Reviews

He grunts. He screams. Then he screams again.

Kento Yamazaki overacts and over emotes in every scene, specially in the first half. To show grief, anger, surprise or any other emotion, he has only one register: He screams loudly. And he grimaces. He hams it up. He acts unintelligent but determined, a gritty stubborn brainless dolt. His dialogue is also childish, culminating with the cliched speech about the power of dreams during his last major fight scene. Would you ramble on about the power of dreams when fighting a mortal adversary?

He fast becomes very annoying. And since he's the central character, he ruins the movie for me.

It is too bad, because there is a lot to like in this movie. Great fight scenes, great choreography, impressive settings, hundreds of soldiers, interesting adversaries with original looks and fighting techniques. Some very good second role actors, specially Masami Nagasawa and Takao Osawa. The director, Shinsuke Sato, has become know for his manga adaptations, and this movie is a specially faithful adaptation of the first part of Yasuhisa Hara's manga. If it wasn't for the poor dialogue and overacting, this would be a very fun Wuxia movie.

Because of these fun elements, I hesitated a lot before knocking my rating down . Then came the last scenes, glorifying the forceful unification of China (in this age of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Yughur troubles). These scenes were completely unnecessary, and probably placed in the movie to support a larger Box Office performance in China.

Not recommended.

Imagine a movie that tells how an alphabet was invented. Very little drama, no real conflict, many scenes showing how the sounds were turned into letters. Fascinating and beautiful, but definitely not for those seeking action.

The acting is excellent throughout. Kang-ho Song in one of his quietest most introspective roles. Hae-il Park as the impetuous monk, and specially Mi-seon Jeon as the queen, who dominates every scene she appears in and leaves a strong influence on the film even when she is absent. This was her last role, before her death, and the movie can be seen as a tribute to this great actress too.

There are many fascinating scenes, in particular those showing the creation of the new script. The cinematography is excellent, the scenery beautiful and the director keeps things interesting, despite the lack of a strong story. Still, it gets long at the end, as there is very little tension and despite a few courtly conflicts, very little drama. The movie is also too respectful of the king's figure, at the end it gets a bit long and the scenes a little repetitive.

I may have missed a few details, as i don't speak and cannot read Korean. Some jokes and many references probably eluded me. Still, it's an interesting and sometimes fascinating movie for those who do not mind the lack of action. A good change of pace from the fight-filled historical typically produced in Seaoul.

A very big disappointment for the director and lead actress after the very enjoyable "Let me eat your pancreas" and "My little Monster" . While these previous movies were delicate, emotional and very well acted, Sensei Kunshu is empty and grating. Hamabe Minami overreacts and overemotes to every situation, as if she was instructed to mime the cartoonish poses of manga characters. After a while, her bad acting really gets on the viewer's nerve. The romance does not go anywhere (as one would expect with a teacher-pupil crush), the comedy falls flat. I struggled to finish watching this film and finally stopped before the end. Not recommended.

I went to see this movie based on the strong IMDB reviews. I expected a charming Romance, a well written and acted movie, nice songs. Compared by one critic to Notting Hill, so intriguing.

I was very disappointed. The story is trite and uninvolving. The production values are very low. Television quality at best. The jokes are not funny. There is no pace, no intrigue, no suspense. I could not wait for the movie to finish. I left in the second half.

Not a successful Romance. Don't waste your time. I wonder what all the other viewers saw in this film.

Very enjoyable thriller, with a strong ensemble cast. Distinguished by great actors who make the most of their small roles. I was specially impressed by Lucille Ball, surprisingly serious in the role of the "bad woman", and very attractive. John Carradine also shines as the contemptible bounty hunter and Joseph Calleia as his insightful and wise death row prisoner. The budget was very low and the sets show, but John Farrow's direction is very brisk and keeps the suspense and interest up through the short running time. Great dialogue, very well written exchanges between the characters, unsurprising given the three great talents on the script. The rhythm of the film benefits from the crisp timing: if they remade the movie today, it would probably be twice as long, and less interesting.

An example for disaster and stranded dramas to come. One of the most memorable classics of the thirties.

