cant help but wonder where all that money went. Meanwhile, Melissa McCarthy is one of the most obnoxious, unfunny actresses in the business today. The new theme songs are garbage, by the way. Professional critics gave positive reviews to this badly made piece of crap. Someone should write a book about the pathetic spinelessness of film criticism concerning this ridiculous social event.

YouTube Asian Movie Review Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/anticlimacus100

Still watching the Japanese Women's National Team Indoor Volleyball, but working my way back to films.

I Am a Hero [2015] Japan
7.17/10

Another zombie flick I enjoyed more than Train to Busan. I commend South Korea for making a mainstream family zombie drama with good production values. Only from Korea. It worked for a lot of people. But zombie flicks belong on Tier two, I think. I Am a Hero's got American jabs and some funny, mostly due to the proper protagonist whose life has no good pointsYo Oizumi, from the most excellent Gummô ebian! (2012), has a screaming stupid I get along with. He's good. There are no over-moisturized faces except for Kasumi Arimura who's got the game for it. I wish she would have fought more and participated in the final showdown. The zombies are fine and a few of the kills are gorey funny. I'm a fan of exploding heads. A sliver of dramance is a weak point. You can't slow these things down with too much plot interrupting the story. And Masami Nagasawa, yo.



Along those same lines

Blood Punch [2014] USA
6.99/10

I almost punted a few times due to dialog incompetence and the lead actress gimmicking smoking-acting (akin to eating-acting), but the central conceit of this low budget twisty turner kept me hanging on. There's a preppy evil dude who's pretty funny. You go down a rabbit hole and occasionally it slips, but then makes a recovery. Directed by a woman starring a Cillian Murphy extract.

I also watched Sully. It was so Clint. And Tom. Overall, Aaron's mustache sums it up.




\_-|/`— my opinions are incomplete. always wil

I Am a Hero (2015)

Cool. Went to it knowing nothing and had a good time.

7/10

Wishing Stairs (2003)

I actually liked this one a lot, the story is very engaging and it's my favourite of the Whispering Corridors series so far.

7/10

American Sniper (2014)

Bradley Cooper is so boring!!!! Made me feel nothing for the character. And the film kept getting worse and worse.

4/10

J. Edgar (2011)

Unwatchable.

2/10

Sully (2016)

Nice structure. there was no other way to do this kind of film.

7/10

Sadako 3D (2012)

It has nothing to do with the original films. Its nonsensical plot is an excuse to see what 3D effects they could do with Sadako and the result is terrible. The visual effects went so wrong, as you can see in the picture. It's just as bad as the Jaws 3D effects. The plot is so bad I didn't bother watching the whole thing, just skipped through the scenes with Sadako.

1/10

Sadako 2 3D (2013)

Shame on these sadako 3D films.

2/10

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

7/10

Ju-on: Black Ghost (2009)

Pretty bad, it looked like *beep* (it was probably directed for dvd). it just uses the same concept so it wasn't part of the series.

3/10

Das Boot (1981)

It has awesome production values and it feels great to see a film that doesn't use CGI for its visual effects, but it's way too long.

6/10

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

7/10

Downfall (2004)

4/10

Gladiator (2000)

This is one of those films that everyone has watched except me. It had serious pacing issues, especially before Russell Crowe became a gladiator. I watched the extended edition, so I don't know if it added to the problem. I was just bored most of the time. The story got much better in the second half and I got very attached to the characters. Russell Crowe fitted the role so well. The fighting sequences and the visual effects were well executed and overall the film did a great job at portraying what it meant to be a gladiator. The score made the film a bit more epic.

7/10

Snowden (2016)

Good writing, kept me interested the whole time. The romance was well done too. Good cast.

7/10

Ju-On: The Grudge 2 (2003)

Liked it almost as much as the previous film. After warming up to the concept, this one is much easier to follow and it's actually very entertaining. It doesn't have, however, the scary images that the first one had.

7/10


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Favourite films:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls006514680/

Whispering Corridors (1-4) is a good series. Everyone rates them differently. My favorite is #2 Memento Mori. Ebo likes #4 (Voice), you're down for #3 (my second fave). There's an old school innocence and charm to the first four. Makes them feel sort of classic.

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There's an old school innocence and charm to the first four. Makes them feel sort of classic.

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My thoughts too. i had a good time.
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Favourite films:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls006514680/

Because I miss posting in this thread.

