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The Day (CD + DVD) (China Version)
Xu Wei (Singer)
If you're yet to discover the wonders of Xu Wei, then this compilation is a great place to start. The Day comes with 15 selected songs from the Mainland singer-songwriter's last three albums - Ai Ru Shao Nian, It's New For Every Moment, Through the Time - covering a good portion of his music from 2002 to 2008, or what I would call his mellow years. Critics quip that Xu Wei's albums all sound the same, and the observation is not unfounded. But Xu Wei's hearty, heart-tugging folk and guitar rock numbers don't just pitch a common sound, but rather a common sentiment, a continuing story of living and moving, crying and dreaming, and staying true to self in an aging, changing world. Since 2002's... [read more]
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Please Teach Me English (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Jang Hyuk (Actor)
| Lee Na Young (Actor)
| Kim Sung Su (Director)
Korean humor and English vocabulary in motionIf you thought entering a classroom for Koreans trying to brush up their English couldn't be fun, I am afraid you will have to remodel your statement after watching Please Teach Me English whose charming humor is sure to make you smile. Young Joo (Lee Na Young), who works as a junior civil servant in a government office, lives a carefree life with her colleagues until an English-speaking person walks in the office looking for help. When she is unable to make head or tail of what he is saying, her boss sentences her to obligatory English lessons. Initially unwilling to accept her fate, she changes her mind when she runs into her hunk of a classmate Moon Soo (Jang Hyuk). The outstanding parts... [read more]
July 16, 2009 Picked By A-Xiang Joe See all this editor's picks
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4 Bia (AKA: Phobia) (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Banjong Pisonthanakun (Director)
| Parkpoom Wongpoom (Director)
| Yongyoot Thongkongtoon (Director)
Anthology movies are the movie industry's answer to the fast food culture. Stringing together several usually unrelated segments into a feature-length movie comes at the expense of plot and character development, but that is accepted as long as the variety in flavor keeps the audience interested. This principle works especially well with the horror/thriller genre. 2008 Thai movie 4bia (a play on the word "phobia") is a prime example of a delectable horror set meal. Directed by the cream of Thailand's scare masters, 4bia serves up 4 dishes of spooky short stories, ensuring that there's something for different audiences. The appetizer is Iron Ladies helmer Youngyooth Thongkonthun's Happiness.... [read more]
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Ping Pong (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Kubozuka Yosuke (Actor)
| Sam Lee (Actor)
| Takenaka Naoto
| ARATA
When I was a kid, my younger brother and I used to be mad about table tennis. Even though I stopped playing in a team a long time ago, I would never say no to a live broadcast of an important table tennis game. Holding very low expectations for Ping Pong, I was surprised to find that the film elevates the game to all new levels. Ping Pong tells the story of two friends who have played table tennis ever since their early childhood days. Extroverted Hoshino Yukata (Kubozuka Yosuke), also called Peco, and Tsukimoto Makoto (Arata), who is called Smile because he never smiles, are behind the table tennis tables day in and day out as members of the Katase High School table tennis team. There's... [read more]
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Romantic Island (DVD) (Korea Version)
Yoo Jin (Eugene)
| Lee Seon Gyun
| Lee Min Ki
| Lee Soo Kyung
You probably have experienced it before: the point at which nothing seems to work in your life, and you feel as if you are on the verge of going insane. The protagonists featured in this feel-good comedy find just the right cure for their problems through a trip to Romantic Island. Romantic Island is perhaps the perfect promotion film for Boracay island in the Philippines where all the leading characters of the film are headed for various reasons. Fittingly, the film also starts with exuberant Soo Jin (Lee Soo Kyung), standing in front of a holiday advertisement for the tropical island resort. Later it becomes obvious that in spite of Soo Jin's joyous nature, she feels the need to escape... [read more]
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East Asia Capital Artists Concert Karaoke (3DVD)
Hong Kong Various Artists (Singer)
| Sammi Cheng (Singer)
| Andy Lau (Singer)
| Miriam Yeung (Singer)
Amidst loud, rousing music, 3 figures rise up slowly into view in the middle of the stage. Turns out it's Miriam Yeung, Andy Hui, and Denise Ho... It's M.A.D.! The trio "Leaps Over the Stage" to begin the party celebrating the imminent revival of Capital Artists under East Asia. What follows is the summer favorite "Red Hot Action La La La" when everyone comes out. Bosco Wong looks rad! But why no Sammi Cheng? Saving the ace for last, maybe? Everyone then retreats backstage, except Denise, who starts the solo sessions with a unique presence that holds your attention - especially on her mentor's unforgettable "Break Open the Iceberg" which sends the audience into a frenzy. Fellow Anita Mui... [read more]
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VINS - Sensitivity
VINS
