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Don't Believe In Her (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Kang Dong Won (Actor)
| Kim Ha Neul (Actor)
| Bae Hyung Joon
Kim Ha Neul is too funny to missKim Ha Neul turns into a comic femme fatale in Too Beautiful To Lie (a.k.a. Don't Believe In Her). In Bae Hyeong Joon's 2004 comedy she strikes sparks with Kang Dong Won, the pair showing a delightful comic chemistry. Kim plays Joo Yeong Joo, a young delinquent who tries to take advantage of others using whatever means she can, particularly their sympathy. A moving but contrived story plus some fake tears help Yeong Joo land her latest coup, as she moves the prison jury to tears and earns herself an early parole. As luck would have it, Yeong Joo runs into Choi Hee Cheol (Kang Don Won), the son of a village mayor who is about to get married and from then on the film becomes a classic... [read more]
November 13, 2008 Picked By A-Xiang Joe See all this editor's picks
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Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Normal Edition) (Japan Version - English Subtitles)
Miyazaki Hayao (Director)
| Naya Goro
| Sakakibara Ryoko
| Tsujimura Masato
Miyazaki Hayao's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind presents an apocalyptic fantasy tale admonishing the horrors of war and the continued pollution of the environment by ignorant human behavior. In his second feature-length animation released in spring 1984, Japan's master director and animator warns of how mankind may finally bring about their own destruction through senseless warring activities and ignorant use of advanced technology, turning originally fertile land into one filled with toxic elements. At the center of Miyazaki's film is the relentless fight against all odds of a peaceful boundary nation living in the remote Valley of the Wind, as nature turns against them and power-greedy... [read more]
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48 Hrs. (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Eddie Murphy (Actor)
| Nick Nolte (Actor)
| Remar James
| Annette O'Toole
Viewers are likely to get caught by the pace and the action of Walter Hill's influential 80s buddy movie48 Hrs. in which Eddie Murphy performs at the top of his game as loud-mouthed convict Reggie Hammond. Nick Nolte plays his involuntary partner, police officer Jack Cates, who bails him out of jail under the condition that he helps him capture the cold-blooded killer Ganz (James Remar). Thus begins the on-screen partnership of Murphy and Nolte who offer excellent performances as a seemingly tough cop and a The Police song-humming convict discovering that they may not be so different after all. From Eddie's tour de force show as fake police inspector, to the unlikely duo's not-so-clean fight... [read more]
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Bee Movie (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
It's a bird, it's a plane ... it's a beeLike the title reveals, Bee Movie revolves around our useful black and yellow insect friends that have the inclination to sting from time to time. The fast-paced colorful animation comes packed with stinging humor and buzzing action. In this bee-populated big-screen feature, writer and producer Jerry Seinfeld also lends his voice to the animated answer to Benjamin Braddock, new-generation graduate and wanna-bee success Barry Bee Benson. Not only revolving around Barry's life, Bee Movie introduces the viewers to the most vibrant beehive ever to appear in a film and much more. Among the secrets revealed are the size and kind of magazine you need to take out a bee, exactly what kind of jobs are... [read more]
August 21, 2008 Picked By A-Xiang Joe See all this editor's picks
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Lost In Time (DTS Version)
Cecilia Cheung (Actor)
| Lau Ching Wan (Actor)
| Paul Chun
| Louis Koo
Cecilia Cheung, Lau Ching Wan, and Louis Koo star in Derek Yee's bittersweet tale Lost in Time revolving around a woman's desperate attempt to overcome the loss of the most important person in her life. Cecilia Cheung plays the female protagonist Siu Wai whose life is turned upside-down after her fiance Ah Man (Louis Koo) has a fatal accident. Now left alone to manage not only her own life, but also that of her late lover's young son, Siu Wai's formerly happy life takes on a new gloomy aspect, until an unexpected third party appears to lend her a helping hand. Cecilia Cheung offers a passionate performance in her role as single parent who struggles to make ends meet, while Lau Ching Wan... [read more]
