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

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 07 Jan 2006, 15:04

If Arnie hadn't become Governor, I'm sure Total Recall 2 would of been shot. That would have been cool to see

Yes thats' right, he really does act out the secret agent part in the film. Everything fits, like how Rachel Ticotin looks

Wasn't his memory really erased then?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 07 Jan 2006, 15:26

His memory was erased once to create Doug Quaid. When Doug goes to Rekall to get an implant they uncover the fact that he's been there before....

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 07 Jan 2006, 15:27

Aaah

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 07 Jan 2006, 17:39

Fist of the North Star (1986) 4/5

Great anime movie let down by a naff ending. It's basically a really condensed version of the series. However thanks to Manga's dodgy treatment of the series (which appears to be no longer available), I'm not 100% sure what's going on exactly. A new anime movie (sequel?) is due for a Japanese release soon.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 07 Jan 2006, 18:06

What version of FOTNS did HKL release?

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 07 Jan 2006, 20:21

HKL released the 1995 live action remake, which was so guff that I'm embarassed to think about it.

Tigercage will tell you that he enjoyed it however.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 07 Jan 2006, 22:53

Reign of Fire 3/5

Aye decent enough to watch but I find their 'one male dragon' theory kinda weak. Is there any other species where they have just one male? Unless they mean like one male per region... hmmm

Also it was weird hearing Christian Bale in a non-American accent. Even though ironically, he's not American.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 08 Jan 2006, 00:48

My Little Bride : 4/5

It's very difficult to find good korean melodramas nowadays.
Most of them are either too melodramatic or too serious.

My Little Bride however is a very funny little melodramatic comedy that makes good use of its actors and its plot.
+ Moon Geun-Yeong is soooo kyoote !

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 08 Jan 2006, 00:59

HKL did not acctually release a A Fist of North Star film, it was Medusa a seperate entity really not under the HKL banner

still a quality dvd. I sold my ex rental FOTNS video years back for about 50 quid! thats how rare it was back then

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 08 Jan 2006, 11:27

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance - 4/5
Not as good as "OldBoy", but maybe I need to give this another go. I thought the black and white fading would make sense in terms of the progressing of the film's plot, but I can't see why now. Park Chan-wook made a great use of colours again and the visuals he created are stunning as usual again. However, his latest film is also the one that serves the style-over-substance-aspect the most. I'm not saying there is no substance in the film, but why for example is it necessary to show them singing 'Happy Birthday' in the bakery after Mr. Baek has been killed? What does that add to the whole film apart from showing that they are sick people? Did Park want to say that revenge in such a manner is indeed for the sick people only?

However, I loved the jokes in this film and more importantly the fact that it was a Park Chan-wook-film again that gave me goosebumps. I suffered with the protagonist which only a few movies can make me do.

Love the flashback scenes where she is taken into custody and Choi Min-sik stands on that hill with the baby. Also love the scene where she decides between the green and brown pillow and then that guy shows her which pillow to use by pointing to his watch. Who was he btw?

Awesome cameo by Song Kang-ho, by the way.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 08 Jan 2006, 13:19

Awesome cameo by Song Kang-ho, by the way.

And Shin Ha-Gyun (Ryu from Mr Vengeance), and Yoo Ji-Tae (Woo-Jin from OldBoy).

apart from showing that they are sick people ?

Why are they sick ?
He's taken many lives, the only way to make him pay is to torture him and kill him. There is nothing unnatural about that.
Forgiveness is a western hypocrisy. You need to watch this film in a korean state of mind.
Mr Park is just trying to show that they aren't sick at all (after torturing and killing the guy, they've managed to stay normal).

that guy shows her which pillow to use by pointing to his watch. Who was he btw ?

It's the detective that she went to see.
He knows that she is being blackmailed.

maybe I need to give this another go.

Yep, you should.
Just like in OldBoy, I keep finding more and more layers in this film.

BTW:
Mr Baek is killed by scissors. On the scissors you can read the name "Lee Eun-Joo" (the little girl that Baek killed by hanging her).
Could this be a reference to the actress Lee Eun-Joo who killed herself in ferbruary 2005 ? (by hanging maybe ? just a thought).

brooce-leroy · Post by **brooce-leroy** » 08 Jan 2006, 16:18

Sympathy For Lady Vengeance 3/5

Trademark flamboyant use of music and visuals from Park Chan Wook fails to prevent the third entry in his "revenge" trilogy from being the weakest. It certainly has many moments, but is less compelling than Old Boy and doesn't have the shock factor of Mr Vengeance. On its own merits, it is a very well made film but when it ended, I thought to myself "is that it?" Maybe if I ever get round to watching the film, I may discover more layers, but it didn't make me feel like I would want to watch again in a hurry.

