300 (product link) Action/Adventure / War Cheesy but stylish and highly entertaining. In short, the perfect comic book movie. Everyone should see it at least once.
PTU (product link) Action/Adventure / Crime Wow, what a complex film. I had to mentally chew on this one for a few days to form a concrete opinion (which is usually the sign of a great film in my book). This crime drama is light on the action but heavy on the cinematography, weaving several story tangents into one explosive finale. Expect to partake in multiple viewings for maximum enjoyment.
Gulliver's Travels [1939] (product link) Animation / Action/Adventure A great cartoon version of the classic tale that holds up relatively well today. For animation fans this is a must-see. For everyone else it's a decent time-killer.
The Iron Ladies [APS Intermusic] (product link) Comedy / Action/Adventure Although a little over the top at times, this heartwarming comedy is a must-see for Asian cinema fans. Truly a gem in the rough!
Even if you don't dig the content, you can't deny the craftsmanship of these things. The backgrounds are beautiful, the music is fantastic. Just terrific animation. And I love the content too. :)
Miracles (product link) Drama / Martial Arts Another action comedy classic from the master! This is a wonderful period piece that's somewhat light on the action but keeps up a nice pace throughout most of the movie. The all-star cast is a treat to see and the music/cinematography is top-notch. A must-watch for everyone!
Margaret Cho: Revolution (product link) Comedy Eh, this was alright. "Revolution" was my first experience of Cho's stand-up, so I viewed this with a clean slate. Although she has some genuinely funny bits and is absolutely stellar with her body language/faces/impressions/etc., she tends to get "stuck" in the same bit for too long. Her vague political jabs were poorly delivered and took away from the much-more-entertaining personal/family bits (Asian Chicken Salad is a highlight). A decent way to spend an hour-and-a-half but don't expect to have your mind blown.
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This was the beginning of the end for Cho. Check out "I'm The One That I Want" and "Notorious", and avoid anything later. This once great comedienne is definitely now very much "stuck" in a repetitive doldrums as you say.
Fatal Contact (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Wow, what a letdown. For a movie titled "Fatal Contact" (and featuring a grimacing Wu Jing in battle pose on the Dragon Dynasty version), there sure was a lot of melodramatic, confusing bullcrap. I got the gist of the story but it's completely uninteresting and bland. Wu Jing is a great martial artist and the few fight scenes can attest to that; however, during dramatic scenes all he can seem to do is bob around and smile. If you have to watch this movie, just skip ahead to the fight scenes. You won't miss a thing.
Sixty Million Dollar Man (product link) Comedy / Romance This movie can be a little too goofy for its own good, but the slapstick is tops as usual. Although the plot is all over the place, it's basically a Stephen Chow version of "The Mask" with cartoony CG effects, slapstick situations, and a decent zero-to-hero story. The movie heavily references the Hollywood blockbusters of the time (circa 1995) and is generally done well. A decent comedy flick if you're in the mood.
Wet Hot Sake (product link) Drama / Erotica What a strange movie. The tone is a lot more subdued than I expected, but it works well with the actors/story. The warm sake making method was a little weird for me, especially when there's a father-daughter relationship involved. Despite that, the actors do a great job and the film is paced well (although a little short). Worth a quick viewing if you're in the mood.
Gorgeous (product link) Comedy / Romance A little slow at the beginning but it picks up quick for a nice romantic ride. Tony Leung is hilarious in his bit part and Jackie plays the older millionaire love interest quite well. The few fights included were fantastic but dragged a little long in spots. A must for Jackie fans and a great night for everyone else!
Infernal Affairs 3: The Ultimate Showdown (product link) Drama / Crime Another great IA film with some confusing editing. The parallel timelines threw me off at first, but as the movie progresses it becomes much easier to follow. All of your favorites are back, and the new characters compliment the overall story nicely. This would be an easy 5 stars for me if not for the timeline wackiness at the beginning. See it now!
Crime Story (product link) Action/Adventure / Crime A little slow in the beginning, but once this picks up, HANG ON! A nice break from Jackie's more comical action roles. Kent Cheng also does a phenomenal job as the main villain. A must-see for Jackie fans, a great two hours for everyone else!
A Queer Story (product link) Romance / Comedy A great non-traditional love story with a strong message. The characters are believable and have a lot of depth. See this!
B.T.S. (Better Than Sex) (product link) Comedy A little hard to follow in the beginning, but everything wraps up nicely in the end. The humor and pacing are great. Highly recommended!
Blade Runner (product link) Science Fiction / Action/Adventure One of the greatest, if not the greatest, sci-fi movies of all time. A must for all cinema fans!
The King Of Kong: A Fistful Of Quarters (product link) Documentary / Comedy This is a such a great documentary. Brilliant editing combined with the candid confessions of the participants make for a wild ride that will appeal to anyone, not just video game fans. All of the hype is well deserved!
