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

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 21 Aug 2006, 19:50

School Excurion - 2/5
Some crap old Korean feelgood film. Nothing really wrong with it, just TV fare. The Chinese seem to pickup so many old worthless films like this.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 21 Aug 2006, 19:51

BiscLimpkit wrote:This dude can do no wrong.

If The Host is good it'll be his first good film.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 21 Aug 2006, 22:08

Nah Memories of Murder is a masterpiece. Yet to see Barking Dongs Never Bite.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 21 Aug 2006, 22:43

Down to Hell 4/5 (5/5 for effort)

Alright so it looks like something that you’d download on Youtube, but this low budget effort is amateur filmmaking at its finest. Armed with little more than a camera, a few mates and buckets of red paint, master of Japanese new-wave, Ryuhei Kitamura, directs and stars in his own pseudo-prequel to his cult hit, Versus. In Down to Hell, four thuggish killers kidnap and chase a defenceless man through a mysterious forest. After leaving their victim for dead, they soon realise that their prey is unwilling to rest in pieces. His rotting corpse is now in control and is determined to finish his killers off in the most brutal fashion.

Everything in this 45minute short film offers an early glimpse into what the man Kitamura is capable of, including the trademark off-axis angles, flashy camerawork, upbeat music and burst arteries. The budget is noticeably low but considering the circumstances, Kitamura’s team manage to secure an atmospheric and intense mood, in a sort of cheesy kind of way.

Admirers of this stylish filmmaker should be able to appreciate his early roots, which later developed him into the prolific director that he is today.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 21 Aug 2006, 22:58

Let's hope the Fortune Star release of Dragon Fist will be uncut and original language. I'm not sure if I'd keep it, but it's the best of the Lo Wei bunch.

Glad to hear Clerks II is so good, I had low expectations for this. But then I didn't like Dogma, so.....

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 21 Aug 2006, 23:15

the climax to clerks 2 is the funniest thing i've seen in ages,

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 22 Aug 2006, 00:41

BiscLimpkit wrote:Nah Memories of Murder is a masterpiece. Yet to see Barking Dongs Never Bite.

He ruined what could have been a decent thriller with the worst attempting at being political in history, overacting and melodrama.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 22 Aug 2006, 00:41

Platform - 3/5
Another mediocre mainland drama.

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 22 Aug 2006, 01:17

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 3/5

Well i can say i like this one more than the original, that used to scare the crap out of me as a kid... Johnny Depps character is a little...unfitting at times...plays quite a different Willy Wonka than Gene Wilder did. but its an interesting take on the character, Depps own unique stamp.

As for accuracy well thats a little off at points. Alot of creative license put into this. but the main story still holds out...

The oompa-loompas well they dont sing right! they got kinda upgraded and sang techno/heavy metal songs LOL! it was kinda funny but not as charming as in the first with the little poems they made up.

Willy Wonka just seems a little more evil in this one tho.

but overall a good film, the special effects are really quite good.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Aug 2006, 08:45

The Oompa Loompa songs in the Burton version were the same as Dahl's script in the book AFAIK. I liked both versions, though like you thought Depp's Wonka was just a bit TOO wierd, he lacked the charm of Wilder IMO. I have a soft spot for the 1971 version.

In this version, most of the quotes from Wonka were actually literary ones, and the only part of Dahl's script adhered to is during the boat scene (There's no earthly way of knowing/Of which the river's flowing/Is it raining/Is it snowing.. etc). I love the sets and Wilder's comic performance in that version. Mr. Salt (Roy Kinnear) is great too

Dahl hated the 1971 film, even though he wrote the screenplay himself.

Once Upon A Time In the West documentaries - An Opera of Violence, Wages of Sin - 4/5

Mark where did you hear Fortune Star are releasing Dragon Fist? I dont think I've seen many other Lo Wei JC films.

dragonhero005 · Post by **dragonhero005** » 22 Aug 2006, 09:32

grim_tales wrote:Mark where did you hear Fortune Star are releasing Dragon Fist? I dont think I've seen many other Lo Wei JC films.

