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Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer (Blu-ray) (US Version)
Oshii Mamoru (Director)
Oshii Mamoru and Urusei Yatsura? It is now almost hard to imagine that Ghost in the Shell director Oshii, the master of cyber punk and artful alienation, first made his name with Urusei Yatsura, a hectic off-color anime series about a lecherous high school student and his turquoise-haired, leopard-bikini-clad alien girlfriend. When Oshii embarked on Beautiful Dreamer, it was his second go at a feature-length Urusei Yatsura film, and he did things a bit differently this time around. While the first film was a competent, fairly faithful extension of the manga, 1984's Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer was an entirely different and beautiful beast. Manga writer Takahashi Rumiko and die-hard... [read more]
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fromis_9 Special Single Album - FROM.9
fromis_9
Survival programs have been so popular in Korea over the past three years. If you have watched either Idol School or Produce 48, rookie girl group fromis_9 may sound familiar to you. fromis_9 consists of the top nine winners of Idol School. And a few months ago, member Jang Gyu Ri joined as a trainee contestant of Produce 48. After she got eliminated, she returned to her original group to release the new single album FROM.9. The album's title track Love Bomb (Track 1) is co-written by producer David Amber, who also composed Twice's Heart Shaker, GFRIEND's Love Bug and NCT Dream's La La Love. When I first watched the comeback teaser, I thought the title track was going to be similar to Red... [read more]
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Detective Chinatown 2 (2018) (DVD) (English Subtitled) (Hong Kong Version)
Liu Hao Ran (Actor)
| Xiao Yang (Actor)
| Wang Bao Qiang (Actor)
| Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Actor)
The birth of a detective comedy franchiseThere is no shortage of crime mystery and suspense productions in China, but most with buzz and budget of late are based on novels – and often the same ones. Criminal Minds, Yu Zui and Qin Ming adaptations abound and no Nan Pai San Shu or Tianxia Bachang story is left unturned. In that sense, Chen Sicheng's blockbuster Detective Chinatown film series stands out for being a successful original creation rather than an extension of a pre-existing IP. Following his success with Beijing Love Story, actor-turned-director Chen Sicheng tried his hand at mystery in 2015 with the sophomore directorial effort Detective Chinatown. The film brought together the unlikely detective duo of comedy veteran... [read more]
October 31, 2018 Picked By Sanwei See all this editor's picks
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Pad Man (2018) (DVD) (English Subtitled) (Hong Kong Version)
Akshay Kumar (Actor)
| Sonam Kapoor (Actor)
| Radhika Apte (Actor)
| Amitabh Bachchan
Akshay Kumar is known for his man's man action hero image, but lately he's become Bollywood's unlikely onscreen hero for the cause of public health and sanitation. In last year's Toilet, Akshay Kumar played a man whose marriage begins to unravel because his new wife cannot accept the lack of a toilet in their home. The film's unabashed focus on toilets and what goes in them may seem like crass humor, but it actually broaches the very serious issue of improving sanitary conditions in rural India. In this year's Pad Man, he plays a man whose marriage begins to unravel because of sanitary pads. The film is produced by writer Twinkle Khanna, whose short story "The Sanitary Man of Sacred Land"... [read more]
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DAY6 - EVERY DAY6 FINALE CONCERT - THE BEST MOMENTS (3DVD + Out Sleeve + Photobook + Photo Card) (Korea Version)
DAY6
A pleasing wrap-up to the Every DAY6 projectIn 2017, JYP's first band DAY6 launched new songs and concerts monthly for their Every DAY6 Project. The ambitious year-long project is undoubtedly a successful one that showcases the band's talent in songwriting. Known since debut for songs about breakups and heartbroken sentiments, DAY6 caught the public's attention with hits like "I Like You" and "You Were Beautiful." Though they recently made a transformation with the wild rock song Shoot Me, let's go back in time to appreciate the band's softer pop rock and alternative rock sounds in the Every DAY6 Finale Concert, the final wrap-up concert of the Every DAY6 Project. DAY6 kicks off the concert with the very first song released for the... [read more]