I haven't really seen an Asian-Asian movie this past months because techy problems. So everything I've seen are all in cinemas, which should either be a Filipino movie, or a Hollywood movie.

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find them (2016)
10/10

This movie is best watched on IMax. I regret that I didn't watch it there. Didn't really reach Harry Potter levels for me, but was close enough. It made me want to read the book. The effects were Harry-Pottery, which isn't really a surprise because this was directed by David Yates, who also directed most of the Harry Potter movies. Eddie Redmayne was superb in his role as a wizard, but I think it was Katherine Waterston, who played Tina, who had the spotlight in her.

Moana (2016)
10/10

Wow, I just enjoy the feeling of sitting down in a cold theater, with an, erm, manipulative, mindless movie that will contribute to the $$$$ of Disney corporation. Animated movies being manipulative aside, I think the movie really nailed it. It was very funny, the animations were, kinda..well, sometimes cute, sometimes ehhhh. But I think everyone will agree with me that what brought this film together is the soundtrack. The songs were all registrable, with tunes and lyrics that are pleasing to the ears. This is a very enjoyable film that can be watched by adults alone, or with kids.


And a Filipino movie made to for $$$$$. lol. JK.

The Super Parental Guardians (2016)
10/10

If you're looking for thought-provoking, serious, life-pondering movies, forget this. This movie is one example why most people label Vice Ganda(the lead actor) movies as trash. Well, trash in a sense that there isn't really something going on, the plot is predictable and cliched, but in all fairness to the lead, he puts his effort in his craft. He never claimed that his movies are filled with morals and lessons you can apply in life, but his movies are what they are: mindless, street humor that will make you laugh for at least 2 hours of your life. Vice Ganda has once again proven that his wit and humor never ceases. Add to that the presence of Coco Martin and child actors Aura and Onyok who complements Vice Ganda's signature lines, the movie is really a funny one.

Although, to my caucasian friends, since this movie is a comedy filled with everyday Filipino street and gay humor, I don't think you will get the meaning whenever the jokes are dropped.






====================
Remembrance-

Bat Without Wings (1980)
Everything but the kitchen sink martial arts spectacle from the Shaw Brothers. Messy plotting and inter-changeable characters, but daftly entertaining. The title character would give the glamour rock group Kiss a run for their money in the face make-up stakes. Loved the look of these type of presentations with thick atmospherics and vivid set-designs. Some creative horror shades too. But still it's the amazingly crazy acrobats that kept me glued. Still prefer the director's "The Magic Blade".

Also got around to re-watching the six "Lone Wolf and Cub" films. Excellent series. Graphic, perfectly choreographed action series done with style, but also not forgetting the touching relationship depicted between father and son.

Tunnel (Teo-neol) [2016] South Korea

A puppy dog? Seriously. The problem here is that Doona Bae and Jung-woo Ha are mighty fine actors who do their best to shield us from the well-crafted T-bomb surrounding them. The film does hit with most of its sociopolitical zingers but the ones that miss, miss big and cheapen it. As a disaster movie it drags along, and the ever growing bag of disbelief it asks us to carry slows it down even more. It doesn't matter that this film was made in S Korea. It's pure hollywood crap. I'm growing more worried about this.

Godzilla Resurgence (Shin Gojira) Shin Godzilla [2016] Japan

About as musical as listening to someone read the phone book. The creature is pretty cool and Japan looks nice. Thanks Hideaki. Not worth it, though. I almost punted at the first bug-eyed, Papier-mâché Godzilla sighting. Glad I didn't. I enjoyed the transformation. Also enjoyed a few of the nerds but to heck with almost every other character. I assume these kind of films are supposed to be bad, and we're supposed to get into their badness, but I lack proper credentials and therefore it's just bad.

Haruka Miyashita here I come.

Good God man, don't tell me you're losing interest in asian cinema. Say it isn't so! Personally, I have found kind of a drop-off in output, and I don't have much to watch. Is it just me? I keep scanning for new Korean and Chinese films out there on the .. ahem.. internet, and I am not seeing much. Maybe the anti-"piracy" machine has finally caught up with us? Right now I'm jonesing for at least a good tv kdrama to absorb some of that eastern energy.

