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

[HungFist]

Roman Porno treasure hunt: Part 18

Love Hunter (Japan, 1972) [DVD] - 2/5
Nikkatsu found themselves facing obscenity charges for this film. The trial went on for nearly a decade and the film was pulled from distribution, but they were eventually found not guilty. It's actually pretty tame stuff by today's standards - or even by later 1970s standards - but it's easy to see why the officials targeted this movie. It's the classic exploitation tale of a young guy falls for an immoral older vamp and then his innocent virgin girlfriend gets drawn into the new sinful world. There's everything from lesbian sex to orgies and a black male stripper dancing naked. Fans of the specific sub-genre should dig it; for others it may not be that exciting but it is well made: the cinematography and music are often beautiful and the film can certainly be called a work of art just as much as it is a piece of unashamed exploitation.

Young Girls' Holding Cell (Japan, 1982) [VoD] - 2.5/5
Director Yoshihiro Kawasaki and writer Takuya Nishioka must have been proud of themselves when they came up with an idea to combine high school girls and women in prison movies. The winning idea was to disregard all logic and make a high school flick where teachers act just like evil prison guards. There are even cells reserved for bad students - indeed, the film was probably shot in the left-over sets of an earlier WiP movie. It's a silly film, but a relatively entertaining one. The prison stuff only lasts for a while, after that it turns into an early 80s idol film derivative with added sex. Not too different from some of Koyu Ohara's films. Stars Jun Miho, who was Nikkatsu's cutest actress, but needed a good director to get the best out of her. Here she doesn't get one. Kawasaki is more keen on the audio-visual delivery.

[HungFist]

Roman Porno treasure hunt: Part 19

Wet Weekend (Japan, 1979) [DVD] - 2.5/5
Here's a bit weaker - but not bad - suspense drama / zeitgeist by Kichitaro Negishi. It follows a young housemaid (Junko Miyashita) who is having an affair with her employer, a married older man who claims to love her but doesn't seem to be willing to leave his family. After waiting for him for years she finally hooks up with a petty thief and his girlfriend (Ako). Together the three come up with a plan to kidnap the rich man's daughter, without intending to hurt anyone. Despite the crime film elements the film is first and foremost a social study. It does capture the era and the struggles of the social class quite enjoyably, but it lacks the energy and freshness of Negishi's best films like From Orion's Testimony: Formula for Murder (1978), Rape Ceremony (1980) and Crazed Fruit (1981).

Eros School: Feels So Good (Japan, 1977) [DVD] - 3.5/5
An unexpectedly funny and cute high school rape comedy. A "transfer student" who wears straw hat and carries pet pig with him (!) arrives announces no girl will be safe from him. He then proceeds to rape a considerable number of girls, which makes him a hero in the eyes of the other boys who aren't getting any (but are composing songs about how they wish they were). It's utterly ridiculous, frequently funny, fast paced, and packed with cute girls. The whole film seems to be taking place in some alternate universe where real life logic doesn't apply. This kind of energy and solid execution is missing from most of Nikkatsu's Roman Porno films.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

Tiger Over Wall (1980: Lu Chin-ku: Hong Kong)

I am quite behind many in watching independent Hong Kong martial art films that I thought it was time to watch one that I have seen mentioned many times on KFC.

Overall this is not a good film. You can tell it was rushed with some characters appearing than never appearing again (dyed gwailo appearing with I think mother and father.) It starts off with a “Warning Chinese and Dogs Not Allowed” sign (reference to Fist of Fury aka The Chinese Connection, yet apparently Chinese and dogs are allowed since the main resident (Glen Thomson) has a Chinese wife who has a dog. Plus there are plenty of Chinese playing behind that sign. Actually it is best not to think logically about this one because some of the character’s behaviors, horrible English dubbing, and plot thread disappearances will drive you a little batty. I think most people who rewatch this ignore the exposition and just go to the two main fight scenes which are the high points of the film. Or they judge the film solely based on the finale -- “It's the most important part of the story, the ending.” I have no issue with the main plot though with the disappearance of a dog being the impetus to start all the action (see John Wick or Seven Psychopaths for other good films dealing with a dog being the cause of it all.) But I can see viewers with the problems I mentioned above wanting to turn it off at the halfway point. That would be a mistake for martial art fans.

