News 
158
457
17
1
2
6
3
8
10
3
14
1
1
1
2
1
3
7
14
9
12
Fast and furious kung fu action!
I watched Kung Fu Jungle aka Kung Fu Killer years ago and quite enjoyed it. Upon rewatch I enjoyed the fight scenes again, and that the film had its own version of Yes Madam with a strong female officer in control of the investigation. Not that Donnie’s character listened to her much but her subordinates did and she got her chance to shine. The fight choreography was off the charts displaying a variety of styles. One of my favorite parts of the film were the homages to actors and stuntmen from the Golden Era of kung fu movies.Mo Hahou is serving time for accidentally killing a man in a fight when other martial arts fighters begin being murdered. He convinces Inspector Luk Yuen Sum to let him out to work on the investigation. Hahou escapes to convince his lover to go into hiding, but when Luk catches up with him agrees to let her stay with him so that he can help without being distracted. There’s no question where the story is heading, toward an epic fight between Hahou and the villain Fung Yu Sau and the movie delivers on its implied promise.
The story was thin but still managed to convey the ticking clock on men’s lives as the police and Hahou frantically tried to track Fung down and corner him. This was the perfect role for Donnie’s abilities, stern and determined. Charlie Yeung and Michelle Bai were thankfully not portrayed or written as inept (mostly) and helpless. Wang Bao Qiang brought a maniacal energy to the man obsessed with being the best and for whom kung fu meant death.
Donnie Yen choreographed fast, complex fights starting with fists and moving through kicks, grappling, and weapons. The final fight using CGI trucks was thrilling. Numerous older kung fu actors made cameos---Yuen Cheung Yan, David Chiang, Yuen Bun, Tsui Siu Ming, action choreographer Tony Leung Siu Hung, car stunt driver and choreographer Bruce Law, Tony Tam, Mang Hoi and Billy Chan to name but a few. Even Raymond Chow, the famous producer for and founder of Golden Harvest made a cameo.
Kung Fu Jungle was hard for me to rate. I’m not comparing it to Kurosawa Akira or Zhang Yi Mou films, but against other comparable films from the time. I recently watched Kill Zone and found this one to be far more entertaining. This was a bone crushing, fast moving, truck dragging bolt of energy that was fun to watch.
16 March 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
"I'm not old, I'm just mature"
Return of the Deadly Blade was the equivalent of click bait for me. The cast included Kurata Yasuaki, Norman Chu, and Lo Lieh. And then it hit me with the discombobulation virus, which lasted around 90 minutes.Master Li aka The Deadly Blade killed “Kam the Invincible Gold Rings” in a duel and then went into hiding for twenty years. Now suddenly everyone is looking for the famed bladesman. Siu Wan begins his trek to find Master Li taking on contenders as he goes. The Lonely Killer, a roguish lady’s man, is also looking for Master Li. He’s followed by a female fighter he defeated who apparently developed the kind of crush that could kill. A nobleman dressed in gold lame, which means you can’t trust him, sends out men to assassinate Lonely Killer, including a ninja. Siu Wan and LK keep crossing each other’s paths as does the lovesick warrior and a damsel in distress. All roads lead to the Tomb of the Hero and the showdown to discover, “Who’s your daddy?”
The story was convoluted and badly edited. Maybe there’s a longer version out there that tied the plot elements together better, but this version was disjointed and didn’t explain things well. Kurata Yasuaki finally had a role where he wasn’t a diabolical villain. Lonely Killer was no angel but usually Kurata played a burn down the orphanage kind of character in old kung fu movies. Kurata is skilled in karate and other forms of martial arts and his moves displayed his skill despite the limited hand-to-hand action. David Chiang as Siu Wan was David Chiang, I was never a fan of his work in these older movies. Reliable Norman Chu appeared as the wheelchair bound Master Li, a man tired of killing. Lo Lieh surfaced briefly as an umbrella fighting warrior who had to fight against Siu Wan and LK. While it saddened me that Lo was often relegated to smaller roles after the 1970’s I always enjoy seeing him on the screen. In a blink and you’ll miss him moment, Hwang Jang Lee was featured in the intro as Kam and his golden rings. Flora Cheung played both ingenue and femme fatale.