Not losing interest at all. Maybe just seasonal downtime? I'm getting great absorption of that eastern energy from the Japanese Women's National Volleyball Team. It's like Koreeda's Our Little Sister times ten. It's uncanny what beautiful sportsmanship they exude. They're always smiling, never pouty, mad, or aggressive in celebration. When they make a kill or block a shot it makes them happy, unlike most others that respond like a testosterone bomb has gone off. I've raked about everything I can from YouTube from the 2012 Olympics to the present. Anything before that (and a lot in between) is not quality enough to watch. I've come to know about 25-30 players, each with her own personality and skill set. There's drama, in, like, who got picked or snubbed for the Olympic team; what the dang deal is with Japan and Thailand (did they throw a match to keep Thailand out of the 2012 Olympics? Were the refs in the bag for Japan in set 5 of the Qualifying round for the 2016 Olympics?). Great stuff.

They had a great coach for the last 6 years or so. A Zen Master who calls a time out and doesn't say anything, just lets the girls rest and talk amongst themselves. I have never seen him express disdain or frustration with anything or anyone (unlike the Dominican Republic's coach, for example, who I've seen reduce his players to tears, and get in their faces like a baseball manager does to an umpire). This is very important to me. Now I'm a little nervous going forward because they fired him for not getting a medal in the 2016 Olympics. They hired a woman who has a reputation of being a volatile loudmouth. Very un-Japanese-y. We'll see.

I have some good films in my queue and plan to start watching more soon. Will blurb, as appropriate.

Amazing how much there is to read into and read out of sport when you're really paying attention to the art of it. Ten years ago I was really into World Rally Championship racing for a couple seasons same kind of cast of eccentric characters, heros and villans, and in that case, also stunning settings.

I'm kind of frustrated at the lack of new cinematic input. I'm hearing that the "exploding" Chinese film market has collapsed this year. So I'm getting my much needed whiffs of asian cultural freshness from random *beep* off youtube. Music videos and tv commercials and talk shows and stuff like that. I really miss that "this is from three years in the future" feeling of the latest and greatest hallyu hit.

I too ten years ago was a huge fan of the WRC, but popular teams and drivers started to leave and just left Citroen who I never liked. However I do think its one of the worlds best sports for many reasons that you mention, but sadly never gets the mention it deserves.

My foreign film list http://www.imdb.com/list/z86jRjauDwE/

Don't get me started! (I'm going to sound like senor sitenoise going on about Volleyball) That French robot Sébastien Loeb single-handedly ruined the entire sport, by just relentlessly winning like some cold, calculating reptile slurping up all the competition without so much as a blink of emotion or human warmth. He's like the bloody terminator.

Up to then I was so enjoying watching Pettar Solberg and his roller coaster emotions, the agony & ecstasy of dirt. That guy was definitely not made of stone. But if you ask me, rally was really great when it was Saabs and Audis and Lancias tearing around European back roads. I can just get into a mulled-wine trance watching the Sweden rally with some co-driver babbling in Finnish.

"Is it just me? I keep scanning for new Korean and Chinese films out there on the .. ahem.. internet, and I am not seeing much. Maybe the anti-"piracy" machine has finally caught up with us? Right now I'm jonesing for at least a good tv kdrama to absorb some of that eastern energy."

Man, tell me about it! I've only got youtube to rely on my legitimate movie copies lol but still, it doesn't do the trick. I got me some new laptop which unfortunately, don't support (or at least that's what I think) the legitimate *wink* sites I used to visit for my weekly dose of Asian movies. I tried it once and my laptop kinda crashed probably to some virus or I dunno and I never tried again. So now I only have good 'ole youtube for my movies. But still, I think the lazy bug bit me again. Nothing catches my interest as of late (well probably some Paolo B youtube marathoning but that's just it). I have an anaconda-long to-watch list but my fingers don't have enough motivation to do the typing and clicking of the search button. And that's saying much because I don't do anything whole day. lol. It's that time of the year again. I hope I'll get over this soon.




====================
Remembrance-

Yeah I saw your post on the same theme you remind me that I can always resort to the youtube sidebar of shame for some crappy Chinese movies . Now that I think about it, maybe it is because the Chinese film market is down so much this year that the Chinese are cracking down on 'piracy.'

There were a few good Korean and Japanese films that I was anticipating, but mostly in the first half of the year, and then it kind of dried up. I'm afraid the film industry is really getting slowly crushed by tv and short attention spans. At the same time, my attention span is not long enough for a 16 hour tv kdrama unless it's really good. Open to suggestions.

Haha! Youtube is a treasure trove of our good 'ole wire-fu movies.

