Highly Recommended
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Asian Cinema
ebossert — 9 years ago(January 22, 2017 06:50 AM)
Highly Recommended
Dead or Alive 2: Birds (2000) (Japanese Drama/Action) (repeat viewing) Two hitmen (who are also friends from childhood) decide to kill and donate stolen money to children in need of medical aid in this film by Takashi Miike. This is not a direct sequel, but more of a re-telling that uses the same actors. Its primarily a drama and a very good one at that with very little action on display until the final third, which presents a series of killing engagements (a few of which get bloody) and a showdown with some Chinese hitmen. There are some creative moments in this movie that add a lot of charm, and the interaction is nuanced and interesting. Sho Aikawa and Riki Takeuchi are again very good in the lead roles. Edison Chen shows up in a cameo, and Shinya Tsukamoto is hilarious in a small supporting role. In contrast to its predecessor, which showcased a lot of urban environments, this film showcases a lot of island environments (which include shots of the ocean). This is the best of the trilogy.
On the Waterfront (1954) (American Crime Drama) A has-been boxer (Marlon Brando) experiences a crisis of conscience while working for mobbed-up union boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). He turns a blind eye when Friendlys thugs kill a fellow dockworker to keep him from testifying in a corruption case, but he has second thoughts when the victims sister urges him to take a stand. This is a good, solid movie all-around. A bit simplistic, but the conflicts are convincing and properly developed.
New Police Story (2004) (Chinese Action) (repeat viewing) Solid movie with Jackie Chan playing a cop whose colleagues are targeted for slaughter by a gang of adrenaline junkie bank robbers (led by Daniel Wu). This does rely more on character development than most actioners and is darker than most of Chans filmography. Nicholas Tse is fun to watch as the side-kick. The action is a mix of kinetic shootouts and martial arts, with the highlights being: (a) the warehouse scene where a host of cops attempt to elude numerous booby traps; and (b) the fight between Chan and Andy On that takes place in a childrens playland. Chan gives one of the best performances of his career in this film that has some balls. Directed by Benny Chan.
The Empire of Corpses (2015) (Japanese Anime Horror/Action/Drama) In an alternate version of 19th Century England, corpse reanimation has become industrialized and regulated for the purposes of providing an unending supply of workers for society. After breaking a law pertaining to this practice, young Watson has to either work for the government or face punishment. He has to go on a secret mission, to find the notes of Viktor Frankenstein, who reanimated the first human corpse. There are many historical names and well-known fictional characters who are dropped into the mix, which is rather interesting. This has a lot of creative ideas at work and a very good overall quality. Animation itself is solid and there are plenty of horror/action moments to enjoy. One of three films in the Project Itoh trilogy.
Flying Colors (2015) (Japanese Drama/Comedy) After putting no effort into studying for years, a highschool girl is motivated by a tutor to catch up and go to college. Outshined by her brothers accomplishments, she gets little support from her teachers or father. I really like this lead actress (Kasumi Arimura), and Atsushi Ito makes for a good tutor. Everyone has good chemistry in this film, which adequately showcases the pressure that Japanese students face regarding studying. Reminded me of the times I spent studying for the CPA exam. This is more dramatically effective than one might expect.
Recommended
Dabbe 5: Zehr-i Cin (2014) (Turkish Horror) (repeat viewing) After suffering from nightmarish visions, a woman seeks help from a spiritualist. This is nicely shot, with a lot of creepy imagery (e.g., occult-themed rituals, hypnosis, standing corpses, etc.). This is loaded to the brim with horror, which helps the pacing. Flash editing is occasionally used, and this is fortunately one of the few examples where it works, mostly because the horror relies heavily on nightmarish visuals. Performances are good. Some small sections of this film suffer from western horror cliches (like the husband who refuses to believe that anything supernatural is going on, or jump scares), but it does not rely on those things. This is a good flick by Hasan Karacadag. (Viewed without subtitles.)
Dead or Alive (1999) (Japanese Crime Action/Drama) (repeat viewing) A man and his small group decide to make their own place by trying to take over the Shinjuku underworld and drug trade, but a cop stands in their way. The 10-minute opening sequence in this crime flick is classic! The middle section is rather meandering, but it does establish a convincing conflict between the cops and criminals. The final 30 minutes are superb though. It kicks into high gear with an impressive shoo -
zelena33 — 9 years ago(January 24, 2017 08:45 AM)
I'm just going to review
La La Land
because why not.
