This review might be considered as bias as I am into these kind of films, anything relating to zombies and to a post apocalyptic setting I tend to watch. What makes this film so special to me is the fact that its based on a book which had inspired other directors to create films of similar themes (zombies, last man on earth, desolate environment etc.) and I thought that its time to see the origin of these films from I Am Legend. Even though its an adaptation, it is a good adaptation. In fact all three film adaptations that I've seen are great (The Last Man on Earth, The Omega Man and I Am legend) and each puts in their own version of how the story is conveyed. I guess the first film stays true to the book in which the main character Robert Neville actually goes on a vampire hunting spree. But later adaptations are good variation to the story and I Am Legend is indeed in one of those category. Focuses mainly on Neville's psychological characteristics and rather than concentrating on him killing the infected its main focus is on him trying to find a cure, this film ask the question of what it would be like to be the last man on earth. And how can one cope with being that last human in an empty world. I never thought of the movie to be full of action packed sequences, the film does what it says on the tin and again stays faithful to the original story. Using the mannequins to talk to and having a dog as a companion keeps his insanity at bay. The ending again is slightly different and instead of being killed by the infected Neville sacrifices himself in order to save the others and instead of his legend being established due to 'vampire-killing', his legend is established due to the cure he has founded. Not exactly a bad variation to the ending but imo it suffers from the Hollywood system of a happy ending. Not particularly what I had expected considering that the previous outing ended far better with him being staked but it was better than nothing I supposed. My only gripe with the film is the CGI. Horrendous looking CGI with the mutants. Supposedly the director replaced real actors with CGI as it was not convincing enough. Well these CGI mutants weren't any better nor convincing enough as well. However I've got to say the environments were amazing to look at and it really created that desolate looking setting. Overall it started off great, was fairly decent in the middle but kinda spooled in the end.
Reviews
9 Reviews
Tokyo Psycho
(2004)
Dull, little scare factor and just plain boring
6 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Upon watching the movie I expected more psychotic doings of the killer however all I saw were strangling and deranged laughter. None of the characteristics of the killer do the film any justice in terms of scare factor. The only part of the film that I found a little creepy was near the beginning where the cross dressing guy runs down the corridor holding an umbrella laughing fairly erratically. However throughout the movie the actor tries to portray what a psycho would (presumably) be like: 'complete and utter random laughing and unnecessary shouting'. The term 'psycho' does not usually fall under those categories and the actor and writers should've put more effort into the creation of this character. With that being said I can't help but noticed how most of the film was shot in apartment buildings. I understand the sense of eerie-ness the shots of the corridor scenes have on the audience however the over usage of it completely butchered that feeling. It seemed like the director was mainly relying on this as their main 'scare factor' for the settings however I believe there are other more useful and horrifying ones that they could've used. I didn't understand why the film ended up being more about feeling for the characters on screen instead of actually scaring the audience. The film completely lacked that suspense and fear factor and making us as an audience wanting to see the shocked expressions on the character's faces. What makes it even unscary was the time of day some of the scenes were shot in. Why daytime? Even the long corridor scenes which was suppose to bring about that sense of eerie-ness failed to shock us and the reason being, imo was due to lighting. The film felt like it was shot in a documentary style but throughout most of it I couldn't really sense anything documentary. It seemed more like a low budget camera shooting as indicated by the poor sound effects and a video camcorder type lense. Lighting is a huge factor in a horror film and this film fails in that department. The first quarter of the film was great, it had a strong build up and I can feel that sense of haunted-ness about it, however the rest lacked the requirements of a standard horror film and it failed to maintain my attention and engagement.
Desert Punk
(2004–2005)
This series is really fun to watch!
21 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
As I was doing some internet shopping on Amazon I came across one user's list of his/her favourite anime series. One of the anime listed was Sunabozu. I decided to do a little research on it before finally coming around to buying the whole series on Ebay. Couple of days later I received the package, opened it, popped the disc into my player and before I knew it, I was hooked.
Plot wise, well there's nothing really clever about it other than a 'Handyman' undertaking various jobs in post apocalyptic Japan covered entirely by desert. Over 40 degrees during the daytime, and drops below 0 degrees during the night the desert known to all in the series as the Great Kanto Desert. The handyman and ultimately the main character of the series is known as Sunabozu (Desert Punk or literally Sand Monk), real name: Mizuno Kanta.
In a post apocalyptic world the term 'survival of the fittest' is applied here. In Sunabozu one must use whatever means necessary to survive in the hellish desert. This is something which the main character would agree with and shows this side of his personality in most of the episodes. His selfish behaviour, cunningness and craftiness would ultimately lead to his survival.
He has a reputation of completing all his jobs and is known in the desert by all as the 'Ghost of the Desert' due to his combat techniques. But every powerful man has a weakness, yes his insatiable desire to sleep with big breasted women and one of his rival happens to be one of them named Asagiri Junko.
In most cases you can see Kanto being objective about any tasks given to him, caring only about the reward. However in some, other 'factors' that takes place affect his decisions. Throughout his work we meet more of his rivals such as Amagumo, Dragon Kong and the Machinegun brothers, each hating him for the same reason: his behaviour and his fame. Later on in the series we come across a little girl called Kosuna who later becomes his disciple.
I expected to see many different 'enemies' as each episode ended with him defeating a rival however this series deviated from the generic path that some animes like to take. In fact old rivals are used again and it is this consistency that I like about in this anime. It actually make reference to what happened previously rather than just coming up with a new bad guy for him to defeat and then making us forget about that new enemy.
