Speed Racer (2008) Review

"Speed Racer" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Speed Racer” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: The Wachowskis
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox, Roger Allam, Benno Fürmann, 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. Royalton likes rigging the results of said races in his favor through the use of brutal violence and insider trading or something; I lost track of the plot about 20 minutes into the film when the script spent more time discussing stock options than showing me driving. And you know how the six of you who saw “House of the Dead” hated the way Boll would interrupt each gun-fight scene with screen-shots from the game? Well, I guess it goes to show that, if you have a big budget, you can fool people into thinking that kind of visual mess is “innovative” and “ahead of its time”.You see, instead of pretty pictures of CG cars zooming, we get people’s reaction shots, and even floating frames of their faces. If you got a kick out of getting ten minutes or less of actual fighting per (hundredth) episode in DBZ, then you’ll love Speed Racer.

The rest of us, however, want to be entertained. We get it, already, Larry and Andy: You love anime. But you don’t seem to get that when the Japanese juxtapose certain contrasting images together, it’s generally meant to create a mood and set a tone for the rest of the picture, not to get in the way of the action. Speaking of action, it’s clear that without Yuen Wo Ping, the brothers’ fight scenes don’t mean a thing, as we’re stuck sitting through Adam West-style combat moments which are too long and too pointless.

But the real problem is there’s too much focus on characterization, and not enough on the races. I don’t care what makes Speed and his family tick! Nor do I care about the history of any of the car manufacturers. If you’re gonna make a kiddie flick, you keep it simple-not turn it into a soap opera! (I guess one adaptation wasn’t enough for the brothers to ruin….)

The car races themselves are disappointing for the reasons that there are too many of them at once, and the models of the vehicles and the drivers all start to look the same after a while. Plus, the emphasis on fast-forwarding the physics makes whatever money was spent on backgrounds and detail work pointless. Basically, sitting through each race is the equivalent a Hollywood action film which shoots its fights scenes too close: You can’t tell what’s going on, and you start to not care anymore. You just get a bunch of colored lights meshed together after a while. In conclusion, see Speed Racer with a Ritalin prescription you love.

Ningen’s Rating: 5/10

Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

Godzilla | aka Gojira (1954) Review

"Godzilla" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Godzilla” Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Director: Ishiro Honda
Cast: Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi, Takashi Shimura, Fuyuki Murakami, Sachio Sakai, Ren Yamamoto, Toyoaki Suzuki
Running Time: 96 min.

By Woody

Ishiro Honda was a great director. As Akira Kurosawa’s assistant director and right hand man, Honda no doubt learned a lot from the man, and it shows, particularly in this 1954 effort. Gojira is a stark and uncompromising film, filled with nightmarish imagery, but, much like Kurosawa, Honda infuses the film with a hopefulness and humanity that saves it from being too difficult a viewing experience.

It’s a shame American studios had to buy and re-edit this film, because Gojira itself is one of the great Japanese films. Gojira, the giant nuclear powered dinosaur, IS the atomic bomb. This is one of the best films that conveys what the Japanese went through during the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The images of destruction in this film are harrowing. Tokyo on fire, buildings leveled, trains smashed, innocents running and cowering in fear, all filmed in a harsh, newsreel-ish black and white.

The hero of the film, in both versions, is Hirata’s Dr. Serizawa, who, reminiscent of the kamikaze pilots and traditional samurai, perishes in order to set things right. Serizawa also makes a gesture no doubt meant as criticism towards the US. When Serizawa decides to destroy Gojira with his antimatter device, he burns the blueprints. “These shall not fall into the wrong hands.” Look at the world today. Nearly every country on the face of the Earth is armed to the teeth. More than a few have fallen into the “wrong hands.” We have the capability to destroy this planet a thousand times over. And they say we humans are the smartest of all the Earth’s animals. But I digress.

The great Takashi Shimura, star of Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai among others, has a substantial role in this film.

The American re-edit is about 20 minutes shorter and has a bunch of inserts making Raymond Burr a substantial part of the action. “Godzilla vs. Perry Mason”…it’s worth seeing for the kitsch factor alone! But really, even in it’s chopped up American version, Gojira is a must-see. Both feature the Serizawa story and the horrific footage of Tokyo’s destruction.

Hate all those lame Godzilla movies with giant moths and aliens and little singing chicks you can hold in the palm of your hand? I don’t, but no need to worry, this is nothing like the sequels. Whereas the proceeding films were campy and aimed at children, the original is surprisingly adult and though provoking, and a true classic of Japanese cinema.