Since the writers didn’t make the story very clear, the action had to carry the movie along. Kurata had a fun fight against the Famous Four in a cave hot springs tub. Epic towel fight. He later had to face Bruce Leung in a cameo role. The three-way fight between Kurata, Chiang, and Lo Lieh was well choreographed. Later, when Kurata faced a ninja and the vengeful nobleman on a rope bridge, it felt like more could have been done with it. The grand finale fight that included quite a bit of wirework was a letdown.
Return of the Deadly Blade squandered a strong cast with a badly edited story. The most compelling reason to watch it is to see Kurata Yasuaki be able to play a lighter character than usual. Not a solid reason, but for fans of the genre a reason to try it.
15 March 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
"A friend's weapon is the most fatal"
“Killers are like meteors. They appear in brilliance and vanish in no time. And they don’t have names.” Based on Gu Long’s book “Meteor, Butterfly, Sword”, Killer Clans tells the story of love and treachery between competing clans and even friends.Meng Sheng Wen and his blood brother, Yeh Hsiang, were cared for by the brothel owner Sister Ko. Ko receives assassination assignments after intimacy with a mysterious stranger, which she passes on to Meng as Yeh has lost his confidence and become a drunkard. Meng’s assignment is to kill Sun Yu the leader of the prosperous Longmen Clan. On one of his trips, he meets the beautiful Hsiao Tieh in the Butterfly Forest. She has a formidable father who does not tolerate swordsmen coveting his daughter. As Meng moves in closer on his target, it soon becomes apparent that he is not the only one with the wise and crafty Sun Yu in his sights, both enemies and friends alike will stop at nothing to bring the leader down and gain what is his.
Killer Clans is a Shaw Brothers classic. The sets and costumes were luxurious and there were numerous outdoor shots in picturesque scenery. The cast was stacked with SB actors, most of which did not last long as the body count was incredibly high. Double crosses, even triple crosses abounded. You know times were tough when the only man Sun Yu was able to trust was the man sent to kill him! My only quibble with the story is one that I often have with these older martial arts movies-their need to have bare breasted women and sexual assault.
Ku Feng was the highlight of this film as the Longmen Clan leader---caring, ruthless, adept, and shrewd, his backup plans had backup plans. Tsung Hua isn’t one of my favorites, but as the story often focused more on Sun Yu, not much was asked of him but to look grim. Yueh Hua played against type which was fine with me as it pushed him harder. One of my favorites, Lo Lieh, had a small role as Sun Yu’s supreme protector with a serrated round blade hiding in his hat.
The sword fights were actually choreographed well and not super slow as most were during this time, not nearly as fast as in the modern era, but still entertaining. The first time I watched this I wasn’t impressed with the swordplay but after watching, let’s just say, several martial arts movies since then, I’ve gained an appreciation for this film’s fight choreography. It also helped that I watched a restored copy this time and not a grainier version. Most of the well-known stuntmen actors from the 1970's could be seen jumping, flipping, diving, falling, and taking a beating as the story progressed.
Killer Clans was an action-packed tale of deceit, greed, and love. For anyone who enjoys old martial arts movies, it’s a must.
14 March 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
Yuan Yuan trains in secret and receives her assassin assignments from her old sifu. She and her governess disguise themselves in a myriad of ways, even as a new bride, in order to take down her targets. Her doting father never suspects his docile and obedient daughter has another side to her. Before long her secret life and her family life converge when she learns a devastating secret about her “father”.
The sword fights were pretty good for the time although there were a lot of swipe and falls. Yuan Yuan wasn’t afraid to aim for the face. Her nemesis used rings to kill his enemies. Wang Ling gave a strong performance as Yuan Yuan keeping the overacting so common in the 60’s to a minimum. Ma Chi played the loving father to the hilt and also the creepy murdering rapist.
There were some exciting fights early in the film and then it began to be dragged down in melodrama. The end was encumbered by the diametrically opposed familial cry for revenge and the punishment for killing a parent. Yuan Yuan was burdened with forgiving the unforgiveable and also settling her parents’ blood debt which seemed impossible. Family dynamics can be tricky.
