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

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 28 Oct 2006, 07:06

hey,

Bloody Friday 3/5

This serial killer chase movie was a surprise. Despite the low-budget, Danny Ko has an eye for chilling violence, which he delivers in spades while also getting solid performances from Simon Yam in particular.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 28 Oct 2006, 10:33

hey,

Imprint (Masters Of Horror - Takashi Miike) 2/5

The ever personable Takashi Miike may not stretch his limits of just how much freaky shit he can put into a movie but suffice to say, what's on display in Imprint is pretty harsh and tough to watch. Competent visually but I wish I could say this assault meant anything story-wise. It's hard to connect, especiallt since the Japanese performers unfortunately are saddled with English dialogue. Then again, this may only be conciously design to repulse so a job well done then.

For me personally, Takashi Miike's forté lies in his warped sense of humour and low-key act so I've not had any life changing experiences with his more graphic stuff.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 28 Oct 2006, 16:27

Dragon Tiger Gate – 3/5
Excellent first 20 minutes. The fight at the Japanese restaurant almost made me hoping fot another S.P.L. After that the film gets weaker and so do the fights. Some good scenes here and there but nothing too great. The final fight is a surprisinly lame with heavy CGI work. And I have disagree with some people here; Donnie and Shawn deliver the hightlights, Nic was in the wrong movie.

Cash Calls Hell – 4,5/5
A definitive proof that Hideo Gosha is indeed one of the greatest Japanese directors of all time. A japanese film noir movie with a well strucked plot and absolutely gorgeous cinematography/images. I wonder if Chan-wook Park was influenced by this film. SFLV comes to mind more than once while watching this. Both directors are equally talented when it comes to visuals, that’s for sure.

Bandit vs Samurai Squad – 3,5/5
Impressive epic by Gosha, but unfortunately falls apart during the last 15 minutes. There’s maybe too many important characters as well. I think the film might be (even) more enjoyable on the second viewing when you already know the characters. Nevertheless, it’s a very good film with a memorable epic story, charismatic actors, good soundtrack and decent action. Also features one of my favourite scenes/shots from all Gosha films... Still, probably the worst Gosha I’ve seen so far.

Fearless – 4/5
I live in a small town that has only one movie theater. And they got Fearless... Fucking amazing. Excellent film, too. Jet Li is no Marlon Brando but he’s convincing enough to star in a more serious martial arts epic like this. The movie comes close to being overly sentimential but luckily doesn’t cross the line. Yuen Woo Ping’s action choreography is once again excellent even though not excessively original.

Psycho (orig.) – 4/5
Excellent film, however the first half works better than the second.

Psycho 2 – 4/5
What a surprise. I thought this would suck. Sad, beautiful, humoristic, macabre... everything a good horror movie should be. A little bit rough on the edges when it comes to story/characters, and the opening scene is utterly needless. Everything else is fine.

Psycho 3 – 3/5
I may be over-rating this a bit, but despite all the flaws this is a rather enjoyable horror film. Especially when you compare it to some 90’s teen horror crap... The theme music is so terrific it actually raises the rating by half a star.

slasher13 · Post by **slasher13** » 29 Oct 2006, 00:29

Just came back from watching Saw 3 - 5/5
Hope they end with this movie, they really should do, its a brutal ending to a series which I loved, from it small beginning in Saw to this finale. All stories tie but for an ending you really don't see coming. It great, the gore is excellent, and the story is very cool indeed. Its a bit too brutal I think, especially the ending, and love to see if they will bring out a director cut (i can't see how can they add any more gore to that, as it pretty strong stuff).

Overall for an finale of Jigsaw and Tobin Bell, this is highly recommended and a classic horror series

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 29 Oct 2006, 11:25

The Matador 4/5
Awesome, funny and spectacular at the same time...

I don't think anyone here has seen it (or even heard of it) but Pierce Brosnan is hilarious. Check it out if you can be assed.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 29 Oct 2006, 11:46

Cheap Love 0/5 (Starring Takashi Sorimachi)
This is, without a doubt, the worst J-dorama I've ever seen. It is so absurd and I've seen street children who can act better than these clowns. I now understand why the entire population of Japan thinks that Takashi "GTO" Sorimachi is a tool. Here's a rough plot summary:

Sorimachi plays Junichi, a scout who hunts women to work in a sleazy hostess bar. He meets a bored yet respectable teacher, who uses him for sex. Furious, he arranges for her to be raped but she immediately forgives him and eventually falls completely in love with him. That's pretty much it...

This Jdorama is so shit, that I refuse to watch anything starring the other cast members. May anyone who worked on this be cursed for all eternity.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 29 Oct 2006, 19:01

BiscLimpkit wrote:This Jdorama is so shit, that I refuse to watch anything starring the other cast members. May anyone who worked on this be cursed for all eternity.

Noooo don't say that! I agree with teh comments that Cheap Love's a bag of shit, but don't give up on the cast! Lead Mayu Tsuruta isn't a particularly great actress but she one of the stars in the excellent Farewell Mr.Premier and Ikki Sawamura (the pyscho salaryman) has appeared in his fair share of decent shows as well (Shotgun Wedding, Narita Rikon, Gokusen) he's also in the Hotaru no Haka tv-film

. Plus, pretty much every Jdorama Takashi Sorimachi starred in before Cheap Love is worth checking out, with Beach Boys being by far his best show.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 29 Oct 2006, 19:41

Thank god you're here to return me to my senses. I will hunt down those J-doramas immediately.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 29 Oct 2006, 20:48

hey,

Her Fatal Ways IV - 2.5/5

liked this better than III as Carol Cheng is less annoying this time. Good balance between being what she was prior and the delightful innocence she plays to Series lost steem after the sequel though.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 29 Oct 2006, 22:33

There is a part 4? Wow! I couldn't even get through the first one. It took me three sessions to get to the point where only 10 minutes of the film are left. Still haven't finished watching it. The DVD case is still on my player ever since I got it.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 30 Oct 2006, 05:51

hey,

obviously a local film in intent but especially the first two parts are quite fun. Synch sounds adds a professional atmosphere and the various banter between the Mainlanders and Hongkies definitely reaches us to a certain dgeree. Plus Do Do kicks butt ocassionally.

