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

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 13 Dec 2006, 11:22

hey,

nigh on perfect one from Lau Kar-leung. Noticed that there's barely any blood in the movie? All per Lau's message and really his stance was mostly the opposite in that regard compared to when working for Chang Cheh.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 13 Dec 2006, 11:28

Yeah, it's not very bloody is it? Eight Diagram Pole Fighter isnt too bloody either.
I suppose you wouldn't have a movie if husband and wife had just sat down and said "Can't we all just get along?"

Or agreed to disagree.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 13 Dec 2006, 12:00

hey,

Eight Diagram is more angry and somber which kind of made sense due to Fu Sheng's demise before the completion of the film.

dragonhero005 · Post by **dragonhero005** » 13 Dec 2006, 16:35

Juliet in Love

Good and quite moving drama by Wilson Yip, starring Francis Ng.
The movie, besides drama, also has some nice humour and good camerawork. Franis Ng's acting is really outstandig! What a great actor he is. I didn't know he was capable of playing such a dramatic "losers' role"

4/5

Rob-B-Hood (there could be spoilers...)

Finally, the new JC-movie. I really liked it and thought that it was a nice mixture between comedy, some action and even dramatic moments.
The movie for me works as a whole and there are not many JC-films that do so. There is not as much action as you could expect, but it's very imaginative and you really feel that Jackie had all the freedom he wanted. The actionscene in the appartment, the chasing sequence and the fighting sequence involving drums and many more were really great.
Nic Tse and Daniel Wu's appearances are very funny, although they could have left out the last "joke", if you can even call it that way.
I liked it.

4/5

My tip is to watch the theatrical cut, as the extra scenes in the extended cut ruin the pace.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 13 Dec 2006, 18:57

Violent Cop 4/5

Aye, sound min.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 13 Dec 2006, 22:23

Torchwood - Episode 9 - Random Shoes

4/5

Really liked the idea of this episode, a good character episode for Eugene, the idea that he is not only invisible, but dead after a hit and run accident, so he looks back on his life.

Interesting idea but a bit wierd at the end - the whole "friends having a laugh on a bid on e-bay" thing, I thought maybe "the alien eye" is some sort of power source? Is Eugene an alien?

However it seems RTD wants to make a soap rather than sci-fi

But I liked the questions in this episode, like what happens after death or what is our purpose in life.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 14 Dec 2006, 00:40

Fatal Contact (2006 / Wu Jing - Ronald Cheng): 3,75 / 5

Flawed but good.

I think that the tone of the film is what's wrong with it.
It starts as a light-hearted comedy, with some friendly fights and some funny bits, and then it goes into "serious tragedy"-mode without warning.

The non-action scenes are OK but nothing special. Gillian Chung lookalike Miki Yeung just isn't convincing enough. Thankfully, the interaction between Ronald Cheng and Wu Jing makes up for it (sort of).
+ The martial arts training scene is hilarious.

Most of the fights are just as annoying as in Gorgeous (controlled environment), but they are well-choregraphed (good use of Jackie Chan's double-cut editing technique, too).

The use of CG blood in the most important scene is just plain wrong, though.

But... no matter. Will buy the DVD.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 14 Dec 2006, 06:28

hey,

Run Don't Walk 3/5

Flawed but good here too.

Hong Kong remake of Three Fugitives (Nick Nolte, Martin Short) but spot on casting (Ti Lung, Richard Ng and the little girl from Wild Search) elevates this past some of its more uninspired jokes. Biggest asset is the heart displayed via its performers.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 14 Dec 2006, 17:10

The Uchoten Hotel aka The Wow-Choten Hotel aka Suite Dreams 3.5/5

Writer-director Koki Mitani's latest project focuses on the guests and staff of the prestigious Avanti Hotel, in the run up to New Year. We have over a dozen main characters trying to cope with a particular problem or scandal, ranging from a dishonest politician to a temperamental duck with a taste for human flesh. There is a lot of “cause and effect,” where the progress of a certain individual results in the hindrance of another. Mitani’s strength as a writer is competently exhibited by bridging so many characters and predicaments. He also has an eye for impeccable comedic timing, utilising dialogue and slapstick based humour. Hotel plays homage to more vintage style comedies; the familiar setting of a hotel with problems originating at the top and spiralling downwards is one that audiences can relate to. Moreover, Mitani repeats and underlying theme of chasing one’s dream, which is common with almost every character and is conveniently suited to the New Year setting. My only gripe is that Mitani tries to focus on too many characters; a few were simply “fillers” and subsequently had precious little resolved in the conclusion. Even with its fairly hefty 135m runtime, there were definitely a few loose ends.

The settings and locations do well to emphasise the expensive and grand nature of the hotel. We also have a nice swing-based soundtrack to give it the extra nostalgic finish. What really impressed me however, were the long takes that featured several performers talking and interacting with each another.

Hotel is quite an entertaining light-hearted comedy, which is far from perfect, but is great to watch – especially as the New Year is not too far away.

Blaizeyboy · Post by **Blaizeyboy** » 14 Dec 2006, 22:27

Dragon Tiger Gate - 3/5

Pretty to look at, with grand sets, a decent cast, but ultimately souless

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 14 Dec 2006, 22:34

But that top down fight was fun

the whole film was good, but by the end CGI had taken over. Still a good film mind you.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 14 Dec 2006, 22:52

at last!!!

Street Trash – 4 out of 5

After all these years of hearing about it. Seeing images of people melting, and feeling rather disturbed by them alone. Well I have now seen it and I can honestly say its not as bad as I expected, its sick stuff that’s for sure and to be honest its insane they can show stuff like this. That’s not the point, the film is superbly created, wonderfully filmed, well acted (yup amazingly so), colourful, well composed and bloody hilarious. What more could I have asked for from a bonafied cult classic that I had yet to see? Nothing really as it did everything I hoped for and then some.

