INCREDIBLY EVER AFTER -- Blu-Ray/DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 11/9/12

 

Mixing wuxia-style hijinks, superhero heroics, and screwball domestic comedy comes INCREDIBLY EVER AFTER, aka "Mr. and Mrs. Incredible" (2011), one of the more warm and sweet-tempered Chinese action flicks I've seen.

Unlike modern-day superhero adventures, the story takes place in ancient China after Mr. and Mrs. Incredible have already retired to a quiet life of marital bliss in a remote mountain village.  Flint (Louis Koo, TRIANGLE, PROTEGE'), the former "Gazer Warrior", is now head of the town guard--a job that requires practically zero effort--while his wife Rouge, the one-time "Aroma Woman", divides her time between domestic duties and trying to get pregnant despite the fact that civilian life has severely slowed her metabolism.

Enter the Bai Xiao Clan, whose job it is to sort out and rank the many different sects of Chinese martial arts and who have decided to hold a competition in the village.  While hoping the excitement of the event will stimulate Rouge's fertility, the super duo also begin to notice strange things about the young man in charge, Grandmaster Blanc (Wang Bo-Chieh), whose hidden agenda will force Flint and Rouge back into action in a life and death battle against evil.

Those expecting non-stop thrills and mind-bending excitement will very likely be disappointed in INCREDIBLY EVER AFTER, which for much of its running time is a gentle, low-key domestic comedy that's as laidback as its rural setting.  Much of the humor comes from Flint and Rouge trying to agitate themselves into a more fertile state by provoking one another to anger and jealousy, with their methods becoming more and more desperate and absurd.  (Their anger, however, never lasts long.)  We also get to see the lengths they must go to in order to hide their super powers from their neighbors--even something as simple as a sneeze can have drastic results.

The martial arts ranking competition provides unexpected slapstick humor as some of the different fighting styles prove laughably lame.  Flashbacks give us a peek at the former exploits of Gazer Warrior (his capture of the Pest Four during a bank holdup is a highlight) and Aroma Woman, who uses her olfactory powers to foil a domestic abuser.  Their meeting and subsequent love affair are delightfully depicted with plenty of lighthearted charm, as is their devious use of super powers in their everyday lives (especially to help persuade a real estate agent to lower the price of their seaside dream home).

Standard superhero action comes to the fore late in the film when Grandmaster Blanc finally makes his move and Mr. and Mrs. Incredible must don their legendary heroic guises once again.  Much of the action here is dominated by cartoonish CGI and has an absurd quality that's somewhat reminiscent of the Shaw Brothers' earlier HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD or THE BATTLE WIZARD although not nearly as mindblowingly outlandish.  As in the rest of the film, the violence is mild and nothing is taken overly seriously, although there's a touching depth to the feelings expressed by our heroes for one another during their most desperate moments.

Vincent Kok (FORBIDDEN CITY COP) directs with a sure hand and deftly handles both the action and comedy elements.  Colorful, eye-pleasing visuals are enhanced by some nice location photography and sets.  The main draw here, however, is the pairing of Louis Koo and Sandra Ng Kwan Yue as one of the most appealing, endearing screen couples I've seen in a long time.  I love how, no matter what they do to agitate and provoke one another (all in their effort to conceive a child together), they simply can't stay mad at each other.

The Blu-Ray/DVD combo from Funimation is in 16x9 widescreen with Dolby 5.1 Cantonese surround sound and English subtitles.  Extras consist of four different trailers (containing new material) and previews of other Funimation titles.  The closing credits crawl features bloopers from the film.

I've seen comments pointing out the lack of action (except in the final fifteen minutes of so) and the similarities between this and Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES.  But as far as I'm concerned, the almost effortlessly charming INCREDIBLY EVER AFTER is simply too much of a sheer delight to complain about. 

INCREDIBLY EVER AFTER -- Blu-Ray/DVD Review by Porfle

THE WOMAN KNIGHT OF MIRROR LAKE -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 5/9/12

 

What I first thought was going to be a dry-as-dust biopic quickly turns into a superb action-drama that gives equal time to both the heartrendingly emotional and pulse-poundingly exciting aspects of the life of Qiu Jin, THE WOMAN KNIGHT OF MIRROR LAKE (2011).

Huang Yi, who looks really sharp in a mannish jacket and tie, gives a stirring performance as a woman in early 20th-century China whose life becomes dedicated to rebelling against two things: the systematic oppression of women, and the Qing Dynasty's grievous mismanagement of the government. 

The young Qiu Jin is seen cutely refusing to have her feet bound and then being educated along with her brother in everything from literature to martial arts.  When reminded of her future marriage and subjugation to her prospective husband, her reaction lets us know that things aren't going to work out that way. 

Leaving the poor tradition-bound sap and her two children to attend school in Japan, Qiu Jin's fierce campaign for gender equality is soon eclipsed by a different revolutionary fervor when she meets Xu Xilin (Dennis To, Huang Yi's co-star in THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN, also directed by Herman Yau) and joins his band of political warriors who are planning the violent overthrow of the government. 

The film's furious fight action gets underway right off the bat with the group's assassination attempt on an elderly governor, prompting fierce and meticulously choreographed combat between police and rebels within two schools that serve as their training ground. 

After Xu Xilin is defeated the governor's lieutenant Liu Xiao Ming goes after Qiu Jin and her students, the result being a no-holds-barred fight sequence (the first of many) involving fists, swords, guns, wires, and things that explode.  More bloody, action-packed skirmishes will occur throughout the rest of the film as well.

Qiu Jin's capture and subsequent mockery of a trial, during which she is brutally tortured, evokes memories of THE PASSION OF JOAN D'ARC and forms the framework for well-integrated flashbacks of her life up to that point.  (Anthony Wong of EXILEDand THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR appears as a sympathetic but powerless magistrate.) 

There's a deft counterbalance between the violent and more tender moments, with Huang Yi aptly conveying Qiu Jin's personal anguish over the life she could have had as well as the quiet fervor of her revolutionary spirit.  Qiu Jin is so unassumingly righteous in her beliefs that it's no more shocking to see her engaged in a blazing gunfight with police in the streets than weeping over her decision to disappear from her family's lives. 

As the film heads inexorably toward Qiu Jin's conviction and execution, the flashbacks bring us back to where we began, only this time the armed uprising is seen in all the thrilling detail that director Herman Yau can muster as armed police lay siege to Xu Xilin's training school. 

The prolonged hand-to-hand fight between Xu Xilin and Liu Xiao Ming (an intense Xiong Xinxin) as the battle rages around them is a particular highlight, one of the most furious I've seen in a long time and filled with a wide variety of martial arts styles, weaponry, and even some semi-hokey wirework.  Not even all this action, however, can overpower the emotional impact that the story manages to convey as it draws to a close and we learn Qiu Jin's fate.

The 2-disc Blu-Ray/DVD combo from Funimation is in 16x9 widescreen with Dolby 5.1 surround in Mandarin and English.  Subtitles are in English.  The sole extra is a "making of" featurette. 

While I have no idea of how historically accurate THE WOMAN KNIGHT OF MIRROR LAKE is, I sorta doubt if the real-life Qiu Jin could fly around like Darth Maul and fight off hordes of armed attackers singlehanded.  It does make for a more interesting biopic, though.  And aside from all the other good things about the film, Huang Yi's exciting performance alone makes this one worth watching again. 

