Empire of Passion (1978) - 4.5/5
Beautifully shot variation of the famous Okiku ghost story, some parts are atmospheric and chilling but it's not out to terrify you, the performances and music are great and there is also some comedy peppered throughout which actually made me laugh out loud a few times. I personally liked this more than Ai no korida.
What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
-
gasteropod
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 6868
- Joined: 03 Nov 2004, 18:16
-
gasteropod
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 6868
- Joined: 03 Nov 2004, 18:16
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
Kotoko (2011) - 3/5
In parts an endurance test, some bits just went on and on for no reason, not really a film I'd want to watch again but it's a decent film overall, but falls short in my opinion.
In parts an endurance test, some bits just went on and on for no reason, not really a film I'd want to watch again but it's a decent film overall, but falls short in my opinion.
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11922
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
The End of Puberty (Japan, 2011) [Cinema] – 1.5/5
Perky high school girl and a shy teacher change genitals in Shoko Kimura’s dull fantasy/comedy/drama. The indie film is visually decent enough, but lacks any memorable moments. Character development is non-existent, wacky ideas underutilized, and energy lacking. Kimura seems to have something to say of a world where men have lost their balls and women are unable to take the lead – indeed, interviews have confirmed her conservative views – but the topic eventually leads nowhere. Perhaps most interesting is the film’s soundtrack that plays like an old Nintendo game, but like the rest of the film, it remains a curiosity that never really catches fire. The film is a far cry from Nobuhiko Obayashi’s similarly themed 1982 classic Transfer Student.
The Kirishima Thing (Japan, 2012) [Cinema] – 4/5
Japanese high school community is turned upside down when one student unexpectedly quits the club. Daihachi Yoshida’s excellent film is one of the Japanese highlights of 2012. The film examines Japanese societal roles and hierarchy from which no one is expected to escape. One student’s unexpected move triggers a chain reaction through half dozen main characters that are only loosely linked. There is hardly any storyline, but Yoshida pulls it off admirably with stylish filmmaking and strong cast. The titular student Kirishima is the film’s driving factor, though no one has seen him, not even the viewer. In the end, it doesn’t matter. The film was not a major hit upon its release, but turned into a sleeper hit, still circulating Japanese cinemas 5 months after.
- in more detail: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4486&p=167168#p167168
-trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjjG0WTQ6C4
Perky high school girl and a shy teacher change genitals in Shoko Kimura’s dull fantasy/comedy/drama. The indie film is visually decent enough, but lacks any memorable moments. Character development is non-existent, wacky ideas underutilized, and energy lacking. Kimura seems to have something to say of a world where men have lost their balls and women are unable to take the lead – indeed, interviews have confirmed her conservative views – but the topic eventually leads nowhere. Perhaps most interesting is the film’s soundtrack that plays like an old Nintendo game, but like the rest of the film, it remains a curiosity that never really catches fire. The film is a far cry from Nobuhiko Obayashi’s similarly themed 1982 classic Transfer Student.
The Kirishima Thing (Japan, 2012) [Cinema] – 4/5
Japanese high school community is turned upside down when one student unexpectedly quits the club. Daihachi Yoshida’s excellent film is one of the Japanese highlights of 2012. The film examines Japanese societal roles and hierarchy from which no one is expected to escape. One student’s unexpected move triggers a chain reaction through half dozen main characters that are only loosely linked. There is hardly any storyline, but Yoshida pulls it off admirably with stylish filmmaking and strong cast. The titular student Kirishima is the film’s driving factor, though no one has seen him, not even the viewer. In the end, it doesn’t matter. The film was not a major hit upon its release, but turned into a sleeper hit, still circulating Japanese cinemas 5 months after.
- in more detail: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4486&p=167168#p167168
-trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjjG0WTQ6C4
-
saltysam
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 9357
- Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 19:27
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
One Armed Swordsman 3.5/5 Jimmy Wang Yu in his signature role is backed by an able cast.bit short of action but excellently made and the HK BD is a revelation transfer wise.
working class blu-ray fan
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22162
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
Worth of an upgrade over the DD?
-
saltysam
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 9357
- Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 19:27
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
The DD is decent but this is quite a big leap in it's improvement-not cheap though,suppose t depends how much you like the film.grim_tales wrote:Worth of an upgrade over the DD?