Skip the American remake. A better remake is Godzilla 1984, which was also chopped up it’s source and spliced footage in featuring Perry Mason for the American release.

Good theme music, too.

All in all, required viewing. A surprisingly classy and intelligent film. The effects are much better than one would ever imagine, as well. There is even some stop-motion animation. The acting is strong, the script is great, and the visuals nightmarish.

After you watch this, be sure to check out Honda’s 1963 effort Matango, which tackles drug use and is equally frightening.

Woody’s Rating: 10/10 (for either version)

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Mann to remake ‘Seven Samurai’

"Seven Samurai" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Seven Samurai" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Variety reports that British helmer Scott Mann has signed on to direct a remake of Japanese pic “Seven Samurai,” which is being produced by the Weinstein Co. and Japan’s Kurosawa Prods.

This is not the first remake of the film, as there was a Western take on it from the 60s called The Magnificent Seven, and a recent sci-fi anime take on it called Samurai 7.

Mann, who most recently helmed Robert Carlyle and Ving Rhames starrer “The Tournament” — which gained cult status on both sides of the pond — will help TWC develop the screenplay, which they hope to shoot later this year.

More details here. – Thanks to Sawred for the heads up.

Update: While I’m not sure if this is the same remake, or a different one, AICN notes an Afghanistan-based version of the film with Navy SEALS. Way of the Gun’s Christopher McQuarrie would be attached to the project. Thanks to @aicnanime for the tip.

Posted in News |

cityonfire x Dress-Lace Glamorous Sunprint Maxi Lace Dress

This cityonfire x http://www.dress-lace.com/ one is a maxi lace dress which you can get a lot of use out of. It is made of a lightweight fabric which features a delightful sunprint in a pastel color palette. This woven fabric is light and flows delicately as you walk while wearing it. This 100% polyester fabric has a semi sheer finish which almost shimmers in the sunlight. It is easy to care for and is machine washable. This dress is cut with a high square neckline which is very contemporary design. The racer cut back is another contemporary design which makes this dress fun. It is sleeveless and has a slim fit cut which offers a close to the body feel. You can easily pair this lace dress with a pair of strappy sandals to create a fun warm weather look. Carry a small handbag or a trendy hobo bag with this fun and flirty long maxi dress.

Posted in News |

Action Double Feature: The Last Hard Men & Skyriders aka Sky Riders DVD (Shout!)

Action Double Feature: The Last Hard Men & Skyriders aka Sky Riders DVD (Shout!)

Action Double Feature: The Last Hard Men & Skyriders aka Sky Riders DVD (Shout!)

RELEASE DATE: January 17, 2012

Along with The Wild Bunch, The Last Hard Men is considered one of the most brutal westerns ever made. Starring Charlton Heston, James Coburn, Barbara Hershey, Jorge Rivero and Michael Parks. Also included is Skyriders, which is about a pack of fierce heroes who use hang gliders to rescue hostages from a revolutionary terrorist movement. Skyriders features the same location where the finale of the James Bond flick For Your Eyes Only was filmed. Also starring James Coburn with Susannah York and Robert Culp.

Trailers/Clips: The Last Hard Men | Skyriders

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Conan the Barbarian (2011) Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Conan the Barbarian (2011) Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Conan the Barbarian (2011) Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: November 22, 2011

If anything, this 2011 Conan remake serves as a reminder of just how awesome the 1982 original was and still is. Depending on your taste, Marcus Nispel’s version is either good, or just plain blasphemy.

Either way, just spreading the word because it’s, well, Conan. Starring Jason Momoa, Rachel Nichols, Stephen Lang, Rose McGowan and Ron Perlman. Check out the trailer.

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Survive! DVD (VCI)

Survive! DVD (VCI)

Survive! DVD (VCI)

RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2011‏

The trailer states: “CAUTION: The recreation of the plane crash and the survival scenes may be too intense for young teenagers” (does this mean it’s suitable for kids 12 years old or younger?). This 1976 film (aka Supervivientes De Los Andes) was remade as “Alive” (1993) by director Frank Marshall. Here is the trailer to Survive!

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Wu Xia | aka Dragon (2011) Review

"Wu Xia" Chinese DVD Cover

“Wu Xia” Chinese DVD Cover

AKA: Dragon, Swordsmen
Director: Peter Chan
Writer: Aubrey Lam
Cast: Donnie Yen Chi Tan, Kaneshiro Takeshi, Jimmy Wang Yu, Tang Wei, Kara Hui, Yin Zhusheng
Running Time: 115 min.

