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

Film Reviews and Release Comparisons
Post Reply
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

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

Post by HungFist »

Pink Salon Hospital: No Pants Nurses (ピンサロ病院 ノーパン白衣) (Japan, 1997) [35mm] - 1/5
I guess having seen a movie called No Pants Nurses in 35mm is something. Too bad this Shintoho pink is 50 minutes of sex scenes bordering on hard-core, and a minimal, Deep Throat rip off plot. It was directed by Sachi Hamano (real name Sachiko, she dropped the feminine ko to hide her gender), one of the few female pink directors. It doesn't really show; I and a friend tried to come up with anything in the film that would distinguish it from the male helmed pinks till he finally said “the women are active in taking their own pants off”. Hmm, maybe. Released in the US by Pink Eiga as “Whore Hospital”.

Legend of the Eight Samurai (里見八犬伝) (Japan, 1983) [35mm] - 4/5
My earlier review still stands
HungFist wrote: 11 Feb 2017, 17:41 Legend of the Eight Samurai (Japan, 1983) [DVD] - 4/5
An extremely entertaining samurai fantasy based on the Satomi hakkenden story, which Kinji Fukasaku had already adapted into a disappointing sci-fi film Message from Space a few years before. It's unmistakably a Kadokawa production, with fine production values and superstar cast starring Hiroko Yakushimaru and JAC sweetheart Hiroyuki Sanada at the height of their idolhood. Sanada was in terrific physical shape at the time and Yakushimaru, one of the cutest girls ever to grace Japanese cinema, had the kind of freshness about her performances that other idols couldn't even dream of. Sonny Chiba and Etsuko Shihomi are an added bonus. The sets are wonderfully over the top, the film is colourful and there is a genuine feel of a fantasy adventure. Special effects vary between great and amusingly cheesy. The soundtrack, with songs by Dan O'Banion, contains more greatness than is humanly possible to express in words. An utterly enjoyable (and enduringly popular in Japan) piece of pop samurai cinema for boys; only a notch behind Fukasaku's finest films.

Image Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

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

Post by HungFist »

New Abashiri Prison Story: Stormy Cape (新網走番外地 嵐を呼ぶ知床岬) (Japan, 1971) [DVD] – 1.5/5
Part 6. Summer set Abashiri with no Prison, but instead much ado about a horse. Another sub-par entry in a series that ceased to be serious yakuza cinema when the filmmakers figured they could have Takakura and others goof around at a farm most of the film (as in here) and then throw in some namely-yakuza bad guy (Rinichi Yamamoto) to create conflict leading to final reel action sequence. And a comedy sequence where Takakura has forgotten how to ride a horse! The saving grace and the only real yakuza here is Noboru Ando as determined yet honourable avenger lining up with the bad guys. I can only repeat myself that the popularity of the series had less to do with cinematic quality, and more with it being as-mainstream-as-it-gets entertainment for mass (probably blue collar) audiences.

Wolf (狼) (Japan, 1982) [DVD] - 2.5/5
"Running is sex!" A wolf guy runs around Tokyo raping women and punching Renji Ishibashi until he finds a wolf girl (the lovely Megumi Saki from Red Violation and Rape Ceremony) to eat bloody steaks and have sex with. A Banmei Takahashi pink film with a strong Sogo Ishii punk vibe, especially in the punk rock score. Original, but ultimately there isn't that much content other than running, raping and disco partying with an animalistic aroma. Originally released in pink triple bill with Saraba aibo and The Harem Valentine Day, the first productions by Director's Company.

Image Image
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

Office Lady Rape: Devouring the Giant Tits (Japan, 1990) dvd 3/5
I recently traded with a friend of mine, and picked up a whole bunch of Hisayasu Sato films - my friend found a whole lot more he wanted of my stuff than I did his, so I just thought, why not pick up these?

Now I’m no expert on the pinku eiga genre, and rape just isn’t my thing, but… with a name like Office Lady Rape: Devouring the Giant Tits, could there possibly be an actual story here?

Well there is, I guess…An office worker (Shiina Ito) who just got her breasts enlarged is raped in an alley one night by some creep. Then we find out the son of the rapist saw the whole thing as he tries to apologize to her the next day! He gets his dad to apologize the day after and…she then goes on a raping spree with the son that doesn’t turn out quite how she planned…

The pixelation in this is annoying as ever but there’s a masturbation scene where Ito keeps her panties on, that may be as hot as anything I’ve seen in these pinku movies. 