I have bailed on so many Asian films that I found boring in recent weeks, it must be that the novelty has worn off.
Summer Time Machine Blues, Kotoko, While the Women Were Sleeping
, blah blah blah.
Anyway, I saw award-magnet La La Land in the theater recently. It got me thinking that cinema [still] has a really important place that has always been occupied by social ritual in human life. I'm not a film scholar but I'm sure this has been written about a lot that you go in the movies and it's an occasion to reflect on human experience in a way that only that particular kind of context can facilitate. The kind of context where your attention is demanded for two hours straight. You just can't do this on the internet, on your smartphone. It's like doing peyote around the campfire was for our ancestors, only with less puking. Or more puking, if it's a Clint Eastwood movie. In the case of La La Land it leads you to reflect on some things about seizing your destiny. A lot of movies lead me to that state of mind where you walk out of the theater jarred, shattered almost, not by something spectacular but by something small and fragile. Thinking, God, yeah, it is important. There is a meaning. You can't just get up for work every morning and march another day closer to death.
La La Land has to do with seizing control of your own fate in relationships and in work. There is a lot to criticize about this film. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. But skipping over that for a minute, in fairness, it really is a "perfect" film experience too, if you let it be one. When the film ended, I wanted to just go right back in and watch it again, and I rarely feel that way. I should have. Instead, I went back a week later, and the spell was broken, and I didn't like it the second time.
Emma Stone really is a great actor. I don't want to know anything about her, or even seek out more of her films (she was only okay in
Aloha, Birdman, Crazy Stupid Love
) but she was born for this role. She does a good job of acting normal and genuine without being afraid that the way she acts won't look like how someone "would" act. Her only problem is that her enormous personality tends to chew the living **** out of the scenery in a smaller-minded movie than this one. She just does things that everyone else is unwilling to do, and don't realize or admit that they are unwilling to do. Everybody wants to be renowned. Nobody wants to cry out of real experience of abysmal despair. Emma is willing and able.
Ryan Gosling, not so much. But he had a fabulous wristwatch.* The fact that neither of them can sing didn't add a lot to the movie. The filmmakers "make up for it" by having supporting cast that also can't sing, so as to not upstage the principals. (Can I get an eye-rolling emoji, please?) In fact, much of the music was terrible it's strange that they brought this guy John Legend (what a name) to add legitimacy on the music side, but he does the opposite. His contribution is enough to make someone who loves this movie run out of the theater screaming. Some of the tunes are catchy but superficial and don't stand up to repeated listening. In your mind. While you are trying to go to sleep.
The Director is a few fries short of a happy meal, being unable to rise above his own tastes and biography, and personal acquaintances, etc etc. Not great director material yet the best Hollywood has got these days (?) *My enjoyment of the film the second time was partly deflated just by reading that the director wore some $14,000 watch that I bought him to an awards show. That's just me. I don't want to know these things.
I've drifted into the criticism of the movie. The main concern is that it feeds into that "success" concept that is so incredibly misguided in our society, and it's not aware of the problem. Still, for me, that was part of the experience of the film. Witnessing other people's very misguided beliefs about the need to be "successful" and the total unacceptability of being mediocre this is the social ecosystem I operate in. Sanity is out there somewhere, but not in this movie. I once saw a bumper sticker in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina that said "The Outer Banks we're loser-friendly."
In its pixaresque manufactured poignancy, this movie tries to ape 1940s musicals (thus the 1940s Omega wristwatch). But unfortunately, a lot has changed since then. I don't know if you ever noticed this, but in classic movies, people don't wear vintage clothes or fancy Omega watches. When you saw crowds of people singing and dancing in the background of those old movie, you knew nothing about them, and you never would know. Now, you look at these millennial LA hipsters with mustaches, and. you know who they are. It's impossible to build the magic spell of belief. The dream is over, or rather, the ability to dream is over.