6 March 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
Stellar cast let down by mediocre writing and even worse special effects
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate was a remake of a remake. After watching it, I’m pretty convinced that was at least one remake too many. In lieu of quality martial arts fights, Tsui Hark buried the film in bad CGI and mediocre storytelling.It’s the Ming Dynasty which means the evil eunuchs are running amok. Zhao Huaian and his spunky rebels seek to take down the eunuchs and rescue the falsely accused. At the same time, a maid who was unfortunate enough to get impregnated by the emperor is on the run. Fear not! Eunuch Yu the head of the diabolical Western Bureau vows to have her hunted down and killed. A keen multi-tasker he is also determined to be rid of Zhao. The annoying maid is rescued by a female swordswoman and escorted to the Dragon Gate Inn in order to avoid a deadly sandstorm. The inn becomes overly crowded with a group of rowdy Tartars, Eunuch Yu’s men, and a dead ringer for Yu named Wind Blade. Eventually, Zhao shows up as well because the inn in the middle of nowhere is a magnet for killers and heroes alike. Everyone has their reason for being there and hidden treasure buried in the desert makes strange bedfellows with unlikely alliances.
This movie was 2 hours long but felt closer to 2 days. With the exception of the female Tartar warrior, none of the characters were particularly engaging. Aside from Burudu, I didn’t really care if any of them walked away from the inn where you did NOT want to be served “white” meat. Chen Kun played dual roles, but even he couldn’t save the lackluster writing. Jet Li acted bored as well. On the positive side the film had four accomplished female fighters. I was also happy to see old school kung fu movie star Gordon Liu in a guest role as one of the power hungry eunuchs brief as it was.
The film lacked character development and urgency for a story set in the only dwelling on the edge of nowhere filled with people wanting to kill each other. What could have been a tense claustrophobic thriller dragged on relentlessly with very little movement. The eunuch’s doppelgänger element was talked about more than used effectively. The romance clumsily wedged into the story was feeble at best. Five black sand tornadoes did little to liven things up.
Aside from the uninspired storytelling, what ruined this film for me was the terrible, and I mean atrocious CGI. The fights were ridiculously bad and completely reliant on CGI and green screens. The green screens were obvious as well. Nothing appeared real including the CGI actors that often bounced around. The sped up fake and real people fighting moved awkwardly instead of fluidly. Jet Li and Chen Kun’s fight in a tornado hurt my eyes there were so many bad effects going on. I kept expecting to see the woman riding her bike in the twister from The Wizard of Oz blow by. That’s not even taking into effect how fights were sped up and characters were thrown like paper airplanes. Most Wuxias in actual historical settings have some actions grounded in reality. People had limitless daggers stashed away in their sleeves. How their sleeves weren’t dragging the ground, I’ll never understand. Originally filmed for 3D, many of those daggers were hurled straight at the screen.
I enjoyed King Hu’s 1967 original Dragon Gate Inn no matter that the sword fights were primitive by today’s standards. At least they weren’t blurred and sped up to a ridiculous rate. I am a fan of Jet Li, Chen Kun, and Zhou Xun and I really wanted to like this film. The film ran too long, was narratively a mess, and relied too heavily on special effects instead of quality fight choreography. Flying Swords of Dragon Gate deserved to be buried in the sand.
5 March 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
"You've lost your elephant again!?!"
Tony Jaa had to rescue his elephant little brother once again in Tom Yum Goong 2. Just as in the original, the story was a thin construct, simply there to let Jaa shine. This time he stayed in Thailand when he faced the dastardly devils who stole his elephant.Kham’s elephant is stolen (again!) by a bad guy who is working for a badder guy. When Kham arrives at his lair, the bad guy is dead and his two nieces skilled in martial arts think Kham did it. The cops have already been called to set him up so he has Sue Sue and Ping Ping (Jeeja Yanin) after him as well as the police force. Sgt. Mark, now working for Interpol, arrives on the scene. Kham ends up with what looks like the entire population of Bangkok chasing him on foot, motorcycle, and car! The Big Bad, LC, wants Kham to help him disrupt the peace process taking place in Bangkok for Kantana, a country divided. With his life and the life of his elephant on the line Kham has to find a way out or at least a way through the formidable fighters standing between him and his elephant.
