Bio: I am huge fan of any Japanese and Chinese cinema. In Japanese cinema I'm a fan of mainly Tokusatsu (Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Gamera) and in Chinese cinema, Kung Fu. Both of these genres are what attracted me originally to HK Flix, because of their low prices and region-free DVDs and DVD players.
You can also check out my Youtube channel which features many enjoyable music videos and uploads!
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Masked Rider 555 [The Movie] (product link) Animation / Science Fiction This film was a good standalone Sci-Fi film and proved to have a storyline more interesting than the very TV show it was based upon. The effects are probably the film's strongest facet. I also enjoyed the performances from some of the film's stars, especially Masayuki Izumi as Kiba! Overall the film was very good, just not up to expectations.
For fans of the series this will be a must buy, but for those of you who are new to the series, this is not the place to begin.
Try "Masked Rider vs. Shocker", now that's a classic!
Masked Rider: The First (product link) Action/Adventure / Science Fiction This film is a remake of the original 1971 series, and even though it's already been under fire by die hard fans of the series it holds its own visually. The script and character development have much to be desired and give am overdramatic J-Idol feel as the main stars are both GQ model look-alikes. Visually though it triumphs without using any CGI or serious effects shots.
But probably the area where the film succeeds the most in is the Shocker agents that each have a wimsical nature to them and individual niches in the film. Several actors (Hiroshi Miyauchi, the original Kamen Rider V3 and Eisei Amamoto digitally makes an appearance as Shocker's leader). So overall most fans won't see anything completely new but will find this film enjoyable enough and should not be missed by those who know it's 35 year old legend.
The Cave Of Silken Web (product link) Fantasy / Action/Adventure This is an over-the-top adaptation of the legendary novel "Journey to the West". Yueh Hua shines as the character of the Monkey King. And even though the film is light on plot, it has enough action, special effects, scantily clad women, and musical numbers to keep you interested and excited!
Wing Chun (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure "Wing Chun" is another example of Yuen Wo Ping's solid fight choreography and over-the-top humor. People who are expecting a serious film will be disappointed. But fans who enjoyed films like "Iron Monkey", and "Tai Chi II" will be thrilled with the amazing fight sequences and performances from HK legends Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen. Two thumbs up.
The Monkey Goes West (product link) Fantasy / Action/Adventure This is by far one of the greatest adaptations of "Journey to the West", and features some of the best special effects of its time. Yueh Hua fits so perfectly into the role of Monkey that you can't help but love the character.
Gamera The Brave (product link) Science Fiction / Action/Adventure It didn't feature as much action as I anticipated, but proved to be very moving at times, which surprised me. One thing that I was impressed by was how it ended very cleanly with out too much lagging. Tears almost fell from my eyes when the last two lines were uttered by Toru at the end of the film "Sayonara......Gamera" I was certainly satisfied, especially after seeing the load of junk that "Ultraman Mebius and the Ultraman Brothers" was!
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