K-pop has sprouted so many new girl groups lately, it's getting harder and harder to tell them apart. To aid memory, let's just say VINS are the ones not wearing color-splatter clothing, and not likely to participate in the inevitable Mnet rookie sexy dance battle stage. The under-the radar trio has a rather unfortunate name that seemingly abides by some hidden rule that every other female group must have an abbreviated four-character name. VINS also stands for "Voice IN Soul", which is far too similar to male trio V.O.S's "Voice Of Soul" (although "female version of V.O.S" certainly isn't a negative association). Despite the less-than-stellar packaging and promotion for VINS, the group's... [read more]
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Survivor's Law (DVD) (End) (TVB Drama) (US Version)
Raymond Lam (Actor)
| Bernice Liu (Actor)
| Myolie Wu (Actor)
| Sammul Chan (Actor)
TVB generally fares well in ratings and quality when it comes to modern dramas revolving around professional fields like law, medicine, and forensics, so in retrospect it's not surprising that Survivor's Law, a work-meets-romance series about young ambitious lawyers, became a hit when it aired in Hong Kong in summer 2003. Headlined by a new-generation cast of TVB's future A-list, Survivor's Law was one of the first post-2000 dramas to rely completely on young actors to carry the show, and even more importantly, one of the first to prove that young actors could carry a drama to high ratings. Survivor's Law came during a crucial turning point period when TVB was pushing its new class to the... [read more]
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Spy Girl (Hong Kong Version)
Jadu
| Nam Sang Mi
| Kim Jung Hwa
| Gong Yoo
What images appear in your head when you think of South Korea's neighbor North Korea? Likely candidates that come to mind are stoic behavior, dictatorship, and sad faces. Maybe you'll change your mind a little bit after you meet a unique North Korean super spy who shows us a somewhat different side of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Spy Girl. Clinging to the recipe made popular through My Sassy Girl, Spy Girl introduces its male protagonist Ko Bung (Gong Yoo) with his narration of events that have occurred earlier. We get to know him as a shy somewhat silly high school student who is still looking for the girl that will change his life. He is invited to a party under the... [read more]
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Old Partner (DVD) (Korea Version)
Lee Chung Ryul (Director)
| Choi Won Kyun
| Lee Sam Soon
Don't let the lack of subtitles deter you from watching the award-winning Korean documentary Old Partner. This indie darling about two elderly farmers and a dying ox is as far from the blockbuster formula as one can possibly get, and yet it completely and confoundingly defied the odds to become a massive mainstream hit in Korea. Lee Chung Ryul's charming documentary quite simply follows one normal yet fateful year in the lives of 79-year-old farmer Choi, his 74-year-old wife, and their old and trusty bovine, which we are told at the film's start has only about a year left to live. Life goes on as usual, the days marked by the sowing of the seeds and the tending of fields. Time seems to move... [read more]
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Keshin (SINGLE+DVD)(First Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)
Fukuyama Masaharu
Japan's favorite bachelor Fukuyama Masaharu sports a funny-looking perm on the cover of his 20th anniversary single Keshin, but otherwise he looks almost exactly the same as he did two decades ago. The same could be said of the forever-young singer-songwriter's music, soothing lilting ballads and hearty rock numbers that carry for years without aging. His latest single Keshin is one of his most fun songs yet. Keshin kicks up the energy level straight off with a hyper-fast drum solo and a sprightly detective jazz intro. Keshin seems to take a page from Kuwata Keisuke with its jazzy, catchy rock melody, and the song's lively atmosphere pulls the listener in right away. From the edgy lyrics to... [read more]
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Games Gamblers Play (DVD) (Digitally Remastered) (Hong Kong Version)
Samuel Hui (Actor)
| Michael Hui (Director, Actor)
| Raymond Chow (Producer)
The Hui brothers are comedians you can bet your money onOn the Hong Kong music scene, Sam Hui has earned his eternal place as Godfather of Canto-pop through such evergreen songs as "Genius and Fool", "Paper Boats", and "The God of Fortune Has Arrived". Teaming up with his brothers Michael and Ricky, he shows that his acting skills also deserve attention. In Games Gamblers Play Hui portrays Kit, a small-time criminal whose luck is in a critical phase. To make things worse, after trying to outsmart a thief of stolen gambling money at a casino, he gets caught red-handed and is put behind bars. As luck would have it, he runs into professional con man Man (Michael Hui) with whom he hopes to get his hands on some extra money after their prison term is... [read more]
June 9, 2009 Picked By A-Xiang Joe See all this editor's picks
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Triad Story (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Stephen Chow (Actor)
| Ng Man Tat (Actor)
| Shing Fui On (Actor)
| Wu Ma (Actor)
For a long time one of the most elusive titles in Stephen Chow's filmography, Triad Story is finally released on DVD almost 20 years after its theatrical run. Regrettably, the budget of the DVD production was obviously very tight, so much so that the manufacturer couldn't find a decent picture for the packaging box and had to settle on using a photo of a pair of melting wax figures instead. Nevertheless, this should not discourage you from buying this movie. Quite the contrary, this movie demands a place on your DVD shelf, particularly if you claim to be a Stephen Chow fan or collector. Triad Story enjoys the unique status of being the only Stephen Chow movie to earn the film rating of... [read more]
