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

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 08 Nov 2006, 21:42

Brad wrote:A mark out of 4? Why even bother to give it a rating it doesn't tell you anything

I'm gonna start using the binary system myself.
It's either 0/1 or 1/1.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 08 Nov 2006, 22:30

Lucky Number Slevin 4.5/5

Woahoah man! Not since From Dusk till Dawn have I seen such a rapid genre change half-way through a movie.

Leaves you guessing all the time. Think you know what's happening? Doubt it.

Only thing is... it ends on a mushy note... it should've been a lot darker...

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 09 Nov 2006, 09:24

Degen isn't what you describe a common theme in some animés?

dragonhero005 · Post by **dragonhero005** » 09 Nov 2006, 15:05

Dragon Tiger Gate

I really don't understand many reviewers. To compare this to SPL, although it has the same director and main lead, is absolute rubbish, because both movies have got very different goals.
DTG is based on a comic, so you can't expect something serious or very touching. But you can expect something very entertaining, and that DTG mostly is.
A movie shouldn't be judged because of expectations, but of how it works. And for me this movie, bringing a comic to the screen, does work.
A lot could have been better and a lot could have been worse.

All in all, a nice and entertaining pop-corn flick

3/5

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 09 Nov 2006, 16:09

hey,

I think people are complaining that the action choreography is definitely a step down coming from Yen, employing editing techniques that confues rather than involves. Haven't seen it myself, have no desire to do so.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 10 Nov 2006, 02:12

I didn't think the action scenes were much of a step down for Yen. They're solid if unspectacular, and Yen hasn't exactly choreographed some of the greatest fight scenes of all time. He's a talented action director, for sure, but he's no Sammo, Lau Kar Leung, Yuen Wo Ping, Jackie Chan etc

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 10 Nov 2006, 02:16

The only difference is that they aren't as brutal and as "real" as they were in SPL. What most people don't seem to get is that there is no competition between the two films. They are two different films, with totally different themes and hence different styles of fighting scenes.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 10 Nov 2006, 05:40

hey,

that is true, that reviewers do take an unfair stance of expectations towards this new style of film from Yip and that is indeed foolish (it would be like me expecting Juliet In Love-quality drama). Still, and this may be contradictory in every sense of the word coming from me, this project even beforehand never arose interest with me (am no big fan of comics for starters) and if I do see it, it won't be anytime soon. At best, a rental. Heck, even if it had had Francis Ng, I would be hesitant!

Your line about it being better than Stormriders, A Man Called Hero and the likes was slightly encouraging though, Matt.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 10 Nov 2006, 10:58

thelostdragon wrote:The only difference is that they aren't as brutal and as "real" as they were in SPL. What most people don't seem to get is that there is no competition between the two films. They are two different films, with totally different themes and hence different styles of fighting scenes.

Agreed, it's not like they've plucked some little known comic book from obscurity, Dragon & Tiger Gate is a big deal in HK and Yip/Yen must've been obligated to not stray too far from the tone of the comics (although they have changed a fair bit it seems). I mean, would people over here accept a gruesome, moody, melodramatic adaptation of Spiderman?

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 10 Nov 2006, 13:59

Game of Death 2 Audio Commentary - 5/5

One of the best HKL commentaries ever IMO

dragonhero005 · Post by **dragonhero005** » 10 Nov 2006, 16:40

thelostdragon wrote:The only difference is that they aren't as brutal and as "real" as they were in SPL. What most people don't seem to get is that there is no competition between the two films. They are two different films, with totally different themes and hence different styles of fighting scenes.

Hey! That's the thing I wanted to say.

I absolutly agree with you!

Knetan wrote:I think people are complaining that the action choreography is definitely a step down coming from Yen, employing editing techniques that confues rather than involves. Haven't seen it myself, have no desire to do so.

If you ask me this is no step down from Donnie. He made Nicolas Tse a believable (super-)kicker and even Shawn Yue doesn't look very bad in the action scenes. I really enjoyed them and think that he and his team used lots of interesting angles and double cuts that rather involve than confuse.

To my mind Donny did a great job on this. A far bigger problem he has is his acting that really is a step down from his acting in SPL...

Keung · Post by **Keung** » 10 Nov 2006, 17:26

grim_tales wrote:Game of Death 2 Audio Commentary - 5/5

One of the best HKL commentaries ever IMO

Totally agree with you there Grim. Roy is an amazing guy!

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 10 Nov 2006, 18:44

hey,

Love And The City 1/5

Jeff Lau has proven he can score with wacky comedy but turning his attention to romance equals complete disaster. Manipulative to the max with a constant score and rampant voice over, there's not enough space here to list the peculiar narrative choices taken by Lau. Sure this package does resemble a fantasy but that's Lau living in his, pretending he knows this genre. Not even Wu Chien-Lien can save this one but she's still the most affecting aspect of the film.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 10 Nov 2006, 19:03

Keung94 wrote:
grim_tales wrote:Game of Death 2 Audio Commentary - 5/5

One of the best HKL commentaries ever IMO
Totally agree with you there Grim. Roy is an amazing guy!

