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Tokyo! (DVD) (English Subtitled) (2-Disc) (Special Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Bong Joon Ho (Director)
| Aoi Yu
| Takenaka Naoto
| Tsumabuki Satoshi
Three big names in World Cinema collaborate on Tokyo!, an entertaining, affecting, and sometimes unfathomable omnibus set in the crowded Japanese city. Michael Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) kicks things off with "Interior Design", a metaphorical look at a young woman who's starting to feel a little down in Tokyo. Fujitani Ayako plays the girlfriend to an aspiring director (Kase Ryo) of decidedly bad cinema, but as his career and life slightly edges forward, she finds herself marginalized, if not by the city and her circumstances, then by her own self-defeating ego. Gondry's surreal vision of Tokyo is unusually poignant, and what happens to our heroine is bizarre, sad and... [read more]
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The Good, The Bad, The Weird (DVD) (Special Edition) (First Press Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Lee Byung Hun (Actor)
| Song Kang Ho (Actor)
| Jung Woo Sung (Actor)
| Kim Ji Woon (Director)
Director Kim Jee-Woon's The Good, The Bad, The Weird is one fun movie. This Manchuria-set "Kimchi" Western has action, humor, strong character types and a killer concept. What it doesn't have is a firm grip on reality, plus it's a bit too enamored of its own "wow, we're making an Asian Western" intentions. Those quibbles, however, are incredibly small and pretty much qualify as nitpicking. For fans of Korean cinema, this movie is a must-see, and Asian Cinema genre junkies shouldn't pass it up either. This is a guy's film; there's nothing approximating romance in it - that is, unless you find tough men pursuing other tough men to be your homoerotic cup of tea. The biggest problem with The... [read more]
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Ip Man (DVD) (2-Disc Special Edition) (Hong Kong Version)
Donnie Yen (Actor)
| Simon Yam (Actor)
| Gordon Lam (Actor)
| Sammo Hung (Action Director)
Donnie Yen isn't just the Man, he's Ip Man. Hong Kong's most prolific martial arts actor goes for Fearless-type cred in director Wilson Yip's biopic of the legendary Wing Chun master. The film tells the tale of Ip Man (Yen) during the 1930s and 40s, covering his rise to prominence in 1930s Foshan, plus his involvement with the imperialist Japanese . Noted for its many famous kung-fu masters, Foshan comes under siege from surly kung fu master Jin Shan Zhao (Fan Siu-Wong), who's looking to rob Foshan's resident martial arts masters of their fame and face. They're quick to jump to the challenge, and all are quick to lose - that is, all except Ip Man, who seems to have zero ego and is... [read more]
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Movie Realization : Batman & Bat-Pod
Batman
If you must buy one collectible from The Dark Knight, it should be something from Hot Toys. However, those collectibles are 1:6 scale, meaning their insane replicas of the Tumbler and Bat-Pod would never fit in any reasonable person's living space. You can get a Batman 12" figure, but what's Batman without a vehicle? It's all about the gadgets. Now there's an option. This Batman and Bat-Pod combo from Bandai's Movie Realization line is probably the best figure+vehicle set a fan could ask for, in terms of size, detail, and overall coolness. The figure is based on artwork from manga artist and self-described Batman fan Masakazu Katsura (Shadow Lady, Video Girl Ai), who reinterpreted Dark... [read more]
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Brave Story (DVD) (English Subtitled) (Hong Kong Version)
Matsu Takako
| Tokiwa Takako
| Imai Miki
| Wentz Eiji
Anyone who's ever played an RPG should find the story of Brave Story familiar. A 10 year-old boy named Wataru follows mysterious friend Mitsuru through a strange portal, only to arrive in a fantastic medieval land called Vision, complete with dragons, anthropomorphic creatures, melee weapons, and armor. Once there, Wataru assembles a party of compatriots and treks across in the land in search of the "Goddess of Destiny", in order to fulfill some important quest involving fate, destiny, and the lives of untold innocents. Or something like that. Wataru's quest actually has acute real-world significance to him: his parents are estranged and his mother deathly ill, and Wataru wants the Goddess... [read more]
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Ocean Waves (Japan Version - English Subtitles)
Tobita Tetsuo
| Midorikawa Hikaru
| Araki kae
| Seki Toshihiko
Not all great anime movies need giant robots, cyberpunk settings, or sweeping ecological themes. Sometimes they just need to elicit the right emotions, perishable though they may be. Ocean Waves (a.k.a. I Can Hear the Ocean) is a notable Studio Ghibli production for a few reasons, among them the fact that it's not included in the Disney-Tokuma licensing deal that gave Miramax the North American rights to the Ghibli catalog. Somehow, the powers-that-be over at Disney didn't think a sweet tale of gestating high school romance would be as big a hit as, say, Princess Mononoke. Judgement from the Mouse aside, fans of Ghibli may find plenty to enjoy in Ocean Waves. Even though it possesses none of... [read more]
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Green Snake (DTS Version)
Joey Wang (Actor)
| Maggie Cheung Man Yuk (Actor)
