What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

Film Reviews and Release Comparisons
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HungFist
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Post by HungFist »

Lourdes wrote:Where'd you get hold of that? Sounds most interesting.
Finnish TV. We've only got one channel worth watching, but that one really is good.

I believe the film has never been released on dvd.
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Post by Lourdes »

Why do bloody Fins get that and I get nothing remotely close? Lucky to get the occasional Korean blockbuster or Chinese film here.
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Post by Markgway »

The UK is ubershit for Asian films.

ESPECIALLY HK films, despite their post Jackie/Jet popularity.
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Post by bradavon »

Film Four isn't too bad for Korean and Japanese films, due to their more art house stance they get shown more than most HK films.

Which tend to be dubbed when shown (despite never being dubbed in cinemas or just dubbed on DVD).
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Post by Lourdes »

They tend to just show the Tartan catalogue though, nothing interesting. That channel Hung linked to has some very nice material.
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Post by EvaUnit02 »

Australia's channel SBS makes me jealous. It's even state-funded of all things.
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Post by HungFist »

I've got an Australian friend who keeps telling me about some great channel they have. Probably that one.

The Finnish channel is government funded as well.
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Post by Lourdes »

We have BBC4 which is funded by the mandatory TV License that costs us £135.50... I prefer the discrete state funding where it's hidden in taxes. :(
I don't much care about watching popular Asian films I can already get on TV. I just hear about all these great documentaries and rare titles being shown on the continent and it's annoying that we get nothing close. A few get captured but not enough!
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Post by HungFist »

Red Peony Gambler (Japan, 1968) - 3,5/5
Enjoyable classic with some 'bigger than life' moments between Fuji and Takakura.

Red Peony Gambler 2: Gambler’s Obligation (Japan, 1968) – 3,5/5
Superior sequel by the series creator Norifumi Suzuki.

Red Peony Gambler 3: Flower Cards Match (Japan, 1969) – 4/5
Terrific old school yakuza film with excellent cast and characters.

Red Peony Gambler 4: Second Generation Ceremony (Japan, 1969) – 3,5/5
Shigero "The Street Fighter" Ozawa’s film has a bit weird plot, but Takakura saves.

Red Peony Gambler 5: Notorious Gambler (Japan, 1969) – 5/5
One of the greatest movies ever made.

Red Peony Gambler 6: Oryu Returns (Japan, 1970) – 3/5
Fantastic to see Sugawara as the good guy for once, but the film is only good.

Expect caps and more extensive comments in the japanese cult cinema thread starting from tomorrow
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Post by Markgway »

Film Four is more like Film Bore.

I think this year they've shown Shaolin Soccer and Election.... and that's about it.

They do show a lot more in the way of Korean/Japanese movies. If that's your bag.

HK has made MANY art films over the years that the casual viewer doesn't know about. And never will since nobody bothers to show them. Even starring the likes of Chow Yun Fat, Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, etc... Doesn't seem to matter.
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Post by bradavon »

Compared to Sky Movies Film Four is the dog's natches :D

I doubt I'd watch any film channel even if it had the best selection ever. I buy more than enough films of my own to keep me occupied. They're usually in the correct ratio (thankfully something Channel 4 and it's siblings now are good at), always anamorphic now a days and have 5.1 if relevant. Screw TV for watching films.
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Post by Knetan »

hey,

Exodus 4/5
Edmond Pang Ho-cheung makes no new friends and possibly divides his friends made via prior flicks in yet another naughty/very wrong story that usually comes included in his flicks. Are the women plotting to murder all men, behind the closed doors of the restrooms? Some think so and Simon Yam's cop decides to dig deeper. Slow burning to the max, much is intriguing and challenging in a very welcome way. Darkly comedic without the laughs and darkness without the gasp. I approve.

The Pye-Dog 3.5/5
The debut work of Derek Kwok promises good things for the future.A suitably simple story (considering it's a debut director) about characters adding colours into their lives. Eason Chan continues to impress amongst the pop stars turned actors and will surely remain one of the more dedicated to each craft, as the years roll by.
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Markgway
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Post by Markgway »

bradavon wrote:Compared to Sky Movies Film Four is the dog's natches :D
SKY obviously has a MUCH larger choice.
Screw TV for watching films.
Not everyone has enough money to buy every film they ever want to see. Me for one. I watch lots of stuff on TV that I wouldn't dream of buying. And it's fucking free.
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Post by Markgway »

Just for Knetan to chew on... :wink:

Blood Stained Tradewinds 1.5/4

Crystal Fortune Run 1.5/4

The last two HK movies I watched.
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Post by bradavon »