I particularly like the second half of the series where we understand his character a bit more and the relationship between the master and the disciple. He remains faithful to his character's persona and the decision he makes near the end of the series reflects this persona. The flashbacks we receive with him and his disciple is perhaps the more emotional aspect of the series, trying to take a break from the comedy side and be serious once in a while.
Very funny and humorous in most places, and really emotional and sad in some. To me its as if the series got a little serious towards the end of it, although it did try to maintain its comedy side until the very end. It tries to bring out a hidden message that an individual should strive for their own success rather than depending on others. A theme that is mentioned in some of the episodes.
It has really decent animations especially the fight sequences displaying some of its artistic flare. Color for a setting like this is still used to good effect thus making it attractive in most areas. The entire series portray a variety of characters with different attitudes and looks. It tries to establish diversity of appearance for each character and it does it well.
Overall I would recommend this anime to anyone who just love any kind of anime. Its fun to watch with great animations.
Plot wise, well there's nothing really clever about it other than a 'Handyman' undertaking various jobs in post apocalyptic Japan covered entirely by desert. Over 40 degrees during the daytime, and drops below 0 degrees during the night the desert known to all in the series as the Great Kanto Desert. The handyman and ultimately the main character of the series is known as Sunabozu (Desert Punk or literally Sand Monk), real name: Mizuno Kanta.
In a post apocalyptic world the term 'survival of the fittest' is applied here. In Sunabozu one must use whatever means necessary to survive in the hellish desert. This is something which the main character would agree with and shows this side of his personality in most of the episodes. His selfish behaviour, cunningness and craftiness would ultimately lead to his survival.
He has a reputation of completing all his jobs and is known in the desert by all as the 'Ghost of the Desert' due to his combat techniques. But every powerful man has a weakness, yes his insatiable desire to sleep with big breasted women and one of his rival happens to be one of them named Asagiri Junko.
In most cases you can see Kanto being objective about any tasks given to him, caring only about the reward. However in some, other 'factors' that takes place affect his decisions. Throughout his work we meet more of his rivals such as Amagumo, Dragon Kong and the Machinegun brothers, each hating him for the same reason: his behaviour and his fame. Later on in the series we come across a little girl called Kosuna who later becomes his disciple.
I expected to see many different 'enemies' as each episode ended with him defeating a rival however this series deviated from the generic path that some animes like to take. In fact old rivals are used again and it is this consistency that I like about in this anime. It actually make reference to what happened previously rather than just coming up with a new bad guy for him to defeat and then making us forget about that new enemy.
I particularly like the second half of the series where we understand his character a bit more and the relationship between the master and the disciple. He remains faithful to his character's persona and the decision he makes near the end of the series reflects this persona. The flashbacks we receive with him and his disciple is perhaps the more emotional aspect of the series, trying to take a break from the comedy side and be serious once in a while.
Very funny and humorous in most places, and really emotional and sad in some. To me its as if the series got a little serious towards the end of it, although it did try to maintain its comedy side until the very end. It tries to bring out a hidden message that an individual should strive for their own success rather than depending on others. A theme that is mentioned in some of the episodes.
It has really decent animations especially the fight sequences displaying some of its artistic flare. Color for a setting like this is still used to good effect thus making it attractive in most areas. The entire series portray a variety of characters with different attitudes and looks. It tries to establish diversity of appearance for each character and it does it well.
Overall I would recommend this anime to anyone who just love any kind of anime. Its fun to watch with great animations.
Ninja Gaiden
(2004 Video Game)
A video game that tells a bloody decent story!
1 November 2006
OK first off I'm not comparing this game to any of its predecessor. The reason being is that I haven't even played them before. So I'm purely reviewing this game alone without having to make comparisons.
This game itself, does not rely on just plain good old graphics to keep gamers happy. In fact NG has a good deal of other elements incorporated into it which makes the overall game that absorbing to play. For instance the story telling. Storywise this has got to be one of the most engaging, and adventurous type of story I've ever set my eyes upon. The presentation and the delivery of these story sequences are beautifully presented with little flaws seen. Its amazing how Itagaki can build upon that sense of anticipation when watching one of the cut scenes. The CGi sequence itself are amazing to watch. Not only does it look good but it also presents the story in a rather fashionable and elegant form. Again this captivates the audience's attention and urges them to play more.
The combat and gameplay itself is rather fluid with little restrictions imposed on the main character. When I say restrictions I mean the whole movement of the main character, is it fluid and 'free' enough so that you as the player have complete control over Ryu's movement? When I play NG I feel that I have complete control over Ryu. It almost feels like I am him. In some games that I have I played the main characters are stiff, feels like they are controlling themselves rather than me controlling them. However this is different. It really is a tantalizing experience. The combat itself is fast with little framerate drop. I didn't notice a huge framerate drop when I play the game, even when the battle heats up it still maintains that constant speed, and this is what I want to see in other video games. I want to play a game where I can see everything clearly, have an idea of what to do next without having to suffer these kind of framerate drops. NG shows little signs of these drops and again it makes the experience of playing a video game that more exciting and refreshing.
However the problem with this game is that it is way too fast even for the camera to catch up. Camera angles and the positioning of them is an issue in this game. You would want to have a visual perception of your enemy. So that means I should be able to see my enemies around the screen. Having the camera looking up at you doesn't really help. However I'm glad that they implemented the camera centering function which enables you to center the camera in whatever position you are in. This is a very useful function as I've used it many times in the game. I can see what Itagaki is trying to do. He is trying to maintain the balance between camera gameplay and camera cinematography. In other words he wants to have camera angles that are in good position just for you to be able to play the game efficiently, as well as maintaining the overall style of the game. He wants to actually make the gameplay experience a cinematic experience as well. Which is a nice idea, a refreshing idea however in terms of gameplay it fails in that area.