THE WOMAN KNIGHT OF MIRROR LAKE -- DVD Review by Porfle

CONFUCIUS -- DVD Review by Porfle

If, like me, your only knowledge of Confucius is when people say "Confucius say..." and then reel off some pithy remark, director Mei Hu's CONFUCIUS (2010) will help to enlighten you about what made the guy so quotable in the first place. 

Former John Woo action star Chow Yun Fat (THE KILLER, HARD-BOILED) gives a measured, meticulously controlled performance that displays his continuing maturation as an actor.  His Kong Qiu--as Confucius was more commonly known circa 500 B.C.--is a family man in his early fifties whose quiet wisdom and belief in government based on ethics and civility earn him a position that puts him right in the middle of clashes between rival provinces and "noble" families in ancient China. 

The film begins with his successful fight to end the practice of burying slaves alive with deceased noblemen and his peaceful resolution of a potentially volatile dispute with a neighboring dukedom.  Further attempts to reduce the growing power of the three main families in the Kingdom of Lu make him a target of their conspiratorial schemes, until even his main allies in government turn against him.  Accompanied by his fervent followers, the exiled Kong Qiu wanders the land from state to state as the country goes to hell around him, until in desperation the leaders of an embattled Kingdom of Lu seek his council once again. 

The story's pretty simple if you can make your way through all the needless exposition and rapid-fire introduction of so many characters you'd need a photographic memory to keep track of them all.  The dry, stately narrative is at its best when we see Kong Qiu countering the chest beating of his power-hungry political rivals with reason and compassion, or figuring out logical solutions to problems that seem destined to be resolved on the battlefield. 

He doesn't manage to peacefully defuse all of these situations, thank goodness, which means we get two or three large-scale battle sequences to liven things up here and there.  They're impressively rendered with a combination of full-sized sets and deft digital trickery--in one sequence, a tidal wave of molten metal blazes down a stone incline into a horde of attackers as the sky is filled with flaming arrows. 

Even so, these battle scenes are brief, perfunctory stepping stones in the narrative, with little emotional impact.  The film itself never really tries to be an epic even when all the elements of one are right there on the screen.  Rather, it's the story of a humble man living in epic times--although, for the most part, we learn more about Kong Qiu as a font of wisdom and an inspiration to others than as a man.  Even the scenes in which he interacts lovingly with his family are mere snapshots.  It's left up to Chow Yun Fat to supply most of his character's depth of feeling with that expressive face of his.

CONFUCIUS is at its best when Kong Qiu meets Nanzi (Xun Zhou), the beautiful consort to a neighboring king and the true power behind his throne.  He's awed by her royal radiance and beauty as she basks in his mental and emotional depth--at first, each tries to bow lower than the other in deference.  Taking advantage of this rare opportunity for a woman of the time to commune with such a sage, Nanzi seduces Kong Qiu with a spiritual and intellectual flirtatiousness which the actors portray almost as a delicate, exquisite kind of dance.

The Blu-Ray/DVD combo from Funimation is in 16:9 widescreen with Mandarin and English 5.1 Dolby sound.  Subtitles are in English.  Extras consist of several "making-of" featurettes (approx. 7 minutes each) and a trailer.

CONFUCIUS is a film in which the potentially sweeping visual splendor is held firmly in check by a sometimes bloodless story, and the plot resolutions are more intellectually stimulating than emotionally stirring.  It is, in fact, an outstanding accomplishment which deserves to be seen, yet--after a promising start--I found the scenes which I most wanted to be moved by to be oddly unmemorable.

CONFUCIUS -- DVD Review by Porfle

THE HARIMAYA BRIDGE -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 9/30/11

 

Man hates Japan, goes to Japan, learns to love Japan.  That's the basic plotline but there's more to this story in THE HARIMAYA BRIDGE (2009), writer-director Aaron Woolfolk's semi-autobiographical tale that's slow and predictable but ultimately as warm and comfortable as a pair of old shoes.

Retired photographer Daniel Holder (Bennet Guillory), still bitter about the way his father was tortured to death in a Japanese POW camp during WWII, disowns his artist son Mickey (Victor Grant) for hooking up with Noriko (Saki Takaoka) and leaving San Francisco to teach English in Japan.  When Mickey is killed in a motorcycle accident, guilt-ridden Daniel travels there to take back all of Mickey's paintings from the people he's given them to, alienating and offending everyone he meets. 

I've never been to Japan, but if all its citizens are this impossibly nice and polite then everyone should move there.  By contrast, Daniel, who's at least a head taller than everyone else, is unbearably rude and intimidating, and I felt embarrassed by his crass behavior toward his hosts from the local Education Office out of which Mickey worked.  Kindly Ms. Hara (Misa Shimizu) takes him to the school where the students have put up a photo memorial to Mickey, and Daniel, while moved, nevertheless plucks his son's centerpiece painting (a gift to the school) from the wall and makes off with it.

We know, of course, that Daniel will eventually make a one-eighty in his surly, unforgiving attitude--especially when he finally starts to see the negative effects his actions are having on other people, and how he, as a black man, is acting out some of the same prejudices he's suffered himself--but getting there is a long and very deliberately paced process.  A major breakthrough comes when he tracks down the widowed Noriko and shares her grief over the loss of his son while making a discovery that is probably the film's one plot point which qualifies as a surprise. 

The gradual softening of Daniel's demeanor makes the film more enjoyable to watch from that point forward, with some poignant emotional moments that are subtly evoked by director Woolfolk despite the sometimes overly-insistent musical score.  A major asset is Bennet Guillory's refusal to overact or try too hard to sell his character's anger and grief, making it all the more effective when he does go for those heartfelt moments. 

Misa Shimizu as Ms. Hara and Saki Takaoka as Noriku also give depth and nuance to their performances.  In a smaller role as Daniel's brother Joseph, executive producer Danny Glover adds his own venerable presence to the film (although much less so than the ads would have us believe--this show belongs to Guillory and his female co-stars all the way).   

Woolfolk, who based much of Mickey's character on his own experiences as an African-American teacher in Japan, was inspired by that country's slow-paced, pastoral films of the 50s and gives THE HARIMAYA BRIDGE a simple, often elegant look with good use of both city and rural locations.  Some humor is derived from Daniel's culture-shock reaction to various foods and customs and the way he seems shoehorned into his tiny apartment.  Saita Nakayama (pop singer Misono), a hyperkinetic young secretary who loves American culture, is the one overtly comedic aspect of the film and, although cute, is best appreciated when not onscreen.

The Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack from Funimation and Eleven Arts is in 16:9 widescreen with an English/Japanese soundtrack in Dolby 5.1 surround (Japanese dialogue is subtitled in English).  Extras include a making-of featurette, cast and staff interviews, and trailers of other Funimation releases.  Woolfolk's commentary is in-depth and very personal.

One of the film's more effective scenes comes when Daniel visits a small art gallery proudly displaying Mickey's work in a show called "Japan Through the Eyes of Foreigners."  That title aptly describes THE HARIMAYA BRIDGE, with Woolfolk offering a fresh perspective that's an aesthetically-pleasing synthesis of both Japanese and American films.  The languid pace and lack of sledgehammer dramatics will put off some viewers, while others will find the low-key storytelling and lush visuals as enticing as a lazy stroll through the Japanese countryside.

