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

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 10 Aug 2007, 22:03

Seven Swords 4.5/5

I love this film. Nice violent action, quite a number of decent fight scenes and great entertainment. Had to watch something I knew was going to be good (I'd seen it before) after so many films that have failed to overly excite me recently!!

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 11 Aug 2007, 08:54

Knetan wrote:hey,

A Hero Never Dies is a cool flick, for us Johnnie To enthusiasts. Nothing quite like the coin flipping game in the bar, that speaks volumes and Lau Ching-wan dragging himself along on a little cart after losing his legs.

Totally agree. It's not one of To's best, but definitely worth to compete with his other films up there.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 11 Aug 2007, 18:11

Fall Guy – 4/5
This movie is simply terrific. Kinji Fukasaku’s 1982 film is a touching, ingenious and often hysterically funny drama comedy about the japanese movie industry. The performances are througly excellent (Morio Kazama’s acting in movie studio scene with Keiko Matsuzaka blew my mind) and the movie’s got a clever double structure. The story takes place at Toei Kyoto studios, and features some of their biggest stars, such as Sonny Chiba, Etsuko Shihomi and Hiroyuki Sanada, in cameo roles.

Vampire vs Vampire – 2,5/5
Lam Ching-Ying’s somewhat tiresome directorial debut is saved by the exhilarating last third. Other than the cool music in the opening credits the first hour or so doesn’t offer that much to get excited about. The jokes are mostly unfunny and there isn’t much originality. Ching-Ying’s presence of course saves a little and it’s hard to dislike a late 80’s high profile gyonsi film, but it’s the awesome last third that really makes the film worth seeing. The high flying action is very nicely choreographed, and the final vampire villain is pretty cool, too.

Truck Turner – 4/5
Excellent blaxploitation. Good action, cool score, nice car chase, stylish pimps, Isaac Hayes, Yaphet Kotto... and one truly ugly white cow (the only topless chick in the film)

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry – 3/5
Good use of cars but I would’ve preferred a few long chases instead of 15 short ones.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 12 Aug 2007, 00:53

King Boxer - 4.5/5

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 12 Aug 2007, 01:02

Bob Dylan in concert - 3.5/5
Had a good set list. Performed some classics from 60's that I'm familiar with, highlights for me included Desolation Row and Highway 61 Revisited off of Highway 61 Revisited; Masters of War off The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan; Rainy Day Women Nos.12 & 35 and Just Like a Wonman off Blonde on Blonde. A lot of stuff that I'm not familiar with, but it sounded good; kind of a lucky dip with someone with a back catalogue as vast as his.

Time had not been kind on his voice, he sounded more like Tom Waits than 1960's Bob Dylan, but that's to be expected from a man in his 60's. Overall it was a good show. Dylan has never been known for sounding good live anyway.

captainjoe · Post by **captainjoe** » 12 Aug 2007, 01:42

Rush Hour 3 - 2/5

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 12 Aug 2007, 11:44

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - 4.5/5

Now this is classic Disney. I can't believe I've never seen it properly all the way through (or dont remember it).
An amazing achievement for 1937. Contains some classic tunes that have become familliar and I knew from when I was little (Whistle While You Work, Heigh-Ho, Dig Dig Dig etc), and other Disney hallmarks, including cute woodland animals, comedy from the Dwarfs and a genuinely scary and evil villain in The Wicked Queen. Strangely, Prince Charming is a bit of a wimp compared with the magnificent Queen.
For some reason, even at 84 minutes the pacing seems a bit wrong and the Queen's deed with the apple is done very quickly at the end. It's still a classic though and a very important film in animation I feel.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 13 Aug 2007, 11:45

Confession of Pain - 3/5
I would have given it a 2.5, but I know that I will enjoy it more upon a rewatch.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Aug 2007, 13:36

Rush Hour 3: Poor, Poor, Poor.

You guys know I'm no fan of a lot of the so called Jackie classics but oh my god this film was poor. For an action comedy it must have decent action and funny comedy.

The action was dreadful for the most part to passable at best, Jackie wasn't even trying, the comedy faired a little better as I did laugh at Chris Tucker sometimes but overall the jokes were so lame. It looks like I wasn't joking about Tucker eating all the pies, man he's put on some weight from the last two instalments.

At least Rush Hour 1-2 had a perfectly acceptable story but the story here oh my god what were they thinking? It wasn't even a finish script as far as I was concerned, it was a first draft they couldn't be bothered to go and re-write.

Rush Hour 3 started off well. I did find Tucker dancing like Michael Jackson funny (and a few other Tucker gags) but otherwise what on earth were they thinking, this is not acceptable cinema.

And don't even get me started on Roman Polanski's French accent, needless to say it wasn't in the slightest bit French. Maybe that's how American's (or Ratner) thinks the French sound? Since when did French speak English? Whenever I've been to France they've flatly refused to ever speak it.