Return Of The One-Armed Swordsman 4/5 Solid well made sequel has more action and a quicker pace than the original. Again the BD sports an excellent transfer.
working class blu-ray fan
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22162
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
The DD has some good extras so I'll keep it I think, I havent seen RoTOAS yet (but have the DVD), may upgrade it if I really like the film (its barebones).
-
saltysam
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 9357
- Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 19:27
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
The DD has extras 
never watch them,no interest.
never watch them,no interest.working class blu-ray fan
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22162
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
I meant One Armed Swordsman DD has good extras (the commentary etc) Cant recall what Return has.
Cant recall what Return has.-
saltysam
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 9357
- Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 19:27
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
i knew you meant the first one, i was being sarcastic. i have zero interest in extras, i struggle to find time to watch the movies without bothering with commentaries etc.grim_tales wrote:I meant One Armed Swordsman DD has good extras (the commentary etc)
working class blu-ray fan
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22162
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11922
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo (Movie Version) (Japan, 2012) [Cinema] – 5/5
The end of the world by Hideaki Anno. Tokyo is destroyed to the last building in this poetic, jaw dropping tokusatsu tribute shot entirely in live action with no CGI effects whatsoever. With razor sharp images, narration by Evangelion’s Megumi Hayashibara, and the giant monster from Miyazaki’s Nausicaä, it would make a perfect opening sequence for an Evangelion movie. Indeed, the movie edition, the slightly extended from the original 9 minute tokusatsu museum form, was attached to Evangelion 3.0 as a pre-movie. It’s a shame Anno’s brilliant attempts at live action Evangelion sequences never seem to come closer to reality than pre-movies, trailers or deleted scenes.
Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo (Japan, 2012) [Cinema] – 3.5/5
The third “remake” film walks its own path with almost nothing lifted from the original television series. Unlike the over-packed predecessors You Can (Not) Redo considerably slowers the pace aside from the typically messy and loud opening and closing scenes. The main chunk, however, is made of atmospheric and psychological cinema set in the abandoned, post-apocalyptic NERV headquarters, with Shinji and Kaworu’s friendship reaching near homosexual levels. As typical for Hideaki Anno productions, the film will divide audiences, with some blown away by the action but cursing the midlle part, and others taking the exact opposite stand.
I was tempted to ride back home on an Evangelion cab, but decided to save the money...
The end of the world by Hideaki Anno. Tokyo is destroyed to the last building in this poetic, jaw dropping tokusatsu tribute shot entirely in live action with no CGI effects whatsoever. With razor sharp images, narration by Evangelion’s Megumi Hayashibara, and the giant monster from Miyazaki’s Nausicaä, it would make a perfect opening sequence for an Evangelion movie. Indeed, the movie edition, the slightly extended from the original 9 minute tokusatsu museum form, was attached to Evangelion 3.0 as a pre-movie. It’s a shame Anno’s brilliant attempts at live action Evangelion sequences never seem to come closer to reality than pre-movies, trailers or deleted scenes.
Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo (Japan, 2012) [Cinema] – 3.5/5
The third “remake” film walks its own path with almost nothing lifted from the original television series. Unlike the over-packed predecessors You Can (Not) Redo considerably slowers the pace aside from the typically messy and loud opening and closing scenes. The main chunk, however, is made of atmospheric and psychological cinema set in the abandoned, post-apocalyptic NERV headquarters, with Shinji and Kaworu’s friendship reaching near homosexual levels. As typical for Hideaki Anno productions, the film will divide audiences, with some blown away by the action but cursing the midlle part, and others taking the exact opposite stand.
I was tempted to ride back home on an Evangelion cab, but decided to save the money...
-
gasteropod
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 6868
- Joined: 03 Nov 2004, 18:16
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
The Living Skeleton (1968) - 3/5
-
saltysam
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 9357
- Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 19:27
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
Bruce Lee's Secret 3/5 Gloriously crazy Bruce Li flick definitely of the so bad it's good realm of motion pictures. Li plays Bob (though his name changes to Bruce at various times through the movie) who starts his own martial arts school much to the anger of the local rival school. Amateurish in the extreme (the opening restaurant scene is a hoot) but the fights are plentiful and pretty good. Amazing such a cheapie got such a good cast (Carter Wong,Hwang Jang Lee, Paul Wei,Roy Horan) nice to see it in widescreen.