Late in the 70's Kung Fu cycle, director King Hu shows how to direct classic Wu Xia. This swordplay film focuses mainly on action. The setup is minimal, characters are barely introduced, if at all. No story, little exposition, no romance. Just a series of scenes where the heroes, always outnumbered, cleverly draw the pirates into traps, and then fight them. Hu is mostly interested in the tactics and cunning. His direction of the action scenes is exemplary and a joy to watch: dynamic movement, jump cuts, fast camera movements, quick strokes, rhythmic dancelike movements. The fight choreography is presented more like the films of the 60's, emphasizing rhythm and movement over clarity. This is not the movie to watch if you want to study different fighting styles. The most exemplary scene is the last one, which features a duel between Ying Bai and Sammo Hung. It does not matter that Sammo is a much better martial artist, the scene is so dynamic, cut with quick strokes at the fast rhythm of clanging swords, that the viewer cannot observe for even a short moment what each fighter is doing, but gets taken instead by the sheer momentum and mayhem. Only in the 80's did Tsui Hark and Honk Kong Cinema pick up where King Hu had pioneered.

The performers are charismatic, in particular Ying Bai as the cool hero (very 60's in style), and the lovely Feng Hsu as the cool, silent but deadly wife. She is such a striking presence in this film, that it is not surprising that King Hu featured her in practically all his movies during this period. Sammo Hung is appropriately menacing as the head Japanese pirate and was responsible for the fight choreography. The landscapes (possibly Taiwan) are impressively and beautifully filmed, creating great settings for the action scenes and adding to the pure enjoyment of watching this well orchestrated and graceful film.

I understand this is one of Dilip Kumar's most well known and successful films, and that he received a filmfare award for his acting in it. Still, I find his performance stilted and exaggerated, in particular in the many drunk scenes. The movie's plot is formulaic to the extreme, very melodramatic. It may have affected viewers at the time, but today it is so clichéd one can guess what happens a good 10 minutes ahead. The movie is also slow and repetitive, in particular in the the first hour, with Dilip Kumar succumbing again and again to the bottle. His character in this movie is weak and to me seems unsympathetic, although I must say I could never relate to stories about drunks or addicts. The direction, by Amiya Chakrabarty, is professional and solid, but seldom tight or original enough to thrill.

The saving grace of this movies is Nimmi, who gives an extraordinary performance, relishing every scene, laughing uncontrollably when her lover comes home, throwing herself at his feet, mouthing the words of the song with great emotion, a delicate, weak, foolish but beautiful diva. The camera loves her and she steals every scene. It is a pleasure also to watch the sets of this movie, reproducing a village entirely in the studio, with very kitschy decor elements, fake broken columns and painted sunsets. They don't film fantasy backdrops like these anymore. The music is superior, in particular the very memorable song: "Aye mere dil kahin aur chal", which is offered in three lovely and different versions.

All in all, a pleasant diversion, if not a masterpiece, memorable in particular for Nimmi. I will be looking for other films featuring her.

Opinions seem to vary greatly about this film. Some viewers seem to like it, find it real cute, compare it to Amelie, enjoy the shifts in style and tone. Others seem to loathe it, find it derivative, decry the exaggerated acting, disjointed style and too simple story, and feel they have wasted 90 minutes watching it. The opinions run all over the map, as the grades and critics reviews show. Some love it, many hate it.

I don't understand the latter group. This is exactly the kind of film I enjoy, in the same style as the movies of Richard Lester and Maurizio Nichetti (the early ones like Ratataplan). Start with a rather original story: a lonely post office employee who rewrites letters in her spare time. Amelie came out at the same time, and features a young girl who also tries to change others lives, but in many ways Nada is more fun and less smug. The disjointed style and abrupt shifts of tone kept me entertained. Here is a director who loves to play around. The slapstick scenes were exaggerated, as they should be, the romantic scenes funny and touching, and two sections showing how the letters affect their recipients were, in my opinion, successfully poetic.

Malberti shows promising talent with interesting predominately black and white camera work, which sometimes imitates the style of silent comedy, from Chaplin features to Keystone Cops. The quirky editing, overhead shots, fanciful touches, and series of funny supporting characters all contribute to the movie's charm. Thais Valdez is really charming, at the same time a fun cute tomboy and a mature weary lover. She is a real find.

If you like your films sober, intellectual and serious pass this one up. If you are ready for a wild mixture of bureaucratic satire, introspective social drama, slapstick comedy, cute love story, Havana travelogue and some poetic moments then jump along... It's a real fun ride!

Fans of director Johnnie To will be disappointed by this early effort, a let down after his direction of "The Big Heat" (and the Johnnie To produced "A Moment Of Romance"). The film starts as a typical Buddy Cop comedy. The plot does not make a lot of sense, but then audiences may not have been expecting much. Most Hong Kong movies from that period play on many registers at once, comedy, romance and action. That's what made some of these films so original and exciting. Unfortunately Royal Scoundrel is not necessarily strong in any of the areas. The comedy is silly and insipid , the romance is cheesy and under-developed, and the action scenes are mostly disappointing, in particular the finale. Still the general production and direction are of good quality, and the movie passes pleasantly. A little fun, if ultimately forgettable.