THE HARIMAYA BRIDGE -- DVD Review by Porfle

THE SWORD WITH NO NAME -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 9/2/11

 

A tragic love story set in 19th-century Korea, director Kim Yong-gyun's THE SWORD WITH NO NAME (2009) goes for a combination of historical epic, action flick, and tearjerker, with fairly successful results.

The production values are lush, giving us all the pomp and opulence we expect from such royal goings-on.  A beautiful young noblewoman named Ja-young (Su-Ae) is due to marry the king but first becomes friends with roguish swordsman Moo-myoung (Seung-woo Cho), who is hopelessly smitten and swears that he will devote his life to protecting her.  With a new husband who regards her as merely a trophy, she is drawn to Moo-myoung and welcomes his devotion.

Using his wits, Moo-myoung manages to become one of Ja-young's royal guards and leaps into action when political complications--mainly the result of her dealings with both Westerners and the Japanese, which greatly displease her isolationist father-in-law--result in her attempted assassination.



With the young lovers' "meet cute" on a beach and a couple of goofy comedy companions for Moo-myoung, THE SWORD WITH NO NAME takes awhile getting down to serious business.  When it does, though, it gets pretty grim as peripheral characters start getting offed left and right, and various factions begin to move against Ja-young.  While I didn't totally follow all the political details, which are based, I understand, on historical fact, that aspect of the story is well-done and fairly intriguing.

Action-wise, the film features several thrilling setpieces involving both guns and swords.  A couple of major, highly-stylized fight sequences pit Moo-myoung against Korea's greatest swordsman, Lee Noi-jeon (Jae-woong Choi), who is also Ja-young's chief guard.  These are reminiscent of similar scenes in THE MATRIX with CGI succeeding wirework as the hit-and-miss special effect of choice, plus lots of frenetic direction, dizzying camerawork, and rapid-fire editing.  We also get a couple of those big fantasy battle scenes with Moo-myoung taking on dozens of swordsmen singlehanded or with Noi-jeon by his side.
 


As for the love story, Moo-myoung and Ja-young are an attractive pair but I never really connected with them on an emotional level.  Much of their interplay is by-the-numbers and compares poorly to similar relationships better portrayed in other films, particularly the Japanese film GOEMON from the same year.  While Su-Ae is a good actress who can really turn on the waterworks (she's known in Korea as the "Queen of Tears"), and Seung-woo Cho does manic, selfless devotion like nobody's business, their scenes together finally reach a climax that borders on the maudlin. 

The DVD from Funimation is in 16:9 widescreen with English 5.1 surround and Korean stereo with English subtitles.  Extras include a ten-minute "making of" featurette, cast interviews, teaser and main trailers, and trailers from other Funimation releases.  While I reviewed only the DVD, the combo pack also includes the Blu-Ray version of the film.

Falling somewhat short of the heights reached by other historical films in this vein, THE SWORD WITH NO NAME nevertheless manages to impress and often dazzle with its royal spectacle, political intrigue, and well-staged action sequences.  The fact that it doesn't quite come together as well as one might expect didn't keep me from appreciating the effort that was put into it.

THE SWORD WITH NO NAME -- DVD Review by Porfle

THE TREASURE HUNTER -- DVD Review by Porfle

 Originally posted on 10/20/11

 

THE TREASURE HUNTER (2009) is one of those action-adventure flicks where certain parts are greater than the whole, but that may be enough to make it worth watching--even if several of those parts are from other, better movies.

We're first introduced to the Eagle of the Desert, a lone warrior who protects the ancient treasures buried beneath its sands from tomb raiders.  He keeps this job until somebody comes along who can defeat him.  These sand-clogged fight scenes are the best-looking in the movie and it makes me wonder why the rest of them weren't done so well.  After such a changing of the guard, Qiaofei (Jay Chou, THE GREEN HORNET) returns to the real world, hanging out in a remote tavern and forcing passing scavengers to hand over their ill-gotten booty to be returned to their rightful place.


You may think you've wandered into a hyped-up Sergio Leone film when director Yen-ping Chu starts quoting shots from ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, complete with open-air saloon, spinning windmill, locations that sometimes resemble Monument Valley, and other obvious reminders.  When a group of raiders barge through the swinging doors in a cloud of dust, you'll recall Jason Robards' gang arriving to rescue him from his escort on the way to prison. 

Then Qiaofei saunters down the stairs to engage them in battle, which is a mish-mash of martial arts and Robert Rodriguez-style moves which reminds us that bad wirework, not-too-sharp fight choreography, and sloppy action camerawork are still alive and well in the cinema.  It's all pretty lively, though, and every once in a while something happens that's cool enough to be worth rewinding for--as when Qiaofei reassembles the pieces of an automatic pistol as though by sleight of hand, just in time to blow away an armored boogeyman erupting out of the earth and charging at him on horseback across the saloon floor.

More supernatural stuff enters the picture with the appearance of a semi-mummified guy (he actually looks like he just climbed out of a vat of Charmin) whose wrappings become lashing tentacles--here the film loosely resembles a CGI-fueled superhero flick with echoes of THE MATRIX.  Indiana Jones is invoked when a treasure map to a lost desert temple pits Qiaofei against a mysterious fedora-wearing fortune hunter named Hua (Daoming Chen) and his rotund, avaricious comedy sidekick Pork Rib (Eric Tsang). 

Qiaofei's "Marian Ravenwood" equivalent is Lan (Chiling Lin), with whom he has a longstanding love-hate relationship that's renewed when she finds herself along for the ride.  Along the way, turbulent reunions with both his sister and the current Eagle of the Desert will yield some heart-tugging drama (or a reasonable fascimile thereof) in addition to more frenetic fight action.

Aside from a few draggy spots (mostly the romantic, touchy-feely scenes), THE TREASURE HUNTER moves through its action setpieces at a pretty fast clip.  A lengthy encounter with a band of horsemen called the Sandstorm Raiders, who are followed everywhere they go by a huge, sandy tornado, turns into a chase that's right out of both THE ROAD WARRIOR and STAGECOACH. 

It's a lively enough sequence which, unfortunately, is marred by the apparent use of the kind of horse-tripping stunts that have always made me cringe.  It's hard to enjoy a scene where dozens of galloping horses are having their front legs yanked out from under them, driving them headfirst into the ground.

The final sequence inside the buried temple--which is reminiscent of Stephen Somers' MUMMY films (in addition to Universal's 1940 THE MUMMY'S HAND)--features people turning into ghouls, ghostly sword-slinging wraiths flitting around, and more Indiana Jones-type booby traps, with some surprisingly good CGI. 

As in various Leone films, Hua's intermittent flashbacks of his first expedition to the site finally play out to reveal why he's so obsessed with finding it again.  This aspect of the story helps add some emotional weight to the film's climax, as does the final scene between Lan and Qiaofei, ultimately making THE TREASURE HUNTER seem slightly more than an elaborate but superficial comic book adventure.  Although, basically, that's exactly what it is.