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Home Alone (US Version)
Catherine O'Hara (Actor, Director)
| John Hughes (Actor)
| Daniel Stern (Actor)
| Kristin Minter (Actor)
Meet an eight-year-old destruction machineMacaulay Culkin rose to fame in this laugh-out-loud comedy hit from the late 90s. Regarded as the good-for-nothing baby of the family, Kevin McCallister (Culkin) accidentally stays Home Alone with hilarious results. Left to his own devices, he teaches two wannabe burglars the meaning of surprise, discomfort, and fear. Written and produced by John Hughes, Home Alone is almost as attractive to me today as when it first hit the theaters. Here are the reasons why I can still wholeheartedly recommend this heavyweight comedy with a lightweight star. The movie offers a tour de force performance by Culkin who does not play but rather transforms into the tale's young protagonist, the unforgettable... [read more]
July 31, 2008 Picked By A-Xiang Joe See all this editor's picks
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Shane (US Version)
John Hurt (Actor)
| Jean Arthur (Actor)
| Burt Lancaster (Actor)
| James Hill (Actor)
It has escaped my mind how long it has been since I first saw Shane, but I do know that it has been one of my favorites ever since. It has all the trademarks of the traditional western starting from hapless settlers in need of protection to a nasty gang of crooks trying to satisfy their selfish gains at all costs. Alan Ladd stars as Shane, a lone but upright gunfighter who seeks to start a life as an ordinary rancher, but later has to return to his old lifestyle for the sake of an innocent family. Not filled with just gun smoke, the film spends a lot of time to introduce the tale's characters, and often focuses on facial expressions and gestures. The perfect example is probably Joey Starrett... [read more]
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Wild Strawberries (Criterion Collection) (US Version)
Gunnar Bjornstrand (Actor)
| Ingrid Thulin (Actor)
| Bibi Andersson (Actor)
| Victor Sjostrom (Actor)
Whenever, I watch an Ingmar Bergman a certain feeling of warmth overcomes me as if I was visiting an old friend and that is especially true for Wild Strawberries, his ambitious study about an elderly man's reflection on life. Actually, I was much too young to understand his movies the first time around (and I wonder whether my parents did), but they have always been filled with a strange kind of intensity that has never failed to draw me in. Bergman's film lets the viewers simultaneously wander through the past and the present of the film's protagonist Isak Borg (Victor Sjöström), a retired professor plagued by the echoes of the past. In Wild Strawberries Bergman has perhaps found the... [read more]
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My Sassy Girl Director's Cut Special Edition (Japan Version)
Cha Tae Hyun
| Jeon Ji Hyun
| Kim In Moon
| Kwak Jae Yong (Director)
Jeon Ji Hyun delivers girl power in Kwak Jae Yong's My Sassy Girl. Packed with situational humor, this film from the summer of 2001 has laughs and touching moments to spare. Presented through a first person narrative, the viewers are invited to the world of male protagonist Kyun Woo (Cha Tae Hyun), a happy-go-lucky guy enjoying his life as a student. A twist of fate makes him stumble into the girl (Jeon) of his dreams, or is she? The awakening comes very swiftly and miserably for Kyun as this girl reveals her unbelievably bad manners, challenging Kyun to endure multiple blows to his face and other painful mistreatments that disqualify her as his or anybody's girlfriend. Yet, Jeon's... [read more]
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Rocky (2-Disc Set; Collector's Edition) (US Version)
Talia Shire (Actor)
| Burt Young (Actor)
| Carl Weathers (Actor)
| John A. Alonzo (Actor)
Rocky transfers the myth of the American Dream to the silver screen. Shot in the second half of the 70s, Rocky takes you through the boxing ring and more importantly the life of its titular protagonist played by Sylvester Stallone. Stallone also provided the script for this original story of an underdog boxer about to take on the battle of his life when he is offered the unbelievable opportunity to compete for the heavyweight champion title. Director John G. Avildsen's Oscar-winning movie offers an in-depth character study of the main cast, leading to a grand finale in which the titular character attempts to go the distance against all odds. Rocky is one of those lucky cases in which a good... [read more]