Unless you're in China -
sitenoise — 9 years ago(January 24, 2017 11:53 AM)
Funny and moving review notwithstanding, I'm not going to watch this. Not because I hate musicals (I hate any attempt to express or convey meaning by singing it, even in a song format, most of the time). And not because of Ryan (who's a way better onscreen personality than most of the over-moisturized Koreans who get a pass around here). (I love Emma, btw). I'm not going to watch this because you didn't name the director. I had to go look it up. Look at the name, look at the picture. I got about 15 seconds into
Whiplash
before hurling a T-bomb, so I'm right. This is easy. I have some regret because I was genuinely moved by your writing, but I gotta go with my gut. -
zelena33 — 9 years ago(January 24, 2017 12:47 PM)
Haha, I wrote this thinking, this is one that our friend sitenoise won't be able to bring himself to watch, so just hoping to amuse with the review in your case.
I hate musicals as much as you in fact I can't remember ever watching one. But I just decided to let myself enjoy this one. Partly because my niece is the age where she's into Hamilton and stuff like that, and I enjoyed recommending this one for her.
Ryan is not a terrible actor, but he was way outclassed by Emma in this one, to the point where I wish they had bagged their first choice for the male lead, whoever that may have been. He's pretty okay in the straight-faced funny flirty scenes, but overall he's not the James Dean he thinks he is. More of a wristwatch mannequin.
I had mixed feelings about Whiplash. It was partly bad and vain, partly very effective and well-acted by what's-his-name. Don't think the guy could have improved in his second feature film? He's only a 30 year old dude I think.
I don't like the director guy or his $14k watch, but this is one of those cases where I had to pass the peace pipe and get past it in order to connect with the ritual communion with this concept. You would surely hate all the badness of this film, but you're missing out on a Cinematic Experience that you could let yourself enjoy. Ebo and soggy will probably like it. -
inacastleinthesky — 9 years ago(January 24, 2017 09:16 PM)
Have you seen Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench? I saw it a while ago but never finished it. I didn't realize La La Land is directed by the same person. I just looked it up because I was curious who the director is. I don't like Ryan Gosling, so I won't be watching this.
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plsletitrain — 9 years ago(January 24, 2017 05:09 PM)
All this La La Land talk has got my other foot running towards the cinema but my other foot holds it back. What to do.
For one, I'm not really into musicals. I like singing people in movies, only if its animated. But seeing live people cut the scene and turn it into a production number, someone press the fast forward button for me. Second, I still can't with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. Emma StoneI can't remember her in the movies honestly (although I know I've seen her in a couple of them). Ryan Gosling, I haven't seen him in a movie yet. I give you guys the license to laugh but I honestly don't have any motivation to watch him. He looks exactly like a mannequin, I can't see any life to him. Add to that that I usually don't go for romance type (he's into that, right?) of movies. him and I haven't met yet. I don't know when we'll meet but as of this time, I don't know. Maybe La La Land will do the trick? I'll check if its playing in our theaters this weekend.
Reading your review, its not like The Tree of Life, right? "La La Land has to do with seizing control of your own fate in relationships and in work." > I swear I heard this from someone who reviewed A Tree of Life too. And I couldn't get past the 10 minute mark.Age of Loneliness-
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zelena33 — 9 years ago(January 24, 2017 05:54 PM)
Reading your review, its not like The Tree of Life, right? "La La Land has to do with seizing control of your own fate in relationships and in work." > I swear I heard this from someone who reviewed A Tree of Life too.
LOL! No no, it's not at all. You made me lol though because I realize that my review sounds like I'm talking about Tree of Life, so you nailed it. I guess I always sound like I'm talking about Tree of Life even when I'm reviewing a dumb Chinese chomedy.
LaLa is closer to Titanic crossed with a romcom. I guess we are unanimous about hating musicals, but that's not really the point here. I think in this case, the music just helps you to feel sympathy for the characters, because they are so bad at mediocre as singers. It's definitely one to see in the theater instead of on video. -
plsletitrain — 9 years ago(January 24, 2017 06:28 PM)
lol yeah, I haven't even watched The Tree of Life but for some reason, reading your review reminded me of how everyone reviewed about it and I couldn't understand one thing when I watched the first 10 minutes!
"LaLa is closer to Titanic crossed with a romcom."
Now that's what I like.
Alrighty, I'll take your word for it. Here's to hoping it still shows in our theaters this weekend.Age of Loneliness-
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sitenoise — 9 years ago(January 25, 2017 11:32 AM)
I guess I always sound like I'm talking about Tree of Life even when I'm reviewing a dumb Chinese chomedy.