October 19, 2018 Picked By Violet See all this editor's picks
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Super Junior Special Album - One More Time (Normal Edition)
Super Junior
Despite going through different obstacles throughout the past 13 years, Super Junior is still going strong as the Hallyu King. Their last hit Lo Siento featuring Latin singer Leslie Grace was their first attempt in a brand new genre, and it affirmed both their musical talent and impressive popularity. Half a year after Lo Siento, Super Junior brings another wave of Latin sound with the album One More Time! This time, the SuJu members collaborate with Mexican band Reik for the reggaeton Latin pop number One More Time (Otra Vez) (Feat. REIK) (Track 1). Andreas Stone Johansson (the composer of Super Junior's Island, EXO's "Miracles in December" and NCT Dream's JOY) and Denniz Jamm (the... [read more]
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Dear Monster (EP)
Aaron Yan (Singer)
The 2000s Taiwan boy band Fahrenheit is probably a familiar name to most fans of Mandopop. After parting ways, Aaron Yan was the first member to go solo with his first release The Next Me. Unlike many idols, Aaron is known for his frank and honest personality as he publicly comments on political issues and even his relationship with other Fahrenheit members. The singer creates the new album Dear Monster under the concept of "REAL AARON" to share his thoughts to every listener. Most people tend to get used to things that happen around us in everyday life. As days go by, we gradually forget how to think and how to express; we don't want to be special, we just follow. We hide our unique selves... [read more]
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The World Sings Danny Chan
Hong Kong Various Artists
If he was alive, September 7, 2018, would have been Danny Chan's 60th birthday. Though the legendary singer has long left us, his many hit songs remain as classic representatives of eighties Hong Kong music and Cantopop ballads. To commemorate Danny's 60th birthday, Universal Music launched a special project that included a memorial concert and the tribute album The World Sings Danny Chan produced by veteran Alan Tsui. The album begins with Alan Tam's version of "Cherish Today" (Track 1) and the classic encouraging line of "Put down your worries / Please cherish today." The original song is probably the best example of how Danny's music blended traditional "xiao diao" melody with a... [read more]
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Lim Chang Jung Vol. 14
Lim Chang Jung
Autumn is just around the corner – it's finally the season of ballad! Looking through the Korea digital music sites, the top two songs are currently without exception Roy Kim's "The Hardest Part" and Lim Chang Jung's "There Has Never Been A Day I Haven't Loved You." All-round artist Lim Chang Jung's sensational 2016 song "The Love I Committed" hit 200,000 likes on Melon, Korea's biggest music streaming site. This fall, he returns with some new hit-songs-to-be and remakes of his two classics! Following his megahits "The Love I Committed" and "Love Again," Lim Chang Jung partners up with producer Wild Pig again for the title track "There Has Never Been A Day I Haven't Loved You" (Track 3).... [read more]
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The Poet and The Boy (DVD) (Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Jung Ga Ram (Actor)
| Jeon Hye Jin (Actor)
| Yang Ik Joon (Actor)
| Bang Eun Hee (Actor)
It's hard to believe that The Poet and The Boy, which won Best Screenplay at the Busan Film Critics Awards and the Women in Film Korea Awards, is only the feature debut of director Kim Yang Hee. In the film, married poet Mr. Hyeon (Yang Ik Joon) finds inspiration and infatuation in attractive young man Se Yoon (Jung Ga Ram) who works at a donut shop near his home. There are many questions about whether Mr. Hyeon and Se Yoon are truly in love or not. Rather than giving an exact answer, Kim Yang Hee shows the parallel between the backgrounds of the two and their surrounding characters. Mr. Hyeon is out of ideas and teased by other poets for writing vague and lame poems. With his wife (Jeon... [read more]
