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What ELSE (other than KUNG FU) has everyone been watching?


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THE YELLOW SEA (2011)

The first two of the four acts in this contract killer drama were just perfectly enacted, spot-on and truly riveting, some of the best filmmaking in recent memory for me. I thought the film seriously derailed in the last reel because amidst all the blood splashing, the car crash orgies and creepy mayhem the narrative thread got a lil’ lost. Even after watching the second half three times quite a number of scenes still appeared cryptic and uninterpretable to me. What exactly was the HK bank manager’s role, what was his connection to the slain professor’s widow, what was in Ha Jung-woo’s white cloth bundle, who was the guy he payed for the cremation of his runaway wife, why did the widow in the tacked-on last scene after the credits exited ostensibly the same train his wife left in …? Just too many things didn’t seem to fall into place at the end.

Despite some reservations still a must-see, no doubt. The hour-plus “Making Of” on the UK BD offers some fascinating glimpses into the action design and is well worth anybody’s time.

HOWLING (2012)

Yu Ha’s intelligently plotted, well paced, but not more than just routinely crafted procedural thriller starring Song Kang Ho and television actress Lee Na-yeong. Personally I found the story of the programmed killer wolf-dog far less compelling than the director’s previous works, no comparism here to ONCE UPON A TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL or A DIRTY CARNIVAL. Particularly the opening sequence with the combustible belt and the cheesy TV trailer-like montage that followed and the overlong, excessively sappy happy ending just didn’t do anything for me.

Cheap German Splendid disc seems to be the only BD on offer, transfer is good, German (or Dutch) subs are seriously oversized and sometimes seem to be inaccurate, but do not exactly appear to be dub-titles (Splendid is notorious for those. The fact that their dub-titles are based on usually pretty unlistenable German dubs should make anyone avoid the titles in their “Amasia” line unless absolutely no other HD alternative exists!). No extras whatsoever, just a bunch of Company trailers.

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Secret Executioner

Almost finished with the Aquaman set. Still fun and enjoyable material. :smile:

Been watching some music-related stuff recently:

Iron Maiden - Maiden England (Birmingham, England Novermber 27/28, 1988)

Frank Zappa - Does Humor Belong In Music?

And excerpts from Kissology vol. 1:

- Mike Douglas Show April 29, 1974

- Winterland, San Francisco, CA January 31, 1975

- Don Kirshner's Rock Concert 1977

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PINOCCHIO 964 (1991)

I didn't like the movie either, except that love the ending. If you're like me and don't really relate with the film, you gotta watch all the way to the ending credits ("hidden scene") to realize the film is a

love story

. In fact, the ending is so good that though I got rid of the dvd, I kept the ending so I can see it again every now and then.

+ the title is bloody cool.

I quite like the director's other film, Rubber's Lover. In punk and cyberpunk films there's a very fine line between what I love and what I hate, like Pinocchio 964 vs. Rubber's Lover, Crazy Thunder Road vs. Burst City...

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Secret Executioner

Les 12 travaux d'Astérix

Astérix animated movie (not based on the books, unlike the other animated movies) in which it is believed the inhabitants of the Gaul village can't be defeated because they're Gods. Caesar challenges the Gauls to complete 12 tasks to prove they are Gods. Should they fail, the Roman would take over the village. Otherwise, Caesar admits his ultimate defeat to them.

Probably my favorite Astérix film, but I strongly advice to watch the French dub and to avoid the English one at all cost because it is really horrendous.

Fpr the record, I watched this film because a real-life situation I found myself in recently was similar to one of the tasks - I had to deal with administration and I had to provide documents and fill forms and run from an office to another and so forth.

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Secret Executioner

Some concerts:

Iron Maiden - Rock In Rio (2001)

Kiss - Detroit, MI January 26, 1976 (from Kissology Vol. 1)

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MasterBetty

I watched Stanley Kurick's The Killing for the first time a few nights ago. Absoloutely brilliant! Great story, great acting, great chatacters and great ending. let down slightly only by the narration.

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Scanning some lovehkfilm reviews, I decided to rent Benny Chan's Divergence since that sounded like a good popcorn type flick.