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To Catch a Thief (Special Collector's Edition - Widescreen) (US Version)
Alexander Golitzen (Actor)
| Harry E. Edington (Director, Producer, Actor)
| Peter Suschitzky (Actor)
| Wendell Corey (Actor)
When it comes to films starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, I always tend to get a bit nostalgic. Shot around the mid-50s, To Catch A Thief has both stars and was directed by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Cary Grant stars as John Robie, a retired jewel thief earlier known as The Cat who earned his amnesty as a war hero. However, when a new streak of burglaries carried out in a Cat-like manner emerge, he has to prove that his love for stealing is really a thing of the past. Using an alter ego, Robie observes likely victims of the new Cat hoping to catch him red-handed. Set against the beautiful scenery of the French Riviera with an agreeable music score by Lyn Murray and... [read more]
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Wait Until Dark
Richard Crenna
| Audrey Hepburn
| Alan Arkin
This chilly thriller from the latter half of the 60s may stop you from turning off the lights for a while. Directed by Terence Young and based on a story by Frederick Knott, Wait Until Dark starts slowly, but has the viewers holding on to the very end after the premise has been set. The film centers around a young blind woman who gets caught in grave danger after her husband involuntarily turns into the owner of a seemingly harmless toy doll sought after by an ice cold killer. The tale features two opposite poles, namely, Audrey Hepburn in the leading role as Susy Hendrix who is unwilling to turn into the prey in spite of her blindness and Alan Arkin who plays the psychotic hoodlum Roat.... [read more]
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My Neighbor Totoro (Japan Version - English Subtitles)
Miyazaki Hayao
| Amagasa Toshiyuki
My Neighbor Totoro takes viewers on another ride into a world where fantasy never sleeps. The magical elements of storytelling wizard Miyazaki Hayao take the upper hand again in his classic anime My Neighbor Totoro, primarily revolving around the adventures of Kusakabe Satsuki, her younger sister Mei, and their family in rural Japan. Totoro is a mammoth chinchilla-like creature among whose favorite pastimes are sleeping and traveling around in the unique Cat Bus which takes him to wherever he likes. Harmless in spite of his gigantic proportions, Totoro and his family and friends are not only rare sights to observe, but are also very useful to have around as the protagonists of this anime... [read more]
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Doctor Zhivago (2-Disc Set) (US Version)
Ralph Richardson (Actor)
| Keith Waterhouse (Actor)
| Julie Christie (Actor)
| Jacqueline Pearce (Actor)
David Lean's Doctor Zhivago presents one of the last century's most passionate screen adaptations. There are some films that continue to be indelibly locked in your mind and this grand-scale epic with beautiful cinematography by Freddie Young became one of them for me. The many-faceted tale's focus rests on coincidental lovers Lara Antipova (Julie Christie) and Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif) against the backdrop of tragedies and hardships caused by the Russian Revolution. Based on a novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Boris Pasternak, the movie departs from the original text, but nevertheless stands very well on its own, touchingly portraying how the needs of the masses eventually lead to the... [read more]
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Goldfinger (Widescreen; Repackaged) (US Version)
Sean Connery (Actor)
| Gert Frobe (Actor)
| Craig Armstrong (Actor)
| Stanley Pavey (Actor)
If there ever was an action movie that fit in the category of classic, Guy Hamilton's Goldfinger is definitely a worthy candidate. Right from the start of the film, the audience is charmed with the perhaps best Bond movie theme song ever, Shirley Bassey's titular Goldfinger. As for the film, it gets viewers into a real spying mood as the adventures of Ian Fleming's charismatic protagonist are effectively brought to life by veteran star Sean Connery. Bond's suave behavior comes accompanied with John Barry's eternal Bond theme and the by now familiar Bond gadgets among which is one unbeatable Ashton Martin that has remained a tourist attraction to this very day. Just when you think you've seen... [read more]
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Superman The Movie