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NCT DREAM Mini Album Vol. 2 - We Go Up
NCT Dream
Time flies. It's hard to believe that NCT Dream is already two years old. I still remember how I was all excited while waiting for Chewing Gum to be released, and the young and adorable boys in the music video just seem like yesterday to me. Go from NCT 2018 Empathy marked the beginning of the group's transformation from the cute and energetic boys in We Young to chic and swaggy teens. Now the teenage subunit returns with the brand new hip-hop-style record We Go Up! Written by Kenzie and Mark, urban hip-hop track We Go Up (Track 1) serves as the title track for this album. The tempo, hooks and roaring and bell sounds make the whole song more addictive. The song's lyrics, in short, say "Let... [read more]
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Mirai no Theme / Uta no Kisha (First Press Limited Edition) (Japan Version)
Yamashita Tatsuro
Music from Mirai, Sounds from the PastWhen I first heard Yamashita Tatsuro's latest single, I smiled at the singer-songwriter's timeless ability to write new songs that sound like old songs. At the time, I had not yet watched Hosoda Mamoru's animated feature film Mirai for which the songs were made. After watching Mirai, I now smile at the songs for capturing the sentiments of the film so perfectly in melody form. Yamashita previously created the beautiful theme song Bokura no Natsu no Yume for Hosoda's 2009 film Summer Wars (an acoustic live version of that song is included on this single). For Mirai, he made the theme song Mirai no Theme ("Theme of Mirai") and ending theme Uta no Kisha ("Music Train"), which are delightful... [read more]
September 6, 2018 Picked By Sanwei See all this editor's picks
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Modern Tragedy
Joanna Wang (Singer)
Joanna Wang swept many awards as a newcomer with her first album in 2008. Though her debut became a massive hit, she frankly stated that the whole album was designed and created under "business considerations" and not what she really wanted. Starting from her second album Joanna & Wang Ruo-lin, she has expressed her own style of music on her own terms. Modern Tragedy is Joanna's latest album with songs all written and composed by the singer-songwriter. It was my first time listening to her and the tracklist attracted me with its funny long titles. As Joanna puts it, every sad story has its value; we just have to embrace it. Let's enjoy some 90s pop rock in her new album! Modern Tragedy... [read more]
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Goodbye Mr. Loser (2015) (Blu-ray) (English Subtitled) (Hong Kong Version)
Shen Teng (Actor)
| Yin Zheng (Actor)
| Ai Lun (Actor)
| Ma Li (Actor)
Since opening last month, Yan Fei and Peng Damo's comedy Hello Mr. Billionaire starring Shen Teng has grossed around 2.5 billion yuan to storm into China's top ten grossing films of all time. This is the third time in as many years that a Shen Teng film has broken into the top ten of China's rapidly refreshing box-office records, following 2017's Never Say Die and 2015's Goodbye Mr. Loser. In a mere three years, Shen Teng has gone from a mainly stage and skit actor into a household name and box-office force. The film that started it all is the sleeper hit Goodbye Mr. Loser. In 2015, directors Yan Fei and Peng Damo, star Shen Teng and other members of the Beijing theater troupe Mahua Fun Age... [read more]
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Super Junior-D&E Mini Album Vol. 2 - Bout You (D&E Version)
Super Junior
| Super Junior-D&E
| Eun Hyuk (Super Junior)
| Lee Dong Hae (Super Junior)
Super Junior-D&E, formed by Dong Hae and Eun Hyuk, is certainly one of the most successful subunits in K-pop. After releasing The Beat Goes On in 2015, the duo went on a three-year hiatus due to the members' military enlistment. Unlike the usual D&E or SuJu styles, their new unit album 'Bout You brings a groovy hip-hop style. Apart from NCT, it is rare for artists under SM Entertainment to release a primarily hip-hop album. From hip-hop to R&B and even ballad, 'Bout You is packed with eight songs of various genres and styles. D&E falls in love at first sight and makes a sweet confession in title track "'Bout You" (Track 1). Produced by Dong Hae and J-dub, the trap song is enhanced by... [read more]