Sato has a definite eye for weird style  - the rapist wipes the blood from Ito’s vagina all over her breasts (eehhh…) - the mannequin that acts as a replacement for the mom in the father and son’s household - the drill used as a scare weapon against the victim’s plastic surgery so they’ll not struggle while being raped…

And the eating fetish throughout…

I have to admit… the strange approach kept me interested (it’s only 60 minutes), even if the ending is somewhat puzzling. Not for everyone, but it does have style.

Image
Image
Image
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

Splatter: Naked Blood (Japan, 1996) dvd 3/5

A nerdy loner kid (Eiji) comes up with a cure for pain. It makes people feel good when they should feel hurt. His scientist mom is doing research on contraceptives and he mixes his formula in with the three female volunteers.

One of them he ends up getting involved with (the cute Misa Aika), who is already a bit different in that she has a condition that keeps her from ever sleeping (from psychological shock) and has a 6 foot cactus in her living room... which she communicates with via technology (which in a low budget 1996 movie means flash goggles and some old drum machines).

So the drug works TOO good and soon the girls are pinching themselves and then piercing themselves and soon cutting off pieces of skin (nipples, vagina) and in the case of one of them, frying their own hand and of course, eating it. Her eyeball too.

It becomes a pretty intense gore fest - with some decent special effects - though I didn't find it scary - most likely due to it's very matter-of-fact approach to the material (where's the hysteria?). This is considered Sato's best film by many, from what I've read, and it's interesting in that respect because it's also considered (one of) his least sexual.

So anyway, if you like gore, it just keeps ramping it up, and Eiji keeps filming, and... the mommy issues come up and the lesson here is... I'm not sure, but it has a 'twist' and a 'shortly thereafter' and... it may not be my thing (ultra gore), but this movie sort of won me over in the end.

Image
Image
Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

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

Post by HungFist »

So Long My Partner (さらば相棒) (Japan, 1982) [DVD] - 2/5
"Rock is sex". Part 2 in the Director's Company pink triple bill, about a wanna-be rocker and his two friends. Rock, sex and friendship struggles. Ryo Ishibashi stars, Rikiya Yasuoka is a yakuza, and Yuya Fuckin' Uchida (that's how he's credited) a junkie in a 20 second cameo. Also contains tons of other rockers from ARB, ANARCHY and others, playing roles like Rape Guy A, B, C and D, and Drunker A, B and C. And it was written by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, produced by Banmei Takahashi and directed by actor Ryudo Uzaki. And yet the film is rather dull, executed without the kind of energy that would grab you by the balls. It's watchable with some cultural-historical interest stemming from the cast and crew and the era, but the drama doesn’t work and you won't be left with much... except Yuya Fuckin' Uchida.

Modern Path of Chivalry (現代任侠道 兄弟分) (Japan, 1970) [TV] - 2.5/5
Chris D. described this film as “soulful”, “lyrical” and “genuinely touching”. He's not entirely wrong, but I don't think those elements come through as strongly as he suggests. Sugawara is an honourable gangster who goes to prison and later meets relatively decent but short tempered yakuza Machida who now serves rotten oyabun Watanabe who has taken an advantage of Sugawara's wife. Not bad modern day ninkyo film with a melancholic tone, but the story and context are hardly unique, and the form a little less impressive than I expected. The theatrical poster is a beauty.

Image
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

The Housemaid (Korea, 1960) Criterion Channel 4.5/5
When a music teacher takes on a housemaid, she turns his world upside down, threatening his teaching position and upper middle class status while slowly destroying his family.

Director Kim Ki-young created a movie of great atmosphere, tension, and desire that had me curious to see what happened next, and constantly guessing how it would all end (for the record, I'm divided on the ending). It LOOKS great (considering it had to be restored), and the performances are really enjoyable. Lee Eun-shim (as the Housemaid) is a classic film villain - there's something not right about her from the first time she appears on screen (she gets caught smoking, hidden in one of the girl's closets), a sense of danger, and yet a sexy sort of vulnerability that makes her a much more complex character (and psychologically frightening) than your basic femme fatale.

Kim Jin Kyu as the piano teacher family man that all of the women seem to lust after - for his status and stability as well - goes from solid to torn to pieces by the end of it all. At a certain point, it seems to almost go over the top, but even this is explained. Class separation is explored here very effectively, but there's so much more to it than that... just cool film, well worth checking out. 