The DVD from Funimation is in 16:9 widescreen with Dolby Digital soundtracks in Mandarin and English, with English subtitles.  The only extras are trailers for this and other Funimation releases.

Lavish but wildly uneven, THE TREASURE HUNTER occasionally captures the epic feel that it's striving for while remaining, for the most part, a not-altogether successful attempt to transcend its familiar storyline and mish-mash of derivative elements.  If you understood why THE BEASTMASTER was fun to watch on cable back in the 80s, you may find this slapdash adventure mildly diverting as well.

THE TREASURE HUNTER -- DVD Review by Porfle

THE SWORD OF SWORDS -- DVD Review by Porfle

 Originally posted on 1/17/11

 

One of the early Shaw Brothers swordfests, 1968's THE SWORD OF SWORDS helps set the standard for similar films to come with its heroic protagonist facing overwhelming odds to defeat an evil clan amidst a flurry of clashing blades and aerial acrobatics. 

The Sword, which took ten years to forge and, like Excalibur, influences the prosperity of the country whose leader wields it, is in the possession of venerable teacher Master Mui Lingchuen.  On the verge of his death, he announces a competition to decide who is worthy to inherit the invincible blade and deliver it to the prince upon his coronation.  The contest comes down to two men--the kindly young Lin Jenshiau (Jimmy Wang Yu), and treacherous Fang Shishiung, secretly a member of the evil Shang clan. 

Lin emerges the victor, but The Sword proves a terrible curse as the Shangs begin a prolonged assault against both him and his loved ones.  His wife is kidnapped and beaten, his family brutalized, and just about everyone else who helps him along the way meets with violence.  Lin foregoes revenge in order to deliver The Sword to the prince, but is repeatedly drawn into battle as the Shangs' attacks become more brazen and vicious.  Finally he suffers a setback so extreme that it seems nothing can stop Fang from wielding the mighty blade himself.


Director Cheng Kong (THE MAGNIFICENT SWORDSMAN, 14 AMAZONS) does a solid job in this early kung fu effort, although the film retains a rough-hewn quality that adds to its charm.  Camerawork and lighting are very good save for several times in which those trademark whiplash pans get a little out of control.  There are also some pretty jarring transitions between actual locations and studio interiors.

The fight choreography is relatively simple for the most part--you can see how the filmmakers are still developing their staging and editing techniques, and laying the groundwork for the more complicated stuff that will follow in later years.  One showdown between Lin and Fang is wonderfully atmospheric, with a chilly wind giving way to driving snow in the midst of the battle, while another takes place in the pouring rain.  Wirework is sparsely used and varies in quality from crude to fair.  Some of the violence is pretty gory and there are more than a few gushing gouts of crimson. 

The story maintains constant tension throughout, mostly since we're always worrying about what's going to happen next to Lin and his family and friends.  Tragedy upon tragedy is heaped on our beleaguered hero until it becomes rather frustrating to see the bad guys running roughshod over the innocent characters at will. 

It gets to a point where we feel that no amount of vengeance by Lin could be enough.  We even wish he could be a little smarter and more cunning as Fang outwits him at every turn.  How he manages to overcome the grievous injury that eventually befalls him and strike back at the Shangs provides some uplift, but even in the final free-for-all battle for vengeance Lin is in for more soul-crushing heartbreak.


Jimmy Wang Yu (ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN, MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE) gives an earnest, sincere performance as Lin, and is much more realistic and vulnerable than the usual kung fu hero.  In one priceless moment, while torn between rescuing his wife and fulfilling his duties regarding The Sword, Lin actually faces us straight on and asks, "What should I do?"  In another, a volatile domestic scene finds the distraught hero hunched over in dismay as his angry father pounds on his back with a wooden stool.

Fang (Tien Feng), one of the most ultra-vile villains ever, will have you wanting to run him through yourself before it's over.  He just couldn't get killed bad enough for me.  Most of the other actors emote in the broadest, most colorful strokes possible, with much tearful melodrama and gnashing of teeth. 

The DVD from Funimation in in 16.9 with Mandarin and English Dolby mono, and English subtitles.  There are no extras besides some trailers for other releases.  The sound seemed to get a bit sputtery at a few points on my copy--hopefully this won't be a problem with all of them.  See if you can pick out the John Barry "James Bond" samples along the way. 

The arduous narrative finally comes to a head with a furious swordfight between Lin and the Shangs that boasts more energy and enthusiasm than finesse, ending THE SWORD OF SWORDS on a lively note.  This is a fun film with lots of action and drama, but the constantly downbeat tone will definitely give your emotions a workout. 

THE SWORD OF SWORDS -- DVD Review by Porfle

KAMUI GAIDEN -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 12/20/10

 

Based on the popular manga, KAMUI GAIDEN (2009) combines intimate drama and grand adventure with a hefty dose of furious fighting action, in an ultimately tragic tale of feudal Japan in the 17th century. 

Kaimu (Ken'ichi Matsuyama) starts out as a poor farmboy whose people are on the bottom rung of rural society.  Vowing to fight back against oppression, he joins a ninja clan known as the Shinobi but later renounces their violent ways and becomes a fugitive.  When the inhabitants of a humble fishing village offer him refuge, he believes his days of running may be over--until he discovers that the ruthless and tenacious Shinobi always get their man.

With a look as lush and colorful as a basket of ripe fruit, KAMUI GAIDEN is like a glossy graphic novel come to life.  After a brief prologue consisting of panels from the black-and-white manga, summarizing Kamui's miserable early life and induction into the Shinobi, we're thrust into the middle of his ongoing flight from hordes of deadly assassins who will stop at nothing to kill him.  This opening sequence is designed to satisfy our sweet tooth for over-the-top martial arts action for awhile so that the more leisurely-paced main story can commence.

A dense forest is the setting for a string of encounters which utilize painstaking fight choreography combined with fairytale-level wirework--ninjas leap and soar from branch to branch like flying squirrels--and several shots are such an obvious hybrid of live action and CGI that they require a strong suspension of disbelief.  This isn't a problem, though, if one simply goes along with the storybook atmosphere and almost supernatural aura that the sequence conveys.


As if the Shinobi weren't enough for Kamui to worry about, he ends up helping a crazy man named Hanbei (Kaoru Kobayashi) who has just chopped off the leg of a horse belonging to the cruel clan lord Gumbei (Kôichi Satô) and absconded with it.  Hanbei actually has a valid reason for doing so, but this doesn't prevent Gumbei from ordering the deaths of both him and Kamui, which will prove a major inconvenience for them later on.

Much drama occurs back in Hanbei's fishing village as Kamui discovers that the man's wife is Sugaru (Koyuki), a Shinobi warrior woman who escaped from the ninja clan fourteen years earlier after battling with a young Kamui.  Despite Sugaru's lingering mistrust, her daughter Sayaka (Suzuka Ohgo) falls in love with Kamui and Hanbei begs him to stay on and become a fisherman.  This segment of the film glows with scenes of idyllic beauty and romance until circumstances force the family to flee to another island.