I really like the film!

Cheesy yes but the fights are great!

In some ways I actually preferred it to Game of Death as all that has going for it is the last 20 minutes.

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 10 Nov 2006, 22:22

Clueless 2/5

man so stupid, i was cringing and the immature nature of this film. absolute waste of time and effort. come on this film is terrible, shooping sex and popularity, pretty bog standard hollywood teen flick. you'd have to be absolutley clueless to enjoy this film.

Dazed and Confused 0.5/5
absoulte nihlism, utter crap...no story, no point, no moral, no action, no entertainment, NOTHING excpet kids getting stoned and their asses whacked with cricket bats....yeah great movie...not, felt like my IQ dropped 20 points just by watching this total shite. i could've stayed in bed for another few hours instead of getting up at 7:15 am to make the class in which we watching this piece of crap. and mark...impressed? it was utter shite...completley nihlistic, im not even impressed as how someone can think of making this kind of film, more confused as to such lack of intelligence.

The Prestige 3.5/5

Pretty good film, i have always been interested in Nikolas Teslas work so to have it included in the film was awesome. i didnt recognize David Bowie as Tesla actually, which was interesting, however Andy Serkis, he still looks like Gollum!!! especially when he smiles...added some humour to the film, for me anyway.

overall the story wasnt bad, good twist at the end and all, the execution of the plot was quite good. the relationships between the characters and "secrets" was done rather well. so that it is not apparent until the end, tho subtle clues are given its rather unexpected. pretty good movie.

the effects from Tesla's stuff was really great, quite convincing when you see photographs of his real works. again to have his genius included into a film is really cool.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 10 Nov 2006, 22:39

hey,

The Adventurers 2/5

Entertaining and at times intensely violent but this commercial vehicle by Ringo Lam and for Andy Lau reeks of disinterest from a director who did it better before. At least he returned to Hong Kong in style a few years later. Kudos for Wu Chien-Lien being Wu Chien-Lien and Rosamund Kwan is quite evil in her small role.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 11 Nov 2006, 00:54

Dazed and Confused 0.5/5
absoulte nihlism, utter crap...no story, no point, no moral, no action, no entertainment, NOTHING excpet kids getting stoned and their asses whacked with cricket bats....yeah great movie...not, felt like my IQ dropped 20 points just by watching this total shite. i could've stayed in bed for another few hours instead of getting up at 7:15 am to make the class in which we watching this piece of crap. and mark...impressed? it was utter shite...completley nihlistic, im not even impressed as how someone can think of making this kind of film, more confused as to such lack of intelligence.

SPEECHLESS!!!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 11 Nov 2006, 00:56

FOR SHEN:

http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/dazed_and_confused/

I'm not alone!!

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 11 Nov 2006, 00:59

i know your not alone, most of the people in my class liked it. and im am utterly confused at that...nothing happened, it was boring as hell, nihlistic beyond belief. i dont even call it a movie, its nothing just shite..i was going the buythe dvd but not a chance, i wouldnt let someone give me this film for free, they couldnt pay enough money to take it. utter crap, woo kids getting stoned, such a great movie, you have to be stoned to enjoy it...

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 11 Nov 2006, 02:59

Hahahaha!!!

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 11 Nov 2006, 07:46

hey,

2001 Maniacs 3/5

Remake of HG Lewis giddy and demented cult film and it's about on par in terms of acting and plot. However the creativity still has a place, only this time the effects are much, much more expensive. Gorehounds should like this. I know I did. Robert Englund, Lin Shaye and Peter Stormare are the only recognizeable players to my eyes.

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 11 Nov 2006, 09:56

SPL 2.5/5

SOme decent fights are what brings this up to average. Other than that a pretty hammed up, cheesey film. If this is HK's answer to the Thai martial art film surge, then I'm putting all my money on Thailand.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 11 Nov 2006, 10:16

hey,

I know Donnie Yen expressed trying to answer to Ong Bak but in the end SPL plays more like a thriller for me with a few brutal fights. I like.

Cabin Fever 2/5

Neither scary or disgusting for a good hour but displays all the narrative skills and "drama" you need for the genre (which is fine in reality), final 30 takes a welcome more grisly and humerous turn. But I don't feel Eli Roth could yet be considered the next big thing although it's welcome to give us a throwback to genre pieces done in the past.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 11 Nov 2006, 12:02

You must've found it funny at least? I thought Cavin Fever and Hostel were comedies with a bit of blood and gore in there somewhere... like Scary Movie.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 11 Nov 2006, 12:11

hey,

I did write humerous turn for a reason.

Yea, I like the absurdities that Roth hurled at us in between the bodyhorror.