| Vincent Zhao
| Tsui Hark (Director)
Tsui Hark's Green Snake is simultaneously revered and reviled, and honestly, it's not hard to see why. Sublimely beautiful Hong Kong Cinema icons Joey Wong and Maggie Cheung star as a pair of immortal snakes who attempt to circumvent the natural order by attaining human form, thereby pissing off the local Buddhists, including Zhao Wen Zhou (a.k.a. Chiu Man Cheuk, Vincent Zhao, and probably a few other names), who plays Fa Hoi, an exceptionally powerfully monk whose devotion is tested by his own earthly desires. Though the two snakes' human lives don't really cause anyone grief, it's the human foibles - love, anger, lust, jealousy, intolerance - which serve to bring their paradise-on-Earth... [read more]
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Linda Linda Linda (DVD) (US Version)
Maeda Aki (Actor)
| Kashii Yu (Actor)
| Yamashita Nobuhiro (Director)
The Japanese make great zero-to-hero stories, and Linda Linda Linda looks like another one of them. The story of four high school girls - three Japanese and one Korean - who mount an effort to perform at the next school festival, Linda Linda Linda sounds like it possesses everything it needs to join the ranks of such crowd-pleasing films as Waterboys or Swing Girls. Basically, we get to watch the girls show their ineptitude at music, then persevere, get better, and eventually win the big show. Right? Wrong. Not that this is a subversion of the genre where the girls lose, or end up in a knockdown mud-wrestling match (though that could be an as-yet-unproduced variation on the genre that would... [read more]
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Dororo (DVD) (English Subtitled) (Hong Kong Version)
Shibasaki Kou (Actor)
| Tsumabuki Satoshi (Actor)
| Nakai Kiichi (Actor)
| Harada Mieko (Actor)
Manga-to-movie adaptations are now so common in Japan that it's news when a new film isn't based on one. Dororo is a solid member of the majority, delivering a rollicking and fun adaptation of the long-running manga from Osamu "God of Manga" Tezuka. The film concerns Hyakkimaru (Satoshi Tsumabaki), an unlucky chap who had the unfortunate fate of being born without eyes, ears, a heart, lungs, or a bunch of other body parts. A total of 48 parts in all were taken by demons in a deal made with Hyakkimaru's lousy father Kagemitsu Daigo (Kiichi Nakai), who got unmatched power on the battlefield in exchange for his kid's vital organs. Now grown, and bearing synthetic parts cooked up by a quack... [read more]
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Secret (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Jay Chou (Director, Actor)
| Guey Lun Mei (Actor)
| Anthony Wong (Actor)
| Alice Tzeng (Actor)
The big secret: Jay Chou can direct too!It's not a secret anymore: Jay Chou can do more than just compose music and sing, he can direct too. However, the jury may still be out on his acting. Chairman Chou does quadruple duty for Secret; besides directing and starring in the film, the do-it-all entertainer penned the original story and the film's evocative score. Chou stars as Jay, a young, talented musician whose cool demeanor is both aloof and charming. Even though he's a bit of a cold fish and even an odd duck, people still regard him with awe thanks to his amazing musical skills and charming, boyish demeanor. It's almost like he's playing...the real Jay Chou! That said, Jay Chou plays himself rather well, though as a romantic... [read more]
September 13, 2007 Picked By Koh So See all this editor's picks
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Saving My Hubby (DVD) (Single Disc) (Korea Version)
Bae Du Na
| Kim Tae Woo
Right away, Saving My Hubby has one major thing going for it: the film stars the ever-versatile and ever-charismatic Bae Du Na in the leading role. Bae plays Geum-Soon, a star volleyball player whose career has derailed thanks to a shoulder injury, and is now settling into domestic life with both a husband (Kim Tae Woo) and an infant to look after. Sadly, her husband really needs looking after. He gets sucked into a nighttime scam, and is bamboozled into thinking he owes a massive nightclub bill. Without the resources, it's up to Geum-Soon to come and bail him out, or his life is forfeit! With the in-laws arriving the next morning at 5 a.m., Geum-Soon has no choice but to venture into the... [read more]
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Bullet In The Head (Ultimate Collection) (DTS Version) (Hong Kong Version)
Jacky Cheung (Actor)
| Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Actor)
| Simon Yam (Actor)
| Waise Lee (Actor)
Yay! Another version of Bullet in the Head.Since the advent of Hong Kong Cinema on DVD, there have been no fewer than four versions of Bullet in the Head released on Hong Kong DVD, and all of them have had problems, among them such issues as non-anamorphic video, wonky 5.1 audio mixes, and the lack of deleted scenes as extras. Another issue is that one particular version of the film was previously only available on a Mei Ah VCD. That version contained the "boardroom ending", where Tony Leung Chiu Wai's final act of vengeance on Waise Lee does not involve an over-the-top car chase and gun battle. This ending is actually preferred by some fans, who find it more in keeping with the film's dark emotional tone. Some people have even... [read more]
August 9, 2007 Picked By Koh So See all this editor's picks
