What Have You Just Seen... Marks Out of 5

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 10 Aug 2005, 21:50

Recon, nice collection you have there!

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 11 Aug 2005, 03:23

Thank you, but keep in mind that i have absolutly no life and spend WAY too much money on dvd's and video games

Lostdragon.. to the right of Silmido is Friend, then Arahan, then Fighter in the Wind.
and yes Emperor of the Sea is on top

STILL waiting for the final volume!!!! stupid Bitwin pushed it pack 3 times and it finally came out a few days ago. Its been driving me crazy not being able to finish it.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 11 Aug 2005, 11:11

Belly Of The Beast - 2/5

Meh. Its ok, nothing special. Typical Ching Siu Tung action choreography. Where was all the aikdio? I watch Seagal films for aikido, not kung fu!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 11 Aug 2005, 17:11

IronMonkey wrote:Belly Of The BEast - 2/5

Meh. Its ok, nothing special. Typical Ching Siu Tung action choreography. Where was all the aikdio? I watch Seagal films for aikido, not kung fu!

I guess you watched this last night on Channel 5? I taped it and will watch it later tonight. Apparently the network made censor cuts despite the DVD being an uncut '15'. Maybe that ruined some of the action for you?

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 11 Aug 2005, 23:04

Well no, it was just that I expect Seagal to do aikido in his films, like back in the 1980s & early 1990s. I think I saw about 1 or 2 aikido throws in Belly Of The Beast. Let me know what you thought of it...

Anyway...

The Odd Couple - 4/5

Great old-school Sammo films. Loads of laughs and some great fight choreography. I watched this with my girlfriend and we both loved it! Top stuff!

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 12 Aug 2005, 05:07

I just watched..
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S - 4/5
Hilariously fun movie. I really like all these modern Godzilla flicks. The combination of modern SFX with the classic 'guy-in-rubber-suit' technique is just so much fun to watch. Great stuff

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 12 Aug 2005, 09:58

The Island 4/5

I really liked this. Not a complete no brainer action film, there is some thought in there, but it is still a decent action flick. Having only seen Scarlett Johannsen (sp?) in Lost In Translation, I couldn't understand what all the fuss about her was cause I didn't think she was that hot in that, but in this... She's gorgeous!! Anyway, I quite liked the flick and was made to feel quite stupid as a complaint I had early on which quite annoyed me, was explained clearly later in the film. For those who were wanting to know - and this isn't really a spoiler, I don't think - it was Ewan McGregor's accent in it... I was moaning about how Hollywood always seem to want him to lose his Scottish accent and put on a poor American one. But with hindsight, my complaint was unjustified.

Anyway, good film.

Serial Mom 4.5/5

I love this film! Kathleen Turner is brilliant in it! From looking like the typical nice suburbian wife, to crazed killer in an instant. Funny and very satirical!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 12 Aug 2005, 15:57

IronMonkey wrote:Well no, it was just that I expect Seagal to do aikido in his films, like back in the 1980s & early 1990s. I think I saw about 1 or 2 aikido throws in Belly Of The Beast. Let me know what you thought of it...

Lame ass DTV mince. Actually worse than I expected. Could've been directed by Robert Clouse for all the good having a HK director did. The fights were poor with an excess of rapid-fire editing and flashy camerawork that cut off the head of Seagal's frequently-used stunt double to mask the switch. Pathetic. Some fans reckon this is one his better DTV efforts which makes me wonder how appaling Out For a Kill, The Foreigner and Out of Reach can be!?! And seriously when your leading man can't be arsed to loop his own dialogue you know something is seriously awry....

brassmonkey001 · Post by **brassmonkey001** » 13 Aug 2005, 00:26

Dead Mans Shoes - 3/5 quite a powerful revenge story, low budget British movie. The version I watched was a bare bones rental copy, I would have liked to watched the documentary that is one the proper version (or commentary if there is one) that tells how the guy who made the film was going down the path of being a violent gang member but witnessed such a savage, meaningless beating that it turned his life around and he decided to make films instead. Interesting stuff.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 13 Aug 2005, 09:29

Castle In The Sky - 3.5/5

Lovely fantasy from Hayao Miyazaki (though IMO Princess Mononoke was probably better). Like Mononoke, it has a familliar ring to it, that man shouldnt mess about with nature's beauty and exploit it.
Nice animation and score (BGM) too.

When is it set? 2oth century?

Whoever designed the subtitles needs shooting

On the original Japanese track, for some reason there are moments when there is no dialogue at all, but the English dub track has been seemingly re-recorded and new dialogue lines inserted, and it is this dub that the subtitles are based on.
So to listen to the Japanese track, and to have lines of dialogue appear in the subs when there is none spoken on the Japanese soundtrack feels really wierd and disconcerting, and spoilt the film for me (to an extent).

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 14 Aug 2005, 10:31

Emperor of the Sea (entire drama as a whole) - 5/5
Just finished this, and its probably the greatest TV drama i've ever seen. Absolutly outstanding in every respect.