Image
Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

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

Post by HungFist »

Mothra (モスラ) (Japan, 1961) [35mm] - 3/5
Entertaining kaiju with a bit of exotic island adventure touch. Editing could be tighter for the 100 min running time, but mostly compensated for by lavish colour cinematography and better than usual cast: Frankie Chan makes a sympathetic lead, Peanuts are Peanuts and Osman Yusuf gets another gaijin henchman role. Only Akira Ikufube's score is sorely missed.

The Harlem Valentine Day (ハーレムバレンタインデイ) (Japan, 1982) [DVD] - 3.5/5
“Blood is sex”. Death Power director Shigeru Izumiya's cosmic cyber punk pink film set in post Sino-Soviet war future (the film opens with low budget battle footage). A crazed, back-from-the-war soldier wanders in the night searching for his lost girlfriend, who has become a prostitute in some kind of Sogo Ishii / Yoshihiro Nishimura / Shinya Tsukamoto style Blade Runner world. He ends up killing most people he encounters. Like Death Powder, I am not sure if this is a good film, but it is odd, visually stunning and fascinating (especially the soundtrack). Guaranteed to leave even the jaded cult film aficionado wondering "what the hell did I just saw", I can't even imagine how the unsuspecting pink film audiences responded when this opened as the final part of the Director's Company triple bill.

Image Image
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

Mission of Justice (Hong Kong, 1992) fansub 3/5
Moon Lee and Yukari Oshima star as Undercover Agents who get sent to Thailand to break up a drug smuggling operation. 

They start off as ‘hostesses’ in a hut bar, with Yukari a little more tarted up than usual (I’m not complaining), but the action quickly gets them fighting and out in the open. 

Tony Liu directed a fair amount of these low budget action movies, and I like his visual style, he knows how to make his stars look good. (Though the worms eye view gets a bit over done here). Action Director Yuen Bo works within the style efficiently - they may not be the greatest fights (I prefer a little more brutal style), but they’re creative and look good. 

There’s also Tommy Wong and Chan Lau as bad guys, Carrie Ng as Moon and Oshima’s military boss, whose main purpose in these movies is to look sexy, vogue and stand akimbo. (I’m not sure who the girl is with the Bull Whip.) Oh and Betty Mak is the main she-boss and there’s an opening sequence where Moon Lee fights Gary Daniels, but it’s just a short battle that has nothing to really do with the movie. 

But what starts out as a really good action flick begins to dissolve a bit towards the last third. So much filler: the bad guys have to travel on foot through the jungle to their final destination and we watch. Moon and Oshima have to travel on foot after them and we watch. 

We get the point, it’s a bit of a hike. 

Add to that an annoying use of slow motion in the finale fights, and everyone with a gun being the worst shot ever (10,000 bullets for every one person hit) and you have what could’ve been a lot better, ending up not. 

It’s Moon Lee and Yukari Oshima - I’d watch it again - I just wish it could’ve been better. 

Image
Image
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

Love Massacre (Hong Kong, 1981) VHSdub 3.5/5
Set entirely in San Fransisco with an all Chinese cast, it starts off as a dramatic romance… in fact if not for the rather interesting cinematography I would’ve gotten a bit bored with it. The second third of the movie turns into a psychological game… and then it turns into an American style slasher movie!

Brigitte Lin’s roommate tries to kill herself because her boyfriend is somewhat cold, so Lin gets her brother to fly in to cheer her up. Lin herself falls in love with the brother, but he doesn’t turn out to be who she thinks. Things slowly build up until… well until he goes over the edge.

It has a very 70’s American horror movie feel to it… a realism that’s unsettling… and the largely unknown cast does an amazing job… it’s tough watching the killings….

They don’t make movies like this in Hong Kong… then or now… this is more of a mesh of Japanese and American styles… it’s not perfect, but it maybe deserves more notice than its gotten.

Image
Image
Image
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

Kung Fu Wonder Child (Hong Kong, 1986) dvd 3/5
The best thing about this comedy/supernatural/wuxia is of course Yukari Oshima - this is one of her earliest Hong Kong roles (actually Taiwan) - and she's just as entertaining here as she would be throughout her career (though not as colorful a character).