There are complaints about the game being just a bit too hard even for casual gamers. True there are people with different level of skills however I found the difficulty just right for an enjoyable experience. It enables you to play the game fully enough so that you understand how the combat works, the different combos that you should use in certain situations and it helps your mind to adapt to the environmental and situational changes in the game. This game, to me, is a good way to hone your skills and be prepare for any games with such depth in combat.
I have yet to play Ninja Gaiden Black but I heard there is added features into it for example, new cut scenes, new weapons etc. I would suggest playing that version instead as it is an enhanced NG game. Gameplay should be the same I hope but that game is mainly for the new added features. Overall imo NG by itself is a game that all xbox owners should feast their eyes upon and play it at least once in their life. It is absolutely astonishing and I can't wait for NG2. This time with enhanced graphics.
This game itself, does not rely on just plain good old graphics to keep gamers happy. In fact NG has a good deal of other elements incorporated into it which makes the overall game that absorbing to play. For instance the story telling. Storywise this has got to be one of the most engaging, and adventurous type of story I've ever set my eyes upon. The presentation and the delivery of these story sequences are beautifully presented with little flaws seen. Its amazing how Itagaki can build upon that sense of anticipation when watching one of the cut scenes. The CGi sequence itself are amazing to watch. Not only does it look good but it also presents the story in a rather fashionable and elegant form. Again this captivates the audience's attention and urges them to play more.
The combat and gameplay itself is rather fluid with little restrictions imposed on the main character. When I say restrictions I mean the whole movement of the main character, is it fluid and 'free' enough so that you as the player have complete control over Ryu's movement? When I play NG I feel that I have complete control over Ryu. It almost feels like I am him. In some games that I have I played the main characters are stiff, feels like they are controlling themselves rather than me controlling them. However this is different. It really is a tantalizing experience. The combat itself is fast with little framerate drop. I didn't notice a huge framerate drop when I play the game, even when the battle heats up it still maintains that constant speed, and this is what I want to see in other video games. I want to play a game where I can see everything clearly, have an idea of what to do next without having to suffer these kind of framerate drops. NG shows little signs of these drops and again it makes the experience of playing a video game that more exciting and refreshing.
However the problem with this game is that it is way too fast even for the camera to catch up. Camera angles and the positioning of them is an issue in this game. You would want to have a visual perception of your enemy. So that means I should be able to see my enemies around the screen. Having the camera looking up at you doesn't really help. However I'm glad that they implemented the camera centering function which enables you to center the camera in whatever position you are in. This is a very useful function as I've used it many times in the game. I can see what Itagaki is trying to do. He is trying to maintain the balance between camera gameplay and camera cinematography. In other words he wants to have camera angles that are in good position just for you to be able to play the game efficiently, as well as maintaining the overall style of the game. He wants to actually make the gameplay experience a cinematic experience as well. Which is a nice idea, a refreshing idea however in terms of gameplay it fails in that area.
There are complaints about the game being just a bit too hard even for casual gamers. True there are people with different level of skills however I found the difficulty just right for an enjoyable experience. It enables you to play the game fully enough so that you understand how the combat works, the different combos that you should use in certain situations and it helps your mind to adapt to the environmental and situational changes in the game. This game, to me, is a good way to hone your skills and be prepare for any games with such depth in combat.
I have yet to play Ninja Gaiden Black but I heard there is added features into it for example, new cut scenes, new weapons etc. I would suggest playing that version instead as it is an enhanced NG game. Gameplay should be the same I hope but that game is mainly for the new added features. Overall imo NG by itself is a game that all xbox owners should feast their eyes upon and play it at least once in their life. It is absolutely astonishing and I can't wait for NG2. This time with enhanced graphics.
The Departed
(2006)
Now this is how a remake should be like.
17 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Now this is how a remake should be like. Not too long ago I went with a friend to see this movie not exactly expecting much of it as it was a remake, and as they say, Hollywood version of an already great smash hit Asian movie tend to suck major ass. However that didn't stop me from going as the director of this piece of movie was no other than Martin Scorcese himself. A master director in my mind. I walked out of that cinema and thought, yep, this was actually better than the original.
Infernal Affairs appear more stylised than The Departed. In fact the reason why I liked The Departed more is because of Scorcese's style and cinematography. TD appears more gritty and realistic than in IA. When I watched IA again, I just can't help but think that everything in it was just glamorised. Even the fight scenes, they just didn't shout 'gritty' to me. I'm blaming this on the use of colour and lighting. Most of the time the settings of the locales are in some sterilised environment with tall skyscrapers and buildings. The colours blue and silver seems to be the film's favourite which creates a more modern day feel to it. Scorcese is renowned for his usual dark settings. In TD it was more 50/50 imo but that didn't really bring me down. Some parts of TD where they show the pivotal scenes was actually portrayed more realistically and more believable than in IA. For instance the part where Martin Sheen's character fell from the rooftop seemed more realistic. No music was played to coincide with the scene and that is what makes it more believable, although I do have to say the presentation and portrayal of that particular scene in IA was tapping more on the emotional side with its use of a melodic song to go with that scene.