NG Man-Tat has played the role of the kind-hearted but ineffective flunky cop many times before and after this movie. Here, he just goes through the motions. Tony Leung overacts and is often obnoxious, never funny. The role definitely does not suit him well. He seems to be still learning his craft in his early films- see how badly he handles his role here and in many of his early films (eg the very weak Fantasy Romance). Waise Lee is professional as usual, cast as the corrupt cop. Wu Chien-Lien is very cute in one of her earliest movies. She is so lovely at that young age, the camera loves her despite the funny glasses and hairstyles the filmmakers try on her. She saved the movie for me.

Don Siegel directed a delightful, fast paced, fun western, with tongue firmly in cheek. Audie Murphy isn't half bad as the poker-loving "Silver Kid", dressed in black leather. Featured are several unique characters like "Johnny Sombrero", who wears extravagant clothes, combs his hair up,and of course puts on a large sombrero. The script makes fun of all the western clichés, camping it up while moving the story briskly. Faith Domergue is alluringly devious and mean as the bad girl and love interest. Lee Marvin has a small but remarkable role, and sports a big mustache.

I like the way the straight hero is played for a fool until the end, and his poker playing sidekick gets all the action and glory. Siegel, as usual, excels with the action scenes, but this is not a thriller per say, more a fast paced action romp very similar in style to "The Big Steal", which Siegel directed before this film. I really enjoyed it.

Not much happens in this movie. Like most Franco films, it features scenes that are slow and extended, with cliché situations. Its saving grace is that it reflects the dreams and hallucinations of the woman/victim, so the elongated scenes have a dreamlike quality which is effective and sometimes seductive. The violence is restrained, some blood here and there. Although I dislike gore, I did wish the horror element was played up more.

I enjoyed the musical score, uniquely psychedelic. It had some success as a dance reissue in the mid 90s. Soledad Miranda is incredibly beautiful. To me, watching her is reason enough to go through this film. Her strip tease scene is very unique, and fortunately gets repeated in the film. Her looks are beguiling in every one of her seduction scenes. Otherwise the movie is an average mixed bag.

Several reviewers took exception at this film's depiction of marriage between an adult (a college student) and a 15 year old high school student. I feel the subject was handled with a lot of sensitivity. Arranged marriages are still frequent in many parts of the world, and deserve a movie about them. Millions of very young women still tie the knot before they are 18, in Asia or the near-east or Africa. Why should the subject be taboo? The film does not condone the practice, as a matter of fact it shows how wrong it could be. The pleasure comes from watching these two young people make what they can with a situation they are not completely responsible for. Although the film is light and often funny, it has its share of pathos. Many will recall the awkwardness of first relationships, they are even more awkward in an arranged marriage.

This movie is very likable. The two stars are fun and charming. The tone is breezy throughout, but very realistic. Many of the clichés are there (THe karaoke scene, the dream scene, the misunderstanding(s) at school...), but they are treated in such an offhand way that they don't feel calculated. For a first film, Ho-joon Kim's direction is assured and precise. One of the best Korean comedies I have seen lately, recommended to put a smile on your face, and make you think...

This is yet another romance between a man and a female ghost. I usually enjoy these movies, except this one does everything wrong: Wrong focus, wrong time period, wrong story, bad acting, no action. Instead of focusing on the lovely Joey Wong and her relationship with Tony Leung, the film wastes a lot of time on the supposedly comic Hijinx of Leung and Chu, during several unfunny episodes with very bad acting. The action is transposed to the present, losing the usual charm and beauty of this type of movie. The story is uninteresting and confusing, mixing unsuccessfully several strands for no other reason than to move the plot. Tony Leung's performance is badly overdone, his character is unlikable and plain stupid. I cannot believe this is the same actor featured in Hardboiled or In The Mood of Love. Even bad Hong Kong movies can be redeemed by some action scenes, but this movie doesn't have them either. Only one short sequence, which seems like a parody of "A Chinese Gost Story", a much better film.

So what's left? Joey Wong is as charming and cute as ever, in one of her many female ghost roles. The animation scene at the end is interesting if cheaply executed. That's about it. Not enough even for Joey Wong fans to make this movie watchable.

