Weekly reviews of Asian cinema from Heroic Cinema. http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ 2008-05-04T15:55:57+09:30 text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ SMK http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=distb13 Paris 2010. An isolation wall surrounds the ghetto cities. Without effective law reinforcement, within these walls, gang rule is absolute. Damien, a member of an elite police squadron, is given the most vital and dangerous task of his career: to retrieve a loose nuke stolen by the most powerful gang of Barrio 13. He must convince Leďto, a vigilante criminal whose only goal is to save his sister form the clutches of the same gang and knows Barrio 13 like the back of his hand, to join his cause. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ JV http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=explobox Like Hollywood in the USA, the Shaw Brothers mined a wide variety of styles and genres for their films. This five-disc collection highlights their exploitative side -- the horror, the erotic, and the monsters. From an Eastern re-working of King Kong, a sadistic killer who scalps their victims, to the intrigue of a royal brothel, this collection shows a seamier side of classic Asian cinema. (from the Siren Visual box set) text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ DS http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=dthnote Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal... or his life? text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ SMK http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=supergod Earth has been peaceful, but hidden, living among us, are Pretenders. A small team of Autobots have watched over us, assuming human size and appearance. The sudden re-emergence of their Decepticon foes forces Earth's secret defenders to come out of hiding. The conflict escalates and with the power of Masterforce, both sides recruit new heroes. Humans join the fray, combining with Transformer bodies to fight! Behind it all, a sinister force manipulates events, culminating in the creation of the most powerful super robot - the Godmasters! text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ GW http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=fencing The year is 1917 in the city of Osaka. The age of the Samurai is a rapidly fading memory and Japan is moving on. Danpei Ichikawa, an aging man of traditions, is consumed by his passion for the art of swordfighting. He works as a fight choreographer for theatre productions, but finds that the entertainment world is changing. For him his art is his life and he fights to keep the traditions alive...but what will be the ultimate cost? text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ SMK http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=laughman The year is 2030 and six years have passed since a criminal known only as the Laughing Man swept through top medical nanotechnology firms committing acts of cyber-terrorism, kidnapping, extortion, and corporate espionage leaving no known suspects. New information is revealed to Japan’s top homeland security force, drawing Major Kusanagi and Section 9 into the hunt for a suspect capable of hacking the eyes of every operative, obscuring all details of his appearance and leaving behind a trail of copycats and hacked cyborg citizens. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ TOM http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=spacobra In a galaxy not so long ago, but far, far away, the human race has now founded new colonies and habitats on different planets… There, a hero emerges to battle a formidable tyrant who seeks the ultimate authority in his hands. Like his reptile namesake, intergalactic hero Cobra is not someone to be taken lightly. With his psycho gun, a mental energy launcher, installed in his left arm, cobra stands in the way of the galaxy pirates total domination of the universe; his ultimate goal to once again bring peace to the galaxy. (From Madman) text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ TOM http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=invenus A mass of violent storms ravages the planet, and over 60 percent of the world's population is wiped out in an instant. What remains of life on Earth is a broken and barren existence - but in Japan, there is an exception. Here, the wealthy rule. They own the war machines, they suppress the masses, and they have a very dark secret. Caught in the middle of this conspiracy is an innocent child, a girl, codenamed Venus. The military has her in their crosshairs, but the rebels are determined to protect her. Is she Humanity’s last great hope? text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ CY http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=jodhaa <p>Jodhaa Akbar is a sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa.</p> <p>Political success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar (Hrithik Roshan). After having secured the Hindu Kush, he furthered his realm by conquest until his empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Godavari River. Through a shrewd blend of diplomacy, intimidation and brute force , Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs. But little did Akbar know that when he married Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), a fiery Rajput princess, in order to further strengthen his relations with the Rajputs, he would in turn be embarking upon a new journey – the journey of true love.</p> <p>The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer, Jodhaa resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar’s biggest challenge now did not merely lie in winning battles, but in winning the love of Jodhaa – a love hidden deep below resentment and extreme prejudice. Jodhaa-Akbar is their untold love story.</p> text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ DS http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=sakuran text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ SMK http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=sdoom <p>A grim, violent and unique samurai film from the Toho production house at its height in the late 60s. Ryunosuke is an unhinged samurai killer wreaking vengeance with his sword. Is he evil or an avenging angel? A stylish film with great fight scenes including one that may have influenced Chan-Wook Park (in Old Boy) and a remarkable and famous ending. Toshiro Mifune appears in a small cameo. This is a rare opportunity to see this much admired film. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ DS http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=dthnotla Based on the manga, and following the success of the anime series, this two-film feature was a runaway success in Japan. Light Yagami is a brilliant university student who resents the crime and corruption in the world. His life undergoes a drastic change when he discovers a mysterious notebook, known as the "Death Note", whose instructions claim that, if a human's name is written within it, that person will die. What starts as a test of conviction becomes a challenging criminal case for the International Police Organization and a mysterious detective known only as "L". Light soon realizes that L will be his greatest nemesis, and a race to prove mental superiority between the two begins. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ SMK http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=narutmov Naruto and his team are sent on a mission to guard popular actress Yukie Fujikaze. The crew is heading toward the Land of Snow, to shoot the final scenes of the film. When Yukie refuses to go and escapes from the set, she is brought back by force by Naruto and Team 7. But little do they know there are three rogue Snow Ninja lying in wait with a sinister purpose that forces Yukie to make a crucial decision and face her hidden past. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ DS http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=hellsul For over a century, the Hellsing Organization has been secretly protecting the British Empire from the undead "freaks," When Sir Integra Hellsing succeeded as the head of the organization, she also inherited the ultimate weapon against the undead enemies, the rogue vampire Arucard. Although his signature weapon is an enormous "anti-freak" gun called Jackal, he is a "true" undead with mysterious and frightening powers, which includes the ability to transform himself into bats and other creatures. While on a mission ordered by Integra, he is forced to shoot Seras Victoria, a policewoman held hostage by an enemy vampire. "Do you want to live?" he asks Seras, whose very answer changes the course of her existence. Now reborn as Arucard's servant, Seras is torn between her conflicting humanity and her vampire urges. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ EC http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=reincarn A young actress lands a role in a film based upon a series of horrifying murders committed back in the 1970s. <p>While working on the set, she feels as if the murders are happening around her. When she finds an old 8mm movie camera with hidden footage on it - the terror of murders past becomes a reality in the present. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ TOM http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=WitcBlad Masane Amaha is a woman on the fringe of society, but her strange destiny was written ages past. She has been chosen from the anonymous depths of history, a fresh host for the coveted artifact known as the Witchblade. The raw power of conquering armies courses through her veins, the taste of death sweet on her lips Naked aggression with brutal birth in the fires of eternal lust for battle. Struggling to build a life for her daughter, with no memory of the past and no clue as to her future, Masane Amaha will be forever scarred by her salvation... text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ TOM http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=elemgel Cou, the bumbling rookie of the "Red Lynx" sky pirate squadron, has just discovered the treasure of a lifetime: a mighty member of the ancient race of Edel Raids. Ren, at first glance, seems to be a shy and defenseless girl, but she holds within her a power that many are willing to kill for. When Cou takes it upon himself to protect Ren on her journey to a mysterious place called Edel Garden, he immediately makes new friends and dangerous enemies. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ DS http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=tsubasa Sequal/Alternate Universe of a sorts to Card Captor Sakura, Clamp makes this cross-referencing series an anniversary gift to fans. The fates shine upon young archaeologist Syaoran and his life-long love, the Princess Sakura, until a otherworldly sound draws the princess to an ancient ruins. Her latent powers stir, awakening an ability to cross dimensions. But the process is interrupted as unseen forces conspire to claim this magic as their own. Sakura's soul is sent adrift across the universe, each memory a feather dancing through the stars. Syaoran will make heroic sacrifices to track down the remnants of her soul... With fellow travellers Kurogane and Fai, a warrior and a wizard, the epic quest begins. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ JV http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=wuxiabox <i>The Wuxia Stories</i> is a collection of five films from Shaw Brothers in the <i>wuxia</i>, or heroic chivalry, genre. Filled with noble heroes, all vying for supremacy in the martial arts world, all five films feature labyrinthine plots, exotic weaponry and the all the brightly-coloured panache of the Shaws studio style. text/html 1970-01-01T00:00:00+09:30 http://www.heroic-cinema.com/ TOM http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=airgear In the not too distant future the latest craze on the streets is Air Trecks. They are like rollerblades except they have their own propulsion system that can make users go fast enough to climb vertical structures. Ikki is in the typical anime harem situation of staying at the home of four sisters who are secretly a team of Storm Riders called ‘Sleeping Forest’. Ikki stumbles upon their gear and steals some Air Trecks for a night and then stumbles further into the strange underground culture of Storm Riders.