Recently Seen, Part 10 (November 2017)

divemaster13

Member: Rank 4
I'll get the new month started.

Just rewatched C'est la vie, mon chéri (1993; Hong Kong). I've seen it a couple of times and it never fails to move me (smiles and sadness). A moody and dissatisfied musician (Ching Wan Lau) breaks up with his pop star girlfriend and finds a transforming love/friendship with a perky and younger neighbor girl (Anita Yuen), who is part of a family of street performers. At first it's their shared musical ability and interest that draws them together, platonically, but of course romance blossoms. A very "G-rated" romance I must say. Then, she gets bad news.

Sounds pretty typical for an early '90s low budget Hong Hong romantic drama, and it is, plotwise. Everything that happens, you see coming. What sets it apart is just how adorably cute and perky Yuen is in the role. She bounces around all smiling and doe-eyed and absolutely lights up the screen in every scene. And when the drama comes, she's more than up to the task. I found both main characters' acting to be top-notch. (Lau is also very good, as are other roles such as Carrie Ng, Carina Lau, and Paul Chung). Certainly better than it had to be, given that both Lau and Yuen were making like 10-15 movies a year back then and could have just phoned it in. But they don't. Evidently folks tend to agree b/c the film won a bunch of awards and has a 94% R.T. score and 7.8 on IMDb. And 4.5 stars from me.

The DVD (HK cheapie disc) subtitles are below average but get the point across well enough.
 

ebossert

Member: Rank 3
I remember "C’est La Vie, Mon Cheri" being decently entertaining, mostly for the performances, but really overpraised. I was expecting more given its reputation.

Highly Recommended

Attack on Titan: Season 2 (2017) (Japanese Anime Action/Horror Television Series) – This is an absolutely phenomenal 12 episode follow-up to the 25 episode first season. I love the nuance to the characters, especially the villains. There’s a lot of fighting, but it’s not repetitive at all because the attack strategies are creative, thoughtful, and actually evolve as the show progresses. Both the humans and the titans use a plethora of intelligent strategies during combat that really add to the excitement. This is shaping up to be one of the greatest anime television series of all time. Bring on Season 3!!!!!

Mad Sad Bad (2014) (Korean Drama/Horror/Romance Anthology) – This is an anthology of three short films, with a total runtime of approximately two hours. This is a very different, creative film that explores its themes in unconventional ways and transcends genre classification. (1) “Ghost” (directed by Seung-wan Ryoo) – A teenage boy, who is hooked on an internet video game, befriends a girl online and comes to her aid when she desperately asks for his help. This segment really focuses on character development and realism. The portrayal of the nonchalant attitudes of youth is certainly impactful. (2) “Saw You” – In response to a zombie epidemic, advancements in science and medicine allow humans and cured zombies to live together. The premise gives this film the opportunity to be creative, and it certainly is. There are definitely some sequences that I’ve never seen in a zombie movie before, especially at the factory. Adequate time is spent developing our leads, meaning that this is a surprisingly romantic and emotionally resonant experience. Gyu-ri Nam is perfectly cast as the cured girl zombie. (3) “Picnic” – Soo-min is a 8-year-old girl who lives with her mother and her 6-year-old autistic brother Dong-min. The responsibilities of helping to raise her brother severely limit her ability to have a normal childhood. Soo-ahn Kim is the lead actress, and she’s utterly fantastic in this one! She carries this flick on her little shoulders and does a great job of giving a very natural, convincing performance. Yet again, this anthology focuses on character development first and foremost. This is probably the most hard-hitting of all of the segments. The craftsmanship and subtlety to the ending, in particular, are really impressive. If you like movies about children, this is a must see!

Vampire Hunter D (1985) (Japanese Anime Horror/Action) (repeat viewing) – In a future ruled by the supernatural, a young girl requests the help of a vampire hunter to kill the vampire that has bitten her and thus prevent her from becoming a vampire herself. The animation is a bit clunky and the script is basic, but the otherworldly mood and horrific artistry far outweigh any negatives. Scoring and use of sound are also fantastic. The action is entertaining, with lots of creative monsters. As usual, the English voice-acting is awkward so try to watch this with the Japanese dub.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000) (Japanese Anime Horror/Action) (repeat viewing) – A vampire hunter and four bounty hunters attempt to save a girl who has been kidnapped by a powerful vampire and his minions. This has more fluid animation than the original “Vampire Hunter D” film, but the atmosphere isn’t quite as thick. There are great visuals, cool gothic images, some fantastic monster designs, and the horror elements are strong, but the scoring and use of sound isn’t as ominous. The Japanese dub version is better than the English language one – both in terms of voice-acting and dialogue.

Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) (Chinese Action) – Wu Jing (lead actor and director) finds himself in an African country protecting medical aid workers from local rebels and vicious arms dealers. First of all, there’s so much pyrotechnics and heavy artillary in this film, it feels like it had a $200 million budget even though it only had $30 million. That’s a serious compliment. Second, the bad guys are really, really evil! They indiscriminantly murder boatloads of civilians in cold blood, which harkens back to the days of the baddies from late 80s/early 90s HK cinema. Third, there’s a ton of action in the form of shootouts and artillary, but it’s used in a variety of ways. Not much martial arts on display, but there are a few violent, memorable throw-downs. Sure, there are lots of genre cliches, dumb moments, and completely unrealistic stuff, but this film has its heart in the right place. Celina Jade is hot, by the way.

Recommended

The Mayor (2017) (Korean Drama) – The incumbent mayor of Seoul seeks a third term which will set him up for a run at the presidency. As the election campaign gets underway, he employs all ways and means to keep his darkest secrets hidden from his adoring public. Min-sik Choi takes the lead, but this also has a loaded supporting cast (Do-won Kwak, Eun-kyung Shim, So-ri Moon). Performances are obviously solid, but I liked how the story unfolded and how the behind-the-scenes maneuvering was portrayed. This is probably an accurate depiction of every politician.

God of War (2017) (Chinese Action) – Set in the 16th century, this film concerns a general (Zhao Wenzhuo) who drafts an army of villagers to combat Japanese pirates. This is a no nonsense flick with tons of action that is a mix of battle scenes and choreographed fighting. There are also some well thought-out strategies by both the Chinese and Japanese. Yasuaki Kurata is great in a villain role. Sammo Hung ends up having only a minor impact, unfortunately.

Lowlife Love (2015) (Japanese Drama/Comedy) (repeat viewing) – I enjoyed this more after a second viewing. An Indie filmmaker faces problems with the pre-production phase of his next film, and also uses his profession to coerce sexual favors out of women. This is a nicely directed and acted film that has some interesting stuff. It is lacking in nuance and feels monotonous at times during the latter half, but it’s still pretty good.

Warriors of the Dawn (2017) (Korean Action/Drama) – Set during the war between Korea and Japan in 1592, a prince must travel while being escorted by a group of proxy soldiers. This is competently directed and acted, with enough character development and conflict to make it work. Battle scenes are pretty good and have an old school vibe that relies on practical effects, but they are also cliched and mostly forgettable. Go watch “Musa the Warrior” instead, which is similar but more thrilling and memorable.

Not Recommended

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) (American Action/Comedy) – Peter Parker balances his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens with his superhero alter-ego Spider-Man, and finds himself on the trail of a new menace prowling the skies of New York City. Right from the start, things seem very rushed, which is odd for a 133-minute film. One reason for this is the choppy editing, which jumps all over the place to the extent that many scenes feel like they are not properly set-up and do not properly end. Another problem is that the script is way too jokey for its own good; even for a comedy. It’s got that American hipster vibe to it, where no one can talk normally and instead needs to make a lame quip every other sentence. It seemed like the filmmakers used the overly jokey mood as an excuse to NOT give us any impressive action sequences, kinda like how some horror-comedies use humor as an excuse for a lack of genuine scares. Story and conflicts are unengaging, with one gigantic, badly-written contrivance presented during the second half. Like all Marvel movies, the score is generic and totally forgettable. The Marvel formula is wearing thin.