Over-the-top CGI makes a grand reappearance when their new island home turns out to be plagued by gigantic leaping sharks that like to eat fishermen.  This leads to one of the film's most outlandish sequences as a shipload of swashbuckling shark hunters known as the Watarishu show up and start lustily hacking and harpooning their way through the toothy critters in exchange for food and supplies from the villagers.  It looks like Kamui has at last found a place in the world where he can cast off his constant mistrust of others and settle down, but alas, things aren't as they seem.


As the film reaches its climax, KAMUI GAIDEN once again becomes a series of life-and-death clashes of fist and sword.  This time, there's a grittier edge that eschews showy fight choreography for a more hard-edged, down-and-dirty approach that reflects Kamui's emotional turmoil and lust for revenge. 

Director Yoichi Sai's staging of the final showdown has the flavor of a Sergio Leone gunfight with the opponents facing off from either side of the screen before going at each other.  Strangely enough, there's even a weird echo of the fight between King Arthur and the Black Knight from MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL.

The 2-disc DVD from Funimation is in 1.78.1 widescreen with Japanese and English soundtracks and English subtitles. Extras include a half-hour "making of" documentary, a behind-the-scenes look at Ken'ichi Matsuyama's extensive training for the action scenes, and several trailers. 

After a darkly comic dash of bitter irony, the ending leaves plenty of room for a sequel, which suits me.  Overflowing with incredible action, beautiful camerawork, and extremely stylish direction, KAMUI GAIDEN is a stirring and visually splendid adventure that engages the viewer on every level.  

KAMUI GAIDEN -- DVD Review by Porfle

CITY UNDER SIEGE -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 12/20/11

 

Some movies are like a feast for entertainment-starved viewers.  The Hong Kong action/sci-fi flick CITY UNDER SIEGE (2010), on the other hand, is like a big bag of potato chips.  But they're some pretty tasty potato chips.

Aaron Kwok (THE STORM RIDERS) stars as Sunny, a bumbling clown in a traveling circus that's passing through Malaysia.  Sunny dreams of following in his late father's footsteps and headlining in the "Flying Dagger" act, but the position is already filled by the vain, cruel Cheung Tai Chu (Collin Chou). 

When Cheung and his circus cohorts stumble across an underground laboratory left by the Japanese in WWII, their search for gold nets them all a lungful of experimental gas intended to create super warriors.  Sunny escapes before they can silence him, but everyone involved begins to mutate in alarming ways during the boat ride back to Hong Kong.  While Sunny undergoes an ultimately more benign change, the others transform into grotesque juggernauts intent on grand theft and citywide destruction.



Comedy and pathos jostle for our attention throughout CITY UNDER SIEGE with Kwok initially playing Sunny for laughs.  An early manifestation of the virulent gas results in him temporarily ballooning in size as Kwok dons a pretty convincing fat suit.  While waddling down the road, Sunny encounters TV newslady Angel (Qi Shu, THE TRANSPORTER) and fixes her flat tire.  Angel later loses her job at the station and becomes Sunny's manager, exploiting him when his burgeoning superpowers turn him into a local hero. 

Things finally kick into high gear when the bad mutants go after Sunny, convinced that an antidote for their painfully extreme ugmo-ism can be found in his blood.  The first fight scene is lots of frenetic fun, reminding me somewhat of the mutant clashes in the "X-Men" movies (to which you'll probably catch a couple of obvious references). 

Jacky Wu (KILLZONE) and Jingchu Zhang are very good as Suen and Tai, two soon-to-be-married cops who specialize in catching supernatural criminals.  The combination of their martial arts skills (Wu is in typically good form here) with plenty of hokey-looking wirework results in some pretty thrilling combat action.  The choreography is good, the CGI isn't overdone, and the direction by Benny Chan (ROBIN-B-HOOD, NEW POLICE STORY) is crisp and stylish, with little or no shaky-cam or distracting editing. 

A slow middle section tracks Sunny's comical rise to fame as a hero and explores the usual mushy relationship stuff.  This is followed by a dazzling battle sequence in a TV studio that pulls out all the stops, filled with fireworks, explosions, lots of hand-to-hand combat and imaginative destruction, and further horrifying mutations as the bad guys continue to evolve (the CGI-enhanced makeup effects are fine) and get even more evil. 



The film takes a sharp turn into tragedy at this point, going for our tear ducts with a maudlin death scene and a sappy song montage that grinds things to a halt.  Finally the action gets back on track when a lovestruck Cheung, now in full body-suit monster mode, kidnaps Angel as Sunny follows in hot pursuit.  Their final clash takes place on a busy four-lane highway with vehicular mayhem galore--the super-powered chaos may remind you of SUPERMAN II at times--and is loaded with some amazing stunts.  (Even the fake wirework is impressive.)  It all comes down to those flying daggers in the end, and another tearful scene of the sort that Hollywood is always getting derided for these days. 

The DVD from Funimation is in 16:9 widescreen with Cantonese and English 5.1 surround sound.  Subtitles are in English.  Bonus features consist of a making-of featurette and trailers for this and other Funimation releases.  The film comes as a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack--this review is for the DVD only. 

While probably in no danger of becoming a classic any time soon, CITY UNDER SIEGE comes through with enough mindless mayhem and agitatin' action to feed the part of our brains that craves hokey cinematic junk food.  It's all that and a bag of greasy chips.

CITY UNDER SIEGE -- DVD Review by Porfle

DROP -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 6/13/11

 

Directed by Japanese comedian Hiroshi Shinagawa and based on his own autobiographical novel, DROP (2009) is a seriocomic coming-of-age story in which the human drama, character interplay, and comedy are punctuated by enough smashing, bashing, punches, and kicks to kill an elephant. 

Naive private school student Hiroshi (Hiroki Narimiya) feels "underestimated", so he transfers to a public middle-school where he can become a delinquent.  His first day brings him into fist-and-kick contact with sullen tough-guy Tatsuya (Hiro Mizushima) and his gang of punky hair-hoppers who wear baggy black suits and are always at war with gangs from other schools.  Hiroshi earns their respect and friendship by getting beaten to a bloody pulp by Tatsuya, and becomes one of the guys.

Long story short--Hiroshi eventually learns that there's more to life than delinquency and trying to look cool, as you might well guess.  But before that happens, DROP is a cavalcade of cartoon violence that's briskly staged and really quite invigorating to watch.  Nobody ever gets badly hurt, even though the blows are bone-crunchingly hard and some of the rumbles escalate into extreme, well-choreographed bloody mayhem.
 


There's even a scene in which the good delinquents borrow Tatsuya's dad's car (he's a crotchety ex-Yakuza who drives a cab and calls everybody "bastard") and plow right into a group of bad delinquents, some of whom crash through the windshield before being flung onto the pavement.  It's all in good fun.

While some of this ultraviolence may be a bit reminiscent of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, these droogies aren't anywhere near as psychotic and they generally keep such activities confined within their own ranks.  They really aren't even rebels without a cause, or what you'd call angry young men, at all--they're just bored and don't want to grow up. 

Fortunately, Hiroshi has a positive role model in his big sister's boyfriend, Hide, a construction worker whose example of hard work and responsibility inspires Hiroshi to consider thinking about maybe being like him someday, after he's had enough fun getting his ass kicked on a regular basis. 