By DiP

Donnie Yen is back with another film! Ever since his big breakthrough playing wing chun master Yip Man in Ip Man back in 2008, we have experienced a streak of movies that he starred in. These films were as followed: Bodyguards & Assassins, 14 Blades, Ip Man 2, Legend of the Fist, All’s Well Ends Well 2011, The Lost Bladesman and a couple of small roles in both All’s Well Ends Well 2009, and The Founding of a Republic. That should tell you how valuable Donnie is to the industry in the current, with offers placed to the table and with Donnie pondering over what to work on. But has his recent input really been doing justice to films before them? We all have our own opinions but in my mind, it has shifted to being of different qualities and satisfactions. But I’m glad to announce that Wu Xia is the icing of the cake out of all these post-Ip Man movies. It’s also the most ambitious effort from Peter Chan thus far.

Donnie Yen plays peaceful familyman and papermaker Liu Jin-xi who travels between his shack in the middle of a forest to a small village on the Yunnan/Sichuan border everyday to work and support his wife Ayu (Tang Wei) and two kids. During a workday at a store, Liu comes across two out-of-towners with the intention to rob the place. But to the owners’ luck, Liu intervenes and manages to overcome the two and even have one of them killed. This results in a big investigation conducted by Constaple Xu Baijiu (Takeshi Kaneshiro) who during the inspection of the corpses as well as questioning locals about the people involved realizes that the one Liu accidentally had killed was actually a notorious criminal belonging in a Top 10 List of wanted criminals and that Liu might not be the man he appears to be. Xu then raises his suspicion on Liu and is prompted to try digging up secrets concerning Liu’s true identity, which from there leads to all sorts of things, including the arrival of a gang of outlaws called The 72 Demons (lead by Jimmy Wang Yu, in his first onscreen appearance in 18 years), which I won’t spoil any further.

The story takes cues to traits found in the wu xia (literally referring to martial arts and legendary warriors in mythical or ancient times) genre and if you’re a fan of these films, you won’t be a stranger to what to expect. However, don’t expect anything too familiar because the film is not an ordinary wu xia film. Wu Xia plays out with obvious western influence (the TV show CSI and David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence reportedly being the most evident ones). But one can also see that Peter Chan has injected different elements, film techniques and visuals for enhancement giving the film a different look and whole new twists to the genre the film represents. The storytelling involves the power of martial arts, human anatomy, crime investigation, suspension, depth, emotion, visual attraction; all pulled off through explanatory dialogue and illustrations. It’s like watching kung fu, crime, mystery/thriller, drama, and neo-noir altogether making the film style here unique.

The other strong aspect of the movie is the acting. Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tang Wei are really showing their efforts whenever they appear onscreen and for once never overacted or acted out of proportion but absorbed themselves into their characters and giving them the attitude and mood in the right moment. Takeshi, in particular, is phenomenal in that he portrays a character he’s not known for and trying to be and maintaining the characteristics and mindset of his character. But I have to give this one to Donnie and Jimmy Wang Yu because I feel their roles were both heavily profounded. Donnie has come a long way with lots of downs in the acting department. But since An Empress & The Warriors he has constantly kept trying out different roles to improve his acting skills and the outcome is paying off and shows in everything he has been doing more and less. Wu Xia is one few testaments of how good his acting skills have become and how further he can take it. Jimmy Wang Yu, on the other hand, is pure dopeness in his vicious role as a tangut leader. In a total screen time of just 10-15 min, you’ll see an actor gather so much menace and depth simultaneously that it gives those words a new meaning. Watch his two key scenes and learn.

For martial arts film fans, the action here designed by Donnie himself are very satisfying and quite refreshing but don’t expect an action-packed film because the emphasis here is mostly on the story and characters. There’s not a whole lot in the first half but once the second half kicks in you’ll be offered to some very good moments of martial arts choreography. Since SPL came out, Donnie’s way of choreographing action scenes have seen alot of hype, praise and comparisons to other action stars and kept the momentum up in other films such as Flash Point (which is still his most talked-about work to date). Donnie has done pretty well in recent years as well with Legend of the Fist and proved himself to be as successful choreographing action in period action films as he does in contemporary action films with The Lost Bladesman. In this film, he shows us what he can do with martial arts choreography in correlation to the strength and visuals of storytelling, for which something new with the action has been accomplished. If there’s one choreographer that has complexity, variety and overall creativity of another level today and keeps evolving his craft, it’s Donnie.