The Chiang Tao/Phillip Ko fight scene is underrated, but that is because the best scene in the movie is the final fight and this one is a bit too short. I liked the use of the umbrellas.

The last fight is awesome and understandably well liked among the martial art film fan illuminati. I do agree that it picks up (in Spinal Tap talk it goes to 11) once the weapons have been dropped, but still Phillip Ko with the staff and Hwang Jang-lee with the guan dao. I may be in the minority, but after watching this several times I think Hwang outperforms Ko with the weapon as well as mix in kicks while wielding the guan dao. He does more of a variety of movement while Ko seems too typical (while still being good) with his staff. But the fight scene shines most when they get down to hand-to-foot fighting. Hwang is awesome and one of my favorite on screen fights as his kicks are fluid, he can use punches to good effect and he works combinations (the key for great fight scenes) effortlessly with multiple spinning heel kicks (or spinning heel kick to roundhouse to spinning heel kick to roundhouse and repeat) and works well against the hybrid mantis form of Ko.

Random thoughts: Chan Lau as the village idiot makes me miss Dean Shek. Do you ever think about combinations of actors like what would Dean Shek (in his prime) have been like with Pauly Shore? Imagine a road movie starring those two. The biting scene reminded me of a similar scene in Beach of the War Gods. As mentioned by others: what the hell was with Hwang Jang-lee’s dubbing voice. I felt bad for Hwang as it undercuts his character by sounding like a smoking castrato who is accidently taking estrogen therapy instead of testosterone.

Is there a Cantonese version of this available for this Hong Kong film?

Random annoyance (which I will repeat): I hate the amount of ads at HKMDB now. It has been driving me crazy being interrupted so many times for commercials and ads.

[Markgway]

Is there a Cantonese version of this available for this Hong Kong film?

Haven't seen one. I know there's a Mandarin dub available. Not original language, but perhaps preferable to a bad English dub?

Random annoyance (which I will repeat): I hate the amount of ads at HKMDB now. It has been driving me crazy being interrupted so many times for commercials and ads.

Yeah, it's ridiculously OTT.

[HungFist]

Roman Porno treasure hunt: Part 20

So Soft, So Cunning (Japan, 1979) [DVD] - 3.5/5
Can a film be too mainstream for the Roman Porno series? Nikkatsu seems to think so. All DVD releases of this film - which is often considered Lady Snowblood director Toshiya Fujita's best movie - lack any reference to its origins. Indeed, the film features less sex than many 1970s mainstream films and takes no less than 48 minutes for the first nude scene to appear. Nevertheless, it premiered in the Roman Porno series as a youth film double feature with Pink Hip Girl: Love Attack. It's a well written, well acted and all-around well made look into the late 1970s Japanese family relations among young people. Like most of Fujita's films, it follows young adults, but it lacks the rock, shock and pop of some of his other films. Instead, it's a very low key drama that makes accurate social observations. Like many of Fujita's films, it will probably resonate best with domestic audiences who have experienced the era.

Sex Hunter: Wet Target (Japan, 1972) [DVD] - 2.5/5
Yukihiro Sawada was one of those talented yakuza film directors who got dragged into Roman Porno but never quite conformed to the studio's new style. This films is a violent sexploitation revenge flick penned by Atsushi Yamatoya, loosely based on his Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter screenplay. The film follows a halfblooded convict who goes through hell to track downs American G.I.s who gang raped and killed his sister. It's a schizophrenic mixture of sex, clumsy action and badass revenge flick set to an awesome score. It's far from Sawada's best films, even in the Roman Porno genre where he later excelled with Retreat through the Wet Wasteland, but it has undeniable trash appeal.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

random comments on:

Goose Boxer (1979: Chin Ming: Hong Kong)

The Fearless Hyena influence is still felt with Goose Boxer which was released later that year in 1979. You have a comedic martial art movie with a made up style and masochistic training scenes. There is a somewhat different twist where the student is really not a willing one under the sifu (though Jackie Chan was not always that willing under his sifu’s either.)