Shanghai 13 3/5 Early version of Bodyguards & Assassins is like a chinese Expendables shoehorning many 70's kung fu stars into a very thin plot that exists just to move along from fight scene to fight scene. on paper a no-brainer the result is a bit disappointing,not Chang Cheh's finest hour,the film has clearly been shot on a meagre budget and looks cheap. Still an extra star for having so many stars show up (Jimmy Wang Yu,Chen Sing,Chen Kuan Tai,David Chiang,Ti Lung,Andy Lau,Danny Lee, couple of the venoms and the great Beardy who predictably fetures in the films best fight sequence) the widescreen custom dvd that's gone up on ADC is excellent.
Shanghai 13 3/5 Early version of Bodyguards & Assassins is like a chinese Expendables shoehorning many 70's kung fu stars into a very thin plot that exists just to move along from fight scene to fight scene. on paper a no-brainer the result is a bit disappointing,not Chang Cheh's finest hour,the film has clearly been shot on a meagre budget and looks cheap. Still an extra star for having so many stars show up (Jimmy Wang Yu,Chen Sing,Chen Kuan Tai,David Chiang,Ti Lung,Andy Lau,Danny Lee, couple of the venoms and the great Beardy who predictably fetures in the films best fight sequence) the widescreen custom dvd that's gone up on ADC is excellent.
working class blu-ray fan
-
Killer Meteor
- Hail the Judge!
- Posts: 2380
- Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
Where does one obtain the widescreen print of Bruce Lee's Secret?
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
-
saltysam
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 9357
- Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 19:27
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
working class blu-ray fan
-
Killer Meteor
- Hail the Judge!
- Posts: 2380
- Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
THE ONE ARM SWORDSMEN (1976)
Given Jimmy Wang Yu's legendary bad behaviour on sets, and David Chiang's long feud with Ti Lung, I've love to have been on the set of this Wang/Chiang team-up, which they produced, directed and starred in.
The plot, written by Ku Lung, is a wacky "mystery" involving a mysterious one-armed man killing a policeman (Chang Yi). Naturally, since legendary one-armed swordsmen Fong Ping (Wang Yu) and Lei Lee (David Chiang) both show up in town, both ordering ludicrously enormous meals at the taverns, they are suspect - not helping matters is the fact that the only witness to the crime is an especially dumb kid! Lo Lieh, as Hua The Fox, is gloating and manipulating from the sidelines and gets most of the film's best lines.
Quote:
Right, great fighting...good kung fu, good advice!
Quote:
The One Armed Swordsmen having a fight...this is something one really shouldn't miss! Yes...the fight of a lifetime!
Quote:
You should realise by now that I am a very devious and extremely tricky fella...hence my nickname!
For shear fun, I had a great time with this. It's very silly but has a lot of energy. The action scenes are rather perfunctory (understandable given the literal limitations placed on the stars) but well directed, the characters are a lot of fun, the atmosphere well maintained.
The two stars are ammusingly yin and yang: Wang Yu overplaying his Clint Eastwood impression so monotonely his dubber has to speak in slow motion (and a New York accent), whilst David Chiang is lively and entertaining as usual. Besides Lo, we get antagnoistic support from Han Ying Cheih (as an inkeeper with a deadly abacus), some looney ghost bandits, Lung Fei and San Mao (as Shaolin monks) and our mystery villian, who gets a final death speech that is really hilarious - the perfect combination of Shakespeare and Scooby Doo villianous send-offs.
Oh, and just so you know: Only the good die young!
8/10
Given Jimmy Wang Yu's legendary bad behaviour on sets, and David Chiang's long feud with Ti Lung, I've love to have been on the set of this Wang/Chiang team-up, which they produced, directed and starred in.
The plot, written by Ku Lung, is a wacky "mystery" involving a mysterious one-armed man killing a policeman (Chang Yi). Naturally, since legendary one-armed swordsmen Fong Ping (Wang Yu) and Lei Lee (David Chiang) both show up in town, both ordering ludicrously enormous meals at the taverns, they are suspect - not helping matters is the fact that the only witness to the crime is an especially dumb kid! Lo Lieh, as Hua The Fox, is gloating and manipulating from the sidelines and gets most of the film's best lines.