It has to do with her trying to find her father, and there's a bunch of other characters - some trying to help her - and others trying to keep secret a Super Powerful Wizard and his shenanigans. The special effects are cheesy but fun - it's like a cartoon come to life - with people flying around, ghosts, vampires, etc. If I had seen this as a kid, I'd have probably loved it, though as an adult it's all pretty amateurish and goofy.

Image
Image
Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

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

Post by HungFist »

Mothra vs. Godzilla (モスラ対ゴジラ) (Japan, 1964) [35mm] - 2.5/5
A bit duller and less colorful picture than Mothra, with less exotics and rather bland characters. The environmental message remains timely, sadly, and the battles between Mothra and Godzilla are quite intense.

The Most Suitable Profession for Women (女がいちばん似合う職業) (Japan, 1990) [DVD] - 3/5
Interesting, off-kilter neo noir with mentally off-the-rails detective Kaori Momoi entering relationship with murder suspect. It's neither lust nor a grand plan; she just ain't got all the Moomins in the valley and figures in her lonely misery that that might get the investigation moving. Charmingly odd film with director Naosuke Kurosawa's trademark city existentialism, more than a bit of Takashi Ishii influence (they collaborated on the Dream Crimes failure five years prior) and a great Momoi performance. And all the songs on the soundtrack are in French and… Arabian? Persian? I’m not sure. It still falls short of greatness by lacking consistency and a dynamic overall touch - the storyline especially is something of an excuse for mood and character segments - but the film's got several good scenes and it's pleasingly an unorthodox.

Image Image

the trailer is one of the best I've seen recently:
https://vimeo.com/341579769
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

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

Post by HungFist »

The Secret of the Urn (丹下左膳 飛燕居合斬り) (Japan, 1966) [35mm] - 2.5/5
Hideo Gosha's first Toei picture is below par in his otherwise gripping, visionary 60s filmography. He was reportedly brought in to breathe some final life into the out-of-fashion samurai film genre before Toei would pull off the cord and essentially cease samurai productions. He must have been given a very mediocre script to helm, in this case a new one-armed, one eyed swordsman Tange Sazen tale (the character dates back to the 1920s when he first appeared on screen; there were several Lady Sazen variations as well). Kinnosuke Nakamura stars; also one of his last samurai films before Toei brought the genre back with '78's Shogun's Samurai. Not bad, with plenty of action and some energetic touches, but nothing special either, though I'm unable to compare to the two dozen earlier film as I haven't seen any of them.

Gang of Men (男組) (Japan, 1975) [DVD] – 3/5
Part high school film, part prison flick, part karate actioner, all comic book movie. And it's got rugby too. Righteous delinquent Nagare Zenjiro (uncharismatic Masato Hoshi) spends the nights in youth prison and the days in high school at the request of desperate principal Hideo Murota who's hoping to bring some balance to the school terrorized by a high school gang. Mostly standard manga madness, but the fun part is that the gang is employing a bunch of miscellaneous of fighters, including Korean exchange student Bruce Lee. Also, throughout the film the hero wears (exceptionally manly) long handcuffs that do nothing to hinder him but rather function as weapons! There’s a nice upwards quality trend with best parts saved for the last. The karate finale on a rocky beach is unexpectedly good, with effort and excellent cinematography making up for Hoshi not being a martial arts star.

Image Image
User avatar
grim_tales
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 22071
Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
Location: St. Albans, UK

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

Post by grim_tales »

Kind of funny that he's not a star, as I think Hoshi means 'star' in Japanese :)
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

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

Post by HungFist »

grim_tales wrote: 14 Jun 2019, 21:38 Kind of funny that he's not a star, as I think Hoshi means 'star' in Japanese :)
I didn't come to think of that when I wrote that sentence :lol:

(though the joke only works for English speakers since "hoshi" only refers to the stars up in the sky; a movie star is simply "star" / スター).
User avatar
grim_tales
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 22071
Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
Location: St. Albans, UK

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

Post by grim_tales »

My bad, I didn't know that :oops: :D Thanks Hung :)
Killer Meteor
Hail the Judge!
Posts: 2350
Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05

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

Post by Killer Meteor »

The Blacksheep Affair (1998)

Probably the greatest achievement of Hong Kong Legends was giving the impression with their awesome music promo that this was the best damn HK movie ever. I mean, just take a look!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb6XOCOmXjA

But, other than the pretty damn good action scenes, this is very lame. Weak melodrama, pathetic attempts to create an international flavour result in an Eastern European setting where everyone speakings bad pidgin English, poor Shu Qi being utterly wasted, and a straight-to-video vibe that makes the whole things seem cheap and knocked off. Also contains a truly atrocios VFX moment where bad animated flame appear in front of obviously unharmed real life buildings. What happened to the art of scale models and stock footage?