In IA the film actually wants to go somewhere, as in it actually wants to move on to the next scene. Whereas in TD it primarily focuses on the development of the two moles. You could say that TD incorporates both IA1 and 2 into the frame. Some viewers may find that the development of these two characters tend to drag on a bit but I personally think that this sets a good ending with their minds being psychologically motivated in capturing and exposing one another. Like I said before, TD is more realistic so presentation wise, it wasn't 'perfectly' set out and co-ordinated in a fixed linear pattern compared to IA. But this is what I like about TD and Scorcese's style and cinematography. The fact that everything is hectic and fast paced shows how chaotic the world around them is and this is what he is exactly trying to convey to us. In IA it just seems like a more perfect world tbh. Everything seems so orderly and 'peaceful' in a way (even though its not).
The music in TD also conveys to us how chaotic and gritty the world is. In some scenes we hear a piece of Irish song played and then it immediately cuts off afterwards. Again this shows how the world and the characters in this film isn't set out on a pre-destined path. The film wants to show us how life is unpredictable, it wants us to feel that there is an ulterior motive or a different agenda to any of the scenes. And this unable us to think what is going to happen next. However since I've seen the original version, I already knew whats going to happen but it is that what distinguishes itself from the original.
I was surprised that it was an all star cast. Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Leonardo Di Caprio, Jack Nicholson and Ray Winston. I just thought, woah, I really do hope that this movie will turn out to be a great movie. I didn't want them to pull a Troy on this one. And I wasn't let down. The cast were amazing. Great actors in the frame especially Ray Winston's character. But my initial thoughts on Jack Nicholson playing a mobster leader was a little sceptical. I always see him as a deranged serial killer or eccentric/madman. And thats what actually put me off in this film. I'm guessing its the smile on his face and his frizzy hair cut. It just shouted 'MADMAN' at me. Most of the time you usually get mobsters being displayed as a calm, cool headed, confident and authoritative fella. Here you seen him as your quite chubby womanising smooth talking uncle, if you have an uncle like that that is. He didn't really have that authoritative figure but hey, neither does IA's mob leader. It's more about the actions that they did, the dialogue they used which makes them appear sort of like a mob leader.
But overall the whole movie was great. Watch the original if you get the chance and you can make comparisons for yourself. You may like the original more than this as some members on this board have already stated.
Infernal Affairs appear more stylised than The Departed. In fact the reason why I liked The Departed more is because of Scorcese's style and cinematography. TD appears more gritty and realistic than in IA. When I watched IA again, I just can't help but think that everything in it was just glamorised. Even the fight scenes, they just didn't shout 'gritty' to me. I'm blaming this on the use of colour and lighting. Most of the time the settings of the locales are in some sterilised environment with tall skyscrapers and buildings. The colours blue and silver seems to be the film's favourite which creates a more modern day feel to it. Scorcese is renowned for his usual dark settings. In TD it was more 50/50 imo but that didn't really bring me down. Some parts of TD where they show the pivotal scenes was actually portrayed more realistically and more believable than in IA. For instance the part where Martin Sheen's character fell from the rooftop seemed more realistic. No music was played to coincide with the scene and that is what makes it more believable, although I do have to say the presentation and portrayal of that particular scene in IA was tapping more on the emotional side with its use of a melodic song to go with that scene.
In IA the film actually wants to go somewhere, as in it actually wants to move on to the next scene. Whereas in TD it primarily focuses on the development of the two moles. You could say that TD incorporates both IA1 and 2 into the frame. Some viewers may find that the development of these two characters tend to drag on a bit but I personally think that this sets a good ending with their minds being psychologically motivated in capturing and exposing one another. Like I said before, TD is more realistic so presentation wise, it wasn't 'perfectly' set out and co-ordinated in a fixed linear pattern compared to IA. But this is what I like about TD and Scorcese's style and cinematography. The fact that everything is hectic and fast paced shows how chaotic the world around them is and this is what he is exactly trying to convey to us. In IA it just seems like a more perfect world tbh. Everything seems so orderly and 'peaceful' in a way (even though its not).
The music in TD also conveys to us how chaotic and gritty the world is. In some scenes we hear a piece of Irish song played and then it immediately cuts off afterwards. Again this shows how the world and the characters in this film isn't set out on a pre-destined path. The film wants to show us how life is unpredictable, it wants us to feel that there is an ulterior motive or a different agenda to any of the scenes. And this unable us to think what is going to happen next. However since I've seen the original version, I already knew whats going to happen but it is that what distinguishes itself from the original.
I was surprised that it was an all star cast. Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Leonardo Di Caprio, Jack Nicholson and Ray Winston. I just thought, woah, I really do hope that this movie will turn out to be a great movie. I didn't want them to pull a Troy on this one. And I wasn't let down. The cast were amazing. Great actors in the frame especially Ray Winston's character. But my initial thoughts on Jack Nicholson playing a mobster leader was a little sceptical. I always see him as a deranged serial killer or eccentric/madman. And thats what actually put me off in this film. I'm guessing its the smile on his face and his frizzy hair cut. It just shouted 'MADMAN' at me. Most of the time you usually get mobsters being displayed as a calm, cool headed, confident and authoritative fella. Here you seen him as your quite chubby womanising smooth talking uncle, if you have an uncle like that that is. He didn't really have that authoritative figure but hey, neither does IA's mob leader. It's more about the actions that they did, the dialogue they used which makes them appear sort of like a mob leader.
But overall the whole movie was great. Watch the original if you get the chance and you can make comparisons for yourself. You may like the original more than this as some members on this board have already stated.