Christopher Reeve
Towards the end of the 70s, the movie world witnessed a very familiar caped hero take flight again. Superman, perhaps the world's best-known superhero, was never among my favorites, ranking far behind characters like Spiderman, Batman, or the Flash. He was just too super for my taste; super sight, super strength, super invulnerability, etc. just didn't seem tangible enough for me at that time. Now that I'm older, but not necessarily wiser, it seems that Superman: The Movie has won me over as a supporter for the father of all superheroes. Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie offers all the original tale's key elements including the main character's arrival from Krypton, his adoption by Martha... [read more]
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Kung Fu Hustle (Korean Version)
Yuen Wah
| Stephen Chow
| Bruce Liang
| Lam Tze Chung
Chow's Kung Fu Hustle flattens all naysayersHong Kong's comic ace Stephen Chow lands a dynamic martial arts epic with cult film potential. Gracing the silver screen with hybrid elements from the western, comedy, and martial arts genres, Chow's Kung Fu Hustle offers a cinematic blend that promises to keep viewers hooked from minute one. Supported by a strong cast and effective symbols like approaching storm clouds and a broken lollipop, this film tells the tale of its protagonist Sing (Chow) with lots of charm, even more black humor, and countless broken bones. Set in 1940s Shanghai, Chow's stylistic film introduces a myriad of very interesting supporting characters, starting with psychotic Brother Sum (Chan Kwok Kwan). Surprisingly,... [read more]
April 29, 2008 Picked By A-Xiang Joe See all this editor's picks
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Peter Pan (Platinum Edition, 2-Disc Set) (US Version)
Clyde Geronimi (Director)
| Hamilton Luske (Director)
| Walt Disney
| Bill Peet
All the real-life big screen adaptations seem to be no match for Walt Disney's classic animation of Peter Pan. This movie came as a present for my younger brother and me around three decades ago and I revisit it whenever I need a capful of over-the-top adventures. Based on writings by J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan offers fantastic excitement from beginning to end, revolving around the tale's titular protagonist who lives a life of never-ending adventure. I can still recall the scene in which he has to perform the feat of catching his own shadow and all the ensuing fun as if it was yesterday. As for the story's supporting characters, Walt Disney's rendition is perhaps the best of the Peter Pan... [read more]
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American Beauty
Kevin Spacey
| Annette Benning
Close up on an ordinary guy with nothing to loseRare movie magic shines through in Sam Mendes's American Beauty. This spellbinding cinematic gem from the late 90s offers good performances throughout, particularly by Kevin Spacey who shines in a memorable role as protagonist. Lester Burnham (Spacey) is a guy who has passed the prime of his life and seems to be dispensable as far as his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) and daughter Jane (Thora Birch) are concerned. With this situation as premise, the film presents an interesting study of human behavior, focusing on a dying family relationship through a flashback of the events that have left Lester the empty human shell introduced to the viewers in the beginning. Narrated by the protagonist,... [read more]
April 11, 2008 Picked By A-Xiang Joe See all this editor's picks
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The Paleface (US Version)
Robert Armstrong (Actor)
| Bob Hope (Actor)
| Charles Trowbridge (Actor)
| Jackie Searl (Actor)
Hope turns into the West's biggest fearNorman Z. McLeod's Western parody The Paleface teams up Jane Russell and Bob Hope in top form. In this film from the late 40s, Russell plays the outlaw Calamity Jane who is doing time in prison, but promised parole if she is able to bring a group of corrupt officials to justice. In order to attract as little attention as possible, she poses as the wife of happy-go-lucky dentist Painless Peter Potter (Hope). Due to her sly arrangement, the crooks believe that Potter has been sent as the secret agent and they try everything to outsmart him. The movie draws heavily on Hope's comedic talents, presenting him as dentist who does everything by the book but is still very likely to pull the wrong... [read more]
April 8, 2008 Picked By A-Xiang Joe See all this editor's picks
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