Oh and the finale was almost exactly the same as the one they did in Rush Hour, grrr.

Why on earth did Jackie's adopted brother have to be Japanese? I guess so they can throw in another Asian language for the fun of it.

My recommendation: Turn up at the 90 minute point and watch the outtakes as they're the best bits in the whole film, and they run during the credits.

Ratner has definitely milked the cow one step too far. The problem with films like this and Shrek 3 is that you cannot even say it was a disaster but that they're just so mediocre.

4 out of 10. I'm probably being too kind.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 13 Aug 2007, 20:06

Thanks Brad.
Can't wait to watch it, now.

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 14 Aug 2007, 18:19

Days Of Being Wild 2/5

wtf?!?!? I don't get some of this film. I think I followed most of it quite well. It is a bit abtract ish at times, but the general story about Leslie Cheung's character feuding with his adopted mother and trying to find his real parents, all the while leading girls on and not treating htem that well. Got that. Andy Lau's character meets one of hte girls by chance and likes her, got that. But Tony Leung's bit at the end where we see him getting ready to go out... I don't get that... that was the first time he'd appeared in the film, yes? I certainly don't remember seeing him in it prior to that. And that is the bit I don't get! What was the point of having a completely new character get dressed and ready to go out as the final shot of the film? Can someone who knows this film a little better please explain for me?!

Thanks.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 14 Aug 2007, 21:19

degeneration wrote:Days Of Being Wild 2/5

wtf?!?!? I don't get some of this film. I think I followed most of it quite well. It is a bit abtract ish at times, but the general story about Leslie Cheung's character feuding with his adopted mother and trying to find his real parents, all the while leading girls on and not treating htem that well. Got that. Andy Lau's character meets one of hte girls by chance and likes her, got that. But Tony Leung's bit at the end where we see him getting ready to go out... I don't get that... that was the first time he'd appeared in the film, yes? I certainly don't remember seeing him in it prior to that. And that is the bit I don't get! What was the point of having a completely new character get dressed and ready to go out as the final shot of the film? Can someone who knows this film a little better please explain for me?!

Thanks.

Tony Leung was supposed to have a bigger role in the movie I believe, but WKW cut out many scenes to just focus on Leslie's character and how he affected those around him...

Personally, I absolutely LOVE this film. It's my nr.1 movie of all time. It's such a great character study of an abandoned young, depressed man who is affraid of being left again, so as soon as he realizes he isnt 100% right for the girl, he quits the relationship.

Awesome awesome movie... and like all WKW movies, it takes a few viewings to really grow on you ...

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 14 Aug 2007, 21:26

Right, so if Tony Leung's scenes were basically all cut, why didn't he also cut the last scene as it was his only one in the film?!?!! To me it made absolutely no sense in the context of the whole film, or to have a character just randomly appear right at the very end...

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 14 Aug 2007, 23:58

Wong should have cut Leung's scene at the end. It's rendered pointless by the removal of his character elsewhere. When I first saw that scene I was like 'WTF' too? It's supposed to be the character he plays in 'In the Mood For Love'.

That aside I thought 'Days' was a very good film and probably Wong's best. Much better than the overrated Happy Together and Fallen Angels.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 15 Aug 2007, 12:39

Rush Hour 3: 1 / 5

Why aren't Jackie Chan and Tzi Ma speaking to each other in mandarin ?
Why is Tucker doing a Michael Jackson dance in the middle of the road ?
Why have Jackie's stunts been edited by an epileptic 4-year-old ?
Why is Soo-Young 15 years older than she was in Rush Hour 1 ? And why is she speaking to Jackie in english ?
And the asian guy (in the hospital) who only speaks french... French being the only language he knows, you'd assume he'd be able to speak it properly. But noooo...

I'd love to talk about the plot, but... there just isn't one.
This movie is just 5 or 6 scenes tied together with a very thin piece of string.
It's like Brett Ratner found a book called "How not to make a film" and followed it to the letter.

I'll give it half a point for Yvan Attal's cameo as the irritable taxi driver.
Also, good use of Serge Gainsbourg's "Bonnie and Clyde" song in the Geneviève cabaret scene.

But the rest is just ridiculous. Even the outtakes aren't funny.

Watched it. Did not like it.
Might not even buy the DVD.
I wish Jackie would just go home and start working on Armour of God 3 already.

Shen · Post by **Shen** » 15 Aug 2007, 13:13

you know not one person has given this a good review. im unsuprised seeing the other two and Ratners abitility to make films...oh wait he doesnt have that....(X-men 3 i know, but we all have flukes) cant wait for Armour of God 3 tho.