Overall, Wu Xia is one of the best Hong Kong/Chinese films this year, the best film from both Donnie and Peter Chan, and a film that will be damn hard to surpass. If there’s any form of competition that is happening or is going to happen to outbeat it, it will be a hard task for these people.

DiP’s Rating: 10/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , |

The Expendables: Extended Director’s Cut Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

The Expendables: Extended Director's Cut Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

The Expendables: Extended Director's Cut Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011

The Expendables: Extended Director’s Cut brings 11 additional minutes of footage worked into the main feature.

Here’s a list of new extras to expect: Newly recorded introduction to the film by Sylvester Stallone / Featurette on Stallone and his directing career / Inferno, a feature-length behind-the-scenes documentary / The Spike TV program, Action: The Expendables / Music video from Sully Erna of Godsmack

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Double Feature: Def-Con 4 & Hell Comes to Frogtown (Image)

Double Feature: Def-Con 4 & Hell Comes to Frogtown (Image)

Double Feature: Def-Con 4 & Hell Comes to Frogtown (Image)

RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011

Two cult, post-apocalyptic movies at one low price! Def-Con 4 follows three astronauts who return to earth two months after a nuclear holocaust and must confront a new and terrifying reality. Hell Comes to Frogtown stars Roddy Piper as a muscle-bound warrior who is up against slimy, green overgrown amphibians who have taken over earth.

Trailers: Def-Con 4 | Hell Comes to Frogtown

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Fire of Conscience DVD (Vivendi)

Fire of Conscience DVD (Vivendi)

Fire of Conscience DVD (Vivendi)

RELEASE DATE: October 25, 2011

In the vein of Hard Boiled, Infernal Affairs and Reservoir Dogs comes this hard-hitting action-thriller from rising director Dante Lam. Esteemed investigator Captain Manfred (Leon Lai, Bodyguards and Assassins) is at a crossroads in life when hes assigned to the case of a lethal car accident and the death of a prostitute. Check out the trailer here.

UPDATE: Indomina posted a link to the English-subbed trailer for their upcoming DVD release of “Fire of Conscience,” hosted by Hulu.

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases |

Dead and the Deadly, The (1982) Review

"The Dead and the Deadly" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Dead and the Deadly” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Wu Ma
Writer: Sammo Hung, Barry Wong
Cast: Sammo Hung Kam-bo, Lam Ching-ying, Cherie Chung, Fat Chung, Ricky Lau, Wu Ma, Peter Chan Lung, Billy Chan Wui Ngai, Kwan Yung Moon
Running Time: 94 min.

By Numskull

Another supernatural comedy from Sammo Hung, star and director of Encounters of the Spooky Kind (God, how I hate that title) and its sequel (which is available neither on DVD nor VCD…bloody hell) as well as producer of the Mr. Vampire films. This time, he’s an average joe whose uncle (Lam Ching-ying, R.I.P.) is a Taoist priest with two assistants who have the ugliest hair styles you’ve ever seen. It takes place in 1885…better than the present day, but still a little too recently, in my opinion, to invoke the good sense of mystique it requires to make up for its shortcomings. Sammo’s character has the unflattering and even more unimaginative nickname of “Fatboy.”

The storyline, in all its dubious glory: Fatboy’s friend Lucho (Wu Ma, who is supposed to be 34 but looks MUCH older) dies an inexplicable death. Even more inexplicable: though Lucho was impotent, his widow Jade is 8 months pregnant. She returns to Lucho’s and Fatboy’s home town with his body and her brother for the funeral, to be conducted by Fatboy’s uncle. However, it is revealed to us (early on, so this isn’t much of a spoiler) that Lucho is neither dead nor married to Jade. The man posing as her brother is her real husband, and also a greedy sorcerer. For what nefarious purpose is Lucho faking his own death? I could tell you, but you wouldn’t thank me. It’s pretty lame anyway.

Although Wu Ma directed this film, much of it has Sammo’s fingerprints all over it, mostly in the form of marginally funny jokes that get hammered so far into the ground they pop out on the other side of the world. Fatboy stuck inside a brothel with an overdose of some aphrodisiac or other coursing through his…uh, system, trying NOT to get aroused is good for a laugh or two, but other situations, like him arguing with a ghost that only he can see for about a half hour while passersby look at him like he’s insane…well, they ain’t.