The story, much like the first one, had plot holes galore. The acting was adequate. None of that was too important. Watching Tony Jaa and Jeeja Yanin fight was more than enough reason to hit play.
I’d read numerous complaints with people unhappy that Tony used wires and CGI in this film. While it was great he did amazing stunts without either in previous films, at 37, I didn’t understand what the big deal was. Jet Li, Donnie Yen, and Jackie Chan all used fighting enhancements, especially as they aged. It makes for more fantastical if not realistic fights. The wires and CGI didn’t bother me, what did was the almost indestructible nature of Kham, The Big Bad, and the #2 bad guy. In the original, Kham took people out in their vulnerable places and when people went down, they stayed down. Regardless of how they staged them there were several creative fights. The motorcycle battle and an electrically charged confrontation were quite creative. Jeeja Yanin took a backseat to Tony in the fights, but was still able to demonstrate what makes her an exciting fighter.
Tom Yum Goong 2 had a more polished look than the first film, but I missed the intense fight choreography. Unless the bad guys were zombies, I’m not sure how they kept getting up again and again. Apparently, Kham wasn’t hitting them very hard because even a hardened body is not indestructible. Kham also seemed made of impervious rubber. Having said that, I always enjoy watching Tony Jaa fight and this was no exception. Delephantly (couldn’t resist an elephant pun!) for Jaa and martial arts fans only.
3 March 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
"What does flunked mean?"
I Flunked, But… was one of Ozu’s early silent films about university life. It was a warmhearted story demonstrating life’s ups and downs during and after university.Shomochi and his four buddies don’t take things too seriously as they cheat during exams and spend the evening before the big final exam cramming. Shomochi is the leader helping the others to study. He also prepares his white shirt as an answer guide. Nothing is ever that easy, especially when the house mom inadvertently collects the cheat sheet shirt along with the dirty clothes and gives it to the laundry services. The roommates panic at the loss. Much to everyone’s surprise the four roommates pass while Shomochi fails. The boys are sad for their friend, but Shomochi is devastated to not be able to graduate. Shomochi receives comfort from an unexpected source and finds his path toward adulthood and confidence. The four graduates discover the harsh reality of a disastrous economy where their diplomas mean very little.
Just as bachelor Ozu made numerous films about marriage and family life, he never attended university, so his take on it was more what he envisioned it to be than what he’d experienced. I enjoy Ozu's silent films, his style was more mobile. People moved naturally and looked at each other, not the camera, when they were talking. He wasn't rigid with filming from the mat and some shots were filmed from a higher position. The comedy felt organic and not forced. The boys had many humorous moments without delving completely into slapstick. I did miss his meticulously designed sets with the spare compositions. Of course, these were college boys and cluttered rooms were more realistic. An American movie poster and American university pennants decorated the walls. Ozu's teapot did receive prominent placement in one shot!
While there were many comedic moments, they alternated with sadness and discouragement. University life felt more insular. When the graduates faced the unforgiving economy, they were the ones needing help and encouragement. “Why did we have to graduate so fast?” Shomochi, on the other hand, moved toward maturity and finding joy in the moment.
This film shared the bonds formed from late night study sessions and walking arm and arm to a dance beat. Love brought encouragement in the darkest moments as did friendship. Maturity became a path adversity set them on. I Flunked, But… asked what it means to fail, and if one fails…what next? What happens when you do everything right but still can’t succeed? Ozu left some of those questions unanswered for the students who sought to find happiness amidst the sorrow and victory from failure.