I think through self-selecting what films you decide to watch, this is probably true. In a very positive way, for me at least. Life is an organic struggle, a continual (Nietzschean) self-overcoming (or whatever), as you pointed out in your LaLa review about what the film experience allows us (perhaps more, or only, theatrically as opposed to home viewingwhich I'm contemplating very much right now after watching and loving
The Girl on the Train
even after reading all its bad reviews). Some folks watch films to live out vicariously some fisticuffs, a gun fight, a car chase, a little J-navel gazing, perhaps. Some folks watch Olympic level Women's indoor volleyball oops.
We all have projects and concerns that shape our experience. The beautiful thing is that the prism of analysis is subjective. I hope you don't waste any time boning up on different forms of martial arts in the hopes of offering us an objective review of the next
Raid
film. -
zelena33 — 9 years ago(January 25, 2017 05:59 PM)
Yeah, so interesting: I'm not sure if this is what you were getting at, but it's one of the beautiful things in life that sometimes people see things that are just not there. Sometimes they hear things that other people are just not really saying. And the agreement and the "yeah, right on, man!" that comes with it is based on a kind of misunderstanding. This can be kind of hilarious and touching, when people like and approve of things and genuinely like or respect each other based on subjective interpretations that are wrong.
This happens a lot in the movies, and god willing, it always will. It's part of that mysterious sauce of the Human Connection. As you say, the vicarious experience of other people's experiences. The experience of imaginatively seeing through their eyes. This pretty much mirrors "theory of mind" which is literally, scientifically,
the
thing that distinguishes people from other animals. Far out.
For many of us, Asian film is the shizzle, Japanese particularly, because it can't get any more foreign (from the American/Western perspective) than that, so you get that vicarious experience of something very novel, and purely human, because the cultural subtleties that we can't understand are scrubbed off, leaving pure human experience. Like we're children.
In LaLa, it's a lot to do with experience of that happy, childlike pursuit of some dream. It forces you to confront yourself with whether or not you're really doing it. The film thinks it's taking off and soaring on that point about chasing career dreams and "succeeding" and so on. It partly trips on that point, because it's misguided and hollow. But that doesn't take away from the power of that confrontation. Am I doing it? Did I just give up on it? Most people have completely given up on life, and they're living in way very similar to prison inmates who are intensely focused on their Bridge game, and not seeing the fact that they're in jail. -
plsletitrain — 9 years ago(January 30, 2017 09:49 PM)
Hi zelena. So unfortunately, the movie was already pulled out the time I decided to finally watch this. And now I regret it. I wish I saw this in the big screens. Tsk. I managed to contact my resource person to use his almighty piracy powers and look for a copy of this on the internet. And he did. You know those times you wish you did something when you still had the chance, this is one of those times. I passed by the theaters with La La Land playing countless of times and I just stared at the title doing nothing. pulls own hair
Anyway, to the movie now. I agree with everything you said. And I also agree with you about your remark when you tried to watch it the second time and you didn't like it as much.
What's kinda new (at least for me) is that the movie captivated me in the latter parts. Usual experience would be, I get so high on the first parts, starts to feel drowsy in the middle, and then just say wake me up when the movie ends. With La La Land,the first parts were the bummers. It starts sparkly in the middle, and the ending was one of the best endings ever.
Funny thing on the first scene. That scene alone where there's switching of sounds (to show what type of music each car on the throng of vehicles listens to) is award-worthy already but then..it cuts to a girl who slowly sings and then boom! A production number! I was about to say "Zelena, I didn't sign up for this!" but since it was just the first act, I can't bail out, right? Especially if everyone's raving for it, I have to check if the movie redeems itself somewhere down the road. And it did. I think what made the movie appealing is the fact that in this day, its refreshing to see a film that makes you feel like you're watching a broadway musical. The song and dance numbers are not Grease-type levels of catchy but they're passable.
And yeah, Emma Stone was born for this role. She was very natural (except on the sing and dance parts). And what do I know, lifeless-looking Ryan Gosling can actually act to save his life.
The director knows how to play with his camera. He shoots these angles that captivate life aside from the one he's shooting. I haven't heard of him before but if he works like this, he has just reserved himself a star in the hall of fame.
And now to the best part which is a masterpiece of its own: That scene showing the alternate ending. Its very refreshing to see this type of approach that the director utilised. He made it look like an animated movie with real people on it. And the ending was..it was the ending I was looking for!
