The Shopaholics (2006)

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Posted on January 22, 2006 by Eugene

Well the Lunar New Year is around the corner once again and, for those who find themselves bored with the firecrackers, the drums, the symbols and the two guys under the paper mache lion, there is always the latest upbeat offering out of HK to shake you out of that ‘too many resolutions broken – and it’s only January’ funk and give you yet another opportunity to ‘start again’.

That moment of self reflection as you walk into a film … (read more)

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Vital (2004)

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Posted on January 16, 2006 by Deni

It might have been easy to descend into a creepy, stomach churning genre film when the main narrative device of the story is a cadaver, but somehow that’s exactly what Shinya Tsukamoto’s 2004 film Vital isn’t. Instead, and it sounds strange to say, it is something of a love story, a subtle, sedated ode to loss and the process of grieving that is at times both vaguely discomforting and quietly beautiful.

In yet another solid performance of minimalist effort, … (read more)

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In the Line of Duty (1989)

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Posted on January 15, 2006 by Justin

When an immigrant Chinese dockworker comes into brief contact with secret evidence implicating American intelligence operatives and the Green Dragon crime syndicate in a major drug trafficking operation, he is marked for death. Now on the run and running out of time, his only hope for survival is two cops with nothing to hide and nothing to lose!
(from the Hong Kong Legends DVD)

I think whoever wrote the synopsis above really decided that to really nail the soul of … (read more)

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My Lovely Sam-Soon (2005)

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Posted on January 15, 2006 by Christian

Whether you’re from the West or the East, most people are familiar with the entertainment medium known as the Soap Opera. It’s a world where anyone and everyone can be connected in some way, from the main hero to the dog crossing the road in the third episode. Such TV Dramas can usually be cliché-a-plenty and have enough cheese for a week’s worth of lunches but this, however, proves not to be the case for My Lovely Sam-soon (aka My … (read more)

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Distance (2001)

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Posted on January 15, 2006 by Jason

Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda has produced a film that has touched upon one of the most sensitive issues for contemporary Japanese filmmakers: terrorist cults. Even though Koreeda’s film is fictional, there is always the inevitable comparison with the Aum cult sarin gas attack. There are a number of films, such as Canary, dealing with this sensitive problem. However, no filmmaker has probed the aftermath of the issue so poignantly and innovatively as Koreeda.

Distance has a very basic story: … (read more)

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Burst Angel (2004)

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Posted on January 15, 2006 by Deni

There I was, scoffing away at a fellow reviewer for wimping out on not only reviewing, but even merely finishing Studio Gonzo girls and guns title Burst Angel, assured in my fangirl superiority because I myself had managed to sit through an entire volume and hadn’t tried to kill myself by the end. You wuss, I mocked. Spoilt by too much quality anime (which I admit is my fault, since I keep pushing the quality stuff on to him). … (read more)

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Asian Films at PIFF 2004

Posted on January 14, 2006 by James


Featuring about 70 screenings per day in one outdoor and 16 indoor theatres grouped in two locations about 40 minutes subway ride apart, the 9th Pusan International Film Festival was a densely scheduled affair that often required some advance daily planning and on-the-spot thinking to get into desired sessions. Like last year, ticketing for guests and press was occasionally a problem, with quite a few sessions ostensibly selling out within an hour after sales commenced each morning. Given the availability … (read more)

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Korean Films at MIFF 2004

Posted on January 14, 2006 by James

Ten features and one omnibus film from South Korea screened at the 53rd Melbourne International Film Festival. Of these, I can’t comment on Natural City, Samaritan Girl and If You Were Me since I neglected to see them. From inquiries and overheard conversations, it seems Natural City received a warmer reaction than might have been expected, and given my tastes Samaritan Girl was probably the Kim Ki-duk I should have forced myself to watch. Unfortunately, If You Were Me… (read more)

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