Kill Bill Vol.2 (2004)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Jonathan

So, now that this tale of bloody revenge has reached its climax, which ‘r’ do I feel? Relief, that it met my expectations? Regret, that it’s all over? A little of both actually, but mostly I feel Respect. From the opening ‘Massacre at Two Pines’ to the surreal final chapter ‘Face to Face,’ this proves to be a brilliant film; one quite different to the first half of The Bride’s quest to kill Bill, but certainly no less of a … (read more)

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Kung Faux – Vol. 1 (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Jonathan

Not so long ago, the greatest joy I took from writing for Heroic Cinema was the fact that I could use my position on the team to justify watching all sorts of crazy crap, usually starring Amy Yip. Seeing as I could never be sure what Mark would ask me to review next, I had no problems at all sitting down with a copy of Erotic Ghost Story, or similar, and feeling just fine about all the exploitative sex … (read more)

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L/R – Licensed by Royalty (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Deni

Dust off your teacups and up your grooming standards, boys and girls. L/R – Licensed by Royalty is a swanky adventure that won’t have you thinking too hard. Smooth operator Jack Hefner and the roguish rebel Rowe Rickenbacher are field agents for the elite special operations group Cloud 7, and together they’re pretty much equipped to handle anything. Favoured by Ishtar’s royal family as spies-du-jour, they tackle sensitive cases with wit, style and classic James Bond aplomb, making it all … (read more)

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Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Andy

Miyazaki’s follow up to Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a distinct change of pace. Perhaps as a reaction to Nausicaa’s overly dense plot and general grimness, Miyazaki creates a film that lets its elements breathe.

Laputa can almost be viewed as the base clay of Miyazaki’s career: it features a surprising number of themes and elements that recur throughout his work. The danger inherent in the abuse of technology is at the core of Nausicaa. … (read more)

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Last Exile (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Deni

Last Exile had two things going for it before I even switched on the DVD player – the fact that it came out of Gonzo Studios, and the fact that Range Murata, most widely known for character design on Blue Submarine No.6, did the conceptual character designs for it. Much to my pleasure (and yes I’ll admit, expectation) actually putting the disc in the player turned out to be a bonus. This series looks to be another winner, from … (read more)

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Last Hero in China (1993)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Angus

Jet Li left the Once Upon A Time In China series after part three, but in Last Hero In China (his next film) he was imaginatively cast as Wong Fei Hung again. It begins like another episode of the series, but it doesn’t take long for Wong Jing’s signature stupidity to kick in. The film doesn’t really flow; it’s just a series of extended set pieces loosely tied together. The best of these by far is the strikingly surreal rope … (read more)

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Love Hina (2002)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Deni

Cute alert! Warning! Super-deformed antics ahead! Romantic comedy anime slapstick! Geeky boy and babe girls! Bath scenes, chase scenes, punch-ups and make-ups. Teen angst and happy endings.

If you’re at all familiar with this particular genre of anime, then you’ll already know what to expect. If you’re not familiar, be prepared for some craziness. In the tradition of Ranma ½ or Ah! Megamisama (Oh! My Godess), Love Hina is one of those series that follow a well-mapped formula, … (read more)

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Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (2002)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Ching Yee

This series is cool! Hmm… let me expand on that a little.

It’s insane! No, let’s try that again.

OK, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi contains the sort of insane, inexplicable, nonsensical humour that I find appealing and… erm… comforting [at least for me!]. Y’know, like a good dose of Stephen Chow on anime? Abenobashi is a coming of age story disguised under layers of zany gags and pop culture references with a subplot of family secrets and religious mysticism thrown … (read more)

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