Well, seems you and I have another thing in common: I can't endure kdramas nowadays (or the past two years I guess) because my attention span is getting shorter by the day. But now that I think about it, maybe Kdramas will bring back my enthusiasm and excitement with anything Asian. (But dude, I tried searching over the Official Asian drama thread and nothing excited me much but I'm open to more suggestions). Please suggest a rom-com kdrama where the lead girl must neither be an annoying damsel in distress nor an annoying tough woman and the lead guy must not be a cliched knight-in-shining-armor.

There's only one rom-com Kdrama that I can say that I fully master because it has everything in it. A cute and lovely lead girl (I think Song Hye-Ko was her most beautiful here, and she barely wore make-up) and a childish, childlike, and cute lead guy (Rain). Their banter and cat-dog fights were enough for a rom-com menu, plus a soundtrack that's fitting to the characters, I endured the several episodes in one seating. The title is Full House. Hope you can find a copy of it elsewhere.





====================
Remembrance-

I started posting videos of my DVD collection recently. Heres the playlist:

Part 46 of my Asian Horror Year In Review playlist is now up. It covers my favorite films released during 2008:

Here are the films I saw the last three weeks.

Highly Recommended

The Chaser (2008) (Korean Thriller) (repeat viewing) While looking for a missing prostitute, a pimp crosses paths with a serial killer in this film by Hong-jin Na. The structure of this film is rather unorthodox as the identity of the killer is revealed very early, leaving much of the running time to be spent on both the gathering of evidence as well as finding one of the missing girls. The police investigation is rather by-the-book, mostly avoiding the bumbling cops that we see in some other Korean movies, but there are a few bone-headed moves along the way. Pacing is fantastic and this moves very fluidly, with a runtime of two full hours that flies right by. Viewer beware that there are some bloody, disturbing images. Performances are top notch.

Seagull Diner (aka Kamome Diner) (2006) (Japanese Comedy/Drama) (repeat viewing) A Japanese woman opens a small diner in Finland and interacts with her customers as well as two other Japanese women in this film by Naoko Ogigame. The strength of this film is the charming relations between the characters as well as the uber-pleasant mood and warmth that emanates from every single scene. I wanted to crawl through my television set and order some hot coffee and cinnamon rolls. Lots of food preparation is shown, so watching this movie on an empty stomach is a really bad idea. This is an excellent example of how quaint character interaction can carry an entire film. Its impossible to not be in a fantastic mood after watching this. Full disclose though: I did screen this with relatives and they did not like it, finding it too slow and uneventful.

Call of Heroes (2016) (Chinese Action/Drama) Set in 1914 following the collapse of the Qing dynasty, the film tells the story of a group of villagers (Lau Ching Wan, Eddie Peng) who stand up to a cruel young warlord (Louis Koo) who is protected by a Commander (Wu Jing) with proficient martial arts skills as well as a small army. The premise is interesting because the warlord is captured by the villagers early on, forcing them to decide on whether or not they should execute him, which would then bring the supporting army down upon them. The loaded cast is fun to watch. Koo is good as the slimy, sadistic bad guy, and his over-the-top performance works. Wu Jing is a more nuanced antagonist who has warped principles. The hand-to-hand combat is impressive and spaced out nicely, with the finale being the best set piece (Peng moves very well for an actor without martial arts background). As an added bonus, this movie actually has some good drama and character interaction too. A definite crowd-pleaser.

Recommended

Tunnel (2016) (Korean Drama/Thriller) A man (Jung-woo Ha) is on his way home when the poorly constructed tunnel he is driving through collapses, leaving him trapped. Sounds like a boring premise, but this is a good quality drama that nicely increases a sense of hopelessness for the entire runtime. Focus is placed mostly on the stuff inside the tunnel, but also shows the issues on the outside with the rescue team. There are two intense suspense sequences during the opening hour. This is also extremely claustrophobic, since the protagonist is restricted to a few very small crawl spaces. Some have criticized this film for being drawn out, but I thought the two hour runtime seemed justified given the premise.

Zombie Self Defense Force (2006) (Japanese Horror/Comedy) On a routine training exercise, soldiers from the Japan Self-Defense Force encounter a UFO that releases strange radiation on a town. When the inhabitants turn into zombies, the soldiers and several survivors barricade themselves in a hotel and attempt to survive the assault. This is low budget and generally low quality in terms of traditional filmmaking elements, but its more entertaining than expected. Very nicely paced, with zombies on screen for at least 80% of the runtime. These are slow moving zombies, but they are rather aggressive and shooting them in the head only temporarily stuns them. This is from the same production company as Highschool Girl Rika: Zombie Hunter, and we get the same nasty, bloody neck bites here too. As well as some other gory stuff. The humor is silly, but definitely amusing (one scene involving a pregnant corpse is laugh out loud hilarious). The ending is satisfying. (Viewed without subtitles.)

