Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Good – Red Cliff

Is, without a doubt, John Woo’s best film since Bullet in the Head. It’s also his first “real” Chinese movie since leaving HK in the mid-1990s. Red Cliff could wear the subtitle: The Emperor and the strategist. It stars Tony Leung and Zhang Fengyi as opposing figures in this historical epic based on the famous Sino text “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms”. A perfect blend of character and action with spectacular CGI. It’s guaranteed … (read more)

The Good – Triangle

Tight, crisp, and startling on the palate, with great acting and a mood so strong you’ll be hugging yourself with glee.

The Bad – Battle of Wits

Good because it had Andy Lau in it (for whom I’d watch 3 hours of laundry spinning), but otherwise pretty much a waste of celluloid.

The Weird – Imprint

No-one besides Miike could have come up with this. I want to wash out my brain with soap. … (read more)

The Good – Sukiyaki Western Django

Single-handedly responsible for a personal resurgence of interest in and appreciation of Sergio Leone, Miike’s Cowboy extravaganza almost made my Weird list – until I realised it was Miike and the trick is just not to think about it too hard…

The Bad – Hellsing Ultimate

God, I wanted to like it, I really did. But this spit-polished, bloodier remake of what was in my opinion a series already worth the viewing time just … (read more)

One of the most recognised Chinese faces in the world today is that of actress Gong Li. Her memorable screen roles of strong willed women challenging an obstinate male dominated society found enthusiastic audiences in the east and west.

Films such as the historical dramas Ju Dou and Raise the Red Lantern were world-wide successes; while smaller, more parochial films like the urban drama Breaking the Silence were garnered with critical and local rewards.

Gong Li has at times been … (read more)

Best

The Host: I can quite easily say that this is the best creature film that I’ve seen in the last ten years. Cloverfield has a lot to live up to now.

Paprika: Satoshi Kon’s latest film while not his best work still is something to behold in all its wonder and beauty.

Aachi & Ssipak: A strange film but it entertained me and kept my movie nerd-dum alive and well with subtle pop culture references … (read more)

Since graduating from the Beijing Film Academy in 1982 at the ripe young age of 32, Zhang Yimou has emerged as one of the most recognised film directors currently in China. With 16 films under his belt he is now the most prolific of the so called “Fifth Generation” film directors. While his films are quite well-known globally, very little is known about his recent divergence into stage production, which has ultimately led him to co-direct the opening ceremony of … (read more)

1. Invisible Waves: Otherworldly, quiescent, full of continuity errors and technical goofs, hardly anything happens, and it’s green – I love it.

2. The Host: Gets away with breaking the rules – shows us the monster in broad daylight, blurs the distinction between good and evil, and obliges us to accept incompetence and idiocy as a routine aspect of our lives.

3. Linda, Linda, Linda: Bae Do-na shows Korean actors working abroad how to avoid Jackie Chan … (read more)

1. Exiled: Johnnie To’s best film since Running Out of Time, a superb and cyclical story driven by fine characters, set beautifully on Macau. The best black comedy heroic gangster-western of this or any year.

2. The Host: Big budget big monster Korean blockbuster totally delivered on the tsunami of its own hype with an unexpectedly intimate story of a small family versus a big problem.

3. Gankutsuo: Every time a new disc of this arrives we … (read more)