My goodness the comedy is bad here. The movie gets better when more focus is on the crane, goose and sex style martial arts, especially the last two fights. I’m a Lee Hoi-sang fan so I will watch anything he is in and I like best the fight with him versus Phillip Ko. I probably should not be routing for him against Charles Heung in the finale though – ungrateful forced student. Some of this film reminds me of Knockabout which also came out earlier than this and is probably an influence.

Addy Sung Gam-loi’s eyebrows should have a credit of their own as they seem to have a life of their own.

Whenever I go over a 1970s martial art film I then look it up in Dr. Reid’s The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts Movies of the 1970s. While it is missing a decent amount of Golden Harvest capsule reviews it is still normally a great resource, especially in dealing with the martial art aspect of the film. The reviews are rarely film criticism. Now he hates this film, mainly because of the use of the “little person.” Unfortunately he gets plot aspects of the movie quite wrong and does not even mention the sex manual which is a big part of the plot. This leads me to wonder if he paid attention to the film, not counting that he timed all the training and fight scenes (a big plus with this book.) HKMDB has the wrong year for this movie as well. I had to go to HKFA to get the proper release date.

What do you think of the use of the “small person” in the film? Is this a sore spot in the film? Now you probably did not need the biting of the groin in the film (or do you), but Charles Heung probably did not need the poop in the face either. Maybe he did, but I did not need to see it. I found it nowhere near as offensive as Dr. Reid did, mainly since he wasn't treated separate that much (a few jokes concerning his height, not too mean-spirited) and didn't look worse than Tin Ching (who had an outstanding and long career, just not here). Cheung Sin-Ming (looking at his filmography I see he was in The Private Eyes as well as Winners and Sinners -- six films in all.) He even helps with the winning blows against Lee Hoi-san.

If I was doing a proper review I would add the fact (what I'm doing now ) is that the two main combatants (Phillip Ko and Lee Hoi-sang) were wearing Qing style wigs. Obviously this is a Republic-era film (I'm thinking only the Qing would keep the queue for awhile longer), but interesting that they were against each other.

Is there a Cantonese version of this available?

[Markgway]

I haven't seen Goose Boxer, so I can't comment on the film, but the German DVD offers a Cantonese audio track (no subs, alas).

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

I haven't seen Goose Boxer, so I can't comment on the film, but the German DVD offers a Cantonese audio track (no subs, alas).

Thanks. You are not missing too much. The last couple of fights are decent to good with an emphasis on the crane style and then the made up styles.

[HungFist]

Crazed Fruit (Japan, 1956) [DVD] - 3/5
The seminal Sun Tribe film that defined the rebellious Japanese post-war generation, caused a moral panic, and launched its controversial writer Shintaro Ishihara and his actor brother Yujiro Ishihara to stardom. To be precise, however, what the film really did was depict the mindscape and rebellious dreams of the mid-50s Japanese youth than their reality (which lacked the motor boats and fine clubs), and that's probably why it was so popular and feared. Ishihara co-stars as rich kid who falls in love with the same girl (Mie Kitahara) as his innocent little brother (Masahiko Tsugawa). The film has stylish and energetic first and third acts, but the middle part tends to get a bit less than engaging with its now-predictable story.

Jigoku no okite ni asu wa nai (Japan, 1966) [DVD] - 2.5/5
A passable but underwhelming modern day yakuza film with ninkyo themes. Takakura plays a yakuza who was taken in by a gang boss when he was a small boy. Now the rival gang is trying to make him join them. A bit surprisingly the film is at its best in romantic scenes between Takakura and the female lead. There's plenty of beautiful location photography in the film's seaside setting, and fantastic tragic ending. As a gangster movie, however, the film is unoriginal and largely uninspired. The storyline lacks interest and the supporting characters, who receive too much screen time, are nothing but fillers.

[Tenchu1998]

Crazed Fruit (Japan, 1956) [DVD] - 3/5
The seminal Sun Tribe film that defined the rebellious Japanese post-war generation, caused a moral panic, and launched its controversial writer Shintaro Ishihara and his actor brother Yujiro Ishihara to stardom. To be precise, however, what the film really did was depict the mindscape and rebellious dreams of the mid-50s Japanese youth than their reality (which lacked the motor boats and fine clubs), and that's probably why it was so popular and feared. Ishihara co-stars as rich kid who falls in love with the same girl (Mie Kitahara) as his innocent little brother (Masahiko Tsugawa). The film has stylish and energetic first and third acts, but the middle part tends to get a bit less than engaging with its now-predictable story.