Markgway wrote:SKY obviously has a MUCH larger choice.
Quantity Yes, Quality Certainly No.
Markgway wrote:Not everyone has enough money to buy every film they ever want to see.
That is only half of what I said. I equally said "I buy more than enough films of my own to keep me occupied." Note the all important I. Obviously for others Free Films on TV are a great thing. As to how many I buy a month 3-5 (sometimes more) and I've still got a massive backlog :D
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Post by Markgway »

bradavon wrote:Quantity Yes, Quality Certainly No.
I don't have SKY but what's wrong with what they show? Last time I checked they had a wide range of new and catalogue movies - way more than Film Four have to offer.
That is only half of what I said. I equally said "I buy more than enough films of my own to keep me occupied." Note the all important I. Obviously for others Free Films on TV are a great thing. As to how many I buy a month 3-5 (sometimes more) and I've still got a massive backlog :D
All I'm saying is that not everyone can afford to solely watch bought DVDs. If you can good for you. That's your choice. But for most of us here TV is of valuable use.
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Post by EvaUnit02 »

Brad is too high and mighty to watch most television, even if there are productions that shit all over a good proportion of cinema. Ditto when it comes to anime.

Ironically what TV he does watch is pretty rubbish. He'll watch crap (in comparison) like the Terminator series and Dr. Who over outstanding productions like Deadwood, The Wire, Six Feet Under, The Shield, Carnivale, Dexter, The Sopranos, E.R. ... etc.
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Post by Shingster »

And let's not forget that he won't watch cutting edge cop shows like The Wire and The Shield, but he'll bleat on about how US cop shows are still stuck in the generic stereotypes of the 1970s & 80s. To him they are little different to The Bill. :D
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Post by bradavon »

Markgway wrote:I don't have SKY but what's wrong with what they show? Last time I checked they had a wide range of new and catalogue movies - way more than Film Four have to offer.
Too much Mainstream for my liking, or when I had it too. It's also obscenely expensive, making it a moot point for me, no matter how good it is.
But for most of us here TV is of valuable use.
I never went that far with what I was saying :D . I too find it a valuable resource.
EvaUnit02 wrote:Brad is too high and mighty to watch most television, even if there are productions that shit all over a good proportion of cinema.
Actually no. I've always explained millions of times why I've no interest in most televisions shows. It's quite simply down to time and not having enough of it to watch hours and hours of TV shows, most American shows in particular are incredibility long.

If I really wanted to I'm sure I could find time but I simply don't want to. It has nothing to do with being high and mighty. I've been watching Bionic Women for Christ's sake :D (although I'll likely not bother to continue with it).

Where did this comment come from anyway? We were talking about films not TV shows.
EvaUnit02 wrote:Ditto when it comes to anime.
Again as I've explained a million times the reason behind that is very different. I find it difficult to empathise to animated objects. I'm not entirely against Anime though. I re-watched Spirited Away recently, fantastic film.
EvaUnit02 wrote:He'll watch crap (in comparison) like the Terminator series and Dr. Who.
I didn't think you'd seen The Sarah Connor Chronicles? To be able to know either way.

Some of Doctor Who is outstanding writing and unlike you I've been watching Doctor Who since I was a kid. So frankly you cannot relate. Slasher could when he was around.

Except for Doctor Who all this is a result of now owning a PVR. So I can let it do the hard work of recording it and I can just watch it when I want. For the most part for me to be interested in a television show I'll have to have not missed the prior series and it will need to be on Digital Aerial TV.

There's now way I'm spending hundreds on massive box sets that I cannot store anywhere. That is the second big reason btw.
EvaUnit02 wrote:over outstanding productions like Deadwood, The Wire, Six Feet Under, The Shield, Carnivale, Dexter, The Sopranos, E.R. ... etc.
You know I've watched a fair few episodes of ER. It doesn't mean I want to watch all 14 Seasons. Dextor looks shit and as for the rest again no time. That's hours of TV there.

Besides you didn't bother to mention I've recently finished watching Ashes to Ashes which had 100% outstanding writing, but of course it's not American so I realise most won't be interested (that comment wasn't directed at you Eva). I've also just ordered Life on Mars: Series 1. So really your points holds little weight.
Shingster wrote:And let's not forget that he won't watch cutting edge cop shows like The Wire and The Shield, but he'll bleat on about how US cop shows are still stuck in the generic stereotypes of the 1970s & 80s.
I don't think I took my comments quite that far, well not after to be precise you corrected me remember. The few episodes I have seen I saw nothing original though. Nothing enough for me to go and want to watch more.

Put simply a film is over in 2-3 hours. A series * has many hours of content to watch. I would love to watch Lost but it's now at Season 4 and I've not watched the other seasons yet, one day I'll likely check out Season 1 but I'm really in no hurry. I've zero interest in downloading TV shows either and I think Lost is a Satellite show anyway.

