Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Alison

Two things stand out about this film. The first is the colour: there’s no tasteful restraint here, no refusal to use anything bolder than beige. It’s the result you’d get if you gave a five-year-old a lot of red cordial and then a full palette. It’s gorgeous.

The second is the dialogue. Well, when I say dialogue, what I really mean is absence of dialogue. Total absence. Not one word in the whole film. Does it hinder the plot? Not … (read more)

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Invincible Shaolin (1978)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Justin

Invincible Shaolin is one of the first two discs to be released on to the Australian market from the remastered Shaw Brothers catalogue being lovingly restored by Celestial in Hong Kong. For those who don’t know: Shaw Brothers was a powerhouse of a studio operating in HK from the late 50’s to the early 80’s. They made hundreds of films in the kung fu and wu xia genres, and those by this director — Chang Cheh — are amongst the … (read more)

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Iron Ladies (2001)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Ching Yee

Bah to those silly boys who quit the team, they must be kicking themselves now. In 1996, the Iron Ladies made Thai history by becoming national volleyball champions. Nothing out of the ordinary, really, other than the fact that all bar one of the team members is a heterosexual male. That’s the novelty, but the more serious issue and the heart of the story lies in the adversities and prejudices they had to face to get there.

The Iron Ladies … (read more)

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Japanese Story (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Mark Morrison

Japanese Story has been frustrating critics from one end of Australia to the other; not because it’s a bad film, indeed, quite the reverse, but because it is almost impossible to actually discuss what the film is about without opening up a whole billabong of spoilers. This will be one such review.

I caught the film on the opening night of MIFF on a very rainy night in Melbourne in July; being transported to the red heat of Western Australia … (read more)

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Joint Security Area (2000)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Mark Morrison

I had wanted to see Joint Security Area for a long time. Its incredible box office success in Korea stamped it as something worth tracking down, especially as the previous box office title holder was the engrossing North-South action flick Shiri. I was delighted when I got the news that JSA was screening at MIFF 2001. I knew I was going to like this film.

Turns out, I loved it.

That is, if “love” is a term that can … (read more)

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Kai Doh Maru (2001)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Mark Morrison

From the opening frames it is clear that Kaidohmaru is an anime of distinction; it begins with a flashback told in scratchy black and white art and almost primitive animation. It takes a gamble with the viewer’s attention, and shows that the animators are willing to create their own style. If there is such a thing as arthouse anime, this is it.

When the obligatory “Five Years Later” title comes up and the real art kicks in, we are still … (read more)

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Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Andy

You know, reviewing all these Studio Ghibli films is beginning to take its toll. My thesaurus is shredded trying to find new superlatives and let’s face it, if I say, perfectly realised characters one more time the Reviewers Guild is going take away my keyboard, fez and ceremonial dagger.

In Kiki’s Delivery Service Myazaki explores a character’s need to define themself and establish their independence in the world. His heroine Kiki, bursting with verve and enthusiasm, moves to a large … (read more)

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Kill Bill Vol.1 (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Jonathan

I was always going to score this film a 10. This is also the hardest review I’ve ever had to write. Not, mind you, because Kill Bill failed to meet my 10-out-of-10 expectations — quite the opposite in fact. Tarantino has made a film that is far better than anything I could have (and did) imagine, and the highest compliment that I can pay his work here is that I had to watch it a second time right away. Unfortunately … (read more)

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