-FANTASTIC acting by the entire cast
-Wonderful characters
-One of the best, most well written stories i've ever seen.
-Outstanding production value in every area.
-Excellent action sequences and fight choreography.
-Best soundtrack ever in a TV production, no question about it.

This series has something for everyone. Great action, great love story, compelling storyline, the list goes on and on.
I really cannot express how much i loved this drama, and i would recommend it to anyone. Please watch it if you have the opportunity.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 14 Aug 2005, 13:00

Anyone seen Castle in the Sky?

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 14 Aug 2005, 20:35

ReconFive wrote:Emperor of the Sea (entire drama as a whole) - 5/5
Just finished this, and its probably the greatest TV drama i've ever seen. Absolutly outstanding in every respect.

-FANTASTIC acting by the entire cast
-Wonderful characters
-One of the best, most well written stories i've ever seen.
-Outstanding production value in every area.
-Excellent action sequences and fight choreography.
-Best soundtrack ever in a TV production, no question about it.

This series has something for everyone. Great action, great love story, compelling storyline, the list goes on and on.
I really cannot express how much i loved this drama, and i would recommend it to anyone. Please watch it if you have the opportunity.

Right... you...

Firstly before I start, I'll get photos of my Sekai no Chushin De LE once my digital camera is fixed. Won't be long.

Now about this series... how much did you spend in total for all volumes? I've heard that Korean dramas are heavier on the melodrama but then, this doesn't look like your standard K-series. You appear to rate this really highly. But I wish they would price it reasonably... it gets bloody expensive after a while. How many episodes are there in total?

Ta.

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 15 Aug 2005, 00:02

BiscLimpkit wrote: how much did you spend in total for all volumes?

I spent around $246 for all 3 volumes including shipping. It was worth every penny.

BiscLimpkit wrote:I've heard that Korean dramas are heavier on the melodrama but then, this doesn't look like your standard K-series.

It does indeed have a good amount of melodrama, but the story, acting, and production are all so good that it doesn't matter in the least, IMO.

BiscLimpkit wrote:You appear to rate this really highly. But I wish they would price it reasonably... it gets bloody expensive after a while. How many episodes are there in total?

Yeah it is pretty expensive to buy these, but i think its WELL worth it for this wonderful series. There are 51 episodes total, with 17 in each volume. There is not a single bad episode in the entire drama. It almost seems to play like a 51 hour movie, not a series.

I cannot recommend this drama enough. I hope you enjoy it as much as i did.
I will deffinetly be watching it again.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 15 Aug 2005, 00:10

Godzilla: Final Wars - 4/5
Whoa!!! This has to be the most amazing theatrical experience for me this year. The whole theatre was cheering and clapping when the first frame of the film appeared. It's the old TOHO logo which they used for their old widescreen films. This remembered me of the premiere of "Kill Bill Vol. 1" when everybody was clapping to the old SB logo. Once Godzilla appeared on the screen, everybody was clapping again. And not only for Godzilla did they clap. Ryuhei Kitamura did an awesome job by bringing back so many monsters we haven't seen in films since the 1970's.

Talking of Kitamura... yes, you'll be able to tell his usual directing style, especially during the fight scenes between the human beings. The motorcycle chase on it's own was worth the entrance ticket. So his action is there. Not to the same extent as in "Versus" or "Azumi", but rather in the style you can see in "Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes", for which he directed the motion capture action sequences. In "Godzilla" he also appears in a cameo as a radio moderator.

One of the best parts is this. At one stage, a monster appears named Zilla. It looks exactly like the Godzilla that appears in Roland Emmerich's film. Well, it gets the shit beaten out by the original Godzilla!!

It looks like a really high-budget film, however he often makes use of the old kind of exploding plastic buildings etc. An awesome character is played by former wrestler Don Frye. He brings on the best lines ever, like when talking to the bad guy... "Listen kid, there are two things you didn't know about the Earth. One is me. And the other is... Godzilla."

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 15 Aug 2005, 10:06

Meet The Fockers 3/5

Not much better than an average comedy. Not seen Meet The Parents, so maybe some jokes were lost on me. Some funny moments, bit not enough.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 15 Aug 2005, 13:03

The Good The Bad and the Ugly (SE) - R2... ****/*****

Westerns arent my favorite genre but this one is damn cool
The picture quality is outstanding. Not so sure about the sound though Mostly its good but sometimes the sound was bit "odd" (explained in the other thread).

Blondie is "The Good"
Angel Eyes is "The Bad"
and Tuco is "The Ugly" right? In another trailer or something I'm sure Angel Eyes was The Ugly

I really like how the ending goes (and understand it a bit better now). I love the irony of the ending when Blondie tells Tuco to hang himself (when he'd previously saved him) and he rides off when Tuco smashes his head.
No one in the film is what they seem

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 16 Aug 2005, 10:45

Watched the latest film with Takeshi Kitano...

Blood and Bones - 4.5/5
Whoa! Watched this at the theatre yesterday. Kitano plays the biggest asshole on earth. It is such a great role.
The film is narrated by the son of Kitano's character. He talks about how his father would always be like a solid wall in his life.
I think I watched most of the films Kitano appears in and I have never seen him play such a character. He rapes his wife and other women and beats the crap out of everybody who 'he thinks' is pissing him off.
The whole thing takes place post WWII in Osaka.
What an awesome and touching film. This I'll be getting on DVD.

