Running Turtle (2009) Movie Review

The rather oddly titled “Running Turtle” sees Kim Yoon Seok following up his award winning role in “The Chaser” by playing another down and out cop working outside the law to track down a murderer. The film was written and directed by Lee Yeon Woo, who was previously responsible for “2424”,...

November 7th, 2009 | Read More

24 City (2008) Movie Review

“24 City” is the latest offering from sixth generation Mainland China director Jia Zhangke and sees him continuing to explore themes of the country’s modern history and economic progress. Here, he does this through a semi-documentary that focuses on the story of a munitions factory, once moved...

November 7th, 2009 | Read More

Oppai Volleyball (2009) Movie Review

All that most male viewers probably need to know is that “Oppai Volleyball” translates as ‘breast volleyball’ and that it stars the gorgeous swimsuit model turned actress Haruka Ayase as a teacher who tries to inspire a young school boy volleyball team by promising she will show them her breasts...

November 7th, 2009 | Read More

Sisters on the Road (2008) Movie Review

“Sisters on the Road” marks the debut of female writer director Boo Ji Young, and as the title suggests, is a drama following two sisters on a voyage of discovery and an exploration of their shared pasts. The film has an impressive cast, with the two siblings in question being played by actresses...

November 7th, 2009 | Read More

Whispering Corridors 5: A Blood Pledge (2009) Movie Review

The landmark Korean ghost series “Whispering Corridors” returns for its fifth instalment with “A Blood Pledge”, marking the debut of director Lee Jong Yong, an interesting choice for the helm, given his previous work under Park Chan Wook on the likes of “JSA” and “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance”....

November 7th, 2009 | Read More

Raging Phoenix (2009) Movie Review

You can’t blame the Thais for continuing to produce action movies like “Raging Phoenix”. There are basically only two genres coming out of Thailand that sells nowadays – martial arts movies and horror films. Everything else just doesn’t translate very well. One of the industry’s newest import...

November 5th, 2009 | Read More

Lala Pipo: A Lot of People (2009) Movie Review

Having been scripted by Tetsuya Nakashima, the award winning writer director of the excellent “Kamikaze Girls” and “Memories of Matsuko”, it comes as no surprise that “Lala Pipo” is another slice of colourful Japanese pop culture craziness. Marking the directorial debut of Nakashima’s assistant...

October 30th, 2009 | Read More

Palisades Tartan’s Asian Horror: Essential Collection Review

Just in time for Halloween, Palisades Tartan has grouped together three of the most successful Asian horror films of recent years in one region 2 DVD collection. Although terms such as ‘essential’ are woefully overused when it comes to such compilations, in this case it certainly rings true, as the...

October 30th, 2009 | Read More

Like You Know It All (2009) Movie Review

The cinematic medium can make for a fascinating subject, especially in the hands of a director willing to explore it through personal insights. This is certainly the case with “Like You Know it All” from Hong Sang Soo, one of the current champions of the Korean independent film scene, whose previous...

October 24th, 2009 | Read More

Himalaya, Where the Wind Dwells (2008) Movie Review

“Himalaya, Where the Wind Dwells” is the latest effort from noted Korean independent director Jeon Soo Il, who previously won praise and prizes for his “With a Girl of Black Soil”. This time, he heads to the wilds of Nepal for a minimalist, yet grand tale featuring some truly breathtaking scenery...

October 24th, 2009 | Read More

On His Majesty’s Secret Service (2009) Movie Review

Wong Jing goes back to the old school with “On his Majesty’s Secret Service” a truly madcap period set comedy in the classic early 1990s style. Although the master of the form himself, Stephen Chow, isn’t starring in such films anymore, there’s certainly no reason to stop making them, and in...

October 12th, 2009 | Read More

Tracing Shadow (2009) Movie Review

“Tracing Shadow” marks the fourth directorial outing for popular Hong Kong Star Francis Ng, and sees him again co-helming with Marco Mak, who he previously worked with on “Dancing Lion”. The film itself is somewhat of a throwback to the glory days of Hong Kong cinema, being a wacky martial arts...

October 12th, 2009 | Read More

Metallic Attraction: Kungfu Cyborg (2009) Movie Review

With so many Chinese films still being called ‘Kung Fu’ something or other, and with the continuing global success of Michael Bay’s blockbuster “Transformer” franchise, “Kung Fu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction” was pretty much inevitable. The Hong Kong director getting in on the act is none...

October 9th, 2009 | Read More

Secret Couple (aka My Girlfriend is an Agent, 2009) Movie Review

“Secret Couple” (a far better title than the rather familiar and misleading “My Girlfriend is an Agent”) is basically a Korean take on the recent Hollywood action couple comedy thriller “Mr and Mrs Smith”. Strangely enough, the film was directed by Shin Tae Ra, whose previous efforts were...

October 9th, 2009 | Read More

International Trailer For Nightmare Detective 2

If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out Shinya Tsukamoto’s genre-bending 2006 chiller “Nightmare Detective,” I strongly recommend doing so as soon as possible. While it isn’t nearly as over-the-top or outrageously bizarre as his previous efforts, it’s as solid...

October 5th, 2009 | Read More

Cyborg She (2008) Movie Review

“Cyborg She” sees Korean director Kwak Jae Yong of “My Sassy Girl” fame switching to Japanese for a genre blending romantic comedy that adds a science fiction, time travelling twist to his usual formula. Also known as “My Girlfriend is a Cyborg”, the film is not to be confused with “Oldboy”...

October 1st, 2009 | Read More

Samurai Princess (2009) Movie Review

More Japanese gore madness arrives from 4Digital Asia in the shapely form of “Samurai Princess”, the cover art not coincidently bearing a striking resemblance to that of its recent sister in slaughter, “Chanbara Beauty”. The film’s pedigree should certainly give fans of the form reason to be...

September 29th, 2009 | Read More

Yi Yi (2000) Movie Review

The rules of genre identification used to be simple: comedies ended in weddings, and tragedies ended in death. “Yi Yi” begins with a wedding and ends with a funeral, a cinematic blend of comedy and tragedy, one in which is presented without much music or stylistic embroidery the stillness and pace...

September 24th, 2009 | Read More

20th Century Boys: Chapter Two – The Last Hope (2009) Movie Review

The epic Japanese “20th Century Boys” trilogy, based upon the hugely popular manga by Urasawa Naoki, continues with its second instalment, “The Last Hope”. Director Tsutsumi Yukihiko (previously responsible for cult hits such as “2LDK” and “Forbidden Siren”) returns to continue the sprawling...

September 12th, 2009 | Read More

Private Eye (2009) Movie Review

“Private Eye” offers a twist on the recent trend of modern noir detective stories by adopting a period setting, making for a change from the usual tortured cops, car chases and neon alleyways. The film marks the debut outing for Korean director Park Dae Min, and was a high profile production, boasting...

September 12th, 2009 | Read More