The Village: Achiaras Secret (2015) (Korean Drama Mystery Television Series) Achiara is a small and peaceful village with nearly zero crime. A young woman arrives in the village to research her ancestry, but discovers a corpse in a nearby woodland area. She teams up with a police officer to find the truth. But in doing so, the ugliness of the village is revealed. It is a bit difficult keeping track of names and relationships at times, but this is an absorbing murder mystery with more red herrings to shake a stick at. The solution to the mystery is nuanced. Geun-young Moon is good in the lead role.

Trivisa (2016) (Chinese Crime Drama) Set in early 1997, three mobsters (who have never met one another) are all in Hong Kong and engaging in separate criminal acts. However, an untrue rumour surfaces that these three notorious mobsters are plotting together to score a final hit before the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong. Three different directors are at work in this film, each handling one of the three main stories all of which use the backdrop of the Hong Kong handover and mainland Chinese influence to pressure and frustrate the characters into action. This has some pacing issues, but is a good quality drama.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) (American Action) (repeat viewing) When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program, things go horribly wrong and its up to Earths mightiest heroes to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans. Yeah, the script is a bit messy, the dialogue is cringe-inducing at times, the forced romance is unconvincing, and Scarlett Johansson gives another underwhelming performance. With that said, this has lots of action, some of which is quite fun to watch. A reasonably satisfying popcorn flick.

Captain America: Civil War (2016) (American Action) Like most of the better superhero films, this is good but not as great as its reputation suggests. I actually have a lot of problems with it. This film unloads a lot of filler that could have been streamlined (these movies need to stop being 2.5 hours long). To the films credit, it does establish some real-life dilemmas regarding oversight and public responsibility, but the way in which they are presented is shallow, flat, dull, and unfocused. Our protagonists spend a grand total of 5 minutes discussing the big issues, and just when it starts to get interesting, Cap bolts. Also, these movies need to stop over-stuffing themselves with characters, because many of them are either completely one note and boring (e.g., Bucky, Black Panther, Zemo, etc.) or seemingly come from out of nowhere during the second half of the film (e.g., Spider Man, Ant Man, etc.). And speaking of Bucky, this dilemma involving his thin character arc is getting repetitive at this point, and his story distracts from the main conflict (the Sokovia Accords) that is never adequately explored. Oh, and no one actually dies in this movie which is quite odd for a Civil War. On the positive side, the cast is generally good, which helps to make the slower moments more bearable. Also, there is some entertaining big budget action on display. It opens with a pretty good action sequence that is marginally headache-inducing in its camerawork and editing. The first legitimately memorable sequence arrives during a motorcycle/car chase about 50 minutes in. When the big airport fight arrives, it definitely offers a lot of unique and interesting attacks between all of the characters, but there are way too many cringe-worthy one-liners of dialogue during the fighting. So yes, this movie is moderately entertaining, but Captain America: The Winter Soldier seemed to have a more energetic storyline and brisker pacing that helped to mask its flaws.

Not Recommended

For a Few Bullets (2016) (Chinese Action) When a professional thief sees his lifetime goal of being the best potentially realized in stealing a rare artifact, he finds himself entangled in a worldwide plot involving the Soviets, the Japanese, and a band of outsiders. The script and characters are flimsy, and the humor does not work well. Action is plentiful early on but tails off during the second half. The overall quality of the action is also uneven; at its best, its merely of a moderately entertaining quality. Not enough.

Lowlife Love (2015) (Japanese Drama/Comedy) A film director (with a small indie hit many years back) has never gotten any further because he refuses to go against his artistic integrity. Despite being in his late 30s, he still lives with his mother and sister, borrowing money off them and scrounging from all he comes in contact with. This is a very shallow film, with wafer thin characters and repetitive interaction. This simply isnt nuanced enough to hold interest.