March Comes In Like A Lion (2017) (Japanese Drama) – This movie is about a fictional 17-year-old shogi (Japanese chess) player. Too bad it has a non-existent storyline, an atrocious script that relies entirely on verbal exposition to explain everything, and an incredibly boring protagonist who has no personality whatsoever. There is no nuanced character or story development in this at all; every single aspect is simplistic and every single scene is sleep-inducing. One of the side characters is basically a poorly written rival/friend ripped directly from a bad anime. All of the shogi scenes are painfully repetitive. The runtime of 138 minutes is excruciating. Easily one of the most tedious Japanese films of this year. Will I torture myself by watching Part 2?
 

clayton-12

Member: Rank 4
The Bad Genius (Nattawut Poonpiriya, 2017) of the title is Lynn, an intellectually gifted, athletic, attractive and nauseatingly accomplished all-rounder. As she becomes aware of layers of corruption that play out in the education system, her response is muted disdain and enthusiastic “hell yeah, I want a slice of this pie”. And so she embarks on a campaign of organised exam cheating for cash to help out her rich sycophantic friends – small level at first, but with ever increasing stakes as more and more students join in on the scams. There’s a number of set pieces that are genuinely nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat stuff … it takes a special type of skill to manufacture something so exciting out of a bunch of kids doing a multiple choice exam. But even more impressive is getting the audience to cheer on a bunch of characters who are cynical, arrogant, egotistical, vacuous, and mostly spoilt little brats. @JepGambardella reported that it had been described as The Breakfast Club meets Mission Impossible, but if I was to compare it with another film, I think it’s got more in common with The Big Short. The film successfully celebrates its anti-heroes as they navigate an economy too big for them to control but not so big that it can’t be financially exploited, yet it never seems dark in spirit.
 

JepGambardella

Member: Rank 1
.

Not Recommended
March Comes In Like A Lion (2017) (Japanese Drama) – This movie is about a fictional 17-year-old shogi (Japanese chess) player. Too bad it has a non-existent storyline, an atrocious script that relies entirely on verbal exposition to explain everything, and an incredibly boring protagonist who has no personality whatsoever. There is no nuanced character or story development in this at all; every single aspect is simplistic and every single scene is sleep-inducing. One of the side characters is basically a poorly written rival/friend ripped directly from a bad anime. All of the shogi scenes are painfully repetitive. The runtime of 138 minutes is excruciating. Easily one of the most tedious Japanese films of this year. Will I torture myself by watching Part 2?
I saw both installments aboard recent intercontinental flights I took. I didn't dislike it as much as you did (obviously, or I wouldn't have bothered watching Part 2) but I agree with your "Not Recommended" verdict. I think the main reason why I stuck with it was that I am a sucker for Japanese culture and I was attracted by the subject matter of an aspect of it that I completely ignored.
 

Daniel Larusso

Member: Rank 3

The Villainess (2017)
Excellent fighting sequences, some of the best I've ever seen in film. Very unique action.
Story wasn't as exciting though.
7/10
 

Daniel Larusso

Member: Rank 3

Antiporno (2016)
Omg. This was so good but I don't even know what to say. I guess it's a movie about sex in Japan...? Anyway just watch it.
Sion Sono delivers it again!
8/10
 
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sitenoise

Member: Rank 5
="Daniel Larusso, post: 32995, member: 86"
I just got subs and will watch this ASAP. Glad you liked it.

Hey, how do you make those little videos of the movies? Like, for The Villainess (which I tried yo watch a while back, but the subs weren't good and, frankly, it didn't draw me in that much).
 

sitenoise

Member: Rank 5
Anti-Porno (Anchi Poruno) [2016] • Japan
Director: Sion Sono
8.129/10

It's not a 10/10, like TAG, but it's damn good Sono! What a crazy guy. He gets women to run around naked and give speeches about how deplorable it is to ask women to run around naked. He has them scream that the world men have given them is shit; but women cannot master freedom. It's highfalutin nonsense—poetry—that points to serious stuff. Sono just tosses this stuff off. If he were a jazz musician he could improvise worlds around Miles Davis.

A high school girl goes to an audition for a porno movie and says "Here's my naked body, make it porno". That's everything right there.

Mariko Tsutsui, who kicked total ass in Harmonium, kicks total ass here. It took Ami Tomite a while to warm up but I think she hit a stride.