Yeah! I'd also be interested in that. I've been waiting for decent Lo Wei - JC releases for ages!!!

Dragon Fist, was the first movie I owned on DVD by the way. It´s German title is "Dragon Hero". That's where I have my nickname from...

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Aug 2006, 09:37

I didnt know that, thanks

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 22 Aug 2006, 11:28

grim_tales wrote:Depp's Wonka was just a bit TOO wierd, he lacked the charm of Wilder

yeah he lacked the charm of Wilder...but i thought he had is own..child-like charm about him...but at times it didnt quite fit but not so often....

I have a soft spot for the 1971 version.

man i hated this version...i was like 4/5 when i first watched it and it scared me so much, with the river scene and everything...i hated it even since.... so i can understand Dahl's hatred of it

the only thing about the 2005 movie is theres ALOT of creative license going on.... like charlie not taking the bubble mixture..and squirrels instead of golden geese, veronica (enter last name) being a karate expert lol!

but i think its a good way to get this and the next generation back into the old classic movie, and book....

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Aug 2006, 11:42

I thought it was squirrels in the book.. can't remember.

Oh yeah Depp was charming, but creepier than Wilder.
Disappointed they took out the fizzy drinks bit.. and the ending of the 2005 film is different to the book, the father/son/dentist thing was unnecessary IMO.

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 22 Aug 2006, 11:46

dunno i never read the book

i was never that interested in Dahl as a kid...

depp was definatly creepier....but yeah the flashback thing was a little weird, i cant remember if that was in the first film, but i dont think it was.... its been a loong time since i ever watched it

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Aug 2006, 13:30

It wasn't in the first film. The subplot with Depp's father as a dentist definitely wasn't in the book.
I liked Wilder because at first he seems wierd/sinister but he's a nice guy underneath. With the 2005 film its almost the other way round, according to Charlie "and then he turned out to be not so nice".

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 Aug 2006, 14:35

Fortune Star have rights to all of Jackie's Lo Wei films.

Keung · Post by **Keung** » 22 Aug 2006, 14:46

Film: Install
Country: Japan

Rating: 3/5

Aya Ueto is lovely, it was a real change to see her doing comedy rather than chopping people up with a Katana.

Aya plays a 17 year old school girl named Asako. She decides to skip school one day and ponder about what she wants to do with her life. She meets up with horny little 10 year old, Aoki. He introduces her to the world of cybersex and teaches her to impersonate an older woman.

A few laughs here and there. I'll probably give it another watch sometime soon.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Aug 2006, 14:50

10 years old? Whoa!
At least its' a comedy.

Mark,
Thanks

Keung · Post by **Keung** » 22 Aug 2006, 14:55

Yea, 10! I was surprised too! What's rather amusing and what I'm quite envious about is: He gets to fondle Aya's breast! Lucky little sod!

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 22 Aug 2006, 14:56

Keung94 wrote:Film: Install

You have to HK dvd? If so, we could make a HK vs. R2J comparison

Keung · Post by **Keung** » 22 Aug 2006, 14:57

HungFist wrote:
Keung94 wrote:Film: Install
You have to HK dvd? If so, we could make a HK vs. R2J comparison

Yep, Universe HK DVD. Comparison sounds good to me!

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 22 Aug 2006, 14:59

Keung94 wrote:
HungFist wrote:
Keung94 wrote:Film: Install
You have to HK dvd? If so, we could make a HK vs. R2J comparison
Yep, Universe HK DVD. Comparison sounds good to me!

Great. You can post the first caps if that's okay with you.

Keung · Post by **Keung** » 22 Aug 2006, 14:59

Sure thing man.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Aug 2006, 16:27

Keung94 wrote:Yea, 10! I was surprised too! What's rather amusing and what I'm quite envious about is: He gets to fondle Aya's breast! Lucky little sod!