Author Archives: ningen31

Sleepless (2017) Review

May 1, 2017 ningen31
"Sleepless" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Baran bo Odar Cast: Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, Dermot Mulroney, David Harbour, T.I., Gabrielle Union, Scoot McNairy, Octavius J. Johnson, Tim Connolly Running Time: 95 min. By Ningen Jamie Foxx plays Vincent Downs, a cop with a slightly dysfunctional domestic life and-at least on the surface-a seemingly jaded and laissez-faire attitude towards law enforcement and by-the-book procedures. Other than an eagerness to upstage his colleagues on the job, he … Continue reading →

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Mermaid, The (2016) Review

March 9, 2016 ningen31
Mermaid | Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Entertainment)

AKA: Mermaid Director: Stephen Chow Cast: Deng Chao, Lin Yun, Show Luo, Zhang Yuqi, Kris Wu, Lu Zhengyu, Fan Shuzhen, Li Shangzheng, Bo Xiaolong, Pierre Bourdaud, Ivan Kotik, Kong Lianshun, Bai Ke, Chiu Chi Ling, Tin Kai-man, Tsui Hark, Wen Zhang Running Time: 94 min. By Ningen Liu Xuan is a rags-to-riches Tony Stark-type flirt who has everything he could ever need, with the exception of a conscience. After pulling … Continue reading →

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Red Trousers: The Life of Hong Kong Stuntmen (2004) Review

August 30, 2012 ningen31
"Red Trousers: The Life of Hong Kong Stuntmen" DVD Cover

Director: Robin Shou Writer: Robin Shou Cast: Beatrice Chia, Keith Cooke, Hakim Alston, Craig Reid, Sammo Hung, Mike Leeder, Lau Kar-leung, Wong Chi Man, Leung Chi Ming, Monique Marie Ozimkowshi, Jude Poyer, Ng Wing Sum, Ridley Tsui Running Time: 93 min. By Ningen This review is based on a special screening of Red Trousers: The Life of Hong Kong Stuntmen, where Robin Shou is the guest of honor. Before the screening … Continue reading →

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Departed, The (2006) Review

August 11, 2012 ningen31
"The Departed" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Martin Scorsese Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, Ray Winstone, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Corrigan Running Time: 151 min. By Ningen A remake of the Andrew Lau crime drama, Infernal Affairs, featuring Hong Kong acting god, Tony Leung, as well as Andy Lau, The Departed shifts the setting to Boston and decides to cram all three movies from the series into one story. … Continue reading →

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Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2010) Review

June 30, 2012 ningen31

Director: Masaaki Taniguchi Writer: Tomoe Kanno, Yasutaka Tsutsui Cast: Riisa Naka, Akiyoshi Nakao, Narumi Yasuda, Masanobu Katsumura, Kanji Ishimaru, Munetaka Aoki, Anna Ishibashi, Shota Chiyo, Tokio Emoto, Mayu Kitaki, Yuya Matsushita, Toshiya Toyama, Maya Okano Running Time: 122 min. By Ningen Akari is former high school student about to head off into college, when her mother gets into a semi-coma after being in the path of a car. Akari’s mom … Continue reading →

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Cutie Honey (2004) Review

January 4, 2012 ningen31

Director: Hideaki Anno Cast: Eriko Sato, Mikako Ichikawa, Jun Murakami, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Hairi Katagiri, Shie Kohinata, Mayumi Shintani, Eisuke Sasai, Toru Tezuka, Ryō Kase, Ryo Iwamatsu, Suzuki Matsuo, Kyusaku Shimada, Ryuhei Matsuda Running Time: 93 min. By Ningen This live-action film is based an anime series about a cyborg girl who changes outfits and weapons to fight crime, the appeal being that she briefly becomes naked when she changes. For … Continue reading →

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Farewell My Concubine (1993) Review

November 17, 2011 ningen31

Director: Chen Kaige Writer: Lilian, Lee Lu Wei Cast: Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li, Lu Qi, Ying Da, Yidi, Zhi Yitong, Lei Han, Li Chun Running Time: 156 min. By Ningen I don’t know what it is about Peking Opera that looks appealing in martial arts films, but which comes off dull in arthouse flicks. While it’s true that this is only the second film of this genre I’ve … Continue reading →