Sailor Suit and Machine Gun: Graduation (2016) (Japanese Drama/Action) The protagonist is a girl who is a senior in high school, but she led a small yakuza group in her past. After killing her uncle's murderer with a machine gun, her yakuza group disbanded. She now lives an ordinary life and works as a manager at a cafe, but she is soon forced into a dangerous situation. Plot and characters are boring, the lead actress is mediocre, and the direction is shoddy. This is a very serious film that doesnt earn its drama, and consequently falls flat on its face. Go watch the original film from 1981 instead.

Bottom of the Barrel

Leonard Part 6 (1987) (American Comedy/Action) (repeat viewing) A secret agent (Bill Cosby) is called out of retirement to save the world from an evil genius who controls animals and uses them to assassinate people. This notoriously awful movie has a premise that could provoke laughs, but fails miserably because it tries way too hard to be quirky. Its quite amazing just how incompetent the comedy turned out. Its not obnoxious . . . . just really, really lame. I saw this movie over 20 years ago, and barely remembered it. Really boring and utterly painful to sit through, this deserves its reputation.

YouTube Asian Movie Review Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/anticlimacus100

RoboCop (1987) - 2nd viewing

Awesome.

8/10

RoboCop 2 (1990)

Omg what the *beep* was this *beep* I watched it high and I was cringing so hard I had to stop watching it. In the first film Robocop had an emotional impact on me, here I just saw a man under all that plastic. His movements, his lines, I was cringing so hard just from watching him walking around. Then they dropped everything about Robocop's wife like it was nothing "He's harassing me", "I'm not your husband" - says Robocop to her and we don't see her again. I thought that was the most emotional part of the film and they dropped it like that. Then, the reprogramming of Robocop which made him even more sillier, the cringey kid who was the leader of the gang overall, this was such a wild experience. It could have been one of those so bad it's good films, but I got bored at some point.

4/10

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007)

Beautiful. It's great to be back to this universe.

8/10

Total Recall (1990) - 2nd viewing

I saw it for the first time around 10 years ago so it felt like I was watching it for the first time. the story is very engaging and overall I loved the atmosphere, the action, the violence and all the weirdness. the visual effects which today would look very cheap add to the charm of the film.

8/10

Tunnel (2016)

crap.

4/10

Captain Fantastic (2016)

lol.

4/10

Nerve (2016)

Good concept and very fun to watch.

7/10


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Favourite films:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls006514680/

Creepy (Kurîpî: Itsuwari no rinjin) [2016] Japan

What an awful movie. Kurosawa's fetish for abusing obedient women in films is repulsive. Creepy.

If he were a suspense story writer, he'd write stuff like:

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She opened the door slowly. Inch by inch.

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I haven't been this disgusted by watching a film since his Penance (Shokuzai) [2012] disaster.

Kurosawa is a creepy dude. I'm done with him.

Bummer, thanks for the review. I had initially put this on my watchlist, then took it off the second time I watched the trailer, then after that critic's review thought maybe I should look again.

Waiting to hear your thoughts on After the Storm I'll probably watch it over the holiday. Generally I like Hiroshi Abe and the Koreeda films that have a plot

Well, lol, that isn't really a review. I didn't want to spend time listing all the failures of the film. But I'm still seething over it. Why didn't I punt? I dunno. Maybe it was Yûko Takeuchi's beauty.

I'm confident you would find nothing of value in the film. You're not into seeing a drugged up woman locked in a basement get shot in the head, right?

Best letterboxd review:

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An ex-cop focuses all of his energy trying to solve a case involving a gruesome serial killer. Gosh, I hope the killer hasn't chosen the cop's family and friends for his next victims.

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Add to that "Gosh, I hope he doesn't just happen to move in NEXT DOOR to the killer".

An Example of Kurosawa's script writing fortitude:

Woman goes to visit neighbor, has occasion to say "Oh, you have a dog."
Guy says "yeah"
Woman says "I have one too and will watch out that it doesn't bother you" (show a gun on the table, much?)
Show woman outside brushing her dog (hmmm, I wonder where this is going?)
Woman is momentarily distracted (didn't see that coming)
Dog runs over to guy's house and bothers him (amazing!)

The whole film is that predictable and stupid. Except for the parts that are incomprehensibly stupid.

Kurosawa must dream at night of a psychologically numb but obedient woman he can abuse.

And yeah, I'm aware that I allow for all kinds of ugliness from film makers with skill and imagination. Kurosawa can frame a shot and launch an ominous music cue better than a lot of folks. The End.

Gave this movie a watch after reading your post on the critics' top ten. This one caught my attention first and since its a thriller from Kiyoshi Kurosawa, I shouldn't be late to the party.