Quote:
Right, great fighting...good kung fu, good advice!
Quote:
The One Armed Swordsmen having a fight...this is something one really shouldn't miss! Yes...the fight of a lifetime!
Quote:
You should realise by now that I am a very devious and extremely tricky fella...hence my nickname!
For shear fun, I had a great time with this. It's very silly but has a lot of energy. The action scenes are rather perfunctory (understandable given the literal limitations placed on the stars) but well directed, the characters are a lot of fun, the atmosphere well maintained.
The two stars are ammusingly yin and yang: Wang Yu overplaying his Clint Eastwood impression so monotonely his dubber has to speak in slow motion (and a New York accent), whilst David Chiang is lively and entertaining as usual. Besides Lo, we get antagnoistic support from Han Ying Cheih (as an inkeeper with a deadly abacus), some looney ghost bandits, Lung Fei and San Mao (as Shaolin monks) and our mystery villian, who gets a final death speech that is really hilarious - the perfect combination of Shakespeare and Scooby Doo villianous send-offs.
Oh, and just so you know: Only the good die young!
8/10
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22162
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
What DVD is that Ivan? Sounds a lot of fun 
-
saltysam
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 9357
- Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 19:27
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
the only dvds i know of that is a videoasia usa one and a vengeance video uk release.both fullscreen
working class blu-ray fan
-
Killer Meteor
- Hail the Judge!
- Posts: 2380
- Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
The Vengeance video one is full screen but ok.
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
-
Killer Meteor
- Hail the Judge!
- Posts: 2380
- Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
DAGGERS 8 (1980)
Director: Cheung Sam, Wilson Tong
Starring: Meng Yuen-man, Wilson Tong, Lily Li, Peter Chan Lung, Alan Chui, Cheng Hong-yip
What starts out as another kung fu comedy with slightly too irritating Dean Shek style tomfoolery suddenly turns into something much more complex and intelligent.
Meng Yuen-man plays an impulsive kung fu fan who drives his grandfather up the wall with it. When his brother is killed in a duel, Meng runs away from home rather than agree to give up learning kung fu. As he travels across the country, he learns new styles from 3 masters, all of whom have a nasty habit of turning up dead...
I found Meng rather overbearing in Hell's Windstaff but he's better here, and his acrobatic skills are astounding - sadly his career would end following a heart attack. Peter Chan Lung makes for a fun master of cooking and kung fu, to the point where you actually miss him once he's gone. Lily Li is also very much at her best, demonstrating very good flexibility and she looks convincing in the powerful fights.
Wilson Tong as the assassin is definetly the highlight of the movie, looking pretty awesome with his black robes and manga-like hairstyle. He even manages to survive the bizzare goofy dubbing of Rick Thomas - and let's be honest, how can you mess up a line like "I want some funeral noodles...for you, to take down to hell!"
I sort of figured out the twist ending part way through, and was pleased when I was right! And it seems there is another subtle twist, almost invisible, that has some tragic overtones. And no, I'm not going to spoil it...
8/10
Director: Cheung Sam, Wilson Tong
Starring: Meng Yuen-man, Wilson Tong, Lily Li, Peter Chan Lung, Alan Chui, Cheng Hong-yip
What starts out as another kung fu comedy with slightly too irritating Dean Shek style tomfoolery suddenly turns into something much more complex and intelligent.
Meng Yuen-man plays an impulsive kung fu fan who drives his grandfather up the wall with it. When his brother is killed in a duel, Meng runs away from home rather than agree to give up learning kung fu. As he travels across the country, he learns new styles from 3 masters, all of whom have a nasty habit of turning up dead...
I found Meng rather overbearing in Hell's Windstaff but he's better here, and his acrobatic skills are astounding - sadly his career would end following a heart attack. Peter Chan Lung makes for a fun master of cooking and kung fu, to the point where you actually miss him once he's gone. Lily Li is also very much at her best, demonstrating very good flexibility and she looks convincing in the powerful fights.
Wilson Tong as the assassin is definetly the highlight of the movie, looking pretty awesome with his black robes and manga-like hairstyle. He even manages to survive the bizzare goofy dubbing of Rick Thomas - and let's be honest, how can you mess up a line like "I want some funeral noodles...for you, to take down to hell!"