Good movie.

Yujiro Ishihara was a real man for his era, may he rest in peace. Only a man like that would ever get a woman like Mie Kitahara to fall for him. I still haven't watched 'The Champion', although I will soon.

[HungFist]

Roman Porno treasure hunt: Part 21

Rape Me: Sexual Assault In a Hotel Room (Japan, 1977) [DVD] - 1.5/5
An innocent college girl suffering from a trauma (her boyfriend broke his neck while doing pole vaulting and become nuts) hooks up with her sleazy female friend in Tokyo. They then run into a rapist in a hotel room. This is an oddly nonsensical film that doesn't really achieve anything within its 71 minute running time. None of the fun and breeze of director Koretsugu Kurahara's later film Eros School: Feels So Good (1977) is here to be found. Instead, the film is merely off-putting without being offensive in the least. The most interesting thing about the film is the score, which frequently makes it sound like a 1950s romantic film.

Crazed Fruit (Japan, 1981) [DVD] - 4/5
Here's a terrific updating of the 1956 Nikkatsu classic Crazed Fruit; a new version that is superior to the original. While the original was the seminal sun tribe classic, the new version examines the 1980s Japanese youth from a more intimate, less political perspective. Consequently, it's a remake in name only. The film focuses on the unstable relationship between two youngsters: a guy working in a sex club and a rich girl who trades her stepfather lover for a younger boyfriend just for a change. Like many of director Kichitaro Negishi's films, the movie would probably be more at home in Art Theatre Guild's catalogue than in the Roman Porno series where it was released (Negishi's next film, Distant Thunder, was, in fact, an ATG production). The film also shares all of Negishi's strengths: energetic visual approach, quiet moments which invite the viewer to analyze the complex characters, and a terrific use of pop music. The last 5 minutes is jaw droppingly good cinema.



Here's the film's terrific theme song:
https://youtu.be/YH057RVJTHo

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

A Fistful of Talons (1983: Sun Chung: Hong Kong)

One of the main reasons I had wanted to watch this was that Ric Meyers had named this one of his top 100 Kung Fu Movies. Now I am not the biggest Meyers fan but I had to watch it (it reminds me of when a relative, friend or foe states that they love a film that you have not seen and you use that as a reason to watch it.) It helps that it was directed by Sun Chung as I could not help thinking of Avenging Eagle when watching this.

One scene that I noticed was the crane shot early into the film (I am not sure it is used again) and it was done well. The cinematography and composition looks superb and is among the best looking of the independent HK films I have seen. Now the copy I have is faded and full-screen so I can imagine that this would look far better with a proper release.

The plot is basic, though interesting because it mentions, Sun Tzu (author of The Art of War), Sun Yat-sen and takes place during the Republic era of China. Here you have the Manchus (still being bad guys) trying to take back the country which makes a nice counter to all those Hans trying to take back the country in the Qing dynasty films.

I liked the Buddha set and I do wonder if that was used again in a film. Some of my favorite scenes involved this set. Billy Chong who has a short lived acting career as a precocious and capable martial artist who has to be bettered by a better sifu to be able to defeat the main bad guy (aka being a Jackie Chan clone, though his career and personality reminds me more of Conan Lee – weird coincidence that both Conan Lee and Billy Chong are in Aces Go Places V.) I liked Kung Fu Zombie, though I don’t think I’ve seen anything else he was in not counting Aces Go Places V.

I believe this was Whang In-shik’s last official Hong Kong appearance in film. I feel he was slightly underused, especially if you compare to his fighting in Dragon Lord the year before, in this as I thought some of the fight scenes could have been elongated. I liked the use of strategy at the end (nod to Sun Tzu) though. His side kick looks like it could kill Billy Chong if he wanted to.

I hope that was not a real eagle pulled apart by Nai Sin .