My verdict: Well, definitely not one for the lists but not punt-worthy.

There's the element of mystery and psychological thriller sprinkled all through out the film but there were some moments that were bland. The only thought that held my attention was: hey, maybe there's a twist boom! in the end. Wait for it! Wait for it! And so I waited, but none happened. Oh well, at least the runtime wasn't so long.

I have to say this is has got to be one of his weakest thrillers. It had a simple atmosphere but it kept its simplicity till the end. I can forgive the bland aura all through out but please give me a wow ending. But it ended how it started: bland.

What I find cute though is the presence of that floating vehicle in the sky again! I've seen that in all his films, and its so cute and adorable especially with the dog in the van!!!!

Well, that's just me but any dude will probably say WTH seeing that floating vehicle in the sky scene. Now I have one thing to remember him for, the director behind the floating vehicle in the sky. lol



I'll watch After the Storm next.




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The funny thing is: KK thinks he did do a big twist boom! at the end. [yawn]

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Remembrance-

Hollow Man (2000)

I liked all the horniness. The elevator scene in the ending wasn't so good though

6/10

Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (2009)

8/10

RoboCop 3 (1993)

Damn. so bad.

3/10

The Karate Kid (1984) - repeat viewing

is this the most universal film ever? I wish I had miyagi in my life.

8/10

Tremors (1990) - repeat viewing

7/10

The 'Burbs (1989)

7/10


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Favourite films:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls006514680/

Wolf Girl and Black Prince (Ohkami shôjo to kuro ohji) [2016] Japan
Director: Ryuichi Hiroki
5.637/10

This is a 3.04 without Fumi. Hiroki's just throwing stuff at the wall with these pure love things. At least he lights them well. I love Ryuichi Hiroki and will watch almost anything he does, to see what sticks. But there is no point to this one, except Fumi Nikaidô! It's awesome watching someone at her skill level take a cringe-worthily scripted scene and own it. Most girls who play these roles do it with a sweet, hilarious, melodrama. Fumi Nikaidô! brings authentic vulnerability to the proceedings.

Fumi plays the girl who can't get a boy even though she's more beautiful, smart, and sweet than most. She wants to fit in with the girls who have BFs so she makes a deal with super-stud of the school brickhead, ie. young Japanese man with terracotta colored hair: she will be his dog if he pretends to be her BF. He treats her like a dog for ninety minutes and everything ends well. So, it's gross. The boy/girl stereotypes are Creepy. But Fumi Nikaidô!

It's a shame that a director who is so capable of making a film shine around a strong female lead didn't aim higher than this when he had someone of the caliber of Fumi Nikaidô!. She shines, but there's too much big whoop surrounding her. I hope Ryuichi Hiroki and Fumi Nikaidô! work together again on something more mature.

\_-|/`— my opinions are incomplete. always wil

And here I was, thinking I wrote Paolo Ballesteros' name the most in one post. And I saw this post of yours. Complete with bold letters.






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This is probably the most low-key Typhoon you will ever see in a movie, quite in keeping with Koreeda. Rather than being a source of cheap drama, the typhoon is just a device to get a small family (re-)grouped indoors, to create that intimacy that Koreeda is so famous for.

The director has rustled up some of his regulars; a reunion of Hiroshi Abe from Like Father, Like Son (and Still Walking) and 'the other guy's wife' from that movie, as well as the other guy (Lily Franky, showing his dark side). Abe is a real treat to watch; one of those introverted actors who doesn't swagger around 'acting,' but instead just lets himself get bombed with stuff and lets himself feel it, much like Tony Leung, who is pretty much most famous for man-crying.

Koreeda fans won't be disappointed with the soft humor and very sharp accuracy of the depiction of family intimacy, and the everyday push-pull between relatives who are drawn to each other and yet find each other impossible and endlessly annoying or frustrating. You can almost smell grandma's condo. This is not Koreeda's best work maybe even his worst, but that's pretty good. It's not his best-ever use of kids; usually there is more improvisation. But the high point of the film is the depiction of the texture of divorce. The awkwardness of it all. It's so easy to fall in love and make someone 'family,' and so hard to get rid of them.

Wonderful deployment of a Teresa Teng song. I'm pretty sure this won't be anyone's favorite, but it's still absolutely worth seeing.

