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

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 24 May 2005, 13:11

Daughter of Darkness 2 2/5

A few disturbing scenes here and there, and the lead woman certainly has a nice rack on her! But the tone of the film is far too imbalanced. From stupid, stupid, stupid hong kong humour to really quite disturbing and brutal stuff... just doesn't go at all. And was also really annoyed the large chested police woman didn't get them out at all... was hoping she would!

Collateral 3/5

Decent enough film. Quite good seeing Tom Cruise in a bad guy role. Alas there is nothing special about it, it is just a decent film.

Juliet In Love 2.5/5

Another average drama. Was ok, but nothing special at all. I remember Knetan stating that this was a brilliant film... He clearly likes his HK dramas more than I do!

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 24 May 2005, 23:25

"Juliet in Love" is a wonderful film. There is one scene in the film in which I think has prorbably had one of his best acting moment in his whole carreer until now. I gave this film 4/5.

As for "Collateral"... I like the fact, that a director, as established a Michael Mann, has shot this in HDTV for the sake of style. I also gave this film 4/5.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 25 May 2005, 01:40

I too thought that like most HK dramas Juliet in Love was overated. Because HK doesn't have a history of strong drama anytime something that even attempts drama comes along it tends to be feted beyond its worth. I love HK cinema but truly great dramas are few and far between.

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 25 May 2005, 09:27

"Juliet in Love" is a wonderful film. There is one scene in the film in which I think has prorbably had one of his best acting moment in his whole carreer until now. I gave this film 4/5.

What scene are you talking about?

Spiderman 2 4.5-5/5

This is one sequel that is truly better than it predecessor and is easily the best comic character(s) film I've seen to date. Perfect balance of action, cartoony-ness, humour, emotion and drama. The special effects are excellent, in fact pretty much everything about the film is excellent.

Speed 4/5

Another pretty damn good action film. Well paced and great to watch. One of Keanu's better roles IMO. Sandra Bullock's whining does get a bit irritating at times though.

Nowhere To Hide 1.5/5

I became so uninterested in this film while watching it I seriously considered switching it off, or fast forwarding to see if anything good was gonna happen. The marks it does get are from having quite a cool soundtrack and being rather stylish in the way it was filmed. Although that style was used a little to excess.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 25 May 2005, 09:44

Degen did you like Hitch-Hikers?

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 25 May 2005, 15:59

degeneration wrote: The Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy 3/5
Could have been better. If you don't know the books then there is a very good chance that the film will seem really strange and incoherent and a bit of a mess. Fortunately I have read the book so it only seemed strange and a little incoherent and still a bit of a mess.

A few changes were maybe made to keep the film in it a decent running time, but some other bits were removed/editted and made less funny. I'd have liked to have seen Prosser being talked into lying infront of the bulldozer... I'm guessing there has to be another film made in the series as this one didn't really seem to have an ending, and other bits were there when not needed (yet)!!

Anyway, still quite funny and worth a watch for fans.

so yeah, I did like it, but it could/should have been soooooooooooooooo much better.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 25 May 2005, 17:10

I agree completely

I agree about the ending too (if that was really it), stupid IMO.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 25 May 2005, 19:32

Tears of the Sun
3/5

Good action drama centred around the civil wars and resultant genocide in Africa.
Willis is a strong, commanding presence as the troop leader; Belluci surprisingly convincing as an unusually glamourous foreign aid doc.
The action is confined to points of the movie when necessary, and the violence is potent in its condemnation of the horrors of "war". In fact, if anything, it holds back a little.
Any Hollywood vehicle with a heart is not to be ignored.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 25 May 2005, 19:50

Did you see the Longer new dvd Markgway

or the old cut, I have no idea what the difference is mind you.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 25 May 2005, 23:42

Revenge of the Sith - 3/5
Saw it about 3 days ago at a decommissioned IMAX screen. Overall I enjoyed it.

Anyway the actions scenes were good. Acting was atrocious, aside from Ian McDiarmid and Frank Oz. Dialogue was badly written. CGI still looked cartoony.

Lucas has this magic ability to make otherwise fairly capable actors like McGregor and Portman into blocks of wood.

Man, Jimmy Smits has really let himself go since his NYPD Blue days.

I most've been the only one in the theatre laughing during the finale at Mustafah, the acting and dialogue was SO awful and cheesy. Definitely much much better than Ep1&2, but doesn't come close to Empire.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 26 May 2005, 00:03

degeneration wrote:Don't get how you mean it was pretty random?