I actually liked the story about these three character's ( Kwok, Wu, and Cheng) and how their lives intersect. There's a good film here as written by Ivo Ho, but it's translation to the screen by Chan has some major issues, mainly how he deals with showing big emotions. Okay so Aaron Kwok loses his girlfriend TEN YEARS ago and he still can't function as a human being. Hell, he can't even eat a sandwich properly without weeping uncontrollably. He lets his car drift backwards into traffic. (Please tell me I didn't read that he won a best actor award for this!) This guy should have been kicked off the force a long time ago because of his inability to focus. And again, it's been ten years. Two or three years, maybe more realistic, but a full decade and you think he could move on a little. Or if anything, drive without causing an accident. Goodness Benny Chan, can you make a film where the emotions weren't comically overdone? Outside of these moments, this IS actually pretty decent I thought. A good foot chase midway through and some good action at the end.

I can only imagine what this could have been with a director who understands...restraint.

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Secret Executioner

Kiss - The Elder Media Collection

Various Kiss TV appearances from 1981/1982 as they were promoting the album (music from) The Elder.

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Tyler Perry's Tempation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor - When he uses the right materials and come up with a story that doesn't involve Madea, Perry can come up with some strong films. This was one of his best non-Madea films (my two other favorites being The Family That Preys and Daddy's Little Girls). It's about a marriage counselor who feels she is in a dead marriage and has an affair with her latest client, only to meet some very bad consequences.

The play version had the same theme but brought in some more comedy, a trademark of Perry's, but here he brings a more serious tones to the film and the cast was pretty good.

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Secret Executioner

Room 237

A pretty interesting documentary on Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Although I'm clearly not a fan of the original - which I find way overrated, and I love both Kubrick and horror cinema - this documentary gets you to see the movie in a new/different light, searching for tidbits that may or may not have deep meaning. One can argue some of the stuff mentionned may be pretty far-fetched at times, but the references to other Kubrick films - putting The Shining within the context of Kubrick's work - are interesting.

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Super Fly (USA, 1972) [DVD] – 3.5/5

A blaxploitation classic full of excellent early 70’s New York footage. A drug dealer tries to go clean by organizing a massive drug deal to make enough money for the rest of his life. The film is very light on action, but comes with competent performances. Aside Ron O’Neal, his pusher partner Carl Lee has a couple of standout moments. The soundtrack is a classic as well, but the film drags a bit during the middle third – reportedly the script was so short it was barely enough to make a feature film. By today’s standards the film is politically incorrect with its almost glamorized drug dealing/using scenes.

Maniac (USA, 1980) [DVD] – 4/5

A terrific horror film mixing grindhouse splatter with character study. The film has the feel – and unforgettable gore – of a genre film, but greatly benefits from Joe Spinell’s terrific performance as the mentally disturbed killer. The film draws the viewer into his world – not to sympathize with it, but to witness it. Cinematography, music, and the use of New York footage are frequently excellent. Lead Caroline Munro’s less-than-impressive performance, and cutting some storyline corners around halfway, are easily forgiven.

Maniac (France, 2012) [DVD] – 4/5

An excellent updating of William Lustig’s slasher classic retains the original’s feel while presenting a terrifying vision of its own. The film is a horrifying look into the mind of a mentally insane young man. With the entire film seen from the killer’s perspective, the audience is drawn into his world with no escape. Though many of the film’s strengths are the same as the original – including effective use of big city locations – the film achieves them in different ways and stands on its own. Acting, sound design and cinematography are first grade, not to mention special effects. This is a true horror movie rather than an easy splatter flick.

Savage Streets (USA, 1984) [DVD] – 4.5/5

1980’s vigilante diamond with one of the best soundtracks of the decade! Linda Blair and her girls look like straight out of a 1970’s Toei pinky violence film when they walk the streets in the fabulous opening credits sequence. The film even has a girl fight with shirt ripping, plus Linda Blair’s topless scene as a contractual obligation for the Japanese financiers. Only the ending is slightly underwhelming in its briefness. The terrific villain gang (evil punk bastards complete with one member wearing red headband) steals the show in nearly every scene they are in, except when John Vernon on screen!

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Toei girls from a decade before: Sukeban Blues (1971) and Lynch Law Classroom (1973)

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the conjuring

I think I shat a brick :bigsmile:

seriously,this was good... watched it with my wife last night ,real nice oldschool horror,very suspense and I think it also helped that the movie really had this 70s flavour ..the music alone was scary as hell haha...great film!

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Neon Samurai

Been watching more WWE than usual and stumbled on Total Divas on E!. The show is your typical lame reality show but the girls are hot.

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masterofoneinchpunch
Just finished watching Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932). Excellent film! Probably the best version of this film ever made.

I have quite a few versions of the film and it is my favorite version of the film. It has the great Fredric March performance, the exquisite Karl Struss cinematography. The 30s was such an awesome decade for horror. I think my second favorite version was the Hammer version where Hyde was the handsome and witty one.

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