Having only also seen Air Doll and Our Little Sister from Kore'eda I don't have much to compare with, but I think this would be my favourite of the three. In some ways it seems to play as a companion-piece to Our Little Sister, but instead of the unit within the broader family being pulled together like a magnet, here the poles have been flipped. Hiroshi Abe was awesome - a loser, but played neither as a prick nor an oaf, just an ordinary guy who has never managed to get it together .. the character reminded me very much of Ha Jung-woo in Meotjin haru (2008).

Yeah, Abe is pretty much my favorite Japanese actor these days. If you liked this one, you would probably enjoy Like Father, Like Son too.

The thing I didn't like about this film has to do with that Japanese motif about "losers." A vein of self-loathing or pettiness from a nation that has a lot of 40 year old virgins and people living in mom's basement. I guess in Japan there is not a lot of room for error; it's so modern, yet you can't stray far from expected norms. So you see a lot of this loser-bashing in Japanese culture. It comes off harsh and a bit childish.

In this film, I just didn't buy the "gambling vice" aspect of the main character. It seemed a bit glued-on. I have never understood the appeal or the experience of gambling, and you would think Koreeda could have explored that a little bit honestly, with some empathy, but that didn't happen. It's just an attempt to convince us that an otherwise sympathetic guy is somehow fatally flawed. I liked the line about "it's not easy to become the man you wanted to be," but I think that wasn't fully fleshed out. So that part felt a bit flimsy; I wasn't at all convinced that his ex-wife had her **** together any more than he did, and I would have liked him to suggest as much. People are just too nice in Koreeda movies.

I punted on Koreeda's TV series, Going My Home, [2012] mostly because of the "I'm just a guy walking around with my hands in my pockets" soundtrack. He uses the same in After the Storm. With whistling. Whistling! I knew I was in trouble when I heard the whistling. Koreeda didn't try at all with this film. He just stood there with his hands in his pockets whistling.

Interesting. I had a completely different reaction to the gambling aspect. I thought the film didn't present it as some kind of vice dragging the character down, but symptomatic of a more general malaise. Personally, I felt one of the film's strengths was the way that gambling was treated presented more organically than the typical glued-on vice representation. A hundred other films would use it as leverage to a climax - bad loss a track, worse loss at track, violent outburst, hit rock bottom before wrapping it all up with a twee moment of self-realisation. But here the gambling wasn't something inherently evil in itself; as Abe explained, buying a lottery ticket was buying a chance to dream. In that way, the whole gambling aspect was, I thought, intrinsically linked to your blocked out quote.

Like you, I also wasn't convinced that the ex-wife had her *beep* together, although I do think that was a deliberate result of the way she was portrayed. Sure, she was more "successful" on a material level, but there was always a sense of uncertainty, that she was silently questioning whether she really knew what was best.

Just finished watching this and I didn't know what to write or say so can I just copy+paste your review? lol.

I like the film!

It has got to be one of the most genuine movies I've seen as it depicts a natural occurrence in a divorcee's life (then again, Koreeda has always been good in giving us movies that look like cctv footages of what happens in one's day of life). It started as weak I was about to yawn in the first 30 minutes of the film, with some introduction of him and his "hobby" but I was awoken when the story of his marriage was slowly told.

I love the atmosphere of the film. The emotions should be heavy, because divorce is tough, yet Koreeda manages to put calmness in it all. The only superficial thing in the film is the storm. The mother, the father's death, the divorce, the ex, the gambling, the lack of money, the dream, the love for one's child, the desire to provide yet your resources prevent you from doing this.all these were genuinely told you can almost watch this on a first person POV.

I'm not good at writing a thousand words but I believe I can write (or feel) a thousand words/emotions about this film.

I'm still observing the feeling. If this stands the test of time, this might just become my most favorite from him.






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Moment of Peace-

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The only superficial thing in the film is the storm

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When the Japanese title came up on the screen with about a dozen characters, it occurred to me that "After the Storm" probably wasn't the original tile - I think the Japanese title translates to something like "Still Deeper than the Ocean"*. As Zelena pointed out, it was the most low-key typhoon ever seen in a movie, but I wonder if anyone would notice if it weren't for the title reference.


*Any Japanese-speaking readers can feel free to correct me, or snicker behind my back, if that's completely wrong.

Asian Wiki has Even Deeper Than The Sea as the literal title. I like your "Still" better than "Even".

You got me thinking, who does the English Translations of these Asian films we watch anyway? And who declares that this translation is "official"?





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