While the taciturn Tatsuya is a "Mr. Cool" type who gains strength from the dramatic intensity of his huge orange mullet, his friends are an amusing bunch who turn out to be goofier than they are threatening.  After a couple of brawny bikers are unleashed on them by one of their weaker foes, the marathon series of skull-bashing confrontations between the two sides eventually becomes comedic. 

A more human and even heartwarming side to the story emerges when Hiroshi acts as peacemaker and invites everyone over to his mom's house for New Year's Eve dinner.  Later, we learn that the delinquents (including an overly emotional fat-Elvis thug who latches onto them because he's lonely) are really a bunch of old softies when they can't hold back the waterworks during their graduation ceremony.



Unfortunately, you can't have all of this extreme roughhousing going on without someone eventually getting hurt, and sure enough, tragedy strikes during the final all-or-nothing rumble against the evil biker gang.  Director Hiroshi Shinagawa deftly switches gears between the violence, comedy, and drama, and we care enough about the main characters to get caught up in what happens to them. 

The DVD from Funimation is in 16:9 widescreen with Dolby Digital stereo in both Japanese and dubbed English.  Subtitles are in English.  There are no extras, save for some trailers for other Funimation releases.  You'll want to watch (or fast-forward through) the closing credits for a couple of added scenes.

The first time I watched this film I was mainly swept up in all the action, but a second viewing made me aware of how much quiet, introspective character interaction there is, especially between Hiroshi and Miyuki (Yuika Motokariya), Tatsuya's former girlfriend with whom he's fallen in love.  The final sequences resolve the story nicely, not quite giving us a happy ending but rather the potential for one.  While being one of the more exhilarating gang-fight films I've seen, DROP has more going for it than that and is ultimately quite moving.

DROP -- DVD Review by Porfle

TAJOMARU: AVENGING BLADE -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 9/16/11

 

In director Hiroyuki Nakano's action-drama TAJOMARU: AVENGING BLADE (2009), which takes place in Japan of 500 years ago, the plot isn't simply the glue that holds a succession of swordfights together.  You might even call it slow, but the story is more than compelling enough to make the wait between clashing blades worthwhile.

The pretitles sequence introduces us to the main characters as children, with older brother Nobutsuna the impending heir to the house of Hatakeyama--thus future deputy to the Shogun--and his younger brother Naomitsu existing merely to serve them.  Naomitsu's good fortune is the love of Ako, daughter to the Shogun' counsellor, which makes Nobutsuna jealous.  When their family retainers catch a starving young thief stealing a potato one day, kindhearted Naomitsu adopts him as a servant and friend and names him Sakuramaru. 

At first, this sequence comes off as a bit overly charming, but it lays the groundwork for future resentments and betrayals among the characters and ends on a dark note, with the randy old Shogun taking an unhealthy interest in Sakuramaru.  Years later, Nobutsuna's (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi) jealousy and desire for a fortune in gold soon to be inherited by Ako will result in Naomitsu (Shun Oguri) and Ako (Yuki Shibamoto) fleeing into the wilderness with Sakuramaru (Kei Tanaka) hot on their heels.  This is just the beginning of Naomitsu's long and winding odyssey through a series of tragic events.

A key sequence involves the young lovers' encounter in the woods with an eccentric bandit named Tajomaru.  Those who have seen Akira Kurosawa's RASHOMON will probably recognize the name, as that film featured Toshiro Mifune in the same role.  Here, he captures the two and manages to cause a rift between them which results in Ako abandoning Naomitsu to his fate.  When Naomitsu defeats Tajomaru in battle, the old bandit bestows upon him both his legendary name and his sword.  Taking up with a comical band of thieves and becoming their leader, his new life offers him freedom while giving the film its only lighthearted moments. 

Later, when Naomitsu is captured attempting to return home in search of Ako, a lengthy trial to establish his true identity allows various characters to relate their conflicting versions of events in another nod to RASHOMON.  As is most of the film, this sequence is absorbing and dramatic (some might say melodramatic, especially when Shun Oguri displays a remarkable ability to turn on the waterworks) with several surprising twists and turns. 

This leads to yet another potentially tragic development for our hero as he and Ako are cast into something called the Pit of Hell, which is pretty much as bad as it sounds.  Needless to say, Naomitsu eventually fights his way back for an opportunity to take on the film's main villain (who shall remain nameless here) and get his revenge in an all-or-nothing battle that reminded me of the long-awaited climactic brawl in THE SPOILERS.  As with the other swordfights which punctuate the story, it's furious and hard-hitting in addition to being realistically and rather elegantly staged, with several shots resembling dynamically-drawn panels from a manga.

Hiroyuki Nakano's direction is solid and the film is filled with beautiful imagery.  Performances are good, with Naomitsu-as-Tajomaru's fiercely loyal band of thieves being among my favorite characters.  The musical score is an odd mix of the traditional with occasional rock songs, which works pretty well for the most part.

The DVD from Funimation is in 16x9 widescreen with Japanese 5.1 and English surround soundtracks.  Subtitles are in English.  In addition to some Funimation trailers, the bonus feature is a Japanese promo for the film which is wonderfully breathless and hyperbole-packed.  The combo pack contains both the DVD and Blu-Ray versions. 

The story of TAJOMARU: AVENGING BLADE unfolds at a leisurely pace but rewards patient viewers with plenty of soulful drama along with some rousing battle action.  While hardly epic in scale, it doesn't need hundreds of extras or a lot of CGI effects to be entertaining.

TAJOMARU: AVENGING BLADE -- DVD Review by Porfle

GOEMON -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 4/16/11

 

A sweeping, densely-packed saga of 16th-century Japan, GOEMON (2009) is a triumphant mix of live-action and CGI whose epic story never gets lost in the visuals.

Goemon (Yôsuke Eguchi), the self-proclaimed "greatest thief in the world", is a Robin Hood-like hero of the poor and downtrodden whose latest daring caper nets him a box containing a terrible secret which could bring the downfall of supreme ruler Lord Hideyoshi (Eiji Okuda).  Hideyoshi's ruthless young underling Mitsunari (Jun Kaname) dispatches his most fearsome assassin Saizo (Takao Ohsawa) to kill Goemon, but the two martial arts masters have a shared history that keeps getting in the way--both were apprentices of the beloved Lord Nobunaga Oda (Hashinosuké Nakamura), whose assassination placed the warlike and power-mad Hideyoshi into power.

As Hideyoshi schemes to conquer China and Korea, he also plans to force Nobunaga's beautiful niece Chacha to become his concubine.  While she and Hideyoshi's general Ieyasu Tokugawa plan to kill him, Goemon and Saizo join forces against him as well.  Tragic consequences ensue, with Goemon torn between his love for Chacha and hatred of violence, and his burning desire to end Hideyoshi's terrible reign once and for all.



A lighthearted, swashbuckling tale in the beginning, GOEMON runs the gamut from colorful adventure to high drama and bitter tragedy, building in intensity and emotional impact until its stirring conclusion.  A number of thrilling action setpieces alternate with scenes of great power, gaining in resonance as the story unfolds.  Having left his apprenticeship with Nobunaga to pursue a life of freedom while Saizo stayed on in his quest to become a samurai, Goemon finds himself drawn into a maelstrom of violence and intrigue that transforms him from an irreverent folk hero into a passionate crusader and potential martyr. 