[HungFist]

Makeup Room (Japan, 2015) [Yubari Fanta] - 4/5
This year's Yubari Grand Prix went to AV veteran Kei Morikawa, whose resume contains more than a 1000 porn films. Makeup Room, one of his first mainstream releases, is an utterly hilarious look behind the scenes of a porn shoot. The movie, which takes place entirely in one room, follows a makeup artist who is trying to prepare the female stars on time for the shoot that is taking place in the next room. However, the day escalates into an apocalyptic farce when everything imaginable goes wrong. Lead star Aki Morita aside, the cast is made up of real AV stars. It's a very funny, well made film that gets funnier scene by scene. And yes, there's boobs. From the typically cynical Western perspective, however, it is surprising how the AV industry is presented in a very positive light: chaotic shoots aside, people are nice and working is rather fun. Director Morikawa said he never even dreamed of winning the main price, let alone international recognition. That's exactly what the film is now heading for with UK's Third Window Films prepping it for UK release and pushing it to international film festivals.

[Markgway]

I hope that was not a real eagle pulled apart by Nai Sin .

I think it was.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

I hope that was not a real eagle pulled apart by Nai Sin .

I think it was.

A guy on KFC (Ken) got to see the film play in LA (widescreen, apparently good quality as well, I saw the handbill he posted it played with Avenging Eagle) and stated that it looked real with bits flying off.

[Markgway]

Yeah, some of the cruelty in those days was shocking.

Rarely happens now, thankfully.

[HungFist]

Mizo (South-Korea, 2014) [Yubari Fanta] - 1.5/5
A young hooker comes to town looking for her parents who dumped her in the trash as a baby. She starts working for a local pimp until a maniac ex-cop claims her as his personal rape toy. Might one of these two gentlemen be her father? Perhaps. Add tons of rapes, violence, ultra-cruelty, a close-up of an erect penis, and even a bit of cannibalism, and pretend it's a poignant drama. The film is a far cry from the likes of Kim Ki-duk, Park Chan-wook or Kim Ji-woon, who have dealt with similarly dark topics with tons of style and skill. Mizo feels merely amateurish, and in places, unintentionally comical.

Haman (Japan, 2015) [Yubari Fanta] - 3.5/5
A high school girl's first sexual experience comes to an abrupt end when the teeth in her vagina bite the boyfriend's dick off. It's not exactly a sophisticated premise, but debut director Tetsuya Okabe (former AD for Miike and Nishimura) has a few surprises in his back pocket. Not only is the film pretty well acted, it is actually a moody, melancholic horror drama about a lonely girl who cannot control her body and knows she can never fall in love without endangering other people's lives. The film never falls for idiotic post modernism or humour, nor does it contain any kind of vengeance / slasher element. On the minus side, the film's CGI blood is absolutely atrocious.

[grim_tales]

Haman sounds a little like this:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780622/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

[HungFist]

Haman sounds a little like this:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780622/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Yeah, Guro Taku also noted about that
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... f=1&t=6492

I haven't seen Teeth, but it sounds like the way they approach the topic is rather different.

Oh, I forgot the mention Haman won the Hokkaido Governor's Prize at Yubari. Which is pretty hilarious really. I mean, when was the previous time you saw a famous politician - who happens to be a woman in her 60s - awarding a movie about killer vagina?

[HungFist]

The Maidroid (South-Korea, 2015) [Yubari Fanta] - 3/5
Here's a Korean otaku fantasy that doesn't try to hide its Japanese influences. A normal guy receives a mysterious package which contains a maid droid which looks just like a Japanese AV star (but of course, she's played by the Japanese AV gone mainstream star Aino Kishi). It's only intended for housework, but, well, you can guess what happens. It's a relatively fun, romantic and light hearted erotic comedy. Director Noh Jin-soo has openly admitted his influences, stating he loves Japanese pink cinema and wanted to do something similar in Korea. On the minus side, the film lacks any originality and features a pretty terrible score that constantly underlines what's happening on screen. The film was shot in 72 hours because of Kishi's schedule. She's alright in the film, but not comparable to her excellent performance in the romantic comedy Rubbers (2010). Overall, the film is pretty decent fun for boys dreaming of their own maid droid.