The unsung hero of the sequel is Michael Chow.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 30 Oct 2006, 11:05

You know, I had a problem with the sterotyping of the Mainland characters. Obviously HK people make a lot of fun of them and it showed in the movie. It all went into the direction of a message that says, "Hey, those Mainlanders can be ok if they start acting normal."

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 30 Oct 2006, 20:00

hey,

Hard Touching 2/5

Direct to video crap from Danny Lee's Magnum but as clichéd and poorly stylized as the film is, its short running is easy to get through and ocasionally some gory violence ranks as worthwhile. Alex Fong dones the supercop role in a confident manner.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 30 Oct 2006, 21:05

Once Upon A Time In Highschool - 3/5

Not quite what I was expecting & a little too sentimental in places, but a decent enough performance from the main cast held it together. I was expecting a little more action (the trailer makes it out to be an action film!) but it was more of a romance story with added bits of violence.

Worth a watch...

brooce-leroy · Post by **brooce-leroy** » 30 Oct 2006, 21:40

Tiger cage 2

film: 2/5

martial arts 4/5

I watched this again yesterday, as I wanted to see some vintage Donnie Yen after Dragon Tiger Gate. It's all part of the charm of the 80s D&B movies I guess, but if you take away the action scenes it would be the silliest film ever.

Packed full of terrible acting, implausible moments and cheesy humour. Donnie Yen is the worst culprit, with his only two forms of expression being rage or exasperation (mostly at the antics of the cliched thankless female role essayed by Rosamund Kwan). Despite all that, I still love it.

P.S my favourite silly moment is when Donnie's police buddy knocks him out in the ambulance with one single punch(!), he is wrongly abducted from hospital by the bad guys, who then throw him out of the ambulance. He then doesn't wake up until what seems like 6 hours later, and just gets up and walks off with a blank look on his face.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 30 Oct 2006, 22:25

The Da Vinci Code Extended Cut 4.5/5
I don't know what film the critics were watching, as I thought this was spectacular. Only thing is they miss out the fact that Sophie's brother is still alive. It was implied in the book.... oh well.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 30 Oct 2006, 23:38

Dog Bite Dog (Soi Cheang - 2006): 4,75 / 5

Darkest thriller I've ever seen.
Kinda like a Cat III cross between Purple Storm and One Nite in Mongkok.
+ Edison Chen and Sam Lee in top form.
+ Awesome and quite unexpected climax.

Somehow I doubt that the near-constant stutter throughout the film was a stylistic choice, though.
That DVD is seriously fucked-up.

I hope Joy Sales have fixed it on the 2-disc edition.

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 31 Oct 2006, 00:26

The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition 4.5/5

wow, so much mroe depth to the film with that extra footage. the music is awesome, and the extra stuff really gives a better picture, my father enjoys this more as it adheres more closely to the book (havent yet read them so im taking his word for it) cant wait to watch the other two...it is a little long, but then it has the advantage of being able to pause the film...

the only thing that bugged me was my aunt, she wanted to watch it, but found it "boring" (god knows how) and fell asleep, i hate it when people are like "im watching it" with your eyes closed :\ then expects me to explain whats happened in it...it really does get on my nerves.

but great film.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 31 Oct 2006, 00:34

tom2681 wrote:I hope Joy Sales have fixed it on the 2-disc edition.

They have.

Ein Freund von mir - 4/5
New German movie I watched at the theatre today. The only filmed in which I liked Daniel Brühl. His character, Karl, is a depressed guy who works at an insurance company. One day his boss tells him to go undercover at a car rental. This is where he meets Hans (Jürgen Vogel as awesome as always) who changes the young man's life as he shows him how to enjoy life.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 31 Oct 2006, 08:03

Bill Bailey: Part Troll

I have seen this a few times I know, but I still loved it

Absoloutely hilarious

Love the songs.

5/5

dragonhero005 · Post by **dragonhero005** » 31 Oct 2006, 15:52

7 Zwerge: Der Wald ist nicht genug

Part two of a very silly parody on all kinds of farytales, with the great comedian Otto Waalkes in one of the leading roles.
I think that was pretty much one of the worst movies I've seen this year... cause it's even too silly for me.

1.5/5

Lost in Time

Wow! Gotta see more of Derek Yee's films. This one really blew me away.
Very touching.

4.5/5

Election 2

Just watched this one. I agree with most people's opinion. It's better than the first... but: it would have been impossible without the first part, which introduced us to this dark triad world. Compared to the first part it's more thrilling, easier to follow and even more brutal.
After Election 1, I thought it would be a bad idea to make a second one... Now I'd even like to see a 3rd part.

4/5

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 31 Oct 2006, 19:13

hey,

Madam City Hunter 2/5

No, I didn't spot a connection but what I did see was a juggling act between grating nonsense and Yuen Clan action done in a welcome over the top way.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 01 Nov 2006, 00:35

Ken, life must suck with so many bad movies recently. How about giving a good Korean film a try?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 01 Nov 2006, 00:38

Ken, don't be tempted by the dark side.....................

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 01 Nov 2006, 05:10

hey,

fuck Korean cinema! Hong Kong crap is what makes the the world go round!

Let's just say that the latest movies watched didn't cost much to obtain.