A Bittersweet Life
(2005)
Great simple movie
7 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
When I heard it was from the director of A Tale of Two Sisters I had to watch this movie for myself and boy, was I impressed. Many people have said that this is a simple movie. Well its true, this movie is rather simple. It tells it as it is. You may feel that there are some scenes that drag on a bit but it only adds to the feeling of frustration and contemplation that the main character experiences. For me however I rather much prefer it to be slightly longer. I've seen my fair share of action set pieces so the action in this film was no real 'looker'. I didn't really care for the action aspect of the movie. Character development was where it was at for me. I particularly liked the quote in the beginning of the movie. "Master, are the branches moving or is it the wind?" - "That which moves is neither the branches or the wind...It's your heart and mind". When I first heard this quote, I thought nothing of it. In fact I was rather confused with it. However after watching it for the 3rd time I manage to grasped that concept and it should've been obvious from the entire film itself. The way I interpret this quote is that in life anything can happen. Only you have the power to change your future. Byung-hun Lee gives a brilliant performance as the serious, rule abiding enforcer Sun Woo. From the start of the movie the impression that he gives to us audience is that he is a well dressed professional 'manager'. You would immediately think that this person would avoid confrontation as much as possible and solve problems in a non violent and conventional manner. However that image of him soon fades away as he is ordered to deal with a problem. The idea of him being the peaceful kind is thrown straight out of the window as you see him fight dangerously against some trouble makers. However he still maintains that professional look. The fight choreography is quite simply brilliant in my mind. Better than recent releases with hand to hand combat scenes. It definitely reminds me of Jet Li's fighting style. It wasn't realistic but it was brutal and gritty. To me it felt glamorised however I think that it did a great job at keeping with the tone of the movie itself. The gun fights were decent as well. No special effects such as bullet time or dodge time was needed to create a exciting and exhilarating experience. It was a standard explosive effects gunfight which John Woo himself could be proud of. The character himself feels that his path is set. He believes that there is no other job for him. He does what he does and he's pretty good at it too. However when he was ordered to watch over his boss' lady friend Mu Sung, thats when his path goes downhill. He could've told his boss about that particular incident before but he chose to ignore it and give her a second chance. This is the first time we see him not carrying out an order, and this is where it goes all wrong. After being buried alive by his own comrades or 'brothers', he manages to break free. This is when he decides to take revenge and thus begins his killing-spree. From then on the film begins to be a vengeance movie. Not just for Sun Woo, in fact there are other characters who wish to take revenge but of course the main focus is on Sun Woo. The only disappointment I could say about this movie was that it did not have many connections with other characters. I mean when I first read the blurb it said that he must go up against the people he once called brothers. And for me brotherhood was really an ideal feeling to have in a gangster movie because you worked with the same people for many years, you all experience the same suffering as each other and so on. The only real connection I could see in this movie is with him and his boss. Sun Woo becomes confused by what his boss did to him as he worked for him for 7 years. He even said so himself that he was practically like a dog to him, loyal and obedient and yet his boss threw away that 7 years of loyalty down the drain. However you can never tell wherever or not he did it out of love. He never really says. But the scene where Sun Woo watches Mu sung play the cello, it was the only time where he gives a smile. It feels as if Sun Woo is finally relaxing without anything troubling his mind and perhaps it is because of this reason he gave Mu sung another chance. The ending is left open to interpretation. I interpret it as him having a momentary glimpse of his past life where he had everything. He was literally on top of the world in that tall skyscraper and the windows actually reflects the world around it. Overall this is a great movie. There are some great comedy moments which takes away all of that seriousness however it is done in a realistic manner. The music feels rather relaxing especially during the car scenes where we see Sun Woo contemplating. For me really I wish they had more scenes where there were actual bonding with his comrades especially with his underling. I like the message of this movie as well. You can never know whats about to happen around the next corner in life. Life is unpredictable and as the quote says, only you have the power to change your future.
The Others
(2001)
A great horror movie
6 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie surprised me a lot along with The Sixth Sense as their twists are rather similar to each other. What I liked about this movie is that it does not rely on blood, gore and explicit violence that most horror movies today show us as an attempt to frighten the hearts of us viewers. Instead most of the frights comes from the eerie atmosphere of the setting and scenario.
Most of the time the film is shot quietly which some viewers might find boring but this only adds to the suspense and tension if continued watching. The director was able to include the most basic and necessary methods of a standard classic horror movie to ensure a frightening sensation. Such method includes the use of creepy sound effects. When I say this I mean footsteps being heard, floorboards creaking, voices of little children echoing down the hallway, heavy breathing sound etc.
The film is mainly shot with the curtains drawn as well. This is because Grace's children suffer from a disease which does not allow them to stay in front of the sun for too long otherwise they will shrivel up and die. This is a great excuse for having dark settings most of the time and it provides a great deal of tension. If you look at the house from the outside, you would think that this family is non existence.
I particularly like how Grace's personality is portrayed. Nicole Kidman did a very good job at being the strict and over protective mother who follows and impose certain rules around the house. For example closing and locking every door behind them. Grace is very strict about this particular rule and its frightening, as the viewer to see her being very sensitive about it and it makes you feel the same shock and insecurity as she feels when a door is left open.