25 February 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
Sometime love ain't enough, and sometimes it is
Solace is a difficult movie to pigeonhole. While it is a romance, the leads spend large amounts of time apart. The pacing is slow like a slice of life and there are troubles enough for a melodrama. The leads involved occasionally find solace with each other, a gentle spot far removed from their daily grueling challenges.Somehow Lee Hye Ran has inherited her deceased father’s massive debt. I don’t understand Korean law and how it ended up with her and not her mom. Be that as it may, Hye Ran is drowning in debt and hounded by her father’s creditors. She runs a clothing shop where she often sells counterfeit clothing. Her sister is pregnant and getting married, adding to her financial concerns. Meanwhile, In Ku is a pharmacist living with his mother and mentally impaired brother, In Seob. His marriage plans fell through when the bride’s family forbade them to marry because of the brother’s condition. Neither Hye Ran nor In Ku are looking for love but fate insisted on throwing them together on several occasions. The two find comfort in each other’s company and arms, but regardless of their feelings, Hye Ran’s debt doesn't disappear and In Seob’s needs don't lessen.
Solace was a realistic look at two people for whom life could be a difficult grind. Realistically, love didn’t conquer all and solve all their problems. The film wasn’t all dreary and pessimistic. Both people were reminded of what they were missing. It instilled in them a desire to find joy in their lives whether it was listening to a familiar song or taking a hike. Speaking of music, it was a blast from another past to see a Walkman and a car with a cassette player in it. Both Hye Ran and In Ku had responsibilities they could not be released from. Opening their hearts to each other, helped them to open them to others. Sometimes love can be expressed in a myriad of ways, Solace explored love in different relationships, the joy it can bring, and the loving sacrifices people make for each other. While not a traditional romance, it was a film that stayed true to itself.
24 February 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
An heirloom's hidden past...
Wolf’s Calling is a stylish short film by director Toyoda Toshiaki with no dialogue. It is truly a mood piece bordering on samurai music video. This is the first film in his Resurrection trilogy followed by The Day of Destruction.A young woman discovers a rusty revolver in a box and takes it out. The memories imbued in the cold steel open up for the audience. Several samurai gather at the Mountain Resurrection Temple-Wolf. Soldiers in blue uniforms join them shouting, the only human sounds in the film. A woman’s sash and hairpin are laid out by one samurai and another carries a child’s toy implying the reasons for their solemn assembly. They silently form ranks with knowing glances. Drums echo the sounds of the approaching enemy. Weapons are drawn as well as the revolver.
An impressive cast lent weight to the performances making me wish this had been a full-length film. While the samurai might have been avenging loved ones, the real inspiration for the film had more to do with Toyoda’s arrest for possessing an illegal firearm, cleared up when it was shown that it was a family heirloom dating back to WWII. Like him, when looking at family heirlooms I wonder about the stories and people behind them.
Though Wolf’s Calling was a short film, the shots of the warriors walking through the old growth forest to the temple were resplendent. The temple was used in this film and The Day of Destruction, I have yet to watch the third film. The Young American revolver style was first made in 1905 which if they did their homework would help to date the action in the past. The music filled in for the dialogue conveying the urgency and determination of the men involved. The body language of the actors also conveyed their deadly resolve.
The film is so short that I watched it twice, enjoying it more the second time. The acting, scenery, and music gave the glimpse into the family’s past a depth that in lesser hands would have fallen flat. After watching Wolf’s Calling and The Day of Destruction which were both low budget films, I’m looking forward to trying more of his work. If you’ve never watched a silent film this might be a good gateway film.
23 February 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
A valuable piece of film history
I love that for around 3 minutes in time I could step back into 1899 Japan and have a brief glimpse into the early film world. Momijigari was more of a documentary of two great Kabuki actors near the end of their lives in brief scenes from a famous play. It was still worth watching and surprisingly entertaining.Danjuro played the princess who was actually a demon in disguise. He gracefully danced with his fans, a challenge with the wind blowing as they filmed it outdoors. At one point, one of the fans blew out of his hand, rescued by the stagehand. Kikugoro played Taira no Koremori who valiantly fought the now ugly demon with long flowing hair. The demon used a maple branch against Taira’s katana. I was particularly impressed with Danjuro’s hair fighting skills. The fight was compressed in a small area with the costumed stagehand picking up debris as the two took part in their fighting choreography.