I got teary eyed two times here. I think everyone who watched this cried too. The first time I cried was when they had that major fight and Mia was acting in her own-produced, own-starred play which no one watched. I cried when Sebastian came to her despite their fight and with him saying "I'll make it up to you!" (with Ryan looking confused/constipated/whatever) because he just doesn't know how to console her, what with them having a big fight just a night beforeI just..it was so real. The second time I cried, it was on the ending.
Overall, I think I can agree with the majority who loved this. I can't say I would watch this later again and I wouldn't call it a masterpiece either (although its 80% there) but this one is definitely one-of-a-kind. Something that is so above the usual hollywood movies that gets spewed every now and then. The director has potential, he is someone to look out for.Age of Loneliness-
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zelena33 — 9 years ago(January 31, 2017 09:24 AM)
Lovely write-up, and I agree with every word of it. You're absolutely right, it was one of the best cinematic endings I've ever seen, and it was not one of the best beginnings. Luckily I was warned before I saw it that everyone agrees, the beginning was terrible. That must hurt for the girl that sings in that scene and doesn't appear again in the movie! But it wasn't her, actually, it was everyone else, and the song, etc.
But yeah it was a powerful ending. Pixar couldn't have engineered a more movie-magical ending. I say that even though I didn't like the "decision" in the ending, but that's normal: a lot of the most satisfying movies
have an ending that the audience can't like.
Yes, that "alternate" ending was a great device to put us in the mind of the both of them. I never thought about it before, but it's rare that a scene can transport you into the subjective mental state of two characters at once and it's obvious why they're thinking the same thing. Pretty powerful, actually.
I honestly liked this movie in spite of the musical scenes; I never liked musicals and this certainly didn't change my mind. I think the fact that he made it a musical was decided maybe just in order to give him freedom to be really Romantic and Fantastic without it coming off as superficial. They fly through the air because of course they fly through the air it's musical theater.
I'm not really convinced about Ryan Gosling he has a kind of expressionless face but he's not one of those Michael Cain types that can express a rainbow with an expressionless face. Still I did definitely get some dust in my eye at the end of this movie. It uses the Zelena Formula for a great film: make a character the audience can sympathize with, and make terrible things happen to that character, and then give that character some little friends. -
plsletitrain — 9 years ago(January 31, 2017 04:56 PM)
"That must hurt for the girl that sings in that scene and doesn't appear again in the movie!"
Haha yeah lol! Well at least she could get to say "Hey I made the opening act for that Oscar-worthy movie!" Hehehehe. I forgot to write in my post to tell you you should've warned me of the disaster I will be facing on the opening act. Anyway
Yeah, powerful would be the perfect word to describe that alternate ending scene. And yes, I think expressionless would also best describe Ryan Gosling (I think I was too harsh with lifeless lol).
I think everyone who watch this did get some dust in their eyes. Even I cried and I'M STRONGGGGG!!!!! (That's why I need to watch movies alone so no one sees me when I get softy and emotional lol jk).
Lastly, thank you very much. Were it not for you, I could've missed watching on this one-of-a-kind movie.
Age of Loneliness-
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ebossert — 9 years ago(January 28, 2017 08:58 PM)
I started posting videos of my DVD collection recently. Heres the playlist:
Here are the films I saw the last few weeks.
Highly Recommended
Early Summer (1951) (Japanese Drama) (repeat viewing) Director Yasujiro Ozu contributes this great story about a young woman who is being pressured to marry by her family members. The most entertaining moments come by way of the various discussions and debates over marriage, which are frequently humorous. Setsuko Hara carries this movie with her fresh, playful, and wise demeanor. Her interactions with the various family members are very good.
Operation Mekong (2016) (Chinese Action) The Chinese government sends a band of elite narcotics officers (led by Hanyu Zhang and Eddie Peng) to the Golden Triangle to uncover the truth behind the murders associated with a huge methamphetamine recovery. The action design is mostly gritty and diverse, with an emphasis on urban apprehensions and special ops strikes that involve gunplay and hand-to-hand combat. This creates a sense of thrill and suspense even though it does get unrealistic (especially in terms of how much damage a few characters can take). This is neat stuff, incorporating some creative equipment and technology, as well as one of the coolest dogs in recent memory. Theres plenty of bloody violence too, with a few intense scenes involving children and oppressed villagers. There are some gorgeous natural environments, as well as some great overhead shots of various country locales. Plot and character development are thin (they basically move from place to place for infiltrations or strikes), but this is frenetically paced and well-acted. International conflict and cast are nicely crafted together. No nonsense crowd-pleasing action from Dante Lam.