Sammo’s oddball pacing is evident here, too. There are a couple of fight scenes, both fairly short, in the middle of the film (why these required FOUR choreographers…Sammo, Lam Ching-ying, Billy Chan, and Yuen Biao, credited as “Bill Yuen”…is a mystery), and the primary conflict is resolved (in rather incomplete fashion) much too soon. From there, the movie goes into a whole new subplot about Yuen, Fatboy’s arranged bride-to-be, trying to save his soul from ghost guards who look like fish-men out of an H.P. Lovecraft story. This creates a false climax way too early and makes the last 15 or 20 minutes feel almost like a completely different movie. Bad move, people.

Try as it might, The Dead and the Deadly just can’t compete with the more well-known films in the genre. If fun factor were used as a measure of fighting ability and these supernatural comedies duked it out, then Encounters of the Spooky Kind would win hands down, and, quite frankly, the almighty Mr. Vampire would make this movie its bitch in a matter of seconds. A disappointing film in spite of the considerable talent involved.

Numskull’s Rating: 4/10

Posted in All, Chinese, Golden Harvest, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , |

My Heart is that Eternal Rose (1989) Review

"My Heart is that Eternal Rose" Chinese DVD Cover

“My Heart is that Eternal Rose” Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Patrick Tam Kar Ming
Producer: John Sham Kein
Cast: Kenny Bee, Joey Wong Tsu Hsien, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Michael Chan Wai Man, Gordon Liu Chia Hui, Kwan Hoi San, Ng Man Tat, Cheung Tat Ming
Running Time: 90 min.

By HKFanatic

For ‘heroic bloodshed’ fans outside of Hong Kong, “My Heart is That Eternal Rose” is something of a holy grail: an elusive and hard to come by film with an ending shootout that has long been said to rival the work of John Woo. The first time I saw footage from this movie it was part of the classic documentary “Cinema of Vengeance,” which helped introduce many Westerners to Hong Kong cinema with its wealth of clips from vintage kung-fu and bullet ballet movies. As a young teenager, those few moments of “My Heart is That Eternal Rose” were the most shockingly violent thing I’d ever seen as bullet casings flew out of Kenny Bee’s smoking dual pistols and the bad guy’s bodies erupted with blood in the most (I thought) realistic fashion.

There was probably no way that “Eternal Rose” was ever going to live up to my mammoth expectations when I finally sat down to watch the actual film recently. To my dismay, I found that, no, this movie is not the second coming of “The Killer” – the story is long on aching romance and short on action, and the ending shootout, while spectacular, lasts all of a minute. Still, this film manages to be a genuine highlight of late 80’s Hong Kong cinema due in large part to the dazzling cinematography from frequent Wong Kar-Wai collaborator Christopher Doyle (“Chunking Express,” “Fallen Angels“).

Taking a cue from Chang Cheh’s classic Shaw Brothers work, most Triad films from the 80’s explored themes of brotherhood, loyalty, and honor. “Eternal Rose” instead sets a love triangle against the backdrop of gangland violence. At the center of the story is Joey Wong, a fresh-faced girl who runs her dad’s popular soda shop. Her carefree nights are spent serving drinks to the locals while a young gambler, played by Kenny Bee, tries unsuccessfully to win her affections. Unfortunately, her father (Kwan Hoi, who played Tony Leung’s Triad boss in “Hard Boiled“) is a former Triad and it doesn’t take long for his past to come back to haunt him. Pressured by a Triad Big Brother, he asks Kenny to perform a favor by driving an illegal immigrant into Hong Kong. The job doesn’t go as planned and the fallout will affect the lives of everyone involved. Twenty minutes into “Eternal Rose,” I realized I had no idea where the story was going to go – a very refreshing and rare feeling to get from a movie these days.

At its core, “Eternal Rose” is a glossy romantic picture with a few outbursts of gunplay. Once a baby-faced Tony Leung enters the scene, the movie becomes about him and Kenny Bee alternately pining for Joey Wong’s affections. Tony Leung won a Best Supporting Actor in 1989 for his role in this movie but his performance is far from the revelatory work of his later career. Leung is a puppy dog here and the dark Triad underworld he’s immersed in just steamrolls right over his fresh-faced naivety. Tony Leung is probably my favorite Hong Kong actor but there’s no denying his acting style became much more nuanced and subtle after working with Wong Kar-Wai on “Chunking Express” in 1994. Like his peer Andy Lau, most of Tony’s early career is characterized by him making doe-eyed looks for the camera.