Though filmed in 1899, it wasn’t shown in public until 1903 when Danjuro was too ill to take the stage and gave his permission. Kikugoro had already died at that time making it even more popular for people to see. It was then shown again after Danjuro’s death later that year. Though Danjuro was reluctant about having their performance filmed, the two actors’ legacies have been kept alive through these 3 minutes and 50 seconds worth of grainy film one hundred and twenty-five years later.
If you enjoy old films and film history, this is definitely worth less than five minutes of your time.
19 February 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
"You know you are dealing with the yukuza, right?"
Outrage began the trilogy focusing on director Beat Takeshi’s traditional yakuza Otomo. The film could become wearisome as betrayal after betrayal ended in gruesome deaths for those up and down the yakuza ladder of power.The film’s plot could be hard to follow, or at least all of the players, as the Sanno family chairman started maneuvering all of his family’s subfamilies and tributaries, not realizing he was being played as well. The Murase family is in the chairman’s sights and soon the murders and torture scenes are ongoing. Even the ambassador from Ghana is dragged into their schemes. Dental equipment, a giant snake, chopsticks, knives, guns, and bombs. No one is safe as brother turns against brother, and even girlfriends are hunted down. There truly is no honor among thieves. Or among the police. Tokyo’s finest looked the other way and counted the money in their envelopes as the bodies started dropping.
My biggest problem with Outrage was that there was no one to feel sympathy for, as twisted as that sounds when watching a gangster movie. Everyone could have died a gory death, and many did, but it really meant nothing. They were all killers looking to make a buck and gain more power. Otomo had the old yakuza honor thing going for him, but he was just a deadly pawn easily used because he followed orders without asking questions for much of the movie.
Outrage had moments that were entertaining and the big plot reveal at the end helped to explain some of the mayhem. Character development of a few key figures would have helped enormously. Otherwise, it just felt like random people getting chopsticks jammed in their ears or eating bullets for lunch. In the end, killers killed killers who killed killers who killed killers…
17 February 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
"Love and marriage aren't always the same thing"
Late Autumn was in many ways a reworking of Ozu’s classic 1949 film Late Spring only this time focusing on a widowed mother and her daughter of marriage age. Three friends of her late husband decided they knew what was best by finding not only a mate for the daughter but the mother as well! Regardless of what the women wanted.At the memorial service for their friend Miwa, three old friends, Mamiya, Hirayama, and Taguchi ask Miwa’s widow, Akiko, if she would like help matchmaking for her daughter Ayako. She agrees and after she’s left the men discuss how much each one of them had a crush on Akiko when they were younger, not always in the most respectful ways. The men get to work finding a suitable prospect but run into a wall when they discover Ayako doesn’t want to wed for she fears leaving her mother alone. That knowledge only spurs them on. Mamiya finds out by accident that Ayako has started dating one of the prospects she’d rejected. When he called her on it she said it didn’t change anything. Love and marriage were not necessarily the same thing. The men change tactics and decide to have Akiko marry one of them which turns her small, quiet household upside-down!
Despite their sometimes crass language, the three men’s hearts were in the right place. They wanted the best for Akiko and Ayako. There was more innuendo in this film than most Ozu films. I really didn’t need to hear about the men’s “itches”. Akiko and Ayako had a close relationship that was tested. Fortunately for all involved, Ayako’s friend, Yuriko, stepped in and sorted the men out in the best scene of the whole movie. She then went to work on the mother and daughter.
Ayako feared marriage would cause her to lose her friends as she’d seen with her own friends that married. She also feared becoming distant from her mother and leaving her mother alone, with no one. Despite not being as independent as Yuriko, she enjoyed her independence and feared losing it, too. Akiko, with Hara Setsuko playing her, was the epitome of grace and generosity. The three men were all a little in love with her which even their wives knew.
Ozu’s palette was much the same-muted colors highlighted with green, yellow, and his favorite color red. His red teapot was replaced by a prominent yellow one here. The steady camera set low with the people moving instead was a constant as well as the intricately composed frames. Many of the same players from previous films showed up here like old friends. There’s a comfort and familiarity with his post-war films.