Crazy fun Sono.
 

ebossert

Member: Rank 3
Highly Recommended

Sound of the Mountain (1954) (Japanese Drama) (repeat viewing) – Setsuko Hara turns to her father-in-law for emotional support in the face of her total prick of a husband, who is having an affair. Director Mikio Naruse does a great job in using subtlety to show the suffering and torment of the lead protagonist. The dialogue is meaningful, the acting is exceptional, and the conflict is always gripping. A very good film.

Fulltime Killer (2001) (Chinese Action) (repeat viewing) – Two assassins (one played by Andy Lau in flamboyant fashion) compete against one another in this movie directed by Johnnie To. This is a stylish, engaging and fun movie. A portion of the film is spent with Lau and his video shop girlfriend (played very nicely by Kelly Lin) who hang out and chat, which adds some character and charm to the proceedings. There’s quite a bit of indirect communication in this, which may require the viewer to piece together a few things for themselves. The action scenes are good, employing some original methods, such as chaotic water hoses. One particular sequence stands out, taking place in an apartment complex with both assassins eradicating dozens of policemen. There’s also a funny scene involving fake grenades. Simon Yam and Cherry Ying have supporting roles.

Recommended

Bullet Ballet (1998) (Japanese Drama/Thriller) (repeat viewing) – Director Shinya Tsukamoto made this film about a man who initially conflicts with a local gang of youths, only to then later befriend them. Like most of Tsukamoto’s movies, there are a handful of very interesting themes that are explored here (exploration of how our protagonist copes with the death of his girlfriend, delinquency and youth violence, characters who learn the value of life through pain and suffering, etc.). The entire movie is nicely shot in black and white. Classic scenes include the subway dare and the ending.

The Isle (2000) (Korean Drama/Romance) (repeat viewing) – Kim Ki-duk directs this unorthodox love story that takes place at a fishing pond that is frequented by prostitutes. The setting is really outstanding, with small platforms on the pond that can only be accessed by boat. Practically every shot has atmosphere and natural beauty to enjoy. Not much of a plot, but the character interaction is interesting. Some symbolism is also used between humans and fish, among others. There are a few wince-worthy scenes involving fish hooks driven into body parts, but all of the violence occurs off-screen, thus making it tolerable. FYI, there is quite a bit of sex in this one.

Moebius (2013) (Korean Exploitation Horror/Drama/Romance) (repeat viewing) – Kim Ki-duk directs this film about a teenager (within a dysfunctional family) who is assaulted and must endure the emotional consequences. This is violent, disgusting, depraved, cringeworthy, and ridiculous stuff that some viewers may write off (somewhat justifiably) as garbage. On the other hand, it is oddly engaging because it has impressive performances, interesting themes, and many surprises. There’s a lot of emphasis on self-mutilation as a gateway for sexual pleasure. There is also no dialogue and no scoring . . . at all . . . for the entire runtime! That is one of a few unique aspects at play. To top it all off, there are a few genuinely funny moments. Definitely the nastiest film in this director’s filmography, this is completely nuts. Viewer beware; nerves of steel are required.

Coffee Prince (2007) (Korean Romantic Comedy Television Series) (repeat viewing) – A girl (Eun-hye Yoon) poses as a guy in order to get a job at a local coffee shop in this 17-hour miniseries. The manager falls in love with her but suppresses his feelings since he thinks she’s a man. The mood is almost always lighthearted and much of the comedy works. The characters have sloppy eating and living habits too. Eun-hye Yoon carries the series, but Gong Yoo and Sun-kyun Lee co-star. This doesn’t even bother with a plot, focusing instead on building comradere between all of the workers at the café. There is a healthy amount of cheesiness in the form of relationship development, but considering how I’d have fun doing the same activities, there’s probably little to complain about. This is an enjoyable experience with brisk pacing and some unorthodox elements due to the uni-sex set-up.

Red Dawn (1984) (American Action) – In mid-western America, a group of teenagers bands together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces. This movie doesn’t waste time setting up the premise; the opening sequence is one of the best scenes in the entire film. There’s a general focus on survival skills and guerrilla warfare. Action is pretty good, albeit unexceptional. This has a loaded cast, with Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Jennifer Grey, Powers Boothe, etc.

