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Author Archives: Ching Yee
Team Heroic’s Top 5 for 2009!
Mother
Bong Joon-Ho jumps genres once more with this engrossing film about a mother’s conviction that her son is innocent; offbeat and engaging, the best film I saw in 2009.
Another beautiful masterwork by the ol’ anime master himself, this treasure swims along with a loopy logic all of its own.
Donnie Yen turns his ego down to “watchable” and delivers a powerhouse period … (read more)
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Let’s get MIFFed!
It’s certainly been too long in between yum-chas since the last Heroic Cinema MIFF reports! I hope those of you in Melbourne are braving the wintry conditions to sample some of the goodies on offer – it will warm your head, heart and get your pulse pumping!
I kicked off MIFF 2009 with the sublime All Around Us by Ryosuke Hashiguchi. Seemingly just an exploration of a couple’s evolving relationship over time, (like all good films) it is actually much … (read more)
Tezuka: The Experimental Films (2007)
Rare indeed as most of these short films were destined for film festivals. Having had the pleasure and luck to have seen a handful at the Hong Kong International Film Festival a few years back, I longed to see them again. Now my wait is over as a selective 13 of these experimental films have been put together in this DVD with some choice extras.
Tezuka’s legacy in modern animation is staggering, having left behind a large body of work … (read more)
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CY’s GBW for 2008
The Good – ?
It’s with much sadness to report that no film made my heart sing this year but the following were commendable – Sparrow, Memories of Matsuko, Jodhaa Akbar. Perhaps next year my heart will thaw out.
The Bad – Tashan, May 18
A large proportion of 2008 Hindi releases were uninspiring and forgettable but not Tashan. I’m certain sitting through root canal surgery would be less painful than this. I want my … (read more)
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Jodhaa Akbar (2008)
If you dialled 1300-FILM EPICS in India, I’m sure you’ll get a direct line to Ashutosh Gowariker. The man seems to have a penchant for making big epics. Note his body of work – Lagaan, Swades, Mangal Pandey. His most famous work outside of his home country is the nearly 4 hour long Foreign Film Oscar Nominated Lagaan. So what is he offering this time with Jodhaa Akbar, a historical epic set in the 16th Mughal empire?
I’m … (read more)
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Om Shanti Om (2007)
No one and I mean no one could have been having a better time at the cinemas than I did last Sunday. If they claimed they did then they’re fibbing. That or they were part of the raucous crowd who were cheering along with me. Such was the effect of Farah Khan’s sophomore effort – a splashy, cheeky and retro-looking masala film that made everyone walk out with a smile on their faces and no socks on (they were blown … (read more)
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Rang De Basanti (2006)
It would be a rare film indeed to be inspirational, to transport the audience into its world, to be carried away by its idealistic fervour and winds of patriotism AND be a great film. So Rang De Basanti didn’t turn out to be this awe-inspiring film I expected. Boohoo. Serves me right for having high expectations and buying into the hype. Unfortunately RDB just didn’t have the complete package. Plus I forgot to take into account that I am a … (read more)
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Don (2006)
Don… If your first thoughts were of Don salami, then allow me to introduce you to the other non-cured meat variety — a suave criminal, a stylish James Bond-like figure ruling the underworld with vicious tenacity. A seminal film of 70s Bollywood, with a big star cast (Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman), it was a blockbuster that spawned several hit tunes, notably “Khaike Paan Banaraswala”. It was a slice of 70s action movie, in the vein of Bond and Dirty Harry … (read more)
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