Despite having covered much of the same topics in previous films-the changing Japanese family, aging, and loneliness, he still had more to say. I enjoyed this film more than Late Spring with Hara as the mother instead of the daughter. Okada Mariko’s presence gave the film a jolt of energy when the talking began to go in circles. As bachelor Ozu aged, so did it seems, the boys from his silent films. Still incorrigible with good hearts, only now old men sitting together drinking sake and meddling in other people’s lives…with good intentions of course.
6 February 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I enjoyed the first season of Teenage Psychic because as flawed as it was, it had a certain charm. The second season lost that luster for me. The stories didn’t have the same heart to them and the mediocre acting couldn’t cover over those problems.(This review contains spoilers from S1)
The story takes up after the first season, and Xiao Zhen is now seventeen. At the end of S1 she had found her smile and her confidence. At the beginning of S2 she’s back to the mumbling, mopey teenage psychic having lost everything she gained. Even the drama club abandoned her for a new “psychic”. Teacher Kim’s ne’re do well brother is in town and starting his own charlatan temple in a psychic competition for devotees. If all that wasn’t enough, Ah Le is back and in the body of an asthmatic suicidal high schooler to take care of unfinished business.
Fandy Fan as Zhang Yu Xuan/Ah Le must have been given the notes to smile all the time. He began to look exhausted from forcing the tight grins. Guo Shu Yao’s notes must have read, never ever smile or look anyone directly in the eye. This time instead of being at ease with each other, the couple felt awkward. There was no urgency or depth of emotion for the two, knowing their time together was going to be limited. Apparently, Ah Le was able to cure Yu Xuan’s health problems just by mind over matter and working out. Also in the awkward department, after living abroad for 2 years, Xiao Zhen’s mother returned home unaware her daughter had been working as a medium at the temple. She’d wanted Teacher Kim to cure her of her visions. No warm greetings or hugs, it was the strangest reunion. Another awkward familial problem, Teacher Kim reprimanded his brother as being opportunistic but Xiao Zhen’s mentor often sold people things they didn’t need to make a buck. The weekly spiritual problems lacked the dramatic weight of the first season. The storytelling jumped around in an erratic manner siphoning off any emotional punch.
Teenage Psychic 2 was in desperate need of energy and heart. Two mopey psychics were two too many. Three bickering adults were three too many. And if they were going to be bold enough to kill Ah Le off in the first season, let him stay gone after the meet and greet at the end of S1. Forcing another actor to try and capture the character’s charm was a disaster. I would also like to have seen Xiao Zhen continue growing as a young woman and a medium instead of regressing so badly. The message of this season seemed to be the living have to keep moving forward, I wish the writers would have learned that lesson and let these characters do the same.
26 January 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
After Wanchai received a desperate message from his brother in Bangkok he grabbed the first bus and headed there. At the same time a reporter, Kat, and her two co-workers were on their way to a gathering for the new CEO of the media company she worked for. At the bus station, worlds collide when a speeding sports car causes a devastating crash there. Due to events that occurred around the crash and at the rescue station, Wanchai suspects foul play. As Kat’s colleague lay in a coma, she determined to follow-up on her senior’s investigation into the volunteer rescue services. Neither had a clue what kind of danger they were walking into and they would have to be careful and lucky to survive.
I was surprised to find that the majority of Bangkok’s rescue services were volunteer based and most workers received very little money. As I watched, it was also apparent they didn’t receive much training either. At a fire, only one person donned turnout gear but with no mask or air tank. No fire truck ever appeared. During a gas leak the rescue teams wore respirators which are of little help in a confined place with high natural gas saturation, there’s not enough oxygen to filter. Plus, many of them weren’t wearing them correctly. With a head wound victim they failed to use a back board, or brace, and they didn’t strap him in so I worried the poor guy was going to slide right off as they carried him. No vitals were taken, no IVs started nor oxygen administered—common tasks for EMTs. About all these volunteers were capable of was CPR, stealing from victims and committing the occasional murder.