Also the arrival of the 3 servants serves a purpose in creating tension as well. These 3 strange servants which one of them includes Mrs. Bertha Mills played brilliantly by Fionnula Flanagan makes us doubt their existence and that they have something to do with the 'intruders'. Set during the WW2 period its to no one surprise to see Grace being paranoid at thinking that there is a German soldier in the house. Mrs. Bertha Mills constantly tries to reassure Grace that there are nobody else other than themselves in the house. She gives the impression that she is a loyal harmless servant which everybody buys until the point where she and Mr. Tuttle end up covering the gravestones. She plays a frightening character indeed and this what makes it more intense and scary.
The use of camera angles is well placed showing the pivotal angles of a scene. The angles which some would say shows off the most intense and frightening aspect of that scene. The close up shot of the door knob, the low down angle of the staircase all adds to the tension and suspense. The use of lighting also plays a vital role as the whole film is set around dark areas of the mansion. Since they don't have electricity they resort to using candles and oil lamps. The flicker of the flame casting shadows around the house actually provides a great deal of tension. Its almost as if these moving shadows are representing the 'others'.
Overall this is a great horror movie, even today it still stands out as one of the best. Its far better than recent horror releases because it actually provides you with frights and scares rather than the usual gross out sickening and disgusted look when you see a man's arm being chopped off or an eye ball being cut off. This film does not need any of those disturbing scenes to create a frightening sensation. It prefers to use old classical methods in creating tension and this is something which Alfred Hitchcock might be proud of. Top marks for Nicole Kidman in her portrayal of Grace but the star of the show to me really goes to Fionnula Flanagan.
Most of the time the film is shot quietly which some viewers might find boring but this only adds to the suspense and tension if continued watching. The director was able to include the most basic and necessary methods of a standard classic horror movie to ensure a frightening sensation. Such method includes the use of creepy sound effects. When I say this I mean footsteps being heard, floorboards creaking, voices of little children echoing down the hallway, heavy breathing sound etc.
The film is mainly shot with the curtains drawn as well. This is because Grace's children suffer from a disease which does not allow them to stay in front of the sun for too long otherwise they will shrivel up and die. This is a great excuse for having dark settings most of the time and it provides a great deal of tension. If you look at the house from the outside, you would think that this family is non existence.
I particularly like how Grace's personality is portrayed. Nicole Kidman did a very good job at being the strict and over protective mother who follows and impose certain rules around the house. For example closing and locking every door behind them. Grace is very strict about this particular rule and its frightening, as the viewer to see her being very sensitive about it and it makes you feel the same shock and insecurity as she feels when a door is left open.
Also the arrival of the 3 servants serves a purpose in creating tension as well. These 3 strange servants which one of them includes Mrs. Bertha Mills played brilliantly by Fionnula Flanagan makes us doubt their existence and that they have something to do with the 'intruders'. Set during the WW2 period its to no one surprise to see Grace being paranoid at thinking that there is a German soldier in the house. Mrs. Bertha Mills constantly tries to reassure Grace that there are nobody else other than themselves in the house. She gives the impression that she is a loyal harmless servant which everybody buys until the point where she and Mr. Tuttle end up covering the gravestones. She plays a frightening character indeed and this what makes it more intense and scary.
The use of camera angles is well placed showing the pivotal angles of a scene. The angles which some would say shows off the most intense and frightening aspect of that scene. The close up shot of the door knob, the low down angle of the staircase all adds to the tension and suspense. The use of lighting also plays a vital role as the whole film is set around dark areas of the mansion. Since they don't have electricity they resort to using candles and oil lamps. The flicker of the flame casting shadows around the house actually provides a great deal of tension. Its almost as if these moving shadows are representing the 'others'.
Overall this is a great horror movie, even today it still stands out as one of the best. Its far better than recent horror releases because it actually provides you with frights and scares rather than the usual gross out sickening and disgusted look when you see a man's arm being chopped off or an eye ball being cut off. This film does not need any of those disturbing scenes to create a frightening sensation. It prefers to use old classical methods in creating tension and this is something which Alfred Hitchcock might be proud of. Top marks for Nicole Kidman in her portrayal of Grace but the star of the show to me really goes to Fionnula Flanagan.
Samurai Champloo
(2004–2005)
Just as good as Cowboy Bebop
5 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
What I liked about this anime is how it reflects modern day Japan. The main plot is simple. There are 3 main characters to this story. Fuu, Mugen and Jin. These 3 characters met by fate and they all agreed to journey together throughout the whole of Japan in search of 'the samurai who smells like sunflowers'.
It is the characters that interest me the most, especially the 2 samurais Jin and Mugen. And it is them that are representation of modern Japan. Before I begin to describe the 2 characters you need to understand what Shinichiro Watanabe is trying to tell us. Modern Japan as you know it is now technologically advance. And Watanabe feels that it is because of this new change in era and society that is slowly replacing old traditional Japan. And this is what the 2 characters are here for.
Jin represents the old traditional Japan where he behaves in an orderly fashion and speaks in a professional manner. He is the enigmatic type, quiet most of the time and thinks things through carefully and with fair judgement. In a way this is describing old Japan as a peaceful society. His fighting style also matches his image as he prefers sticking to the rules of combat. His knowledge of sword fighting is masterful knowing when and when not to attack. His actual appearance is very formal. He dresses normally and does not look out of place. He tries to avoid contact as much as possible.
Mugen on the other hand is the exact opposite of him. He represents the new Japan, the modern day era where rules do not apply to him. In a way he is like one of those punks in Japan who do not give a damn about the laws and let things flow as they go along. His appearance looks much different from everybody else. Its as if he customised his own clothes. The way he talks is different as well and prefers to be laid back most of the time. He is rude to most people and is a womaniser. His fighting style reflects his image. He does not go by the traditional rules of combat engagement, instead his attacks are wild unlike Jin's. Some have said that his fighting style incorporates a bit of the Brazilian martial art Capoeira and break dancing.