In the UK, the PC brigade and do-gooders would probably have a moan about some of the events in the film, but I don't see how the parents are sick people (as lostdragon stated)? Choi Min Sik's character in the film is the only sick person.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 08 Jan 2006, 17:15

So you guys find it completely normal that after you have killed someone (no matter if he killed your kids or not), to go and sing "Happy Birthday"?
I find it ok to take revenge on him, but would I feel better after that or stay normal? Even WITH a Korean sense of mind, I am talking of a human being's perspective. After somebody killed my kid I would never go back to 'normal' (whatever that defines). And after I kill somebody it would be even less likely to return back to whom I was. It would be the exact opposite.
So I don't think Park Chan-wook intended to show them to have returned to their old lifes. Look at them sitting at the table an the ending. Do they look relieved?

brooce-leroy · Post by **brooce-leroy** » 08 Jan 2006, 17:22

SFLV spoiler

I don't find it normal to do that, nor do I feel that the parents will be able to go on as if nothing has happened, and return to their daily lives like before. I do feel that having the birthday cake and singing is an attempt to put some closure on the whole tragic events of the past. To take revenge in the manner depicted in the film doesn't necessarily make them sick. Regardlesss of whether or not you agree that it is the right thing to do, or if it would bring you down to the level of the killer, I'm willing to bet that there are many parents out there (a lot which have suffered like in the film in real life) would do the same as the parents in the film

degeneration · Post by **degeneration** » 10 Jan 2006, 04:37

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 3.5/5

Had to wait till it was available on cheap tuesday over here in NZ... anyway.

Went to see Harry Potter today, and while I did like the film, it did make me realise why I want to see films before I read the books. All the way through I kept thinking "that's different", "they missed a bit here" etc... and they really did simplify things with regard to the story... taking out all the house elf bits, meant that Windy (or whatever the elf's name was) wasn't the one suspected of casting the dark mark at the Quiddich world cup etc... Cause of all the changes and simplifications I didn't enjoy the film as much as I thought I would. Really think I would have liked it more if I saw it first, then read the book. But I do think the overall pace was quite rushed given teh amount that they had to fit in. But the maze bit at the end was no where near as good as the book. Pretty much everything that was in the maze in the book, wasn't in the maze in the film!!! In the film version, none of them had to really use much magic in navigating the maze... was a bit of a let down there.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 10 Jan 2006, 12:46

Well I've read the book but I couldn't really remember any of it. So it was as good as watching the film without a scoob.

Consequently, I loved it. Can't wait for the DVD.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 13 Jan 2006, 10:28

Fist of the North Star - 1/5

Utter tosh.
Admittedly I'm not familliar with the manga but I found the story weak.
The American actors are awful.
The fighting is poor, even the finale which is good to look at is just a load of kicks to the head.
Would much rather be watching something else.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 13 Jan 2006, 21:01

I told you so.

Watch the anime instead... it is CLASS.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 13 Jan 2006, 21:34

Is the anime on DVD Bisc?

brooce-leroy · Post by **brooce-leroy** » 14 Jan 2006, 11:40

Around the World in 80 Days (2004) - 3/5

Quite enjoyable romp.

The Exorcist III - Legion 4/5

Absorbing and scary, without the need for loads of gore. I've wanted to see this for years, and wasn't disappointed. Very creepy.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 14 Jan 2006, 17:05

According to Mark Kermode the director's cut of Legion, before it became Exorcist III, is the best thing since, well The Exorcist!

CONFIDENCE: Better than I expected, fine cast. The wrap-up was a bit too neat though. ***/5

UNDISPUTED: Alternately low-key and overblown prison/boxing drama. Thin characters, but the end fight was decent. **/5

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 14 Jan 2006, 17:08

Yes but the Exorcist is fucking shit anyway, so Kermode knows bugger all.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 14 Jan 2006, 17:16

The Exorcist is not "fucking shit". It's a classic of the genre.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 14 Jan 2006, 17:22

brooce-leroy wrote:Around the World in 80 Days (2004) - 3/5

Quite enjoyable romp.

The Exorcist III - Legion 4/5

Absorbing and scary, without the need for loads of gore. I've wanted to see this for years, and wasn't disappointed. Very creepy.

I agree about ATWI80D Bruce, I liked it more than I should have, it was good fun

I give it 3/5

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 14 Jan 2006, 21:45

I love ATWI80D... gets a 4/5 from me.

Re: Fist of the North Star.

The movie and series are OOP on DVD. At least they are difficult to find.