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Wake Up Season 1 & 2 (DVD) (PTS TV Drama) (Taiwan Version)
Tiffany Hsu (Actor)
| Lego Lee
| Huang Jian Wei (Actor)
| Chris Wu (Actor)
Aired in 2015, the first season of Taiwan mini-series Wake Up swept multiple awards at the Golden Bell Awards with its brooding yet riveting story of a weary anesthesiologist framed for malpractice amid a bigger medical conspiracy. Two years later, the series returned with similar themes and wider-reaching conflicts in an ambitiously complex tangle of medical procedural, human drama, crime suspense and socially conscious drama. Compared to the first season's lean six-episode run, Wake Up 2 doubles its length to 13 episodes, and more than doubles the production budget and cast. The first season's main cast of Huang Jian Wei, Tiffany Hsu, Chris Wu and Michael Huang all return, but in... [read more]
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Red Velvet Summer Mini Album - Summer Magic (Random Cover) (First Press Limited Edition)
Red Velvet
Red Velvet is famous for changing between "red concept" and "velvet concept" in their albums. Last year, they reached great success with their summer release Red Flavor, which achieved their best chart results since debut. Putting aside the chic style of Bad Boy and Peek-a-boo, the group returns with a charming and joyful image in Summer Magic. With 8-bit games getting popular again recently, the producers combine this element into the pop dance title track Power Up (Track 1). 8-bit sounds serve as the hook for the uptempo song, which makes it cuter and more fun. The catchy tune and addictive "ba-banana-ba-ba-banana-nana" stayed in my mind for days. Red Velvet swept the digital music charts... [read more]
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BTOB Mini Album Vol. 11 - THIS IS US (SEE Version)
BTOB
Considered one of the underrated idol groups of K-pop, BTOB always surprises the audience with their hidden composing skills and vocal talents. Starting from their debut album, the group members co-composed their album tracks and participated in rap-making and writing lyrics. Back in 2014, BTOB's Christmas release The Winter's Tale marked their first time using a self-composed song as the title track for a comeback. For their last album Brother Act, the title song Missing You was co-produced by Hyun Sik and ranked high in various music charts. This summer, BTOB put aside their usual melancholic style and returned with a unique summer vibe in This Is Us. BTOB's 11th mini album This Is Us... [read more]
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The Outlaws (2017) (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Ma Dong Seok (Actor)
| Yoon Kye Sang (Actor)
| Jo Jae Yoon (Actor)
| Choi Gwi Hwa (Actor)
Helmed by first-time writer-director Kang Yoon Sung, The Outlaws is based on a real-life gang war and police mop-up operation that occurred in Seoul's de facto Chinatown district of Garibong in 2007. The real-world origin of the story adds to the grit and appeal of this no-nonsense crime action thriller. In a role that is basically tailor-made for him, Ma Dong Seok plays tough-as-nails, straight-talking violent-crimes detective Ma Seok Do, who really does not appreciate the sudden nuisance of a turf war breaking out in his district. Cut from the old-school fabric of street-smart policing, Detective Ma maintains familiar relations with locals and mob bosses, and doesn't hesitate to break... [read more]
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Nobody Island
everfor (Singer)
The retro trend has grown substantially in everything from fashion to furniture, and the craze for vintage nostalgia has also hit the Taiwan music scene. To develop a fresh retro sound, indie band Freckles' guitarist Sue Wei An has spent years experimenting with different styles, such as garage, nu disco, dub, ska and chill-out music. The musician showcases his pioneering spirit in Nobody Island released under the name of his new band Everfor, which includes his brother Sue Wei Bo on bass, Heartones' Du Yi Xiu on guitar and former FLUX member Li Liang Ying on drums. Inspired by his hometown of Tamsui in New Taipei City, the album captures the relaxing mood of the seaside city. Strumming the... [read more]
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