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Speed Racer (2008) Review

October 15, 2011 ningen31
"Speed Racer" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: The Wachowskis Cast: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox, Roger Allam, Benno FĂźrmann, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rain, Richard Roundtree Running Time: 135 min.  By Ningen Emile Hirsch plays a one-dimensional guy named Speed Racer who teams up with a random Korean guy played by Rain and a myterious racer named X played by Matthew Fox to take down The Man (aka Royalton) through competitive car racing. … Continue reading →

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Reservoir Dogs (1992) Review

September 27, 2011 ningen31
"Reservoir Dogs" Japanese DVD Cover

Director: Quentin Tarantino Cast: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen, Quentin Tarantino, Randy Brooks, Kirk Baltz, Lawrence Bender, Steven Wright Running Time: 99 min. By Ningen While it’s not a legal or officially acknowledged remake of City on Fire, Reservoir Dogs has (unfairly) achieved so much attention, that it’d be impossible to ignore reviewing it. A number of people have cited me as biased … Continue reading →

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Die Hard 4.0 | aka Live Free or Die Hard (2007) Review

September 7, 2011 ningen31
"Die Hard 4.0" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Len Wiseman Cast: Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Jonathan Sadowski, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Maggie Q, Cliff Curtis, Kevin Smith, Cyril Raffaelli Running Time: 129 min. By Ningen Ah, Die Hard-the movie ranked #1 action movie at Entertainment Weekly. The only one I didn’t see in the series was the second film, but, since I hear it doesn’t matter, I’ll assume the McTiernan versions should be enough to judge … Continue reading →

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Only the Brave (2005) Review

August 22, 2011 ningen31
"Only the Brave" American Theatrical Poster

Director: Lane Nishikawa Cast: Lane Nishikawa, Jason Scott Lee, Mark Dacascos, Yuji Okumoto, Tamlyn Tomita, Pat Morita, Jeff Fahey, Guy Ecker, Greg Watanabe Running Time: 96 min. By Ningen This war flick was so indie, the producer originally had to sell the dvd off an official site, because no studio wanted to distribute it! Based on a true story of former Japanese-American internment camp dwellers who joined the U.S. Armed … Continue reading →

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Grudge, The (2004) Review

August 2, 2011 ningen31
"The Grudge" Theatrical Poster

Director: Takashi Shimizu Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee Strickland, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Rosa Blasi, Ted Raimi, Ryo Ishibashi Running Time: 92 min. By Ningen So stop me if you’ve heard this before. Sarah Michelle Gellar walks into a Japanese haunted house, and almost gets attacked by demons. She’s a nurse who happens to be working abroad and living with a whacky family. Unlike … Continue reading →

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Goemon | aka The Legend of Goemon (2009) Review

April 11, 2011 ningen31

AKA: Goemon: The Robin Hood of Japan Director: Kazuaki Kiriya Cast: Yosuke Eguchi, Takao Osawa, Ryoko Hirosue, Gori, Eiji Okuda, Eiji Okuda, Kazuaki Kiriya, Jun Kaname, Masato Ibu, Hashinosuke Nakamura, Susumu Terajima, Mikijiro Hira, Tetsuji Tamayama, Choi Hong-man Running Time: 128 min. By Ningen A revisionist take on the titular legendary Japanese thief, this Hero/300-esque follow-up from the director of the live-action Casshern emphasizes his role in Japan’s warring state … Continue reading →

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Super (2010) Review

April 1, 2011 ningen31
"Super" American Theatrical Poster

Director: James Gunn Cast: Rainn Wilson, Liv Tyler, Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon, Nathan Fillion, Gregg Henry, Michael Rooker, Andre Royo, Sean Gunn, Stephen Blackehart, Don Mac Running Time: 96 min. By Ningen Rainn Wilson plays a perpetual loser named Frank whose wife Sarah (Liv Tyler) gets taken in by a drug-lord named Jacques(Kevin Bacon), causing him to don a superhero persona and costume to match. As The Crimson Bolt, he … Continue reading →

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Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) Review

March 4, 2011 ningen31
"Godzilla: Final Wars" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryuhei Kitamura Cast: Masahiro Matsuoka, Rei Kikukawa, Akira Takarada, Kane Kosugi, Kazuki Kitamura, Maki Mizuno, Masami Nagasawa, Chihiro Otsuka, Don Frye Running Time: 125 min. By Ningen Note that the only previous film of Ryuhei Kitamura’s I’ve seen was Versus. I haven’t seen Azumi and didn’t even play that MGS remake for the GC in which he was involved. Anyway, while it was supposed to be a sequel to the … Continue reading →

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