Of course, if you’re going to make a love triangle central to your story, you have to have a woman worth fighting for. Joey Wong, a veteran of such films as Tsui Hark’s “Green Snake” and “A Chinese Ghost Story,” is that kind of woman. She’s beautiful, with a striking set of features, but more importantly she’s able to sell the transformation her character undergoes from fresh-faced girl next door to hardened gangster’s moll. If you’re a fan of the actress, “Eternal Rose” is definitely a film to watch. Actor Kenny Bee was a member of Hong Kong’s most popular 70’s rock group The Wynners (along with Alan Tam) before breaking into acting. His character must endure a similar transformation over the course of the film and although he’s not as bad-ass as someone like Chow Yun Fat, he acquits himself nicely during the the final shootout.

It’s difficult to say who was the creative driving force behind “My Heart is that Eternal Rose.” The film was directed by Patrick Tam, who is arguably more well known for his editing work on movies like “Days of Being Wild” and “Ashes of Time.” After “Eternal Rose” in 1989, he wouldn’t direct another film until 2006. David Chung and Christopher Doyle were responsible for the cinematography and Doyle’s fingerprints are all over the film from start to finish. The opening scenes are awash with soft lighting, giving the proceedings a hazy and nostalgic glow before tragedy strikes. When we return to Joey Wong’s world, the film is bathed in the harsh neon lighting of Triad nightclubs. There’s a bravado shot of gangster Michael Chan watching Joey Wong sing onstage where we only see her reflected in a mirror behind Chan’s head. The constant use of inventive camera angles and heavily colored lighting reminded me of Dario Argento’s Italian horror films from the 70’s and 80’s. Of course, Doyle has always known how to express an actress’ natural beauty so Joey Wong never looks anything less than perfect. If nothing else, “Eternal Rose” is a visual feast for the audience.

And when we arrive at the film’s climactic gun battle, the focus – like the rest of the film – is on creating visual poetry rather than extended action choreography. The shootout that occurs, despite its legendary reputation, is over before you know it. A Sam Peckinpah/Brian DePalma-like use of slow motion moves events down to an agonizing crawl. The glacially-paced images are what stay with you: bodies arcing through the air as blood gapes from wounds; Kenny Bee’s blood-soaked face; cars erupting into fireballs. Tony Leung Siu Hung of “Superfighters” and “Bloodmoon” fame is credited as “Action Director” and he’s certainly a talented choreographer, but Christopher Doyle and editor Cheung Kwok (“The Last Blood”) appear to be the ones creating the action through their careful sequencing of events. The climax isn’t a gun fight so much as it is the apocalypse occurring on an interpersonal level.

“My Heart is That Eternal Rose” is really a perfunctory script elevated by the imminent style of cinematographer Christopher Doyle and the talent of actress Joey Wong. The synth-heavy soundtrack certainly adds mood but altogether the movie appears to take itself too seriously and the action scenes, at least up until the final battle, are pedestrian compared to the work of John Woo. “Eternal Rose” is the kind of standard potboiler crime story that could have easily found its way into Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” except the screenplay lacks Tarantino’s ear for dialogue and knowing self-awareness. In its place we get Kenny Bee’s dead-eyed stare and one of the most poetically rendered shootouts in Hong Kong cinema history. So maybe it’s a fair trade after all.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 8/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , |

Blu-Ray and DVD Releases for 10/11/11

Death Bell DVD (Tokyo Shock)

Death Bell DVD (Tokyo Shock)

We’re back with this week’s list of noteworthy Asian and genre-related blu-ray and DVD releases. It’s October, which means it’s horror movie time. Expect a glut of Asian horror releases in the next few weeks if 10/11/11 is anything to go by. Let’s get cracking!

ASIAN CINEMA

Death Bell-Bloody Camp (DVD) – Tokyo Shock presents this 2010 Korean film about a group of students at a prestigious academy who find themselves being bumped off in alarming numbers. This movie is actually a sequel but the original “Death Bell” has not found US distribution as of yet

Dragon Dynasty Triple Feature-Jet Li Collection (blu-ray) – three Jet Li films in hi-definition, courtesy of Dragon Dynasty: The Legend (AKA The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk), Fist of Legend, and Tai Chi Master

Dragon Dynasty Triple Feature-Jet Li Collection (DVD) – the DVD set from Dragon Dynasty features a slightly different set of films: Fist of Legend, The Enforcer (AKA My Father is a Hero), and Tai Chi Master. Be advised that so far Dragon Dynasty has never released “The Enforcer” in subtitled form

Dragon Dynasty Double Feature (DVD) – this two film set features “Legend of the Black Scorpion” with Zhang Ziyi and “An Empress and the Warriors” with Donnie Yen

Laser Mission (DVD) – on October 17th, Amazon will be carrying a Region 0 IMPORT of this much-maligned 1989 film starring Brandon Lee for the low price of $6.99

