All posts by James Mudge »
Chinese Zodiac (2012) Movie Review
Jackie Chan, perhaps best known these days for his outspoken Chinese nationalism rather the stunt-filled action films in which he made his name, returns with “CZ12” (“Chinese Zodiac”), his latest outing as writer, director,...
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The Seasoning House (2012) Movie Review
“The Seasoning House” has been highly anticipated by British genre fans, marking the directorial debut of Paul Hyett, a respected and prolific special effects craftsman who has worked on an impressive number of productions...
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Perfect Number (2012) Movie Review
“Perfect Number” sees Korea turning to Japan for inspiration, an adaptation of the acclaimed Higashino Keigo novel “Yogisha X no Kenshin” (“The Devotion of Suspect X”), which previously made it to the big screen...
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The Spies (2012) Movie Review
The Korean divide rears its head again in “The Spies”, following a gang of agents from the North who find themselves reluctantly reactivated after spending most of their lives in the South. The film...
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The Traffickers (2012) Movie Review
The gruesome subject of organ theft has long been popular in Korean cinema, ripped from the headlines style tales of unfortunate people having their vitals forcibly removed having made for a number of very...
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Almost Che (2012) Movie Review
“Almost Che” is a Korean comedy that re-teams writer director Yook Sang Hyo and actor Kim In Kwon, who last worked together to great success on the 2010 hit “He’s on Duty”. Their latest...
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A Company Man (2012) Movie Review
That ever popular darling of genre cinema, the strong, silent and stylishly dressed hitman returns in Korean thriller “A Company Man”, marking the debut of writer director Lim Sang Yoon. To be fair, Lim...
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Naked Soldier (2012) Movie Review
Back in the crazy heyday of Hong Kong cinema, the word ‘naked’ used to appear in film titles a lot, particularly in those produced by schlockmeister Wong Jing. Notable examples of this were cult...
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The Bay (2012) Movie Review #2
When thinking of the director most likely to be churning out a found footage style eco-horror about a particularly nasty strain of parasite, the multiple award winning helmer Barry Levinson, responsible for the likes...
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Back to 1942 (2012) Movie Review
Despite its name, “Back to 1942” isn’t in fact a time travel flick, but the latest blockbuster from top Chinese helmer Feng Xiaogang, responsible for recent hits such as “Aftershock” and “The Assembly”. Adapted...
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The Guillotines (2012) Movie Review
With Chinese period epics still continuing to fill cinemas, it’s no surprise that old school Shaw Brothers favourites are increasingly being brought back to screens, 1975 classic “The Flying Guillotine” now reappearing as “The...
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Vulgaria (2012) Movie Review #2
Pang Ho Cheung, arguably the most talented writer and director working in Hong Kong today, swaps the gentle wit of his popular “Love in the Puff” and sequel for something considerably ruder in the...
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The Thieves (2012) Movie Review #2
Rarely do event films come as big or as eagerly anticipated as Korean blockbuster “The Thieves”, boasting an amazing ensemble cast of top pan-Asian talent, exotic shooting locales and a heist caper plot which...
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The Neighbors (2012) Movie Review
“The Neighbors” is another Korean serial killer drama in which a psycho snatches children and keeps them imprisoned in his basement, an enduringly popular subject on the country’s screens. Based on an internet comic...
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Cold War (2012) Movie Review
The biggest, most hyped and eagerly awaited Hong Kong thriller of the year arrives in the form of “Cold War”, written and directed by first-timers Longman Leung and Sunny Luk. Backed by a massive...
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Triad (2012) Movie Review
There’s no denying that recent years have been lean times for fans of triad and Hong Kong gang action, though there’s finally a splash of neon light at the end of the tunnel with...
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Natural Born Lovers (2012) Movie Review
Patrick Kong, Hong Kong’s top purveyor of cynical urban romantic comedy, returns with more of the same in “Natural Born Lovers”. It’s easy enough to see why Kong has proved so popular with audiences,...
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Two Moons (2012) Movie Review
Pretty much every summer sees a clutch of horror films hitting Korean cinemas, and 2012 was no exception, one of which was “Two Moons” (a.k.a. “The Sleepless”), a chiller revolving around a group of...
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Due West: Our Sex Journey (2012) Movie Review
The revival of category III rated Chinese erotic cinema continues with “Due West: Our Sex Journey”, based on the popular internet writings of Xiang Xi Murakami Haruki. Like the recent global hit “Sex &...
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