Hentaidan (The Perverts) (Japan, 2015) [Yubari Fanta] - 3.5/5
This is the filthiest film Noboru Iguchi has ever done (excluding his AV work). The medium-length movie (approx. 50 min) brings together all kinds of perverts from shit lovers to piss drinkers. It starts all silly and ridiculous, e.g. with a segment about a man who's dreaming about a school girl idol's crap, but gets gradually darker and darker. Towards the end we get a suicide bus and a scene where a woman is slowly hammered to death by a pervert who gets sexually aroused by the sound of breaking bones. Though darkly humorous throughout, it was in scenes like that where even the hardened Yubari audience went totally silent. Impossible to evaluate as a movie, but it certainly is an experience, and not for everyone. Think of John Waters with an Iguchi spin. It just might be the best thing Iguchi has done in nearly a decade.

[HungFist]

Damager (Japan, 2015) [Yubari Fanta] Film - 3/5, Yubari Experience - 4.5/5
Noboru Iguchi is on fire for a change. This 25 minute half-fiction was born when an ordinary Japanese salaryman Yu Kazama approached Iguchi to realize his lifelong dream to star in a superhero film. Iguchi though the idea was great and would help Kazama find his first ever girlfriend. After all, what's cooler: to have a profile on a dating site, or to be able to tell the girls you starred in a superhero movie? Iguchi brought together his usual team, had a superhero suit designed, and wrote a theme song. Kazama paid the bills. The film opens with footage from Iguchi's office before proceeding to the fiction film which stars Kazama as Damager, a superhero whose superpowers can only be activated via pain (e.g. 40 punches in the stomach to travel back in time). He must now save a pretty high school girl (Airi Yamamoto) from her murderous boyfriend (Demo Tanaka). It's silly and cheap, but also fun and sympathetic! The film finally cuts back to Iguchi's office where Kazama receives a copy of the completed movie.

While not exactly a masterwork by itself, the film was an amazing live experience in Yubari with Iguchi, Kazama and the rest of the cast in attendance. The audience was cheering for Damager (almost unheard of with the typically dead silent Japanese audiences) and singing the theme song together with the staff. Kazama, moved by the audience's enthusiasm, promised to finance a sequel as well. Let's home Mr. Kazama is a man of his word - and also that he finds a cute girlfriend soon.

More about the screening in the Yubari thread.
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... 2&start=16

[HungFist]

Use the Eyeballs! (Japan, 2015) [Yubari Fanta] - 3/5
2015 was the 4th year in the row Naoya Tashiro has had his new film screened in Yubari. Most of his earlier works (e.g. Naked Sister, 2013) were amusing short movies. Use the Eyeballs is his first movie to be shown in the competition series. It's also his first not to feature any kind of horror or splatter elements. In fact, it's a bizarre love comedy about a bullied schoolboy Kotaro. His problem is the eyeballs - not the normal pair, but the additional pair that pops up from his nose whenever he gets nervous. Needless to say, girls usually run away screaming. Tashiro is a fanboy director whose films are full of references (e.g. Kotaro gets self-confidence by watching The Toxic Avenger on VHS) and insider jokes. There's also an amazing cameo at the end of the film. It's by no means great cinema, and some of the jokes miss the target (e.g. Tokyo Tribe parody), but it's pretty fun and oddly sympathetic overall. Supporting roles are full of familiar faces like Eihi Shiina (mom) and Asami (evil office ninja).

The Limit of Sleeping Beauty (Japan, 2014) [Yubari Fanta] - 3/5
Here's a director to keep an eye on. The 23 year old Ken Ninomiya has already made quite a few interesting short and feature films, some of which have played on international film festivals. This medium length movie challenges Tsukamoto, Aronofsky and Alex de la Inglesias, and although it ultimately falls short, it's amazing how Nimomiya has managed a film that is technically better looking than anything Tsukamoto has done in more than a decade. The film's main problem is the lack of originality: a 29 year old actress-wannabe stuck as circus assistant and losing her mind (add hallucinations, pills of all colours, and mad clowns) isn't exactly an original premise to anyone who is familiar with the works of the fore mentioned directors. But the film does look - and sound - stunningly good a lot of the time.

