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

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 02 Nov 2006, 19:20

HungFist... you wanna trade something for it...? 8)

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 02 Nov 2006, 19:43

BiscLimpkit wrote:HungFist... you wanna trade something for it...? 8)

I'll let you know if manage to buy something I want to get rid of.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 02 Nov 2006, 21:36

The Departed - 4/5

Departed was extremely good (mostly) if too long IMO - Nicholson, Damon and DiCaprio are outstanding, the script is great esp. Nicholson and DiCaprio

This seemed more of a gangster picture compared to the cops n' Robbers film Infernal Affairs for some reason.

By the third act I became a bit restless, as the film went on I remembered parts from IA the Damon/Dicaprio confrontation on the roof is almost exactly the same as IA.
Nicholson = Eric Tsang, Damon = Andy Lau, Dicaprio = Tony Leung (right?)

The film was too long and should been at least half an hour shorter.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 02 Nov 2006, 22:10

So did you prefer IA over Departed?

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 02 Nov 2006, 22:38

Yeah probably, I'll have to watch IA again though Departed is still very good.

But how does Matt Damon's girlfriend figure out who he is and how the crime boss is? She doesn't even know him. That was a WTF moment for me when comparing that part to the one in IA. They also changed the ending in The Departed, so the Damon/Andy Lau character dies instead of getting away with it

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 02 Nov 2006, 22:50

And who told you that Mr. Grim?

My review: http://www.alexmccaffrey.com/Reviews/The%20Departed.htm

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 02 Nov 2006, 22:55

@grim

IIRC when she listens to the CD she hears Damon speaking to Nicholson, and about what theyare doing, she figures it out then

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 03 Nov 2006, 08:46

Thanks Brad.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 03 Nov 2006, 22:23

hey,

Danger Has Two Faces 1.5/5

Could've been all right exploration if it hadn't been for some awful comedy combined with the nasty gore (that eventually feels more goofy). Doesn't feel like Alex Cheung was steering this boat considering he made Man On The Brink a few years earlier.

Shaw's desperately trying to reel in the bucks by giving audiences exactly what they want....?

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 03 Nov 2006, 22:41

Seven Samurai 5/5
Finally watched this (love the 3 disc Criterion) and it is collosal in every sense of the word. Despite running at around 206mins, the film is actually suprisingly well paced. As with Rashomon, this film appears to contain various cinematic firsts, which have inspired the likes of John Woo and Mel Gibson. The storyline is intense, warm and ultimately tragic, ending on a sombre note. However, Kurosawa still manages to find uplifting moments amongst all the chaos. Simply stunning - now I need to hunt down more Kurosawa titles.

LOL @ the Criterion subs btw.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 03 Nov 2006, 22:53

Knetan wrote:Danger Has Two Faces 1.5/5

Great! It was just dispatched to me by CD WOW!.

Oh and bisc, what's up with the Criterion subs?

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 04 Nov 2006, 09:06

They make 16th century samurais sound like the MTV generation - using phrases like "Damn, get outta my way man" and "Those guys are crampin' my style" etc etc...

I'm not complaining, in fact it makes the film really easy to follow. But I was expecting something a little more shakespearean - especially as the language is quite old Japanese (even my Japanese friends had a hard time following this film).

brooce-leroy · Post by **brooce-leroy** » 04 Nov 2006, 10:40

Iron Monkey 4/5

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 04 Nov 2006, 11:38

Father Ted S1 - Eps 1-3.. 5/5

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 04 Nov 2006, 12:05

@KEN

By the way, I received "Danger Has Two Faces" this morning and was wondering which is the original language track.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 04 Nov 2006, 12:16

hey,

Cantonese fits very well (despite it being the 2nd track on the disc) and it was made in 1985 so...

Subs are timed to the Mandarin track however as evident by character names and some moments where they appear but no dialogue does on the Cantonese track. Minor dialogue however.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 04 Nov 2006, 13:49

Jadesoturi (Jade Warrior) – 3/5

About as good as I thought it would be. Entertaining, sometimes impressive but also lacking in some areas. Finding its inspiration from the Finnish folk lore sounded like a great idea, but the film itself doesn’t have that much to do with Kalevala. International audiences won’t realize how much potential was wasted, but Finnish viewers may be disappointed. There are another things that make up for it, though. Especially the gritty and somewhat realistic (most of the time) visual look feels more than a little refreshing in a fantasy film like this. The production design is top notch as well. Jadesoturi is also something so different from anything that has come out of Scandinavia before that it easily keeps the viewers interest from beginning to end.

Actors are mostly well chosen. Zhang Jingchu looks good as always, and seeing Markku Peltola throwing some kung fu moves is a hilariously memorable experience. I’m unable to judge how well Tommi Eronen does with his Mandarin lines, but his job sure wasn’t easy an easy one. We’re not talking about a few funny lines of foreign dialogue, were’re talking about hundreds of lines of dialogue in a language he can’t speak in real life. I do think his Mandarin was far better than Zhang Jingchu’s Finnish, though. She had four or five lines of Finnish dialogue, I only could make out of one word...

