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Elsewhere on the Web
Heroes Two (1974)
Chang Cheh was one of Shaw Brothers’ most iconic directors. Working from the late 50s into the 90s, he was extremely prolific (more than a hundred films, eight films in one year at his peak in 1974) and, along with action maestro Lau Kar-Leung, he can claim a large chunk of the credit for Shaws’ reputation as a martial arts film powerhouse. Heavily influenced by Kurosawa’s samurai pictures and Leone’s spaghetti westerns, he brought a dramatic, blood-spattered intensity to Shaws’ … (read more)
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The Man From Nowhere (2010)
Oh, you’ve seen this movie before, my friend. It’s Taken. It’s Man on Fire. It’s every movie ever made wherein a super-tough but fundamentally sensitive man with a mysterious, deadly and usually governmental past has to go on a bloody rampage to rescue a child — his own or one somehow close to him. The Man from Nowhere is that hoariest of tales, the one about the redemptive power of genuine affection as only children are able to … (read more)
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The Unjust (2010)
Director Ryoo Seung-wan has quickly made a name for himself as an action man; a director of a singular, urban, macho brand of thriller. Beginning with Die Bad (basically all about male aggression) and through Crying Fist (basically about male self-determination via the world’s most brutal sport) and The City of Violence (basically about male grief and the loss of fraternal trust), Ryoo could easily be referred to as the polar opposite of Pedro Almodovar: he’s a man’s director! I … (read more)
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HKIFF 2011 News and Reviews
Our loyal readers would know that we love blogging about the Hong Kong International Film Festival, and we did so in 2002, 04, 05, 06 and 08. I am not aware of any of us being there this year, and so I have had to satisfy my cravings for the HKIFF through reading some of the great articles posted on other blogs. You will find below the links to the most awesome articles I have read … (read more)
Jyu Oh Sei (2006)
Jyu Oh Sei, based on a three book manga by Natsumi Itsuki, is possibly one of the more underrated anime you could do yourself a favour and watch. Think Asmiov crossed with Golding – a kind of Lord of the Flies in space, where man is reduced to the most basic needs of survival, where the alien plant life is both beautiful and deadly, and where the rules are completely made to be broken.
Thor and Rai are twins … (read more)
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In Cinemas: Detectives and Bladesmen
As well as China’s The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman, there are a couple of other Asian films hitting cinemas over the next month or so.
Richard at The Reel Bits kindly sent me the heads-up that Korean film Detective K: Secret of Virtuous Widow is on screens right now, but only at the Reading cinemas in Rhodes and Auburn in NSW. These things always sneak in under my radar. Detective K is a murder mystery with a … (read more)
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The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman (2010)
Opening this week in Australian cinemas, The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman is the cinematic debut for director Wuershan (a successful Beijing-based commercial director), and the second Chinese film with the backing of Fox International, after last year’s star-studded romance Hot Summer Days. It’s also got Doug Liman (director of The Bourne Identity and Mr. & Mrs. Smith) on board as an executive producer, and “presenting” the film in the posters for Western markets, much like Quentin … (read more)
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An A to Z Guide to Korean Cinema – Part 2
Today, I am going to continue with part 2 of my article, picking up where we left off yesterday:
Lover’s Concerto (2002): This romantic melodrama is a tearjerker. Its main cast, including Cha Tae-hyun, Son Ye-jin and the late Lee Eun-ju (Taegukgi), all gave likeable performances. While the story is not particularly original, the film is an example of an ordinary story told well. Viewers who like crying should have some tissues ready.
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