That is where the main bad guy was from and that is where he had taken the sister who was undercover... they wen't there to get her back... what was random about that?

It seemed totally out of place and tacked on. Honestly the film should've stayed in the LA locale.

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 26 May 2005, 13:34

Perfect Blue (anime) 3/5

Not bad, but a tad confusing at time anime. Gather it has been made into a live action film as well, which I would like to see... just hope the lead actress is as well proportioned as the lead character in the anime!!! *drools at thought*

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 May 2005, 13:43

Markgway wrote:Good action drama centred around the civil wars and resultant genocide in Africa.

I can't help feeling a pure action film shouldn't be made about such subjects. It seems in bad taste IMO.

Imagine the furore if an action film was made out of the holocaust. It's no different in my book.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 26 May 2005, 14:07

Is Black Hawk Down a pure action film? What about Saving Private Ryan?
It can be done well, or badly (see nonsense like U-571).

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 26 May 2005, 18:40

romerojpg wrote:Did you see the Longer new dvd Markgway or the old cut, I have no idea what the difference is mind you.

I assume it was the old cut. It was on TV.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 26 May 2005, 18:42

degeneration wrote:Perfect Blue (anime) 3/5 Not bad, but a tad confusing at time anime. Gather it has been made into a live action film as well, which I would like to see... just hope the lead actress is as well proportioned as the lead character in the anime!!! *drools at thought*

I love the bubblegum pop theme song.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 26 May 2005, 18:45

bradavon wrote:I can't help feeling a pure action film shouldn't be made about such subjects. It seems in bad taste IMO. Imagine the furore if an action film was made out of the holocaust. It's no different in my book.

I see what you're saying, but in the film's defence it doesn't come across at all like the usual disposable exploitation that Hollywood produces. I can't remember who produced the film, but they seemed to respect the subject. In fact, I would hesitate to call this an action film at all (even thoug I did

). As Romero said: Is Shaving Ryan's Privates an action movie? No. And this is quite similar, but less ofeensive to me. Don't dismiss it out of hand, Brad.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 26 May 2005, 18:55

Its what life is like over there basically, HELL ON EARTH

the people are soo messed up that its crazy, murder for fun is a sick thing and thats what they do in the film, a lot as the Natives get a kick out of it seems and it gives little 9 year old boys with guns something to do

good job we dont live there.

The new cut of Tears of the Sun is apprently even more violent! crikey! I remember cutting off breasts with big knives and all that! hope we dont see more like that!, but this evil shit goes on and the film for me put it in the viewers face and I still have no idea why the film was slagged off so much

too much for the public I guess, a little too real and depressing.

A Stunt man was killed at the begging of the film! jumping from the plane! his shoot didnt open and bang,. he exploded on impact

the scene of them jumping didnt even need to be seen really as it was sooo short.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 27 May 2005, 02:29

romerojpg wrote:The new cut of Tears of the Sun is apprently even more violent! crikey! I remember cutting off breasts with big knives and all that! hope we dont see more like that!

I thought the theatrical cut was a bit too restrained. So I can see why a more violent version would be apt.

I still have no idea why the film was slagged off so much too much for the public I guess, a little too real and depressing.

Possibly. The right wing were expecting a gung-ho action movie which it isn't and the left probably never even watched as Bruce Willis was the star.

A Stunt man was killed at the begging of the film! jumping from the plane! his shoot didnt open and bang,. he exploded on impact the scene of them jumping didnt even need to be seen really as it was sooo short.

I didn't know that. Terrible.

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 27 May 2005, 05:17

Emperor of the Sea (K-TV Drama): Vol 1 - 4/5 <so far>

I'm actually only on episode 11 but I just wanted to write a quick review on my impressions so far. This is an excellent series. Great cast, great acting, great story, very well done action scenes, awesome soundtrack, its got it all. One thing I didn't realize about it at first was that its shot in digital video. Because of this, It does look alittle phony or "soap opera-ish" at times.. but it is so well done that this is easily forgivable. I just wish it had been shot in 35mm rather then HD.
I was very surprised at how good this is. More then worth checking out of you have any interest in foreign TV-Dramas.