The Child’s Eye (DVD) -The Pang Brothers give us yet another sequel to “The Eye” with this 2010 Cantonese-language chiller

The Sylvian Experiments (DVD) – this 2010 Japanese horror movie has an obsessive scientist experimenting on her own daughter

Root of Evil (DVD) – curiously enough, Palisades Tartan is re-releasing a few of their previous movies with new titles and cover art; this as the same 2003 Korean horror movie previously released as “Acacia”

Slit-Mouthed Woman (DVD) – this is the same 2007 Japanese horror movie previously released by Tartan as “Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman”

Deep Gold (blu-ray/DVD) – delayed from last week, this 2010 Fillipino aquatic-themed action thriller should finally arrive in your hands this Tuesday

Twilight Dinner (DVD) – this 1998 Japanese “pink” film is about sex and vampires, now cleverly packaged to cash-in on the “Twilight” craze

FOREIGN CINEMA

No Reason (DVD) – the tagline for this bloody 2010 German horror movie claims “Sometimes death has no reason”

Blood Curse (DVD) – this is the same 2006 Portuguese-language chiller that Tartan Palisades previously released as “Bad Blood”

Casanova ’75 (blu-ray) – this 1965 Italian comedy about the legendary lothario in modern times arrives on blu-ray courtesy of Lorber Films

Boccaccino ’70 (blu-ray) – Lorber Films also releases this 1962 Italian anthology, featuring vignettes from four directors including Frederico Fellini

MAINSTREAM

Scarface (blu-ray) – Brian DePalma’s 1983 ode to Eighties-style excess finally arrives on blu-ray this week

The Tree of Life (blu-ray + DVD Combo) – the 2011 film from visionary director Terence Malick, starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn

Green Lantern (blu-ray/DVD) – the 2011 big screen adaptation of the DC Comics’ superhero failed to light up the box office but you can find it on a multiple of home formats this week

Hustler (blu-ray) – this classic 1961 film cast Paul Newman as a pool shark; now on blu-ray

The Four Feathers (blu-ray/DVD) – Criterion releases this 1932 sweeping British adventure film in hi-definition; from the director of the 1942 live-action “Jungle Book”

Last Exit to Brooklyn (blu-ray/DVD) – the 1989 adaptation of Hubert Selby Jr.’s novel, starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Stephen Baldwin

Incredible Hulk Returns/The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (DVD) – two classic 1980’s TV movies starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno on one DVD

Arena (DVD) – this direct-to-video action film stars Samuel L. Jackson and “Twilight” alumni Kellan Lutz

Death Before Dishonor/Wanted Dead or Alive (DVD) – these two 80’s guilty pleasure action flicks, featuring Fred Dryer and Rutger Hauer respectively, are collected on one DVD

Lessons For an Assassin (blu-ray) – this 2001 low-budget action movie stars Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee

CULT AND HORROR

Bad Seed (blu-ray) – this classic 1956 horror film about a wicked, wicked child finally arrives on hi-definition from Warner Home Video

Maniac Cop (blu-ray) – Synapse Films presents the hi-def release of this 1987 cult classic featuring Bruce Campbell in a supporting role

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (blu-ray) – VCI Entertainment presents a blu-ray release for this legendary horror movie that was originally aired on broadcast TV in 1981

Survive! (DVD) – this 1976 true story shocker involves a Rugby team trying to survive when their plane crashes. The DVD contains the 112-minute uncut Mexican version of the film as well

South of Heaven (DVD) – Synapse Films releases this 2008 tale of vigilante justice and mayhem

Lunapolis (DVD) – this 2009 no-budget science-fiction/thriller has won praise from fans

Maria’s B-Movie Mayhem: Night of the Demon (DVD) – this 1980 horror film follows a group of students trying to locate Bigfoot

The Inner Room (DVD) – this 2010 chiller was shot in Colorado with a cast of two actors

Interested in any of these movies? If so, we hope that you’ll consider ordering from our affiliate to help support this site. Thank you!

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Long Arm of the Law 3 | aka Escape from Hong Kong (1989) Review

"Long Arm of the Law 3" Chinese DVD Cover

“Long Arm of the Law 3” Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Michael Mak
Cast: Andy Lau, Elizabeth Lee, Elvis Tsui, Max Mok Siu Chung, Kirk Wong Chi Keung, John Ladalski, Hon Yee Sang, Ken Boyle, Mai Kei, Ng Hong Ning, Stephen Chan Tak Gwong, Cheung Chi Gin, Lam Kai Wing, Robin Shou
Running Time: 107 min.