It should be mentioned that the film’s marketing campaign pretty much mispresents the film. Most of the film takes place in modern time, and also, if you go in expecting a non-stop action fest you’ll be severely disappointed. There’s very little action in the film, and calling this the first Finnish martial arts film is almost misleading. The fight at the end of the movies is however quite good, punchy and even surprising. The rest of the fights are over choreographed, over polished... think about Zhang Yimou going a step too far. Too much slow-motion, too much dance-like moves, and too much attempt to do characterization through martial arts moves... The director has more ambition than skill. But then again, this is his first movie, and something no finnish director has ever done before... Interesting to see what his next movie will be like.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 04 Nov 2006, 16:41

thelostdragon wrote:By the way, I received "Danger Has Two Faces" this morning and was wondering which is the original language track.

Almost certainly Cantonese..........

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 04 Nov 2006, 18:22

hey,

what I said....

Lover Of The Swindler 2/5

Starring Carina Lau and Tony Leung Ka-fai, there's evidence of a lighthearted caper comedy that would've benefited from coming to life much earlier. Pauline Wong's supporting role as a tough as nails cop would've made a terrific spin-off. Thanks Yuen Cheung-yan's action directing skills for that.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 05 Nov 2006, 00:43

Always Sanchone no Yuhi (aka Always Sunset on Third Street) 4.5/5 (2005)
Director: Takashi Yamazaki (Returner)

As I compiled my Japanese DVD shopping list, I had made a note that Always Sanchome no Yuhi (aka Always Sunset on Third Street) was available with English subtitles. It wasn’t even a title I had anticipated on purchasing but almost every Japanese I met had high praise for this film. The film’s theatrical poster mimics the style of old Japanese movies – quite fitting for a film that is almost entirely about nostalgia.

Set in post-world war Tokyo during the late 50’s, Always depicts the lives of a community facing radical modernisation and its subsequent social impact. Friends and family are reunited and others separated due to the advent of such technological breakthroughs as the TV, refrigerator and washing machine. The two main families live opposite each other on Third Street. The Suzukis employ a disappointed country schoolgirl, whose expectations are shattered upon discovering that she’ll be working in an auto-repair shop. On the other side lives Ryunosuke – a struggling writer who reluctantly adopts a young boy named Junnosuke. Together, their joys and hardships intertwine with various characters from the community, as everyone tries to cope with the rebirth of a new Tokyo.

Always is Japanese comedy-melodrama at its utmost finest. It honestly surpassed my expectations and is one of my favourite purchases of this year. The film is not really a history lesson, despite director Yamazaki going through considerable effort to recreate 1958 Tokyo. The CGI is plentiful yet subtle, convincingly setting the time and location without the need to distract the audience. The construction of the Tokyo Tower acts as a backdrop to monitor the city’s progress. At its core, Always is a nostalgic reminder of Japan’s powerful social integrity – if the entire community works hard together, everyone will move forward as one. The film has plenty of laughs and heart-felt sentimentality, thanks to some stunning performances from adults and children alike.

I cannot recommend this film enough – it is simply wonderful, both aesthetically and dramatically.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 05 Nov 2006, 01:20

Thanks Bisc.

*Downloading the movie now*

If it's half as good as Returner I'll be very happy.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 05 Nov 2006, 01:21

It's better. 8)

(And I loved Returner)

dragonhero005 · Post by **dragonhero005** » 05 Nov 2006, 16:40

Watched Election 2 again... this movie really brought me back into complete HK-film fanatism.
Now I want to see all of the other movies that came out in HK 2006.

and then... something from Korea
Friend

Nice movie about 4 friends and what they experienced together. I felt that the movie concentrated too much on the two of them which became gangsters. Well... it's the rivalry between those two, which is one of the main issues of this film, but I'd also liked it if it told us more about the 4th friend: the Bruce Lee fan.

Well... definitly a very good movie

3.5/5

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 05 Nov 2006, 19:49

hey,

A Bittersweet Life 3/5

I like Kim Ji-Wun and loved A Tale Of Two Sisters but his combo of over the top gangster violence, deadpan absurdities and heartfelt poignancy doesn't quite gel, especially when mixing in the latter. All questionably meaningful but still a fun, gory revenge saga.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 05 Nov 2006, 20:11

Knetan wrote:hey,

A Bittersweet Life 3/5

I like Kim Ji-Wun and loved A Tale Of Two Sisters but his combo of over the top gangster violence, deadpan absurdities and heartfelt poignancy doesn't quite gel, especially when mixing in the latter. All questionably meaningful but still a fun, gory revenge saga.

Kneten in Korean film shocker!