My only regret about buying this is now i'm hooked and have to buy the other two volumes.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 28 May 2005, 14:32

Mark actually it was me who asked that question about Ryan's Privates, not Romero

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 29 May 2005, 15:00

Odd Couple - 4/5

Really enjoyed this a lot overall

I think a 12 cert was about right, can't think why the BBFC give similar films (eg Magnificent Butcher) an 18?

Great to see Sammo in his prime (with Lau Kar Wing from Warriors Two).

I preferred the action in the film to the comedy which perhaps doesnt really travel well with me (not here anyway), and slows the story down somewhat - true to form the annoying Dean Shek is here, playing the same character as he did in DM, Warriors Two, SITES etc.

The print used is very good. Was it a Fortune Star one?
The final fights (Sammo/Lau Kar Wing v the main bad guy and then v each other) are tops

Who's the guy with the buck teeth and funny haircut called "Potato"? Bey Logan says its Mars but I'm sure it was Peter Chan playing a similar role in Prodigal Son.

For some reason the HK trailer says Karl Maka directed the film??? (Thats what the subtitles said). I thought LKW was director, Maka was producer.

On the UK trailer they make another silly mistake by saying "From Sammo Hung and Lau-Kar Leung" - its his brother Lau Kar Wing!

Some of the music used in the menus is familliar - HKL use the Prodigsl Son menu theme, Zu Warriors trailer music and OUATIC 3 menu music.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 29 May 2005, 18:19

grim_tales wrote:can't think why the BBFC give similar films (eg Magnificent Butcher) an 18?

I think it was for Fung Hark On's sexually-motivated smothering murder of his Cousin that got this an '18'. A soft '18' for sure, but that's the only reason I can think of. In the US it was given a PG-13 (!)

Lau Kar Wing directed The Odd Couple.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 29 May 2005, 18:56

OK, thanks.

Yeah 18 for Mag Butcher sounds harsh IMO. Wasnt the old VHS a 15?

I always get confused with the different Laus.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 29 May 2005, 19:25

Millionaires Express 2.5 out of 5

Maybe I got the film wrong, but its reputation as a classic had me very excited, and the final product is far from great as its over an hour of comedy and endless set up, then about 25 minutes of action and for me that doesn't make the film a great one. If the film had some action all the way thru it, then yes it could have worked, but it just tried to hard to be hilarious and the action just came too late to save the film for me.

Saying all that I cannot say its a bad film, its just slightly unevenly paced.
The set up just took sooo long to get going as it had about 50 actors to cram into the film, and all them actors while I like most of them, the film just felt silly to stick them all in one film and only give them very minor cameos. Some of the stars were in for seconds and did absolutely nothing at all, which is a little sad to me as some of them are stars I want to see do something in a Sammo Hung film.
It felt kind of like a fun film to make, but to watch all these stars do there small thing was a little odd to me, less actors with more screen time for me could have saved it a lot as you didn't get to know many of the cast. I was fun to spot the stars at times, but really after about 50 familiar faces pop up its just too much for me and Star Overload sets in.

The comedy, well it was ok I guess. It made me chuckle a few times in places, but more jokes misfired than hit the mark, mainly as they did try too many and just sticking a certain star in a funny situation does not make it a funny thing to watch. Sammo can do funny, but it looked like he lost control of the film in places as it just got out of control with the cast really, too many stars spoil the film so to say.

The action was good. I must say some of it was great, but it just came too late in a film which needed the action dispersed across the entire running time and not cramming it all in the last section.
The fights were nice in places and Sammo got some nice scenes, but for me the Three Japanese Stars got the best work to do in the movie they shined and got more action time on screen than even Sammo did and all performed very well in the small roles they had and came off as very hard guys (and a lady). There was a lot of small fights at the end between many cast members, and most Fights satisfied me for my action lust after waiting so long. The stunts were also great and many people did some impressive jumps from very high places and landed very well considering how high they just jumped or fell. So in the action stakes the film definatly worked very well and its always nice to see stars fight good guys and bad from all over the world.

In the end the film was good and I liked it, but it was just not a film that flows well and it spent too long getting to the finale and that's just a shame for a film I had high expectations for, instead of thrilling me for the entire films running time it merely went along in a nice way and never really got me going until the end. Its nice to see all them actors in one film, so many classic actors, fight directors, Shaw Brother stars and general comedy characters, but in the end too much was packed into a short film. Maybe if it was 3 hours long it would have worked, but then there would have to be more action for sure.