A good film from Ratner is like intelligent words from Bush, it just doesnt happen, and when it does, its someone elses work.

not even gonna waste £6 to see it in the cinema. i'll wait til i can get it elsewhere....

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 15 Aug 2007, 13:16

Brad wrote:don't even get me started on Roman Polanski's French accent, needless to say it wasn't in the slightest bit French.

Eh ?
You do know that Roman Polanski is more french than he is polish ?
He's spent most of his life here, and he's married to a french actress.
He probably speaks french better than I do and he knows how to do a french accent.

Brad wrote:Since when did French speak English? Whenever I've been to France they've flatly refused to ever speak it.

Most cab drivers in Paris know how to speak english. They kinda need to.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 15 Aug 2007, 14:37

Watched it. Did not like it.
Might not even buy the DVD.

Might?

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 15 Aug 2007, 14:41

tom2681 wrote:
Brad wrote:don't even get me started on Roman Polanski's French accent, needless to say it wasn't in the slightest bit French.

Eh ?
You do know that Roman Polanski is more french than he is polish ?
He's spent most of his life here, and he's married to a french actress.
He probably speaks french better than I do and he knows how to do a french accent.

This was already addressed days ago.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 15 Aug 2007, 15:23

Markgway wrote:Wong should have cut Leung's scene at the end. It's rendered pointless by the removal of his character elsewhere. When I first saw that scene I was like 'WTF' too? It's supposed to be the character he plays in 'In the Mood For Love'.

It does just about connect the three films together, which is pretty cool.

tom2681 wrote:Why aren't Jackie Chan and Tzi Ma speaking to each other in mandarin ?

That really narked me off too, it always does.

tom2681 wrote:Why is Tucker doing a Michael Jackson dance in the middle of the road ?

I thought that scene was great

tom2681 wrote:And the asian guy (in the hospital) who only speaks french... French being the only language he knows, you'd assume he'd be able to speak it properly. But noooo...

Add to that I don't believe for a second he cannot speak any Chinese language period.

tom2681 wrote:I'd love to talk about the plot, but... there just isn't one.
This movie is just 5 or 6 scenes tied together with a very thin piece of string.
It's like Brett Ratner found a book called "How not to make a film" and followed it to the letter.

LOL so true, but wait no doubt Romero will say it's not Ratner (as he's good) but all the scripts fault

tom2681 wrote:You do know that Roman Polanski is more french than he is polish ?

We've been all over that one in the Rush Hour 3 thread.

tom2681 wrote:and he knows how to do a french accent.

Not in RH3.

tom2681 wrote:Most cab drivers in Paris know how to speak english. They kinda need to.

I don't think I've ever been to Paris so will give you that one, but otherwise not in my experience.

Tom: Have you seen "Tell No One"? (Ne Le Dis à Personne)

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 15 Aug 2007, 18:59

The Fountain - 7-8/10

I liked this, but I will need more viewings to take it all in. I loved the way Aronofsky used chemical reaction shots for the special effects. I watched it on Blu-ray by the way; the UK Fox release is 1.85:1 compared to the American Warner 1.78:1, so that's good. The picture was a bit soft, but apparently that's the film.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 15 Aug 2007, 19:37

Bodyguard 2.5/5

Not one of Chiba's best but even his lesser movies are always good value.fast paced at under 90 minutes,the b.c.i. anamorphic print is ok but english dubbed only,i'd enjoy this more subtitled.

1408 2.5/5

This supernatural thriller starts off well setting up the plot nicely, unfortunately by the end it lapses into the usual scary movie cliches.Based on stephen king's short story Samuel l. jackson is excellent in his small role,John Cusack is also ok in the lead but the guy has a smug arrogance about him i can never take to.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 15 Aug 2007, 20:12

gasteropod wrote:The Fountain - 7-8/10

Isn't it just beautiful?

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 15 Aug 2007, 21:08

It sure is

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 15 Aug 2007, 22:10

Markgway wrote:Wong should have cut Leung's scene at the end. It's rendered pointless by the removal of his character elsewhere. When I first saw that scene I was like 'WTF' too? It's supposed to be the character he plays in 'In the Mood For Love'.

That aside I thought 'Days' was a very good film and probably Wong's best. Much better than the overrated Happy Together and Fallen Angels.

Happy Together is good. It's hard to get into, but it's about people who ar very attracted toe achother, but personalities and they way they want to live their life/romances, differ too much to stay together. If you've ever been in such a situation, you kinda recognize that dillema this movie portrays. The music is awesome and Leslie looks fucking cool.

I didnt care for Fallen Angels either. It's WKW and it looks and sounds pretty damn good... but it's hard to care for a movie when you dont care for any of the characters or their stories.
Plus they are all very hard to relate to. I could kinda relate to Leon's hitman-character, as his motivation for being a hitman was pretty good. But all the others were just too far out there in coockoo-land.