* especially American ones where they milk it so far past the point the material was ever designed to be taken.
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Post by Shingster »

bradavon wrote:Too much Mainstream for my liking, or when I had it too. It's also obscenely expensive, making it a moot point for me, no matter how good it is.
Sky is reasonably priced these days, and as Mark pointed out, it's a lot cheaper than buying every film you watch on DVD.
I find it difficult to empathise to animated objects. I'm not entirely against Anime though. I re-watched Spirited Away recently, fantastic film.
Have you seen Grave of the Fireflies?
Dextor looks shit and as for the rest again no time. That's hours of TV there.
Dexter is a fantastic show, I'd take its writing over Doctor Who any day of the week!
I don't think I took my comments quite that far, well not after to be precise you corrected me remember. The few episodes I have seen I saw nothing original though. Nothing enough for me to go and want to watch more.
Err no, I corrected you and you stubbornly replied with a comment along the lines of "I stand by what I said - IMO of course". You've seen episodes of both shows and found neither to be particularly original? Newsflash brad, they're genre shows, which means yes they will contain a certain level of genre archetypes in their storylines, but considering in the very first episode of The Shield, the series lead - who is a cop - kills a fellow policeman in cold blood, i'd say it makes a strong statement against the grain right from the very start!
Put simply a film is over in 2-3 hours. A series * has many hours of content to watch. I would love to watch Lost but it's now at Season 4 and I've not watched the other seasons yet, one day I'll likely check out Season 1 but I'm really in no hurry.
That's like saying you won't watch a single Bond film if you missed the 20+ other films that came before it. TV series are designed to be watched one episode per week (on average), which means you can buy a tv boxset and watch it episode by episode. You don't have to watch it in large marathon sessions, so your argument is moot. If you don't want to start on TV series then that's fine, it's your life and fair play to you, but at the same time you don't really have the knowledge to talk generally about US TV.
* especially American ones where they milk it so far past the point the material was ever designed to be taken.

There we go, I knew you couldn't talk about the subject of American TV without resorting to ignorant generalisations.
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Post by grim_tales »

I've taped a couple of Dexter episodes but havent watched them yet.
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Post by bradavon »

Sky is reasonably priced these days, and as Mark pointed out, it's a lot cheaper than buying every film you watch on DVD.
Correct, but I don't tend to think of it that way. A subscription service I paid £20-30 a month whether I want to or not. Overall I probably spend about the same on DVDs a month but I specifically buy films that I want to watch/own, instead of those that the broadcaster chooses to air.
Have you seen Grave of the Fireflies?
No but I know I need to. It's often been cited in such examples. I've almost bought it a few times.
Err no, I corrected you and you stubbornly replied with a comment along the lines of "I stand by what I said - IMO of course".
I also said something like I excuse those examples as I haven't really seen enough of them ;) . Fair enough about the cop shows though, they just don't appeal to me.
That's like saying you won't watch a single Bond film if you missed the 20+ other films that came before it.
They are separate stories though.
You don't have to watch it in large marathon sessions, so your argument is moot.
I know and have picked up Life on Mars, 24, Twin Peaks. I just haven't picked Eva's examples :D .

I have no idea when I'll sit down and watch them though. I wouldn't watch an entire Series/Season in one go but once I watch the first one I'll want to watch the rest. I will likely be watching Life on Mars soon though, as Ashes to Ashes was flipping fantastic. A perfect mixture of laugh out loud, side splitting comedy but some very tender and dramatic moments too.
There we go, I knew you couldn't talk about the subject of American TV without resorting to ignorant generalisations.
I wasn't talking about every TV show ever made, that would be impossible :D. Just the ones I have seen lots of. Friends would be one example, great show that should've finished sooner.
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Post by Shingster »

They are separate stories though.
Not all US TV shows have a singular ongoing storyline. Most feature a series and episode structure that is extremely accessible to first time viewers.
Just the ones I have seen lots of. Friends would be one example, great show that should've finished sooner.
Only Fools and Horses went on for longer than it should have, so has Last of the Summer Wine, so would I be justified in saying UK shows are drawn on for much longer than they need to be as well? That is in essence the exact same comment as your original comment. The US TV industry is one of the most ruthless media industries there are (much more so than ours), and the vast majority of shows started each year do not make it past their first season. Relatively few get to outstay their welcome.
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Post by bradavon »

Only Fools and Horses went on for longer than it should have, so has Last of the Summer Wine, so would I be justified in saying UK shows are drawn on for much longer than they need to be as well?
Of course. That was just a general comment that as a rough rule American studios like to milk their shows whereas British studios tend to kill of a great idea while it's still in it's prime.

Only Fools and Horses is a perfect example of milking it too far. It was perfect first rate comedy up until they became millionaires. That should've been the end as it always intended but they had to ruin it by bringing it back.
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Post by Markgway »

bradavon wrote:Too much Mainstream for my liking, or when I had it too.
They have a channel called SKY INDIE that's (supposedly) for non-mainstream films, and there's plenty mainstream stuff on Film Four too. I don't see any major diff.
It's also obscenely expensive, making it a moot point for me, no matter how good it is.
That's a different matter... but it's cheaper to get 12 or so channels for a month (and access to hundreds of titles) than buy a handful of DVDs.
I never went that far with what I was saying :D . I too find it a valuable resource.
You gave the impression you never watched films on TV.
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