Blog Archives

Samurai Deeper Kyo (2002)

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Posted on April 5, 2010 by Deni

What with all the popular culture featuring one of the most famous periods in Japan’s feudal history – the Battle of Sekigahara – it’s not a wonder we all feel like we know simultaneously everything and nothing about it. But this is what happens when you rely on TV for all your factual information.

So it might be easiest to just assume that Samurai Deeper Kyo has absolutely nothing to do with the events of the Realm Divide, and that … (read more)

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Sword of the Stranger (2007)

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Posted on April 5, 2010 by Deni

Patrick Galloway’s excellent book Samurai films: Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves has this to say about the prerequisites of any self respecting Samurai film:

  • The hero is probably a swordsman
  • He’s a samurai, or an ex-samurai (or yakuza) and he’s usually motivated by either:
    • Revenge
    • Loyalty
    • Self-interest
    • The desire to protect innocents
    • A combination of 2 or more of the above
  • He has a mission
  • He has an enemy (who likely has a lot of sword-wielding henchmen)
  • There will be
    • … (read more)
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    Ong Bak 2 (2008)

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    Posted on April 5, 2010 by Samson

    Back in 2003, a little film from Thailand introduced international audiences to a unique form of martial arts known as Muay Thai and a promising new action star called Tony Jaa. That film was of course Ong Bak. It became a blockbuster in its native country and went on to become an international hit. With no CGIs or wires, the movie simply relied on the amazing physical abilities and athleticism of its main actor – Tony Jaa. It made … (read more)

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    Days of Being Wild (1990)

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    Posted on April 2, 2010 by Samson

    Days of Being Wild is one of the early films by renowned Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai. It has all the trademarks of Wong’s later works, such as Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love. But despite being less well-known in the West, Days of Being Wild is certainly no less impressive than any other film by Wong. It is a beautiful movie that features unforgettable characters played by some of Hong Kong’s best actors and actresses working … (read more)

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    Shaolin Soccer (2001)

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    Posted on April 2, 2010 by Samson

    I can just imagine how one day, this strange idea suddenly crossed filmmaker Stephen Chow’s mind: what would happen if I combine martial arts and soccer to make a ‘sports movie’? He must have thought it was a good idea, and went on to realise it. And he was absolutely right. The result was Shaolin Soccer, one of the funniest and most original films ever made, in Hong Kong and in fact anywhere in the world.

    Shaolin Soccer tells … (read more)

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    CJ7 (2008)

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    Posted on March 31, 2010 by Rhys

    Off the shelf; it’s a Sony.

    It’s not after every trip to the local video store that I leave pondering global marketing, cross-cultural hybridization, computer generated aliens and region coded DVD players. I was recently, however, pleasantly surprised to have seen a copy of Stephen Chow’s CJ7 (a local release, not an import) propped up amongst the latest plethora of Hollywood’s finest – a dim, yet shining, beacon. It seemed to me that this film was once destined to carry … (read more)

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    Air Doll (Kuki Ningyo) (2009)

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    Posted on February 5, 2010 by Elizabeth Kerr

    We all know the story of Pinocchio, the wooden puppet who longed to be a real boy. When he finally got his wish, things didn’t go quite to plan and at one point he burns his feet off. There’s also that whole lying/long nose thing … The gist of the story is that Pinocchio is an inanimate object that is defined by his maker until he finds the gumption to go out and define himself.

    Well, flash forward to 2000 … (read more)

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    Bodyguards and Assassins (2009)

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    Posted on January 12, 2010 by Tom

    I knew very little about Bodyguards and Assassins going into the theatre. I had heard a basic plot outline that could be described as ‘16 Blocks with a team of kung-fu fighters instead of Bruce Willis’. Having now seen the film I think that sentence does a disservice to the film.

    B&A is set in 1906, British ruled, Hong Kong. Revolution is in the air with student protests and rebel groups finding their footing. With police and other forces … (read more)

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