Much of the film's early humor comes from Goemon's prickly relationship with his fretful sidekick Sasuke (Gori) and an orphaned boy named Koheita (Arashi Fukasawa) whom he adopts after his mother is murdered by Hideyoshi's men.  Goemon sees his childhood self in the boy and teaches him, in Nobunaga's words, to "become stronger" so that he can no longer be oppressed by others.  When the boy seeks revenge against his mother's killer, Goemon is reminded of his own conflicts between peace and violence.  Whether by natural talent or skillful direction, or both, Arashi Fukasawa is so effective as Koheita that he reminds me of a seasoned character actor. 

The entire cast is excellent, with Ryôko Hirosue luminous as the lovely Chacha and Takao Ohsawa a strong and ultimately admirable presence as Saizo.  Eiji Okuda makes the preening, sadistic Hideyoshi a realistically vile character without becoming cartoonish--we even come to understand his motives, kind of, when he explains them to Goemon in an interesting lull during battle as they share some sake on the palace balcony.
 


As Mitsunari, Jun Kaname is the model of sneering, cold-blooded ambition, while Susumu Terajima brings the necessary gravitas to his portrayal of the legendary Hattori Hanzo.  Best of all, however, is Yôsuke Eguchi as Goemon.  Whether playing the carefree master thief basking in the adoration of his fans as he showers them with stolen gold, or thundering on horseback toward certain death against an entire army of soldiers as the resurrected embodiment of Lord Nobunaga, he passionately expresses every nuance of Goemon's spiritual journey during the film.

Much like SIN CITY, GOEMON has the dynamism of a graphic novel come to life but with a rich and consistently dazzling color palette.  Shot on a soundstage with minimal sets against a green-screen backdrop, the film boasts a sumptuous combination of live-action and beautifully rendered CGI that creates its own fantasy world brimming with visual delights.  Without the jarring changeover from live actors to CGI figures that mars such films as SPIDERMAN and BLADE II, these characters remain consistent even when performing impossible moves via motion capture and interacting within wholly fabricated surroundings. 

This allows the filmmakers to convincingly depict the most grandiose setpieces imaginable, from a fiery confrontation aboard exploding warships to a furious battle sequence involving thousands of soldiers, all of which director Kazuaki Kiriya brings off with remarkable skill.  The sadistic execution of a major character in front of a massive crowd of stunned onlookers, who then stage an impromptu revolt against the gloating Hideyoshi, is an emotional highpoint.  Goemon's one-man siege on Hideyoshi's palace is a dizzying array of sweeping camera moves and breathtaking action complete with such "modern" elements as pistols, cannons, and a primitive machine gun.  On a smaller scale but no less effective are the romantic moments between Goemon and Chacha in their dreamlike, firefly-bedecked Garden of Eden.



The 2-disc DVD from Funimation Entertainment is in 16:9 widescreen with Japanese 6.1 and English 5.1 Dolby surround sound.  Subtitles are in English.  Disc two contains a lengthy "making of" documentary, a profile of director Kiriya, and the film's original teaser and trailer, along with trailers for other Funimation releases. 

Upon first viewing, I was dazzled by the visuals but appreciated the film mainly on a superficial level.  Watching it a second time, however, I was better able to digest all the plot details and fully absorb the deep emotional impact of the story.  From laughter to tears and everywhere in between, GOEMON is an exhilarating cinematic journey through a world of wonders.

GOEMON -- DVD Review by Porfle

DRAGON AGE: DAWN OF THE SEEKER -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 5/8/12

 

From director Fumihiko Sori (TO, VEXILLE) comes the CGI/anime epic DRAGON AGE: DAWN OF THE SEEKER, a USA-Japan collaboration which takes Sori's familiar visual style from the hard sci-fi of TO into the realm of sword and sorcery.

When Funimation came calling with a proposal to do the videogame "Dragon Age" as an anime, Bioware creative director Mike Laidlaw was rightfully enthusiastic about the idea.  The result is a dark, mystical adventure filled with magic, dragons, knights, and other fun elements along with a story and characters that are both exciting and involving.

A prologue brings us newbies up to speed pretty quick.  In the land of Orlais, the Divine One rules along with her priestesses known as The Chantry.  A force of knights called the Templars keep order, but it's the stalwart Seekers who guard against corruption in the ranks of the citizenry, military, and ruling elite. 

Those who still practice magic, the Mages, are split into two groups--Circle Mage, who are loyal to the Chantry, and Blood Mage, the rebellious evildoers who abuse their magical powers.  When Blood Mage leader Frenic kidnaps a young Mage girl named Avexis who can control animals, it's part of a plot to use dragons to attack the Ten Year Gathering when all members of the Chantry will be in one place. 

It's up to apprentice seeker Cassandra and Circle Mage member Galyan to find out the truth behind all this and expose the conspiracy of corrupt insiders, but Cassandra's utter hatred of all Mages complicates their accidental partnership.  Cassandra, of course, is a knockout--what fictional warrior woman isn't?--and a fierce fighter, but it's fun watching her discover how much she still has to learn about politics, combat, and human relationships.  Her interplay with the kindhearted Galyan and their eventual friendship are nicely handled. 

When they're framed for murder and treason, Cassandra and Galyan find themselves battling both Templars and Blood Mages in a series of visually stunning battle setpieces, some of which involve monstrous trolls and golems.  Quieter moments allow for some dramatic character interaction that adds depth to Jeffrey Scott's story.

The finale during the Ten Year Gathering is a spectacular sequence in which the two main characters must escape the executioner's axe in time to protect the Chantry from a gaggle of enormous firebreathing dragons bent on destruction.  Fumihiko Sori's soaringly cinematic handling of this thrilling sequence is impressive as are the epic-scale set design and effects.

Fans of TO will appreciate the character design here.  Again, it's a pleasing blend of CGI mock-reality and comic-art style that's neither too realistic (avoiding the "uncanny valley" effect) nor too cartoonish-looking.  Motion capture is used very well and skillful rendering of facial details allows for some very subtly expressive characters.  Vocal performances in both English and Japanese language versions are good.  

The 3-disc Blu-Ray/DVD combo from Funimation contains the English language version on both DVD and Blu-Ray format and the Japanese language version on DVD. Image is 1.77:1 widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound and English subtitles.  Extras consist of a 20-minute "making of" featurette, a tour of Bioware by Mike Laidlaw, production sketches, and trailers for other Funimation releases.

What first seems like a dense, tortured tale that would only appeal to gamers turns out to be an enjoyably accessible adventure with plenty of visual and dramatic appeal.  I've already come across some more hardcore fan reviews comparing it unfavorably with this or that, or pointing out ways in which the animation, voice acting, etc. fall short of the norm, but as for me DRAGON AGE: DAWN OF THE SEEKER is just plain fun.

DRAGON AGE: DAWN OF THE SEEKER -- DVD Review by Porfle

WOLF CHILDREN -- Blu-ray/DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 11/26/13

 

Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda (THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME, SUMMER WARS) opens WOLF CHILDREN (2012) with a scene reminiscent of Miyazaki's KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE--a young girl gazing up at the sky while lying in a field of grass that's gently swaying in the breeze. 

