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  • FATHER GOOSE (Ralph Nelson, 1964). HEAVEN KNOWS, MR. ALLISON meets THE AFRICAN QUEEN: fun, but a little blander and a little more bloated than either. As Japan takes the Pacific in WWII, Cary Grant's a whisky-bogarting dropout finessed into service as a plane-spotter & marooned by Trevor Howard on a desert island. It took Bergman to rouse Bogey from isolationism in CASABLANCA, and Hepburn'd sober anyone up for duty: Lesley Caron's not quite in that league, but toss in a gaggle of schoolgirls and that's enough to goose Cary into action. Caron's something, at her best snakebit, soused, and suffering blood-taste hygiene anxiety, dancer's legs waving in the air. Grant's beastly beachbum has great chemistry with the kids, and wears separate hats at land and sea. Looks great: while the studio stuff sometimes looks like well-lit widescreen Gilligan's Island, there're some nice Jamaican locations, and the blu-ray's sweet.

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    • Don (1978) Very entertaining. Like Quinn Martin Fever in Bollywood.

      paul h.
      woly boly
      Last edited by paul h.; 10-11-2013, 03:09 PM.

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      • REVENGE A LOVE STORY - Dir. Wong Ching Po (2010)

        This film ends with a quote by 19th century humorist, Josh Billings “There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness" but the quote that flashed through my mind after viewing this film was "Expectation is the mother of all frustration." This CAT III psycho thriller from Josie Ho's 852 Films had the makings of a truly brilliant revenge thriller but ultimately it falls flat during the later third & especially the finale which is absurd. It is maddeningly frustrating because the first half & particularly the revealing of the set up to the entire theme of revenge via flashback sequences is truly harrowing and leads the viewer on an emotional thrill ride, only to be let down at the end. The CGI effects were totally unnecessary & looked so terrible that I couldn't help but let out guffaw -- it totally distracted from the somber tone of the film up to that point was just completely out of place IMO. I ultimately cannot give this movie a recommendation but of course, YMMV.

        In terms of the actors, while lead actor/creator of the original story, Juno Mak is most famous for being a canto pop singer and fledgling director, he is quite impressive here as was former A/V actress, Sora Aoi playing the role of Mak's developmentally disabled girlfriend. I've never seen her A/V vids (honest!) but have watched a couple of her mainstream roles & while no one will confuse her with a top grade actress, she doesn't embarrass herself either. I guess that's the best compliment I can give her acting abilities.

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        • BANGKOK DANGEROUS - Dir. Pang Bros (1999)

          I remember really enjoying this when it first came to renown stateside with its obvious homage to John Woo's heroic bloodshed and Wong Kar Wai influenced stylized visuals done on the cheap. I finally managed to pick it up the BitWel/SengChi Taiwanese blu ray. It goes down on my list of favorite "anti-hero" professional assassin flicks with the likes of LEON, GHOST DOG, ROAD TO PERDITION, THE KILLER, etc.

          I've seen the Nicolas Cage remake & it's just a tedious retread bereft of a lot of the original cultural influences like the Charlie Chaplin references for example that made the original so compelling. Not too mention, Cage was terribly miscast in the lead role that it came off as a parody.

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          • A DEADLY SECRET - Dir. T.F. Mous (1980)

            Wasn't a fan of this flick when I first watched it but upon a second viewing, for some reason, I found Mous' fable on the immutable vagaries of human greed quite compelling. Before T.F. Mou became notorious for his Men Behind the Sun/Black Sun exploitation flicks, he toiled for SB and was probably most famous or infamous for LOST SOULS and although this movie isn't anywhere near that one in terms of brutality and overall luridness -- it's worth seeking out if you're a SB fan for its grim atmosphere & bleak characters.

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            • A DANGEROUS PURSUIT aka MANHUNT - Dir. Junya Sato (1976) Starring: Takakura Ken, Harada Yoshio, Okada Eiji, Nishimura Ko

              I've been a fan of previous Sato works like the brilliant BULLET TRAIN & PROOF OF THE MAN but he's had his fair share of duds too -- most notably, another Takakura Ken vehicle in DRIFTING AVENGER & the godawful sci-fi movie, THE PEKING MAN. This flick falls somewhere in between. The premise of a prosecutor being set up on robbery and murder charges by nefarious behind-the-scene forces and having to go on the lam with the police in hot pursuit to prove his innocence isn't exactly original but the story holds up for the most part with an equal mix of intrigue, action and mystery. Unfortunately, the pacing of the film is severely hampered by the excessive run time as this flick clocks in at over two and half hours! Also, the romantic subplot involving Takakura Ken falling in love with the daughter of a wealthy industrialist with political ambitions just seems forced and totally unnecessary. One of my favorite actors of that era is Yoshio Harada & he doesn't disappoint here as the no nonsense grizzled veteran police detective hot on Takakura's trail. So overall, a decent movie with two A-list actors in their prime, a good storyline and competent directing but don't expect to be blown away or overwhelmed.