[saltysam]

Police Story 4.5/5 Seminal Jackie Chan movie,awesomely good in all respects. I like the japanese extended cut i watched here,i think the opening introduction is a good addition and i don't think there's any dispute the added moments outside the mall at the climax is superior to the freeze frame finish of the HK.The rough and ready HD transfer here has dirt and scratches,japanses sidetitles that really aren't an issue when viewing (to me at least) the laserdisc audio and excellent subs.i'd take this over the official release upscale any day of the week.

Police Story 2 3.5/5 Solid sequel doesn't hit the heights of the original but is a god movie in it's own right.Watched the extended version, theatrical is better but i don't mind this one either.

Police Story 3:Supercop 4/5 Cracking 3rd entry in the trilogy chucks Michelle Yeoh & Yuen Wah in the mix with excellent results.This HKR custom is excellent,utilising the HD print and, for the missing minutes using the upscale to complete the uncut HK version complete with the original audio.

[HungFist]

The End of the World and the Cat's Disappearance (Japan, 2014) [Yubari Fanta] - 2/5
The world's food supplies have been contaminated in a mysterious accident in 2011 (read: Fukushima). Tokyo has become a wasteland. Cats have disappeared. Young people have cute little mutations, like cat tails. And an asteroid is about to end it all soon. Despite the sci-fi premise, this is an in and out idol film created for its star Izukoneko via crowd funding. Her popularity has more to do with her anime-like idol act and all things cat, than her singing voice. The movie is a bit like that, too. Izukoneko is surely one of the most huggable creatures on earth, and the film looks pretty lovely at times, but it's just doesn't have much else going for it. It's neither especially stylish nor too energetic. Fans of Izukoneko shouldn't be complaining, though.

Luv Ya Hun! (Watashitachi no haa haa) (Japan, 2015) [Yubari Fanta] - 4/5
4 high school girls run from home to attend a concert on the other side of the country. Their plan is to ride all the way with bicycles and sleep under the sky - a plan that obviously isn't going to get them far. This is an excellent, fresh and non-judgemental film that captures the foolhardiness and excitement of youth - and omits the dull moral lessons. You could call it a coming of age film without the coming of age part. Excellent performances and energetic camerawork (mostly POV) complete the film. Although not directly comparable, fans of Hideaki Anno, Shunji Iwai and Shinji Somai ought to love it. The best movie at Yubari Fanta this year.

[HungFist]

Control of Violence (Japan, 2015) [Yubari Fanta] - 2/5
Takahiro Ishihara has created a small franchise of yakuza/violence indie dramas: Violence P.M. (2011), Osaka Violence (2012), Snake of Violence (2013) and now Control of Violence (2015). The latest unfortunately feels like a step down from the slightly larger budgeted Snake of Violence which starred Tak Sakaguchi. In Control of Violence ex-yakuza (Arata Yamanaka) is suspected of killing local gangsters until it turns out there's a new player in town: a mysterious yakuza hating stranger (Kiyohiko Shibukawa) who is gathering a lynch gang to take out as many yakuza as possible. The B&W shot film feels a bit amateurish, from visuals to dialogue. It gains momentum as the violence begins, and Ishihara once again makes good use of the Osaka locations; however, the failure ending manages to undo a lot of what the film had accomplished by then.

Kim (Fuzakerun ja neyo) (Japan, 2014) [Yubari Fanta] - 4/5
A terrific, hard hitting and intelligent medium-length film by film school student Shunpei Shimizu, who proves to be a more competent director than most mainstream professionals. The film follows an injured boxer who hates Zainichi Koreans, whom he feels are exploiting the Japanese society and giving him a bad name - even though he's the worst type of Zainichi himself. Unable to fight in the ring, he vents his frustration on the streets by beating people and burns his social welfare money on a housewife-gone-part-time-prostitute who is dreaming of better life. It's a thought provoking, technically competent, and uncompromising film. Shinya Tsukamoto's Tokyo Fist comes to mind a few times; however, Shimizu refuses the over-the-top antics of Tsukamoto and goes for utter, yet intelligent, bleakness. There is neither happy ending nor epic downfall waiting for its sad anti-hero.