All About Eve (1950) (American Drama/Romance) (repeat viewing) A fan insinuates herself into the company of an established but aging stage actress and her circle of theater friends. The interesting element here is that for much of the film one is unsure if Eve is a well-meaning fan or a manipulative wench. Also, despite the constant complaining of the aging actress, one can understand her frustrations and paranoia. Performances are very good by everyone and the script is well-written. There are a few genuinely funny scenes peppered in as well. The restaurant sequence near the end is awesome. Heck, the entire final 40 minutes are awesome.
XXX: The Return of Xander Cage (2017) (American Action) Extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) comes out of self-imposed exile, thought to be long dead, and is set on a collision course with an international team of renegades in a race to recover a sinister and seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora's Box.
This is easily the best paced and purely entertaining big budget Hollywood action film in a while, and its certainly more entertaining than every single superhero movie from 2016.
Don't get me wrong, because it is an incredibly stupid film, but it's also damn entertaining from start to finish. For example, Donnie Yen is finally allowed to do what he does best in a Hollywood movie. It's not rocket science let the guy kick some rear-end. The action is completely ridiculous, but it's certainly plentiful enough and has good enough quality to be satisfying. The cast really seemed to have fun while making this. The big negative that popped out to me was the awkward sexual innuendos near the beginning, which felt very out of place and cringeworthy. Other than that, this is fantastic action trash that everyone should support.
Recommended
XXX (2002) (American Action) (repeat viewing) A notorious underground rush-seeker (Vin Diesel) deemed untouchable by the law is coerced by the NSA to cooperate with the government and infiltrate a Russian crime ring. People who dump on this movie must have conveniently forgotten some of the awesome, practical stuntwork that was performed using wide camera shots. And even some of the CGI stuff is fun (e.g., the avalanche). There is some conventional spy stuff mixed in (e.g., gadgets and a final disarmament sequence), but its still sufficiently entertaining. Sure, the story is generic and contrived, but I liked the actors and the plot keeps moving along nicely. Asia Argento is hot in this too.
Harmony (2015) (Japanese Anime Sci Fi Drama/Horror) In a future period called the Maelstrom, nuclear war and disease have plagued and destroyed the world, including the United States. To prevent new horrors, the world was divided into several smaller states. Each state is defined as an ethical, solidarity and futuristic society which is controlled by facilities where nanotechnology is used for medical purposes, to allow better living. A young officer begins an investigation to discover the truths and threats behind the perfect world. The protagonists complete distain for this society drives the film. The script focuses heavily on narration and dialogue, -
markus-san — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 08:55 AM)
Highly Recommended
XXX: The Return of Xander Cage (2017)
I am highly sceptical
. Does Donnie Yen get to fight Tony Jaa? That might be worth the admission price alone..
Last Film Seen;
Split
(M Night Shyamalan, 2016)
7/10 -
ebossert — 9 years ago(January 30, 2017 05:43 PM)
They do not fight each other, unfortunately.
YouTube Asian Movie Review Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/anticlimacus100 -
morrison-dylan-fan — 9 years ago(January 30, 2017 05:33 PM)
7
- This review may contain spoilers ***
Despite reading about him for years I've for some reason have never crossed swords with Stephen Chow. Taking a look at Netflix UK,I found an obscure title of his about to be taken off the site,which led to me Chow-ing down for the first time:
The plot:
Suffering the loss of his 13th child,infamous lawyer Sung Sai Kit decides that his get out of jail card ways must have put a curse on him,which leads to Sung retiring from law. Whilst her husband sits around bored,Sung's wife learns of a murder trial taking place. Wanting to end on a high,Sung comes out of retirement, and brings justice to foot.
View on the film:
Keeping the Kung-Fu wires spinning,director Johnnie To & cinematographer Peter Pau aim arrows at extremely broad Comedy that breaths in fart gags and spicy sass. Flying into a period piece,To cheekily sends up the dry historical epics with silk primary colours lined up the screen that are scanned in rapid-fire zoom-ins making the viewer a jury member of the absurd trial.