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              • Spring Breakers. Nice Visuals and lots of almost naked women but material for maybe 40-50 mins spread out to 90.
                "No presh from the Dresh!"

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                • Watched Pacific Rim the other day which I enjoyed but have forgotten about the whole plot in the days following. I'll be OK if I never see it again. Just watched Man of Steel today which I enjoyed much more than I thought I would, in fact I'd say I really liked it. I'll deffo watch it again.
                  Letterboxd - "Henry Silva has a small zoo at home and his weapon of choice is a bazooka"

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                  • Bad Grandpa was great. Recommended if you just want to laugh.
                    "Ah! By god's balls what licentiousness!"

                    Marquis de Sade, The 120 Days of Sodom.

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                    • Originally posted by The Silly Swede View Post
                      Spring Breakers. Nice Visuals and lots of almost naked women but material for maybe 40-50 mins spread out to 90.
                      Got this one lined up to watch...On;y interested in seeing FRANCO ham it up!!!!

                      Bad Grandpa was great. Recommended if you just want to laugh.
                      Yep...dying to see this one.....Looks very fun!..and nice to see a semblance of a plot holding this one together.....

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                      • SHAOLIN INTRUDERS - Dir. Chia Tang (1983)

                        Derek Yee, Jason Pai Paio & Liu Yu-Po are reunited under director Tang once again after starring in SHAOLIN PRINCE two years earlier. This time around, Yee & Paio are on the same side as they are part of a trio of martial artists including Liu Yu-Po, out to solve a series of murders and robberies seemingly committed by monks from the Shaolin Temple. I enjoyed this one more than SHAOLIN PRINCE & although there is plenty of wire work during the fight scenes...I felt it was done well without being too distracting.



                        On a side note, Liu Yu-Po aka Lau Yuk-Pok passed away a few years ago at the very young age of 46 due to cardiac arrest. Reading a bit of her bio, I came to realize she had quite a tragic & traumatic early life having been a victim of child sex abuse at the hands of a family member, witnessing domestic violence, suffering from depression & partaking in numerous suicide attempts. So it's quite a feat for her to have made it as far as she did in life & much respect to her. RIP Lau Yuk-Pok.

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                        • Caught two this afternoon after work...the first was Korean crime thriller TRUCK - Dir. Kwon Hyung Jin (2008) -- a low budget South Korean variation of THE HITCHER...it had its moments though and the climax actually surprised me but not in a good way. Considering how downbeat and anti-Hollywood endings are part & parcel of many Korean films, this one went with the typical Hollywood "tie up all loose ends" finale and for the worst IMO. Doesn't feature any A-list actors but I felt both leads, veteran actor Yoo Hae Jin and Jin Gu were excellent. I was particularly impressed with Jin Goo as the fugitive serial killer and enjoyed him in another film I saw recently, 26 YEARS.



                          The other flick I re-watched after many years was Patrick Leung's BEYOND HYPOTHERMIA (1996). Right up there with LA FEMME NIKITA as far as the creme de la creme of female assassin movies.

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                          • Re-watching The Jerk. Probably the greatest comedy of all time. At least in the Top 5.
                            "Ah! By god's balls what licentiousness!"

                            Marquis de Sade, The 120 Days of Sodom.

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                            • Just stumbled across THE ENTITY on telly. Haven't seen this in almost 20 years, I reckon. I'd forgotten how creepy this film is. I think I'll stick with it. Strange to see Hershey in this, in her prime, after recently watching INSIDIOUS CHAPTER 2 at the pictures.
                              'You know, I'd almost forgotten what your eyes looked like. Still the same. Pissholes in the snow'

                              http://www.paul-a-j-lewis.com (my photography website)
                              'All explaining in movies can be thrown out, I think': Elmore Leonard

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                              • THE TAXI DRIVER - Dir. Pao Hsueh Li (1975)

                                No, it's not a remake as this SB film was made a year earlier. While lead, David Chiang does do his bit part to rid the mean streets of HK of crime -- this flick is as much comedy as it is equal parts melodrama and kung fu action flick. David Chiang is almost too good to be true in this one...in between working hard as a cabbie and being an all around great guy to his fiancee (played by Lam Jan-Kei of The Battle Wizard and Life Gamble fame)....he finds time to deliver a baby, return a runaway girl back to her family, come to the aid of his fellow cabbie (SB stalwart, Wang Chung) in no holds barred street fight against a gang of rival cabbies & manages to aid police in thwarting a gang of ruthless bank robbers. :bruce:

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