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Summer Time Machine Blues Standard Edition (First Press Limited Edition) (Japan Version - English Subtitles)
Ueno Juri
| Eita
| Katsuyuki Motohiro (Director)
| Yoza Yoshiaki
Anyone who digs time travel comedies should check out Summer Time Machine Blues. Based on a stage play and directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro (the Bayside Shakedown movies), this winning and surprisingly fun flick delivers a high-concept tale in a refreshingly low-tech style. A group of college kids chance upon a time machine when it shows up in their summer clubhouse on a sweltering summer day. Of course, a time machine allows for the kids to explore both the past and the present, but they use it to do completely minor things, like travel back in time one day to retrieve the remote control to their air conditioner before it gets ruined by a spilled Coke. They also use their new time-travel... [read more]
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Whatever You Want (Shaw Brothers) (Hong Kong Version)
Anita Yuen (Actor)
| Michael Wong (Actor)
| Jordan Chan (Actor)
| Christy Chung (Actor)
Whatever You Want may be the most forgotten film in the IVL/Shaw Brothers collection - and it could deserve that classification. This pastiche of movie parodies, dumb comedy, and general silliness is far from a quality motion picture experience, and should come with writer-director Wong Jing's official seal of mediocrity embossed in the DVD cover. However, the above criticism only exists if we expect all our moviegoing choices to be official award-winning cinema - in which case stuff like Scary Movie or Airplane! would never make our viewing list. Let's face it: cheap, disposable silliness has its place. If that's the case, then Whatever You Want should be the pick for longtime Hong Kong... [read more]
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My Name Is Fame (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Lau Ching Wan (Actor)
| Huo Si Yan (Actor)
| Wayne Lai
| Candice Yu
Hong Kong Cinema gets some much needed love in My Name is Fame, a winning comedy-drama starring the ever-underrated Lau Ching Wan. Lau has seemingly been in the shadow of Andy Lau, Anthony Wong, and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai for years. Those actors have repeatedly taken home Hong Kong Film Awards while Lau Ching Wan has usually settled for critics awards and just invitations to the big awards ceremonies. As anyone who watches Hong Kong movies knows: the man deserves more than a pat on the back for his performances. Sadly, his day has yet to come. My Name is Fame makes sly references to Lau's unfortunate career plight, casting him as an under appreciated actor whose years as an entertainment... [read more]
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Rob-B-Hood (Extended Edition) (Hong Kong Version)
Jackie Chan (Actor)
| Michael Hui (Actor)
| Louis Koo (Actor)
| Charlene Choi (Actor)
Lots of people love Jackie Chan. Women love Louis Koo. And everyone loves babies. Add all three together and you get Rob-B-Hood, a movie that's so demographically pleasing that EEG's marketing team probably considered the film their easiest assignment ever. Besides the powerhouse trio of Jackie Chan, Louis Koo, and classic comedian Michael Hui, the film also features the chubby cheeks of Matthew Medvedev, the all-important baby of the film and a supreme charmer in his own right. Anyone who watches Rob-B-Hood will tell you this: Baby Matthew is one cute kid. Those who don't think he's cute should probably check their vision, or maybe their pulse. Not that Rob-B-Hood begins and ends with Baby... [read more]
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Chungking Express + Fallen Angels DTS (Korean Version)
Leon Lai
| Faye Wong
| Tony Leung Chiu Wai
| Charlie Yeung
When talking about Chungking Express and Fallen Angels, words cannot properly describe the enchanting work Wong Kar Wai has accomplished. I could spend paragraphs talking about what makes these films as wonderful as they are, but to do so would probably preach only to the converted. For the non-converted, here are the Cliff's Notes: Wong Kar Wai is currently Hong Kong's international filmmaker du jour. He's a man who now gets more funding from France than from Hong Kong, and if you've seen his films, you can plainly see why. Wong Kar Wai uses top commercial names like Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung and more, but his films are pop-art poetry in motion, using image,... [read more]
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Out Of The Dark (Digitally Remastered) (Hong Kong Version)
Karen Mok (Actor)
| Stephen Chow (Actor)
| Lee Lik Chi (Actor)
| Leung Ka Yan (Actor)
Out of the Dark has long been considered a Stephen Chow film to forget, but what a difference a day - or maybe 10 years - makes. Chow plays a crazy (literally) ghostbuster who assaults a haunted Hong Kong housing estate in an attempt to rid them of some particularly nasty ghosts. His tools include a psychic plant, plastic wrap, Maltese candies, and lots of random violence towards innocent bystanders and the housing estate's security staff. There are also jokes skewering Luc Besson's The Professional, and Highlander, not to mention Hong Kong's long-standing genre of horror comedies. It's all a bit exhausting and even repellent, but amazingly, there's plenty of humor to be had. Stephen Chow... [read more]
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