This film should have been half as long. The first section, in particular, meanders for no reason. Mikhalkov is trying for a Checkovian mood, but all we get is a tired romantic triangle with a very obvious resolution. The second section, more political, is stronger, but occurs way too late in the film. The end is again very obvious and expected. To the last minute I hoped to be surprised, and was thoroughly disappointed. One can guess the events in this film literally 15 minutes before they happen.

I usually enjoy certain films with slow or deliberate rhythm, if they have artistic meaning, great style or emotional storyline. Burnt By The Sun is beautifully photographed, in that Eastern European "idyllic" style. Otherwise, it seemed to me empty like the hot air balloon with Stalin's image that features at the end. Full of obvious symbolism senseless parables, with characters drawn too broadly to keep us interested. Many reviewers have remarked on the touching scenes between Mikhalov and his daughter. These are strong scenes, but unfortunately they are the only touching scenes in this very long film. You wish the movie could have focused more on this relationship and less on the extended family and the political parable.

This must have been a labor of love for Mikhalkov, who acted, wrote, directed and featured his own child in the movie. When Pulp Fiction received the Palm D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, instead of Burnt By The Sun, Mikhalkov was incensed, and commented about Masterpieces being overlooked. I am sorry to report that this movie is no Masterpiece. It is a boring, slow paced, uninteresting film that goes on too long. At least for this viewer.

How can a movie about low-lives using blackmail to get out of their scummy life be so much fun, and still carry a message about social corruption and racism? First, by being restlessly energetic. All the new wave film techniques are used here, jump cuts, flashbacks, moving whirling hand-held cameras, sharp angles.. The movie never slows down except for a few delicious very physical love scenes, the complex story is told through the action. A movie that seems made in a rush and is much better for it.

The stylish 60s fashions, amoral but sexy protagonists, pop art photography and snappy music make this movie fun. It also makes it easier to take the extremely cynical message underlying the whole film. The antiheroes on display are like rats in a sewer (a dead rat is a recurring image). They hang on to the memory of the few happy moments they had, and keep reliving it. They think they blackmail for money, but they are really acting to get back at the Big guys, to prove that even scum can rise above their station. Their friendship and bond comes out of necessity and common experience. But their chance at the big lights is fleeting: going out with a famous actress for a moment may be thrilling, but our heroes do not belong in that world .

The film portrays a Japan ruled by corruption, where mavericks and half-breeds have to scrape to survive. Nobody is good, starting with all of the seedy blackmail "victims". The film has very dark and cynical outlook, but don't let that description phase you, this is also an incredibly fun film to watch, with action, humor and overabundant style. Most critics rank this movie as one of the director's lesser films. I think it deserves much better. Definitely recommended to those who love 60s gangster movies.

John Ireland's portrayal of a cold obsessed killer is the best thing in this movie. His performance is edgy, sexy and menacing. A brutal thug who loves his gun. Unfortunately he is hampered by a weak script, where his actions often make little sense. (For instance, why would he contact the sister of the suspect he framed?). Jane Randolph is also strong as the moll, although her character seems to change midway through the movie.

One of the first noir films directed by Anthony Mann, the movie is well shot, fast paced, tightly edited and tough. One wishes the focus could have stayed on Ireland, or, alternatively, the strong scenes of Ed Kelly being framed and pushed around by the cops. Mann will better develop these themes in his later films (noirs and westerns). Still a pretty enjoyable movie and a must for film noir fans.

Part of the cycle of genre and Yakuza movies that Suzuki directed for Nikkatsu in the early to mid sixties, this film is one of his most memorable. It may not be as well known here as other films in this cycle, probably due to the period setting (1925), and the fact that the middle section has no fighting or action, as it focuses on the fugitive yakuza hiding in the crew of a tunnel construction project.

Suzuki's design sense shines here, with bridges, trains, boats serving as a modern architectural counterpoint to the beautiful Japanese open vistas. It is interesting how similar the themes of this movie are to recent genre films such as Bangkok Dangerous, and how different the execution. The action scenes are short bursts of stylized fighting mixing gunplay with samurai action. The story is more engaging than Suzuki's other Yakusa films. I got the feeling that the director was trying his best to explode the strict confines of the genre, while delivering a commercial product. The buildup to the extraordinary final confrontation, a choreographed samurai style fight inside and outside a traditional Japanese house, is very satisfying. Also interesting are the weird touches like the red boots two of the movie's characters wear.

In my humble opinion, another classic from Mr Suzuki.