What Asian Films Have You Been Watching Recently?

[47lab Guest Find all posts View Profile Close 47lab]

Caught the Carrie Ng directed CATIII slasher flick, ANGEL WHISPERS earlier. Avoid this drek at all costs. :down:

The high point are the alluring visuals of Kabby Hui, the low is just about everything else. Shoddy script, poor acting, lack of thrills and suspense.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

I'm always amused by Sugawara's appearance (in his truck) in STAR OF DAVID. It's even referencing another studio's series, which is funny.

Yeah, that too, and especially because Truck Yaro is like a Smokey and the Bandit kinda PG-rated action comedy series for the whole family (*) and Star of David is, well, like an NC-17 movie.

* If US PG allowed boobs.

[sukebanboy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sukebanboy]

Hmmm..was kinda interested in seeing ANGEL WHISPERS....but guess I will skip that one now...CARRIE NG I thought would have been able to make angreat movie with her experience...

[Randy G Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Randy G]

MAN FROM NOWHERE is surpringly strong with that odd mixture of sentimentality and hyperviolence that the Koreans seem to love.

KUNG FU KILLER never quite takes off the way it should but there's a fair bit to enjoy over all.

Since Netflix Canada has loads of Shaw matrial arts films I've been binge watching: SHAOLIN TEMPLE, FIVE DEADLY VENOMS, CRIPPLED AVENGERS, FIVE SHAOLIN MASTERS, COME DRINK WITH ME and THE AVENGING EAGLE.

So much awesomeness but I'd have to say the last three are the best, particularly COME DRINK WITH ME.

[47lab Guest Find all posts View Profile Close 47lab]

Hmmm..was kinda interested in seeing ANGEL WHISPERS....but guess I will skip that one now...CARRIE NG I thought would have been able to make angreat movie with her experience...

YMMV but I didn't care for it at all.

Caught Gokudo Tosei no Suteki na Menmen aka THOSE SWELL YAKUZA (1988) Dir. Seiji Izumi

Rather forgettable but it was kinda cool to see Takanori Jinnai playing a relative bad ass and lady killer instead of his usual mousy fatherly TV roles.

[47lab Guest Find all posts View Profile Close 47lab]

THE CHILD OF PEACH (1987) Dir. Chan Jun-leung...revisted this film after having not seen it in ages, still the goofy schlock fest that I fondly remember. :up:

[The Silly Swede Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Silly Swede]

The God of Gamblers and The God of Gamblers Return

Not to notch Cinema by any means, but the gambling genre is a soft spot for me. Don't ask me why though.

[Randy G Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Randy G]

SHAOLIN EXECUTIONER and THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM.

[47lab Guest Find all posts View Profile Close 47lab]

MOSQUITO ON THE TENTH FLOOR (1983) - Dir. Yoichi Sai

Sai's directorial debut and always enjoyed this one. Everyone at one point in their life can sympathize with the protagonist here. Yuya Uchida plays these desperate character roles so well too.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Robotrix (Hong Kong, 1991) [DVD] - 4/5
Dear God, what can you say about this? In equal parts a Robocop and Terminator rip-off, with kung fu, blood, tons of big boobs and full frontal nudity. Do Robots have sex? Yes, they do! Do Robots drink beer? Of course they do. There are even some fun jokes. And some awesome gwai lo's. It does run a bit too long, but that can be forgiven. Thank heavens for movies like this.

Raped by an Angel (Hong Kong, 1993) [DVD] - 3/5
A bit mediocre mix of romance, courtroom drama and sleazy raping, saved by a fantastic climax. Probably the only exploitation film where the rapist uses a condom! And then there's a woman who got HIV for having sex without condom! Who says CAT III films can't be educational?

Run and Kill (Hong Kong, 1993) [DVD] - 3.5/5
Well made, effective Cat III thriller that is more disturbing than A Serbian Film or all Human Centipedes combined. Kent Cheung is terrific as a bullied, shy man who accidentally hires gangsters to kill his cheating wife and then finds himself in deep trouble. The film's first 15 minutes is beautifully done, while the last 15 is utterly insane. Guaranteed to upset most viewers, especially those who don't think small children should be involved in Cat III mayhem. Speaking of which, Cheung has the cutest daughter ever in the film; I'd adopt her anytime!

Red to Kill (Hong Kong, 1994) [DVD] - 3.5/5
It's hard to think of a more politically incorrect film than a violent Cat III thriller about a serial rapist targeting mentally retarded women. Easily offended viewers stay far away! Director Billy Tang had talent not only for making visually stylish thrillers, but also for creating likable characters who would be brutally victimized later. In this film it's the cute Lily Chung that you really feel for. The rapist's identity should not be spoiled, but the actor's performance belongs in the hall of fame of super-crazed rapist psychopaths. The ending is quite something as well, and there are moments where Tang shows almost Argento-like skill in putting together an intense scene. Unfortunately the film drags a bit during the middle third.

Shaolin Soccer (Hong Kong, 2001) [DVD] - 1/5
Wait, this is what we were all getting so excited about 15 years ago? Unwatchable CGI mess with very, very few laughs. I couldn't finish it even by fast forwarding. I don't think I'm going to try re-watching Kung Fu Hustle anytime soon.

[The Silly Swede Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Silly Swede]

Body Weapon Hadn't seen it Before and found it at a reasonable price on Amazon. I can not complain about a film that gives me a boob shot 10 seconds in, just after the opening logos are done and the film begins.

[Randy G Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Randy G]

Revisited FIVE DEADLY VENOMS and watched FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS and HEROES OF THE EAST. Love the cartoonish style of late Cheh but it doesn't stand up as well as Chia-Liang Liu's relatively more thoughtful films. You can feel how the budgets were probably keeping Chang Cheh's films more one-dimensional compared to his earlier films. VENOMS manages to balance story and fighting better than most of his other films from this era and so is stronger for it I think.

[47lab Guest Find all posts View Profile Close 47lab]

caught a double bill of Bae Chang-ho works in THE ROAD and DEEP BLUE NIGHT on dvd. Surprised more of his work isn't readily available since he was a rather successful commercial director with blockbusters. Hopefully KOFA puts out some of his catalog on blu ray in the near future especially WHALE HUNTING. It was either going be him or Hong Sang-soo tonight & Bae Chang-ho won out based on the fact he's nowhere near as pretentious and certainly nowhere near as boring & repetitive as Hong Sang-soo. :up:

[47lab Guest Find all posts View Profile Close 47lab]

Re-watched the SBs "Johnny" Wang Lung-wei directed crime actioner, THIS MAN IS DANGEROUS. A nice mix of goofball cop buddy comedy, melodrama and gritty violence. :up: Lung-wei was always my fave SBs villain even over such notables as Lo Lieh and Ku Feng.

[47lab Guest Find all posts View Profile Close 47lab]

Caught a double bill earlier...the first was Daishi Matsunaga's PIETA IN THE TOILET based on Osamu Tezuka's diary entries.













the other was the rotoscope anime, THE CASE OF HANA AND ALICE by Shunji Iwai, which is the prequel to the live film & voiced by the same actresses.