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The Sweet Sex and Love (2004) Movie Review
Man-dae Bong’s “The Sweet Sex and Love” is filled with sex held together by a flimsy story that may or may not be worth making a feature length film around. It’s not as if
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Ghost in the Shell (1995) Movie Review
In many ways, Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 effort “Ghost in the Shell” is one of the more influential sci-fi works out there. Which doesn’t mean it’s one of the best, only influential. The film that
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Battle Royale 2: Requiem (2003) Movie Review
When watching a sequel or remake, I try to avoid comparing it to the original, unless the sequel/remake in question goes out of its way to invoke the original. “Battle Royale II: Requiem” does
Read More »Lost in Translation (2003) Movie Review
I suppose it’s not all gravy being the daughter of a world famous filmmaker like Francis Ford Coppola. On the plus side, you can pretty much get any movie made, because even if investors
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Godzilla 2000 Millennium (1999) Movie Review
After Tri-Star’s “Godzilla” gobbled like a turkey instead of roared, Toho Pictures was quick to return their creation to the big screen. The first film in the “Millennium” Godzilla series ignores all the previous
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Natural City (2003) Movie Review
One obstacle in the way of the new South Korean sci-fi film “Natural City” isn’t the undeniable fact that its every construction is derivative of Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner”, but that the film is,
Read More »Belly of the Beast (2003) Movie Review
Steven Seagal and Hong Kong filmmakers don’t go together, mostly because the filmmakers are used to throwing actors around with wild abandon; this includes making them do absurd stunts. Now add Steven Seagal, who
Read More »Why We Had to Kill Bitch (2004) Movie Review
Depending on how you approach John-Paul Nickel’s “Why We Had to Kill Bitch”, you may or may not be disappointed. Approached as a comedy filled with film-savvy post-modern hipsters, it’s a pretty enjoyable little
Read More »Ghost Lake (2004) Movie Review
I’m a tad peeved by writer/director Jay Woelfel, and here’s why: for about 20 minutes of “Ghost Lake”, I had convinced myself this might be one of those hidden gems in a sea of
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Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monster All-Out Attack (2001) Movie Review
For those viewers who believe Godzilla films consist of two guys in rubbery costumes wrestling with each other while a badly dubbed cast carries on some semblance of a plot, this film will be
Read More »Open Range (2003) Movie Review
Fans of American westerns rejoice! Kevin Costner, coming off disappointments with “Dragonfly” and “3000 Miles to Graceland”, brings the world the first great western in, oh, 10 years or so. Not that Costner could
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The Battling Angel (2003) Movie Review
Ishould really stop watching Japanese movies that sells itself as “action” because, invariably, I am disappointed. “The Battling Angel” follows the trend of big-budget actioners like “Yesterday” and “Resurrection of the Little Match Girl”
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G-Saviour (2000) Movie Review
Gundam fans that have been yearning for a live-action version of their favorite anime may be surprised to learn that one has already been made. They will probably be even more surprised to discover
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The Crow 2: City of Angels (1996) Movie Review
The second “Crow” film was controversial even before it was released, due to a massive re-editing by the film studio against the will of the writer and director. The result is a visually impressive
Read More »Beyond Hypothermia (1993) Movie Review
One of the traits of Hong Kong action films that set them apart from their Hollywood counterparts is an attempt to imbue a sense of deep emotional conviction to the main characters, some sort
Read More »American Psycho 2: All American Girl (2002) Movie Review
There’s something oddly entertaining about watching serial killer Mila Kunis stalking a college campus and leaving bodies lying nonchalantly everywhere, not unlike a rabid dog marking her passing. Maybe it’s because Kunis (“That 70′s
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Reptilian (aka Yonggary 2001, 1999) Movie Review
With the resurgence of Godzilla and Gamera in the 1990s, South Korea’s Zero Nine Entertainment threw their hat into the kaiju ring with the return of Yonggary. Back after a 34-year absence in which
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Captain America (1991) Movie Review
Promoted as Marvel’s answer to “Batman” and set for release to coincide with the character’s 50th anniversary, this cinematic embarrassment was quickly shelved in 1990. It eventually received a quiet release on home video
Read More »Anna in Kung Fu Land (2003) Movie Review
“Anna in Kung Fu Land” is the second 2003 film from Hong Kong that sports an asinine love story wrapped around a martial arts tournament. The other was “Star Runner”, which looks like a
Read More »Hope Springs (2003) Movie Review
I suppose it’s hard to go wrong with a Romantic Comedy. The conventions of the genre are so firmly established, and all the archetypes etched into stone, that it takes a really bad director,
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