Its not only these 2 characters that actually show representation of Japan. In fact there are some episodes which shows how new Japan is replacing the old. For example Mugen takes Jin's swords as an entrance fee to a food eating competition. During that time it would have been disrespectful to take another Samurai's swords away from them. This shows how old Japan is deteriorating.
The character Fuu does not really interest me as much as the other 2 characters does however she does play a pivotal role in this series and the main plot is actually based around her. Shes the bridge between the 2 samurai characters. It is because of her that these 2 samurais aren't killing each other. In a way she holds the group together.
The title of the anime series 'Samurai Champloo' is called that for a reason. The word 'Champloo' means to mix or mixture and it perfectly describes this whole anime series. Throughout the episodes you will notice how things are out of place. Like an Anachronism. There are things that are there which shouldn't be. For example Mugen's arm motion. He spreads his arm out as if it were a plane and screams out 'Vooooommm'. Planes did not even exist at the time either (and we're talking about during the Edo period of Japan). Champloo is a fitting name for this series as it incorporates a lot of things that are new into the old.
The music is also a representation of Japan. This is a change to music compared to Cowboy Bebop's Jazz theme, this incorporates a more hip hop theme and this actually bolds well with the theme of the story. It is easy to understand that hip hop is a new age kind of music so it is to no one's surprise that Watanabe would use it in this anime. The music is particularly well done even though hip hop is not my kind of music and it mixes well with the story.
Animation-wise this has got to be the best looking anime around especially with the fight scenes. As the viewer you could literally see the fluid motions of the character's fighting style and their attack moves. Unlike many action oriented anime series where you see speed lines behind the characters, this actually shows us in depth fighting. Every part of their body actually moves accordingly. There is no long jumping and screaming, no repetitive speed lines as seen in DBZ. It actually shows them fighting properly, bit by bit and that is what impresses me the most. I've seen many other Samurai anime series and none of them come close to brilliance as this does in terms of animation. However I recently watched it again and noticed how their swords hardly collide with each other. Most of the time the fighting involves them avoiding each other's swords. So there was no real clash to it, nothing was really gritty about it. But in the end, if I was to compare this anime to another in terms of animation then this beats it easily.
Overall this is a brilliant anime series with great animations. It doesn't have an intelligent plot, nothing that will keep you on the edge but the presentation is great. Characters are fantastic, it mixes comedy, drama, romance and action all into one. The music is also great as well. This is one of the best anime series around.
It is the characters that interest me the most, especially the 2 samurais Jin and Mugen. And it is them that are representation of modern Japan. Before I begin to describe the 2 characters you need to understand what Shinichiro Watanabe is trying to tell us. Modern Japan as you know it is now technologically advance. And Watanabe feels that it is because of this new change in era and society that is slowly replacing old traditional Japan. And this is what the 2 characters are here for.
Jin represents the old traditional Japan where he behaves in an orderly fashion and speaks in a professional manner. He is the enigmatic type, quiet most of the time and thinks things through carefully and with fair judgement. In a way this is describing old Japan as a peaceful society. His fighting style also matches his image as he prefers sticking to the rules of combat. His knowledge of sword fighting is masterful knowing when and when not to attack. His actual appearance is very formal. He dresses normally and does not look out of place. He tries to avoid contact as much as possible.
Mugen on the other hand is the exact opposite of him. He represents the new Japan, the modern day era where rules do not apply to him. In a way he is like one of those punks in Japan who do not give a damn about the laws and let things flow as they go along. His appearance looks much different from everybody else. Its as if he customised his own clothes. The way he talks is different as well and prefers to be laid back most of the time. He is rude to most people and is a womaniser. His fighting style reflects his image. He does not go by the traditional rules of combat engagement, instead his attacks are wild unlike Jin's. Some have said that his fighting style incorporates a bit of the Brazilian martial art Capoeira and break dancing.
Its not only these 2 characters that actually show representation of Japan. In fact there are some episodes which shows how new Japan is replacing the old. For example Mugen takes Jin's swords as an entrance fee to a food eating competition. During that time it would have been disrespectful to take another Samurai's swords away from them. This shows how old Japan is deteriorating.
The character Fuu does not really interest me as much as the other 2 characters does however she does play a pivotal role in this series and the main plot is actually based around her. Shes the bridge between the 2 samurai characters. It is because of her that these 2 samurais aren't killing each other. In a way she holds the group together.
The title of the anime series 'Samurai Champloo' is called that for a reason. The word 'Champloo' means to mix or mixture and it perfectly describes this whole anime series. Throughout the episodes you will notice how things are out of place. Like an Anachronism. There are things that are there which shouldn't be. For example Mugen's arm motion. He spreads his arm out as if it were a plane and screams out 'Vooooommm'. Planes did not even exist at the time either (and we're talking about during the Edo period of Japan). Champloo is a fitting name for this series as it incorporates a lot of things that are new into the old.
The music is also a representation of Japan. This is a change to music compared to Cowboy Bebop's Jazz theme, this incorporates a more hip hop theme and this actually bolds well with the theme of the story. It is easy to understand that hip hop is a new age kind of music so it is to no one's surprise that Watanabe would use it in this anime. The music is particularly well done even though hip hop is not my kind of music and it mixes well with the story.