Knocking down the walls of the courtroom Drama,the screenplay by Sandy Shaw rips the respectability of instructions apart in a wickedly crass farce,sipping Sung stepping in corrupt double dealings in the courts with an unlucky taste for breast milk. Swinging to the defence of his wife,Stephen Chow gives a splendid motor mouth performance as Sung,thanks to Chow hitting the comedic action scenes with a relish,and delivering the dialogue at a lightning fast speed,as Sung puts his foot down on justice.
- This review may contain spoilers ***
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sitenoise — 9 years ago(February 01, 2017 02:19 PM)
Kizumonogatari Part 1: Tekketsu
Director: Tatsuya Oishi, Akiyuki Shinbo
4.366/10
I don't get anime. This has some beautiful mixed shots of cartoons on top of landscape photography, and lots and lots of drawings of one of the characters' eyeball. Like there is emotion there.
White Bird in a Blizzard
Director: Gregg Araki
4.79/10
I watched this for the Harold Budd/Cocteau Twins soundtrack. The things we do.
The Girl on the Train
Director: Tate Taylor
8/10
Haters gonna hate. Likers gonna like. Emily Blunt is fabulous, and that means a lot coming from a guy who thinks acting drunk is one of the hardest things an actor can attempt. You Go Girl. So much better than
Gone Girl
.
The Workhorse & the Bigmouth
Director: Keisuke Yoshida
8.137/10
Requisite
SPOILER ALERT
because I may end up over describing this thing, but it won't matter because nobody reading this will, or should, ever see it.
Another home run for
Keisuke Yoshida
of
Himeanole
and
Cafe Isobe
fame. This is another small, tiny, little, dinky flick. Yoshida knows how to cut film. Bad cuts are when you're all like, "wtf?" Good cuts are when you can't help but joyfully ponder where the next few minutes of a scene might have gone if it wasn't cut. Thank you. I'm here all week. Don't forget to tip your waiters.
This is my
anti-
LaLaLand
. The gut punch here, the
Anagnorisis
(even though the fantastic fansubs totally boinked the money shot) is when
Kumiko Aso
, as a 34 year old wannabe screenwriter says (something to the effect of): "Getting rejected every time, never even making it into the first round, year after year after year that's nothing compared to giving up a dream you've had since childhood because you recognize you don't have the talent for it."
Kumiko Aso
is fabulous. If you don't like her you won't like the film. She's about as plain jane as a person can be, has an insincere smile, and yet while never wearing tight jeans she's totally hot. And she doesn't really act. As the "Workhorse", since she can't really
act
(thank god), she simply owns every scripted line. The ironic beauty of having her play a scriptwriter who attends classes and does every act I, act II, act III thing by the book was not lost on me.
The film is almost a standard jrom-jom.
Aso
is independent. The "Bigmouth" isn't loud, thank goodness, more of a slightly cocky
Jeff Spicoli
without the drugs, who attends the script writing classes, wants
Aso
, and criticizes everyone else's writing for playing by the rules, while being unable to write anything of his own. I pondered punting when I feared the two of them would end up together. If Spicoli would have bad eating-acted I would have punted for sure. In the hands of a lesser director he would have bad eating-acted all throughout. And gotten Aso.
Not here
. He does, however, put pencils up his nose.
There's also Aso's ex who is goodness personified. He's an ex-actor who now works as a caregiver wiping butts and cleaning up puke.
Aso
calls him and asks if she can volunteer at his nursing home as research for her next screenplay. Will they end up together?
Not here.
You have to be fairly smart and creative to write a screenplay about screenplay writers who dream, and discuss talent. What is talent? Who's got it? Can it be measured? Can it be improved?
There is also a handful of incidentals who all rise to the level of characters.
The Workhorse & the Bigmouth
is a slow burn, smart and talky little anti-romcom. But it is emphatically NOT arthouse pomposity. It's a goofy little film filled with dorks who chew up and spit out (politely, into a napkin) conventional stereotypes. I loved this thing from top to bottom well, not quite. A few years ago when this came out I immediately dismissed it because the film poster is bad. You can almost always infer the quality of a movie from its poster. Yoshida needs help in the poster making department. My guess is he doesn't involve himself with it. Mistake #1. Mistake #2 would be the title of the film.
_-|/`— my opinions are incomplete. always wil