Very symbolic of the colapse of HK moviemaking in the wake of the handover.

Oh well...

4/10
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

Drugs Fighters (Hong Kong, 1995) YouTube 2.5/5
Yuen Wah shows up at the beginning as a drug kingpin who escapes detection at the airport because he’s smarter than the cops. It’s almost as if his parts are two different filmed sections of the movie, though he does show up in the finale. 

The movie then gets into the action pretty quick, with Wah’s top boss (Ken Lo) and his gang fighting with the police, then getting captured, then getting broken out, then...one of the good things about being one of those quick cheapies, the action is nonstop throughout this part. 

But then, one of the BAD things about being one of those quick cheapies... the whole middle of the movie turns into a lot of boring exposition. I LIKE a good story on top of the action, but it’s NOT, and the acting is lame and filled with characters who aren’t interesting. 

When Yukari Oshima shows back up about the 50 minute mark we get a short fight/shoot out, but it’s just a tease as we then really have to wait for the final 15 minutes or so for the decent finale. Yukari isn't made up to be 'cute' here either. She wears a plain, red, unattractive cotton sweat suit through most of the movie. She does have a touching scene involving her very close male friend (no boy/girl romance for her) and then she gets to kick ass in the shorter than hoped ending. 

Her fight with Yuen Wah is short but sweet. NOT great, but fun when Yukari is on. 

Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

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

Post by HungFist »

Bloodstained Clan Honor (血染の代紋) (Japan, 1970) [35mm] - 2/5
Unusually bland Kinji Fukasaku film about the yakuza exploiting port slums in post war re-construction era. Fumio Watanabe is the rotten one, Bunta Sugawara an honourable boss who receives no thanks from the blind common folks to whom yakuza are all the same. Unlike most Fukasaku films, this movie proceeds at leisurely pace and plays out more like a ninkyo tale, only without the romantics and with very few points of interest. One of Fukasaku's least recognizable pictures. Unrecognizable is also the first of the film’s two theatrical posters which depicts (and credits) Tomisaburo Wakayama and Junko Fuji, neither one of whom are in the film. What happened?

Gang of Men: Delinquent Prison (男組 少年刑務所) (Japan, 1976) [DVD] – 2/5
Sequel/remake with new cast and director. The storyline is the same as last time with delinquent Hiroshi Tachi sent to a high school to fight an evil schoolboy gang (yes, my brain is still a bit confused about the logic). Then there's a new transfer student, a French speaking girl who worships Satan and holds black masses. And martial arts action. And rugby. Unfortunately the film doesn't focus on any of those enough. The martial arts scenes are run of the mill with some of the most blatant ignorance of continuity between shots in recent memory. And that’s despite Japan Action Club brought in to do them! But there are some delirious details and scenes, like the opening fight against sunset, human sacrificing for Satan, and Hiroshi Tachi, who is better than the previous film’s Masato Hoshi. Director Akihisa Okimoto only did a handful of films on his career, including the cool The Classroom of Terror (1976) and the miserable Yokohama Underworld: The Machine-Gun Dragon (1976).

Image Image
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

Angel Hunter (Hong Kong, 1992) dvd 2.5/5
Anthony Wong and Carry Ng run a religious cult and together recruit school girls, including smarty pants teen Vivian Chow (who was actually 25 at the time). The religious ceremonies are a hoot and they even name drop Anton LeVay in the movie.

A Hong Kong Cop and an ‘expert’ investigate. They soon find out it’s a sex cult. Vivian Chow even has a make out scene (!) and joins Wong and Ng for (an assumed) threesome.

It all gets pretty violent and intense near the end, and ultimately it’s not a bad movie. Ng and Chow just wouldn’t have been my choices for a movie about a sex cult. (They both come off looking sexy, but Ng's 'love' scenes are as coy as ever and Chow... it's just not even going to go there). I'm supposed to say Anthony Wong is charismatic as the cult leader, but I think he comes off as the goofiest part of the movie.