Animation-wise this has got to be the best looking anime around especially with the fight scenes. As the viewer you could literally see the fluid motions of the character's fighting style and their attack moves. Unlike many action oriented anime series where you see speed lines behind the characters, this actually shows us in depth fighting. Every part of their body actually moves accordingly. There is no long jumping and screaming, no repetitive speed lines as seen in DBZ. It actually shows them fighting properly, bit by bit and that is what impresses me the most. I've seen many other Samurai anime series and none of them come close to brilliance as this does in terms of animation. However I recently watched it again and noticed how their swords hardly collide with each other. Most of the time the fighting involves them avoiding each other's swords. So there was no real clash to it, nothing was really gritty about it. But in the end, if I was to compare this anime to another in terms of animation then this beats it easily.
Overall this is a brilliant anime series with great animations. It doesn't have an intelligent plot, nothing that will keep you on the edge but the presentation is great. Characters are fantastic, it mixes comedy, drama, romance and action all into one. The music is also great as well. This is one of the best anime series around.
Memories of Murder
(2003)
A brilliant crime/thriller movie indeed
5 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie definitely caught me off guard. I had this movie lying around the house for a month and I finally managed to watch it. Man I wish I had seen this movie earlier.
The plot is nothing special. Set in a rural area a killer kidnaps, rapes and then kills girls. The local police are having a tough time catching him so a detective from the city is assigned to the area to help them investigate the crime. You would think that this is a straight forward action packed crime thriller of a movie however this is far from it.
I particularly like the fact that this film actually engages the audience with it's character development. For example, at the start of the movie we are introduced to a local cop Park Doo-Man (Kang-ho Song) who is portrayed almost as a street-wise smooth talking cop who use brutality to get what he wants. This image of him stays the same throughout the film until near the end. Whereas the detective from the city Seo Tae-Yoon played brilliantly by Sang-Kyung Kim is the opposite of Park Doo-Man. He prefers to do things with rationality, fair judgement and the usage of scientific methods rather than basing decisions on instincts and irrational thoughts which Park Doo-Man is best at doing. As the film progresses, the murderer continues to kill and the detectives are left with useless clues which lead them to another.
And this is where the character development aspect of the movie really shines. After wandering around fruitlessly they become exhausted. Seo Tae Yoon who, originally was opposed to Park Doo-Man's brutal and vicious interrogation methods goes and says 'we just need to beat a confession out of him'. As an audience we can feel the detective's exhaustion and frustration and it just makes you eagerly wanting to know who the killer is.
The whole setting itself, in a rural area adds to the tension and suspense. Technology is scarce, and in a period where protests and riots are occurring, you can't help but think that these detectives are on their own in this case. They have to use old methods to get what they want. The change in weather also adds to the suspense. When it is raining it creates a sense of feeling that the killer is about to strike which he inevitably does.
The ending itself is what will tick most people off but not in a bad way. It certainly got to me but I should've known since it is based on a true story. I won't spoil it there for you however it should be obvious to you at the start of the movie.
Overall this is Korean cinema at it's best. This film has some great comedy moments blend with great drama, tension and suspense. There are some disturbing scenes however that shouldn't put most viewers off. The whole film is shot beautifully with some scenes being gritty and others being peaceful. Its one of the best crime thriller I've seen in my life. I would certainly say its up there with Insomnia and Se7en. I wish to see more of these kind of movies in the future.
The plot is nothing special. Set in a rural area a killer kidnaps, rapes and then kills girls. The local police are having a tough time catching him so a detective from the city is assigned to the area to help them investigate the crime. You would think that this is a straight forward action packed crime thriller of a movie however this is far from it.
I particularly like the fact that this film actually engages the audience with it's character development. For example, at the start of the movie we are introduced to a local cop Park Doo-Man (Kang-ho Song) who is portrayed almost as a street-wise smooth talking cop who use brutality to get what he wants. This image of him stays the same throughout the film until near the end. Whereas the detective from the city Seo Tae-Yoon played brilliantly by Sang-Kyung Kim is the opposite of Park Doo-Man. He prefers to do things with rationality, fair judgement and the usage of scientific methods rather than basing decisions on instincts and irrational thoughts which Park Doo-Man is best at doing. As the film progresses, the murderer continues to kill and the detectives are left with useless clues which lead them to another.
And this is where the character development aspect of the movie really shines. After wandering around fruitlessly they become exhausted. Seo Tae Yoon who, originally was opposed to Park Doo-Man's brutal and vicious interrogation methods goes and says 'we just need to beat a confession out of him'. As an audience we can feel the detective's exhaustion and frustration and it just makes you eagerly wanting to know who the killer is.
The whole setting itself, in a rural area adds to the tension and suspense. Technology is scarce, and in a period where protests and riots are occurring, you can't help but think that these detectives are on their own in this case. They have to use old methods to get what they want. The change in weather also adds to the suspense. When it is raining it creates a sense of feeling that the killer is about to strike which he inevitably does.
The ending itself is what will tick most people off but not in a bad way. It certainly got to me but I should've known since it is based on a true story. I won't spoil it there for you however it should be obvious to you at the start of the movie.
Overall this is Korean cinema at it's best. This film has some great comedy moments blend with great drama, tension and suspense. There are some disturbing scenes however that shouldn't put most viewers off. The whole film is shot beautifully with some scenes being gritty and others being peaceful. Its one of the best crime thriller I've seen in my life. I would certainly say its up there with Insomnia and Se7en. I wish to see more of these kind of movies in the future.
Tell Your Friends