The story itself took time to gain any traction as Wanchai and Kat sought out clues separately, not quite trusting each other. As the two spent more time together the romantic music began to swell. Given the number of car accidents, job training and job loss, beatings, and death threats, the romance came across as forced. These two people were in over their heads, romance should have been the last thing on their minds.
If you can’t fight city hall, it’s even harder to fight the wealthy and weird. One of the Big Bads decorated his long beard differently every day and traveled in an updated hippie van. The large cast made it difficult to keep up in the first couple of episodes as the layers of corruption and familial problems were peeled back disjointedly. The acting for the most part was good to serviceable. The good guys, of which there were few, were likeable and the numerous bad guys were easy to hate or even laugh at. There were also several gray characters who were willing to cross the line for their own reasons without understanding the cost of working for villains. I wish that they’d taken the time to give at least two or three characters more backstory instead of just teasing that information.
Bangkok Breaking was mostly entertaining if flawed. The numerous action scenes and rescues helped it move faster when the story bogged down. For me, I found the chaotic rescue squad system fascinating and frightening. If you live with an EMT you are likely to get an earful of all the things they did wrong, if not and you enjoy Thai dramas, this is one to try as it’s a fast watch.
24 Jan 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
"Those who had feelings were caught in them"
Donnie Yen starred in and directed Sakra, a wuxia based on Jin Yong’s novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. As I haven’t read the book I’m only critiquing this movie as a stand-alone. Kiu Fung was a man who had to figure out who he was and what he stood for after tragedies and treacheries befell him.The infant Kiu Fung was left on the doorstep of a Song couple and grew up to be a master in the infamous Beggar Gang. After rescuing a caged young man from turning into a sacrifice he returns home only to be accused of murdering a fellow Beggar by the man’s wife. The wife also produces a letter revealing that Kiu is actually a Khitan, the most hated of enemies. He’s not given a chance to refute the “evidence” and ends up turning in his Dog Beating Staff. It goes downhill from there for Kiu as the bodies begin to rack up with everyone blaming him for the deaths. During one of the angry mob scenes, he rescues an injured thief and romance blossoms.
This was one of those movies where it was hard to like any of the characters. Donnie’s Kiu was a masterful fighter but came across as not terribly bright. He was framed and double-crossed on a routine basis. And when it was his turn to communicate and seek the truth he reacted like the Beggar Gang, Shaolin monks, and townspeople had and jumped to an illogical conclusion which led to deadly consequences. The rescued thief, Ah Zhu, had only one job-to be carried around and make big puppy eyes at Kiu.
Parts of the story needed to be explained better. Kiu had stood up for the downtrodden, sought to be moral at all times and yet everyone believed he could murder the people close to him. Was it jealousy? Or were they all simply awful people who refused to hear Kiu’s side of the story? The romance fell flat, partly because of the development on screen but also because the 60-year-old Yen was twice as old as his costar. He came across more paternal or perhaps as a kung fu master to her. I could see him feeling sorry for Ah Zhu and she in turn hero worshipping him, but romance didn’t come across on the screen. And while I’m at it, why would he ever think he could pass for thirty?
There were numerous fights as the world took on Kiu. I understand Yen is 60 and his body has taken enormous abuse through the years. It would make perfect sense to rely on camera tricks and stuntmen to sell the fights. What ended up on the screen were ridiculously undercranked/sped up moves as if The Flash and Quicksilver went at it. When fights are repeatedly sped up in martial arts movies, it usually means the moves were slow or missing their targets. I don’t mind light body work with people leaping and skipping over rooftops, but they seemed rather awkward here. Wuxia “magic” doesn’t bother me either except how many times can you watch people being blown through walls or floors before it becomes exceedingly redundant? I would normally enjoy watching Donnie pummel his opponents but the exciting brawls were few and far between in this one. It didn’t help that before one long drawn out fight, he had to have a drink with anyone who wanted to take him on---which turned out to be everyone. The scene dragged on interminably.
Sakra was watchable, but at 2 long hours, just so. The natural scenery was gorgeous and a couple of fight sequences were entertaining. The rest of the time it was painful watching the hero be slow-witted in thought and artificially accelerated with his fists.
6 January 2024
Was this review helpful to you?