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Achilles and the Tortoise (DVD) (English Subtitled) (Japan Version)
Kitano Takeshi (Director)
| Higuchi Kanako
| Aso Kumiko
| Osugi Ren
Achilles and the Tortoise is without a doubt the most accessible entry in Kitano Takeshi's head-scratching, navel-gazing, self-reflective, self-deprecating trilogy of films. It is also the entry that is least obviously about him. For one thing, unlike Takeshis' and Glory to the Filmmaker, Achilles and the Tortoise does not star Kitano as himself. And there are no man-sized mannequins of him, either. After Glory to the Filmmaker! crossed the line of eccentric into esoteric (or worse, boring), Achilles takes Kitano back to something resembling a narrative with the intriguing character study of an untalented artist from childhood to middle age. Achilles and the Tortoise captures the life of... [read more]
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Love Forever (Normal Edition)(Japan Version)
Kato Miliyah
| Shimizu Shota
As a crossover effort from two of Japan's brightest young R&B artists, Love Forever does not disappoint. This remarkably likable R&B number lays romantic lyrics and infectious synth beats over a rolling mid-tempo melody that bounces with positive energy. If this was a solo track from Kato or Shimizu, it would probably sound too commercial, but as a collaboration Love Forever feels fresh, fun, and catchy. Kato and Shimizu's voices harmonize together beautifully, often sounding like they could be one, and combining to turn Love Forever into an outstanding R&B pop number. B-side Looking your eyes is more of a standard-fare R&B ballad. The verse portions of the song are actually quite good and... [read more]
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If You Are The One (DVD) (English Subtitled) (US Version)
Shu Qi (Actor)
| Ge You (Actor)
| Feng Xiao Gang (Director)
| Vivian Hsu (Actor)
Shu Qi and veteran actor Ge You experience an extended blind date on the sea, in the air, and on land in Feng Xiaogang's romantic comedy If You Are The One. Ge You plays inventor Qin Fen whose financial situation couldn't look any better thanks to his latest invention. His personal life however is somewhat of a problem as he enters a stage in his life in which he becomes increasingly tired of being alone. He posts an online ad to finally find the right person to spend the rest of his life with him. As a result, he meets all kinds of women, few of whom he really considers to be the right choice. When he runs into sympathetic stewardess Smiley (Shu Qi), he seems to have found his match, or has... [read more]
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2PM 2nd Single Album
2PM
2PM was outshone by SHINee last year in the battle of the rookie boy bands, but they're getting their time in the limelight with their second single album 2:00PM Time For Change. Written, composed, and arranged by daddy JYP, their red-hot #1 single Again & Again is pretty much a surefire hit from the first note to the last. Particularly notable for the fluid electronic beats and pounding bass that serve as intro, outro, and catchy backing for the entire song, Again & Again is an urban dance track that embraces the K-pop mantra of being both hip-pop edgy and completely chart-friendly at the same time. The song gets stuck in the head pretty easily since the "again and again" part is repeated,... [read more]
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The Forbidden Kingdom (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Jackie Chan (Actor)
| Jet Li (Actor)
| Collin Chou
| Li Bing Bing
A captivating collaboration of the kings of kung fuKids growing up in the 80s should have fond memories of The Neverending Story, a West Germany film about a bullied boy who stumbles upon a magical book which takes him to a strange fantasy land, meeting all sorts of fantastical creatures on his out-of-this-world adventure. This untouchable children classic, the Harry Potter of its time, inspired thrills and joy and awe in this editor's mind. Unexpectedly, similar emotions were evoked some twenty years later by a Hollywood flick called The Forbidden Kingdom. Kingdom has yet other similarities with Story, like both films opening with a flying-through-a-sea-of-cloud shot followed by that of the protagonist waking up from a dream. Simply replace... [read more]
May 13, 2009 Picked By dian See all this editor's picks
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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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She's On Duty (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Kim Sun Ah
| Nam Sang Mi (Actor)
| Gong Yoo (Actor)
| Park Sang Myun (Actor)
Leaning on the tough girl formula a la My Sassy Girl, Park Kwang Choon's She's On Duty gives the often told story a fresh twist, inviting viewers to a different kind police action comedy. The film revolves around female police officer Chun Jae In (Kim Sun Ah) who never misses a chance to see that justice is being served. After she fails to accomplish her latest assignment, her commanding head has the brilliant idea of using her as an undercover agent to observe and protect the daughter of a criminal on the loose who is related to the criminal syndicate that she wants to bust. The bad news for Jae In is that she has to return to school in order to complete her assignment. Jae In's initial... [read more]
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