Image
Image
Image
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

Tiger on the Beat (Hong Kong, 1988) dvd 4/5
Chow Yun Fat stars in this HK classic as a lazy cop teamed up with pumped up do-gooder cop Conan Lee.  Obviously inspired by the American Buddy Cop movies of the same decade, it even straight out lifts a gag from one of my favorite U.S. movies from the genre, 1986’s Running Scared with Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines, with the ‘pants’ bit.

Nina Li (Jet Li’s real life wife) is sexy as hell throughout, but the scene where Chow Yun Fat beats her up, still makes me cringe. (It’s just a movie I remind myself).

It’s pretty non-stop entertainment from start to finish - the comedy isn’t too over done - and the action and fighting is top notch. Conan Lee and Gordon Liu, of course, contribute the most martial arts, but there’s a bunch of well known extras that contribute, and even Ti Lung has a scene where he gets to square off with Conan Lee. The finale is amazing and by the time you get to the legendary chainsaw fight between Conan Lee and Gordon Liu, you know you’re watching the type of movie you wished they still made in Hong Kong.

Image
Image
Image
Killer Meteor
Hail the Judge!
Posts: 2350
Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05

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

Post by Killer Meteor »

Apparently the HK public was none too keen on Nina.
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
Guro Taku
King of Beggars
Posts: 658
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 16:37

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

Post by Guro Taku »

Another (アナザー) (Japan, 2012) [BD] – 2/5
A middle school mystery flick based on a novel that was so popular it also spawned a manga and anime adaptation. There's nothing wrong with any of its technical aspects or the acting (nothing outstanding or noteworthy either) but I really don't care about middle school kids solving deadly urban legend mysteries.

Three Pretty Devils (三匹の牝蜂) (Japan, 1970) [DVD] - 2,5/5
A minor pinky violence film from Toei that I wasn't even aware of until recently. Junko Natsu arrives in Osaka and, thanks to her similar skills, falls in with a local gang of delinquent girls who rip off men. What plot exists revolves around the yakuza trying to recruit girls to pimp out at the Expo '70. Nothing on display here that hasn't been done better and in a more entertaining way in other, better, deservedly more well known films but you do get some nice footage from the above-mentioned Expo and also Junko Natsu telling Yusuf Osman (in Engrish) that "I rental my sister." So it's not entirely without its merits.
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

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

Post by HungFist »

Damn, Taku was faster... I had this already written when my laptop semi-exploded two days ago.

Three Pretty Devils (三匹の牝蜂) (Japan, 1970) [DVD] - 3/5
Enjoyable lightweight sukeban style film mostly void of violence, with Reiko Ohara, Yoko Ichiji (both very cute) and Daiei's Junko Natsu having fun fooling horny men out of their money. Lots of disco scenes, brief nudity courtesy of Ichiji, some yakuza elements with white suit Asao Koike whipping the girls, and don't forget to adjust your ears for some lovely Osaka accents (how accurate I have no idea) with Expo ‘70 serving as backdrop. Also features the always reliable Tsunehiko Watase, minor appearances by Yumiko Katayama, Osman "you interested in Japanese girls? Oh yes, of course" Yusuf and gay pop singer Peter (who had a pretty good voice). An obvious cinematic relative of Stray Cat Rock (even briefly featuring the wooden Akiko Wada) which Nikkatsu put out 5 weeks earlier, and Toei's own Delinquent Girl Boss, which followed two months later.

Image Image

The Settlement 2 (続決着) (Japan, 1968) [TV] - 2/5
Routine Teruo Ishii yakuza pot-boiler with lone wolf Teruo Yoshida and playboy Tatsuo Umemiya going against nasty Toru Abe. Professionally made, yet there is nothing particularly engaging or memorable about the picture, except Umemiya getting to do an ultra-emotional crying scene. Who wouldn't want to see that? A sequel to The Settlement, which I haven't seen.
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

Ivan Drago wrote: 21 Jun 2019, 17:52 Apparently the HK public was none too keen on Nina.
Why? She was hot. And just got hotter.
User avatar
chazgower01
King of Beggars
Posts: 522
Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19

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

Post by chazgower01 »

HungFist wrote: 23 Jun 2019, 15:31 Three Pretty Devils (三匹の牝蜂) (Japan, 1970) [DVD] - 3/5
Had no idea this was out on DVD...!!!
Post Reply