King Kong [1933] [2-Disc Set] (product link) Action/Adventure / Science Fiction Wow, what a classic. Over 75 years after its release, "King Kong" is still a blast to watch. Great acting, a classic story and legendary special effects make this one a must for cinema aficionados.
Microcosmos (product link) Documentary / Art What a great documentary. It's crazy how close they could get to the insects, revealing tiny little movements and details you'd never notice otherwise. A must-see for everyone.
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You'd think this doc might be out of date by now, with all the latest advancements in technology, but nope. It's still totally amazing.
Black Jack: Infection (product link) Animation / Action/Adventure What a great anime--non-stop doctor drama from Tezuka himself! These introductory episodes are great. A must for anime fans.
My Father Is A Hero (product link) Action/Adventure / Martial Arts Another great Jet Li vehicle from the mid 90s. The action scenes are second to none and the acting is superb as well; a must-see for martial arts/Jet Li fans.
Steamboy [LE Collector's Tin] (product link) Animation / Action/Adventure Beautifully animated and well told, this is a must-see, even if some of the plot points are entirely predictable.
Hitman [1998] (product link) Action/Adventure / Martial Arts Another solid Jet Li action vehicle. Although the beginning is a little light on the action, after the halfway mark it really picks up steam (the end fight is phenomenal!). The dramatic storyline is well executed both in pace and acting, and never feels like filler in between the fight scenes. A must-see for Jet Li fans.
Batman Returns (product link) Action/Adventure / Crime While this film has aged quite a bit better than Tim Burton's original "Batman" film, it still pales in comparison to the more recent Christopher Nolan efforts. The needlessly complex plot seems to exist solely to justify the movie's 2+ hour length, following three distinct Batman villains trying to destroy Gotham in three different ways. This leaves little room for Batman himself, who is onscreen and in costume for a tiny portion of the film with absolutely no character development. This is a shame, as Michael Keaton did a much better job as Batman/Bruce Wayne this time around.
Each of the actors does a fantastic job considering the material they'd been given, which consists of the same cornball one-liners and prop gags that plagued the first film. It's all style and little substance, and looks all the more ridiculous next to the reboot films.
Infernal Affairs 2: The Legend (product link) Drama / Crime A worthy companion piece to the first IA. The slower pace and lack of slick editing threw me off a little at first, but once this movie kicks into gear, hold on! A must see for HK cinema fans.
Rec (product link) Horror / Thriller This movie really didn't do anything for me. The scares are predictable, the gore isn't realistic, and the acting is too over-the-top hysterical to be convincing. I guess a Blair Zombie movie had to be made eventually, but this is just disappointing.
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While I really enjoyed the film, I can totally see how many people would not. Maybe worth revisiting a few years down the line...
Fong Sai Yuk (product link) Martial Arts / Comedy What a great Jet Li vehicle. Fantastic martial arts, a great plot, and wonderful humor. A must see, especially if you enjoy OUATIC.
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I love this one. Josephine Siao is totally underrated.
Infernal Affairs (product link) Drama / Crime What a great movie. The beginning minutes had me a little lost, but after I figured out who the characters were and where their allegiances fell it was a tense ride! Superb acting, slick editing and a pounding soundtrack bring the bittersweet story to life. A must-see for any cinemaphile/Asian movie lover.
Batman (product link) Action/Adventure / Crime Wow, has this film aged terribly. Purely a product of late 80s cheese, Tim Burton's "Batman" pales in comparison with Christopher Nolan's more recent efforts. Michael Keaton is entirely unconvincing as the Dark Knight, and Jack Nicholson's Joker seems comically overacted next to Heath Ledger's more menacing performance. The special effects have hardly held up and the Prince music is simply too much to bear. Still, the symphonic score by Danny Elfman is fantastic, and the few fights of the film are well done. This one's purely for nostalgia; if you want a real "Batman" movie, see "Batman Begins".
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Jack nailed Joker perfectly. Heath Ledger is overrated!
Batman Forever (product link) Action/Adventure / Crime The beginning of the end for the original run of "Batman" movies, "Batman Forever" started the slide back into the cheesy antics of the 60s TV show. Val Kilmer is entirely unconvincing as Bruce Wayne, and everything is overly gaudy and cliche. If you have to have classic "Batman", watch the first two; if you want stellar "Batman", watch "Batman Begins".
Batman And Robin (product link) Action/Adventure / Crime Terrible, terrible tripe. The last of the original run of "Batman" movies, "Batman And Robin" takes a huge leap backwards and returns the series to its cornball tendencies established with the 60s cartoon show. Everything is overly gaudy, from the set design to the costumes to the acting, and the story is too unbelievable to be entertaining. Skip this garbage and watch "Batman Begins" instead.
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