Beautiful Accident (2017) (Chinese Drama/Comedy) – Due to a mistake in heaven, a cold-hearted attorney dies. Before she is able to return to her normal self, she must live as an ordinary housewife for a month. This is a remake of the terrible Korean film “Wonderful Nightmare.” This version is actually watchable mostly because, as an actress, Kwai Lunmei is 100 times better than Jeong-hwa Uhm. It’s still on the thin side, but I found it to be enjoyable fluff.

Not Recommended

Fantastic Four (2005) (American Action) – A group of astronauts gain superpowers after a cosmic radiation exposure and must use them to oppose the plans of their enemy, Doctor Victor Von Doom. This is not as bad as everyone says, but that doesn’t mean it’s good. Very lackadaisical and uneventful, for the most part, with a story that seems to go nowhere. The action has an old school feel, but it’s still mostly forgettable. Jessica Alba is insanely hot though.

The Battleship Island (2017) (Korean War Drama/Thriller) – During the Japanese colonial era, roughly 400 Korean people were forced onto Battleship Island (“Hashima Island”) to mine for coal. This is a shallow film with repetitive beatings and a cartoonish portrayal of the Japanese military. When creating reprehensible characters like this, you still need to portray them in such a way that makes them feel like real people. This movie fails miserably at doing so, meaning that I simply did not care about all of the evil things these wafer thin, unconvincing bad guys were doing. The fact that most of the protagonists are boring doesn’t help either. Dialogue is weak. None of the thriller sequences are memorable at all. Production values are solid, but this is a disappointment from director Seung-wan Ryoo.

Jason Bourne (2016) (American Action) – The CIA's most dangerous former operative is drawn out of hiding to uncover more explosive truths about his past. The action is mostly monotonous and completely forgettable. One exception is the final car chase, which involves an armored SWAT vehicle. Alicia Vikander is terrible as the female lead; she’s 100% cardboard. The original trilogy isn’t great, but they’re certainly better than this installment.

Kong: Skull Island (2017) (American Action) – Another stupid King Kong film to add to the list. Like some other recent Hollywood movies, there’s an overbearing soundtrack of rock songs that takes you completely out of the film. Camerawork, acting and dialogue are obnoxious. It tries to be so serious, but comes off as really lame. The action consists of CGI beasts fighting each other and humans, but it tails miserably to build anticipation, fear, or suspense before they arrive. Consequently, they become forgettable and monotonous. All of the characters are boring. Jing Tian is cast as the token Asian chick, with almost no lines of dialogue or anything remotely interesting to do.
 

plsletitrain

Member: Rank 5
Broadcasting Girl (China, 2014)

Did anybody actually finish watching this? mjeyds.gif Confession: I may not have seen any other rom-com from China aside from this but if this is what's representative of it, then I think I'm not missing much. Not to sound like I'm dissing it but yeah, I'll diss it. Did they actually think this fits the com in rom-com? Or the rom in rom-com? The calculated facial expressions, the unfunny dialogue, the over-the-top yet out-of-place acting, everything. I didn't even bother understanding what was it all about because I was too frustrated (while face palm-ing) at the corniness of it all. It was about a broadcasting major and a drop-out???? I think. Yeah, I checked on IMDb and it says another synopsis so I think I really didn't understand it at all. But who cares about who gets to end up with who when you've got the cheap executions that bother your viewing experience. And no, I don't think any of China's restrictions have something to do with that.

Highly recommended. For film majors.
 

sitenoise

Member: Rank 5
Rom-coms are not China's strength, that's for sure. Especially recent ones. Where on earth did you dig up this three year old film still waiting for five IMDb votes :emoji_astonished:
 

plsletitrain

Member: Rank 5
Where on earth did you dig up this three year old film still waiting for five IMDb votes :emoji_astonished:
Saw this on my local TV. afro.gif Makes me wonder why I get these gems of a movie when I haven't seen any Sion Sono film being played around. I thought that the lead guy, Jiro Wang, had a name and a following in China so I was actually expecting I'd be the 6th person to vote for it but I guess the other 5 were too embarrassed to admit they actually sat through this masterpiece??? :emoji_scream:
 
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