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 16 Aug 2005, 20:14

thelostdragon wrote:Watched the latest film with Takeshi Kitano...

Blood and Bones - 4.5/5
Whoa! Watched this at the theatre yesterday. Kitano plays the biggest asshole on earth. It is such a great role.
The film is narrated by the son of Kitano's character. He talks about how his father would always be like a solid wall in his life.
I think I watched most of the films Kitano appears in and I have never seen him play such a character. He rapes his wife and other women and beats the crap out of everybody who 'he thinks' is pissing him off.
The whole thing takes place post WWII in Osaka.
What an awesome and touching film. This I'll be getting on DVD.

Gah! *shakes fist* Your so lucky! I've been waiting to see this forever and there still remains no english subtitled dvd other then some extreme low-quality Chinese one that i don't even want to bother with.

Glad to hear the good report though

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 17 Aug 2005, 22:57

Attack the Gas Station - 4/5

Title of the film: Attack the Gas Station.
Alternate title: How to completely fuck-up a robbery in one lesson.

Year: 1999.
Country: Korea.
Director: Kim Sang-Jin.
Cool actors: Yoo Ji-Tae (Oldboy), Lee Yo-Won (Take Care of my Cat).

How do I summarize the plot to a friend if my phone's almost out of batteries: "A bunch of losers decide to rob a gas station for fun.
Later, they're bored.
So what do they do ? Yes, they attack the station again.
Except that it doesn't work twice, and it all becomes a blurry mess filled with triads, cops, hostages and korean rap songs".

The scene that I love and would like to see one last time on my death bed: The scene where Bulldozer (one of the losers) plays a game of "Strip-syllabe" with one of the hostages. I've been laughing so hard in this scene my chest still hurts.

The thing that makes me want to throw a molotov cocktail on the movie screen: The absence of a plot.

When the movie's done, how many of the 20 viewers will call their friends and go attack a gas station ? 16. ( 16/20 or 4/5 ).

----------------------------

She's on duty - 4.5/5

Title of the film: She's on duty.
Alternate title: Fight Back to Korean School 2005.

Year: 2005.
Country: Korea.
Director: Park K.C.
Cool actors: Kim Soon-Ah, Oh Kwang-Rok (Oldboy).

They told me that Korean movies post-2003 were too americanized.
They told me they weren't Korean anymore.
They told me that Korean filmmaking was going down.
How wrong were they !!

How do I summarize the plot to a friend if my phone's almost out of batteries: "A badass female cop with a bad attitude and a need to beat the crap out of everybody Yuen Woo-Ping-style needs to go undercover and pretend to be a highschool-girl in order to find the father of student Keung-Hee, who happens to be a witness who's gone into hiding".

The scene that I love and would like to see one last time on my death bed: All the fight scenes that use music from The Lord of the Dance.

The thing that makes me want to throw a molotov cocktail on the movie screen: Why didn't they cast Jeon Ji-Hyun in the part ?!
That was soooo My Sassy Girl ! 8)

When the movie's done, how many of the 20 viewers will dress as schoolboys and go beat up some yakuza ? 18. ( 18/20 or 4.5/5 ).

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 17 Aug 2005, 23:43

Very interesting reviewing technique you have there my French purry little friend.

I like.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 17 Aug 2005, 23:59

That's the structure I've always used in my french reviews.
But I wasn't sure that it would work when translated to english.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 18 Aug 2005, 11:27

Sin City - 4.5/5
Simply a masterpiece.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 18 Aug 2005, 13:32

WAKE OF DEATH
**.5/4

Stylish, but over-stylised Van Damme revenge action drama. The script is average, but Van Damme gives his best dramatic performance to date. Now all he needs is a movie truly worthy of it. The action is fine, very brutal. The "drill" scene would probably have gotten this banned 10 years ago. Simon Yam is cool, but his role is underwritten. I have to admit I thought that THE ORDER wasn't too bad for a DTV flick, but this is probably Van Damme's best since Knock Off. That's not saying TOO much.

ONG BAK
**.5/4
Thai phenomenon Tony Jaa blazes across the screen in old-fashioned beat-em-up movie. The boy has no chance to act or display any charisma, but he's an expert and jumping and kneeing people in the face. Some of the supporting performances are fair, but really it's the action you'll watch this for. The story is old hat and Jaa's character is surprisingly unsympathtic. All he cares about is a stupid statute and barely blinks when a hooker OD's. Jaa cares about no one and comes across as a religious fanatic. Peculiar. I gave a reasonable mark because it's a bit different (location, new faces, stuntmen willing to have their bodies smashed up), but I would expect a lot more form any future projects.

brassmonkey001 · Post by **brassmonkey001** » 18 Aug 2005, 22:48

grim_tales wrote: Blondie is "The Good"
Angel Eyes is "The Bad"
and Tuco is "The Ugly" right? In another trailer or something I'm sure Angel Eyes was The Ugly

Lee Van Cleef's character is 'the ugly'