I sort of figured out the twist ending part way through, and was pleased when I was right! And it seems there is another subtle twist, almost invisible, that has some tragic overtones. And no, I'm not going to spoil it...
8/10
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22162
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
Kill Zone (SPL): 3.5/5
Good cop/drama movie - only a couple of truly memorable fights but Donnie v Sammo is a cracker, and I also like the fight with Donnie & one of the bodyguards (?) - the one who dressed in white with blond hair.
The ending was pretty tragic and dark in a way - for both villain and hero - its justice in a way as Sammo killed the little girl's parents but it was still quite sad that Donnie's fall ended up killing Sammo's wife/girlfriend and baby, wasnt expecting that!
Good cop/drama movie - only a couple of truly memorable fights but Donnie v Sammo is a cracker, and I also like the fight with Donnie & one of the bodyguards (?) - the one who dressed in white with blond hair.
The ending was pretty tragic and dark in a way - for both villain and hero - its justice in a way as Sammo killed the little girl's parents but it was still quite sad that Donnie's fall ended up killing Sammo's wife/girlfriend and baby, wasnt expecting that!
-
Xenon
- Pedicab Driver
- Posts: 246
- Joined: 26 Mar 2010, 16:28
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
According to Imdb:grim_tales wrote:Kill Zone (SPL): 3.5/5
Good cop/drama movie - only a couple of truly memorable fights but Donnie v Sammo is a cracker, and I also like the fight with Donnie & one of the bodyguards (?) - the one who dressed in white with blond hair.
The ending was pretty tragic and dark in a way - for both villain and hero - its justice in a way as Sammo killed the little girl's parents but it was still quite sad that Donnie's fall ended up killing Sammo's wife/girlfriend and baby, wasnt expecting that!
The film wasn't going to be part action film at first but that changed once Donnie Yen came on-board. As the film's action director, Donnie requested additional funds in order to shoot action scenes accordingly to the story. The result became the now famous alley fight and the last fight with Jacky Wu and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo respectively.
I loved SPL and would rate it 8/10 myself. Still need to buy it on BD.
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22162
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
Ah, those fights (the alley fight and the Jacky Wu one) were also cool
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11922
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of
Shinjuku Outlaw: Buttobase (Japan, 1970) [35mm] – 2/5
Toshiya Fujita, who is criminally underrated outside his native country, was one of the seminal new wave director’s of the 70’s Japan. Shinjuku Outlaw does not rank among his best films, though. The film takes its leaf from the 1960’s Nikkatsu action movies, but underplays action without compensating it with a strong story. The film is too silly to be convincing despite occasional strong scenes. The cast is the biggest attraction: Yoshio Harada, Tetsuya Watari, Meiko Kaji, and future Toei yakuza regular Mikio Narita.
Vengeance (Hong Hong / France, 2009) [Hulu] – 3/5
Johnnie To + Johnny Hallyday. A superbly stylish, but staggeringly dumb action thriller. It works fine until the final third, which is where Wai Ka-Fai’s simple screenplay takes some embarrassing turns. It’s no wonder the original lead Alain Delon turned it down after reading the screenplay. Even then, with stylish action and cool casting (Hallyday, Anthony Wong, Simon Yam, Lam Suet, Sylvie Testud) the film is a relatively good one, but it could be so much better.
Toshiya Fujita, who is criminally underrated outside his native country, was one of the seminal new wave director’s of the 70’s Japan. Shinjuku Outlaw does not rank among his best films, though. The film takes its leaf from the 1960’s Nikkatsu action movies, but underplays action without compensating it with a strong story. The film is too silly to be convincing despite occasional strong scenes. The cast is the biggest attraction: Yoshio Harada, Tetsuya Watari, Meiko Kaji, and future Toei yakuza regular Mikio Narita.
Vengeance (Hong Hong / France, 2009) [Hulu] – 3/5
Johnnie To + Johnny Hallyday. A superbly stylish, but staggeringly dumb action thriller. It works fine until the final third, which is where Wai Ka-Fai’s simple screenplay takes some embarrassing turns. It’s no wonder the original lead Alain Delon turned it down after reading the screenplay. Even then, with stylish action and cool casting (Hallyday, Anthony Wong, Simon Yam, Lam Suet, Sylvie Testud) the film is a relatively good one, but it could be so much better.