Really it’s the kind of film you were warned about when you were younger, it could easily disturb a little un that’s for sure, but me now being a bit older I find the whole thing fun (well not all of it, the rape was nasty it has to be said). Its not hard to get caught up in the 80’s shlock horror and really like the film. I haven’t laughed so much at a scene in a long time as I did the cop and killer fight, which ends with the best vomit inducing scene ever (literally).

I couldn’t help but chuckle away at the insanity of it all and in your face grubby sicko images. The knob tossing scene truly is on another planet all together and its hard to believe anything like that being in any film, but it is in the right films that’s for sure as this is one twisted movie. The body melt scenes are impressive to watch happen in front of you as it’s a rare thing to see someone melting on the screen in such colourfully sick ways, defiantly not a film for granny on Christmas day that’s for sure.

Funny isn’t how I expected this film to be so when I started laughing a little here and there I was as surprised as you can imagine. The films double act of the bell boy and the gangster boss is truly hilarious and the end song over the credits is stunning with an amazing line in corny side splitting humour and its one hell of a way to end the films ferocious tone. Classic is the only way to describe the film I have rarely seen anything so well made and so nasty, I can see why it was banned for once and that isn’t why you must see it ,mind you. See it for the non-stop barrage of rib tickling comedy and gruesome gore shots.

I cannot say I have ever seen much like this, it’s a film that deserves to be seen by any horror connoisseur, or hell anyone who likes great films with a hint of something different. You probably have never seen anything like this before, I know I haven’t and hope there’s still a few more undiscovered mini masterpieces like this out there for me to see in my lifetime.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 15 Dec 2006, 10:26

Seven Swords 3/5

Above average, nothing special.

slasher13 · Post by **slasher13** » 15 Dec 2006, 12:09

Hey romerojpg, glad you enjoyed street trash again, it is a wicked movie, check out the documentary, it is soo good. Couldn't believe Bryan Singer is in it as well, he chatting about the knob scene. Granted the rape scene was shocking to me as well, kinda seeing all guys grop this own girl and take her away, but other than that the movie is simply brillant. Love the melting scenes, it is a shame this types of films have gone, but at least they will not be forgotten

Blaizeyboy · Post by **Blaizeyboy** » 15 Dec 2006, 14:59

Wait till your older' - 3.5/5

decent enough film, not as soppy as i thought it would be, even though its compared as a chinese version of 'Big', this films alot darker.

My main gripe, what the hell was that ending???

So, does the kid die in the end????

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 15 Dec 2006, 15:25

Sure does.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 15 Dec 2006, 16:52

slasher13 wrote:Hey romerojpg, glad you enjoyed street trash again, it is a wicked movie, check out the documentary, it is soo good. Couldn't believe Bryan Singer is in it as well, he chatting about the knob scene. Granted the rape scene was shocking to me as well, kinda seeing all guys grop this own girl and take her away, but other than that the movie is simply brillant. Love the melting scenes, it is a shame this types of films have gone, but at least they will not be forgotten

I watched all the extras and did the commentaries the next day

rather good stuff. The films got dvd justice too, which is always a good thing.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 15 Dec 2006, 18:28

Princess Blade 3.5/5

Very Kitamura... very Versus. Some of the side stories were boring though.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 15 Dec 2006, 18:46

Violent Cop ***.5

Vertigo *****

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 15 Dec 2006, 21:15

hey,

opps, Mark. Abandoning your 4 star system?

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 15 Dec 2006, 22:32

hey,

The First Time Is The Last Time 2.5/5

Ordinary, gritty women's prison film, helped along a little thanks to Carrie Ng and visual style. Contrary to the poster art, Andy Lau only has a supporting role, this being amongst his 15+ output from that year.

Mei Ah's 16:9 remaster has only fair damage, a lot of grain (works for the film) and sufficient everything else. Lacks subtitles for the voice over during the end credits (a common thing) but I read in John Charle's book that some prints stops the subtitling some 9 minutes before the movie is over even.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 15 Dec 2006, 23:18

hey,

Sandor slash Ida 3.5/5

No, not as vicious as it sounds.

"Just" a Swedish youth romance, about two very different people meeting online and falling in love. I like how it does go the route of portraying romance as something not falling all into place at once but also, these films doesn't have to be more complicated than this. if you're sincere enough, familiarity isn't a bad way to go.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0432044/

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 16 Dec 2006, 00:03

Rob-b-Hood 3.5/5

not as bad as i was expecting, the action was good, tho not the best i've seen. but louis koo was good. it was rather funny. and the kid was cute. but it was lacking the bad guy thing that peopel were talkign about. i'd like to see jackie play a really evil bastard for once. even though hes supposed to be a bad guy, hes not really.

but overall it wasnt too bad of a movie. certianbly better than i was hoping for.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 16 Dec 2006, 10:16

Casino Royale - 3.5/5
100* better than Die Another Day and a complete redeemer of the franchise after the aforementioned mess. Action scenes were well staged, exciting and grounded in reality. Craig was very good as Bond.

Le Chiffre was a good realistic villain. Glad that he didn't fall into the stereotypical OOT laughing villain mould - i.e. a leader of a terrorist group.

It was too long though IMO. I hate recent this trend where brain-dead blockbusters have become like 2.5 hours long.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 16 Dec 2006, 14:56

Duel 3.5/5

Decent but dated... be interesting to see the made-for-TV version.