By HKFanatic

“Long Arm of the Law 3” is an easy film to overlook. It’s the second sequel in a series of films only loosely related by their subject matter and a handful of actors; and it’s a guns-and-gangsters flick from late 80’s Hong Kong, an era that wasn’t exactly hurting for guns-and-gangsters flicks. That said, fans of actor Andy Lau will probably want to check this movie out since Andy gets to kick inordinate amounts of ass in it. Most of Lau’s movies from the late 80’s and 90’s had him as a supporting player or the “bad boy,” and since then he’s matured into a dramatic leading man. “Long Arm of the Law 3” is one of the few instances I can think of where Lau is front and center the entire runtime performing stunts and fight choreography (okay, besides the brief warehouse fight in “Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars“), and Andy gives it his all. A standout scene occurs when he goes to rescue his lady love from a brothel and he must square off against fifty attackers in a tight corridor, a bit of action that reminded me of the hallway sequence from “Oldboy.”

You don’t need to have seen the first two movies in the “Long Arm of the Law” series to understand the plot at all. Andy Lau plays an honorary soldier living in Mainland China who is wrongly accused of a crime while helping his buddies elude the police. This being Mainland China, he is quickly sentenced to death. Andy escapes with some help from his father and makes it to Hong Kong with some other refugees, one of whom includes Elizabeth Lee. Soon the two of them fall in love but to their dismay she’s sold into prostitution. Andy must work for a local gangster (Kirk Wong) in order to buy back Elizabeth’s freedom. Meanwhile, a ruthless supercop from the Mainland, played by the physically intimidating Elvis Tsiu, travels all the way to Hong Kong to try and capture Andy Lau.

The action in “Long Arm of the Law 3” was choreographed by Tony Leung Siu Hung, who would soon move to America to direct the b-movie goodness of “Superfights” and the Gary Daniels vehicle “Bloodmoon.” Siu Hung has since returned to Hong Kong and even helped Sammo Hung choreograph the fight scenes for the first “Ip Man” film. Needless to say, the guy is incredibly talented when it comes to action. His choreography is characterized by a constantly roving camera and faster paced editing than per usual for a Hong Kong movie. His style works well for “Long Arm of the Law 3” and the script consistently serves up the action, including a scene where Andy Lau and Elvis Tsiu engage in a John Woo-style gun duel in the middle of a neon-lit nightclub, recalling a similar moment from James Cameron’s “The Terminator.”

The final shootout is a ‘heroic bloodshed’-style finale that takes place in a crowded apartment complex. At one point, Andy Lau is trapped on a floor of the building while a bad guy in the apartment above him shoots through the floor with a machine gun, and Kirk Wong blasts up through the floor with a shotgun from the apartment below. I can’t say I’ve ever seen that in an action movie before; even more impressive is the fact that Kirk Wong’s shotgun is literally blowing holes through the floor. You just gotta love the exaggerated damage that shotguns always do in Hong Kong flicks.

“Long Arm of the Law 3” has more blatant commentary on the then-impending Handover than one typically finds in a HK movie. Mainland China is portrayed as being overly extreme in their pursuit of justice: Elvis Tsiu beats and tortures people for information and doesn’t care about following local law during his stay in Hong Kong. The funny thing about the story is that Andy Lau and Elizabeth Lee maintain a sort of naive and happy-go-lucky attitude about Hong Kong, even after they’ve become immersed in the underworld and Elizabeth Lee is tortured by the bad guys. You’d think after awhile they would wizen up and become a bit more cynical, but the movie maintains the stereotype of Mainlanders being wide-eyed bumpkins. The script is difficult to take seriously as a result.

Not surprisingly, this film is nowhere as good as Johnny Mak’s original 1984 “Long Arm of the Law,” which earned a Best Picture nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards and helped ignite interest in Triad movies, but Johnny’s brother Michael Mak has always been something of a ‘B’ filmmaker, with movies like “Sex and Zen” and “Dragon Force” to his name. Once he was handed the reigns to the “Long Arm of the Law” series, it edged closer and closer to Category III-style exploitation with each sequel, although Part 2 remains underrated due to a screenplay by legendary director Tsui Hark. Thankfully, for the most part Michael gets out of the way and lets action choreographer Tony Leung Chiu Sung do his thing in the third entry. If you’ve already seen all the classics by the likes of John Woo and Ringo Lam, then “Long Arm of the Law 3” is a decent place to arrive next but don’t expect to discover an unheralded classic.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 6.5/10

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