Each girl is about to mature beyond her placid childhood existence, but the differences between that chipper coming-of-age tale and this sometimes tragic, sometimes soaring ode to the love and self-sacrifice of a single mother for her "special" children" soon becomes heartrendingly apparent.

The girl in this high-stakes "coming-of-age" story,  Hana,  will meet a mysterious older boy who's sitting in on some of her classes at school.  A long getting-to-know-you period allows us to settle into everyday urban life in Japan (Mamoru Hosoda has a keen eye for the mundane) as the two of them fall in love.  Then comes the shock: he reveals to Hana that he is, in fact, a "wolf man" who can change into feral form at will. 

Not only does Hana's love for him hold fast, but they're soon expecting a baby girl whom they deliver themselves to avoid "surprising" the maternity doctor.  A baby boy follows soon after, and the couple are happy in their modest lives as apartment dwelling parents.   Then, in the film's first emotional shock, the Wolf Man meets a tragic fate, leaving Hana to raise their increasingly unusual children by herself.

With the older child, Yuki, becoming more and more wild--she loves to switch from human to wolf form in order to run rampant through the apartment or throw tantrums--and even her more timid and humanlike younger brother Ame becoming harder to pass off as "normal", Hana moves the family to a secluded old house in the Japanese countryside.  Here, she believes, Yuki and Ame will be free to decide which life path they want to take, whether it be human or wolf.

At this point WOLF CHILDREN takes on some of the attributes of another gentle, pastoral Miyazaki tale, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, with the two curious children exploring unfamiliar natural surroundings while their single parent gets help settling into country life by a group of kind and sympathetic neighbors. 

But this film lacks the more fanciful elements of TOTORO despite its premise.   (No cat-buses or cuddly giant forest gods here.)  Her wolfishness being an unsubtle metaphor for adolescence, Yuki finds herself longing to attend school and mingle with other children as her human side comes closer to the fore.  It's a transition which will have its share of dire consequences, and we don't know if she can pull it off.

Ame, on the other hand, begins to overcome his timidity and get in touch with his feral side.  To evoke Miyazaki yet again, Ame's excursions into the wild to commune with its denizens in an increasingly profound way recall the title character of PRINCESS MONONOKE, with a similar artistic evocation of nature's insistent lure.

With the opening segment--a mini-movie in itself made all the more devastating by the matter-of-fact portrayal of the Wolf Man's demise--we know we're in for a potentially painful experience.  One, in fact, that I feared would be as bleak and intensely downbeat as the notorious GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES, which it very well could have been since the viewer is just as emotionally invested in  these characters as those in the earlier film. 

Yet instead of trying to put our feelings through a ringer, WOLF CHILDREN is a gentle and sensitively told narrative with moments of joy as well as melancholy and brittle nostalgia.  And it's surprisingly mature, appealing as strongly to adults as well as children and perhaps even more so.  This is Hana's story more than anything else, and her experiences will no doubt be easy for many parents to identify with as she struggles to raise her children while dreading the day they will leave her.

The subtlety of expression and "acting" by these animated characters is impressive.  Hosoda uses fairly realistic character design in the adults, but is a bit more fanciful in depicting the wolf children who are comically drawn during their toddler stages and boast a potent mix of human and animal "cuteness."  It's interesting to watch them grow as fear and uncertainty, as well as increasing awareness, begin to creep into their expressions.

Certain sequences, such as Hana and her children running happily through a snowy forest or a lone wolf racing up the face of a mountain amidst misty waterfalls, are exhilarating achievements despite the mix of traditional animation and CGI.  I feared that the use of digital animation to augment the cel work would mar the film but quickly became accustomed to it. 

Much effort is expended by the animators in depicting mundane, everyday images of life which are also reminiscent of Miyazaki--Hosoda and his artists seem to revel in such throwaway sights as bicyclists passing by and pedestrians going about their business in the backgrounds.  To animation fans, of course, such lovingly-rendered detail is irresistibly immersive.  Other scenes achieve the kind of visual poetry that gives anime its own unique beauty.

The Blu-ray/DVD combo from Funimation is in 16x9 widescreen with Japanese and English soundtracks in Dolby 5.1 surround sound.  Subtitles are in English.  Extras include an actor and staff commentary (U.S. version), several stage appearances by the cast and crew, a live performance of "Mother's Song" by composer Masakatsu Takagi and singer Ann Sally, and a variety of promo videos and trailers for the film.  Feature and extras are combined on one Blu-ray and two seperate DVDs for a total of three discs.

It's been a while since I shed tears of joy over a movie, but the indescribably lovely finale of WOLF CHILDREN reaches a crescendo of genuine emotion and beauty which afforded me that welcome catharsis in a big way, and for that I'm grateful.    Even listening to the exquisite theme song during the closing credits threatened to get me going all over again.  Being given such a feeling by a movie is rare, and I cherish it.

WOLF CHILDREN -- Blu-ray/DVD Review by Porfle

THE LADY HERMIT -- DVD review by porfle

Originally posted on 2/18/11

 

More swordplay and kung fu action, with a little romance thrown in for good measure, should please Shaw Brothers fans in 1971's THE LADY HERMIT, a modest but sincere effort that's pretty entertaining.

Cui-ping (Shih Szu) dreams of taking the martial world by storm and showing off her skills.  She's the usual brash young upstart who's cute and funny but incredibly talented.  Seeking the elusive Lady Hermit to be her master, she meets a humble maid named Miss Leng (Cheng Pei-Pei) and Changchun (Lo Lieh), a handsome security guardsman who is in love with her. 

Cui-ping soon discovers that Miss Leng is actually the Lady Hermit, who has been lying low while healing from a terrible wound inflicted by the evil Black Demon (Wang Hsieh) and his Shadow-less Claw technique.  Lady Hermit has been honing her own Tiger Style skill to combat it and teaches it to Cui-ping, who aims to defeat Black Demon herself.  But when she falls in love with Changchun, a romantic triangle threatens the unity of the good guys before the battle against Black Demon begins.

Without all the tangled plotlines and scads of peripheral characters complicating things, THE LADY HERMIT is much simpler than the usual Shaw Brothers films of the era.  The emphasis is on the three likable main characters and the story moves along at a good pace, with Cui-ping learning Lady Hermit's methods by day and teaching them to Chungchan by night.  The romantic complications that result from this arrangement are engaging without lapsing into overt melodrama.


The frequent battle scenes between the protagonists and the Black Demon's henchmen are lively and surprisingly gory, replete with hacked-off limbs, punctured eyeballs, and lots of blood.  The fight choreography is more piecemeal than usual since none of the leads seem especially adept at martial arts--most of the extended takes feature Cheng Pei-Pei's stunt double.  During the final battle sequence at the Black Demon's lair, however, the shots are longer and more involved, with Shih Szu going through some pretty elaborate moves against scores of opponents. 

Ho Meng Hua's direction seems simple at first but as the action intensifies the camera begins to move impressively, especially during an atmospheric battle within a fog-shrouded bamboo forest.  This small-scale production sometimes has the feel of an old matinee western, even down to some of the loping soundtrack music.  (As usual, a couple of John Barry's "James Bond" cues can also be heard.) 

An exciting sword battle between Cui-ping and several bad guys on a suspended rope bridge has an "Indiana Jones" quality along with some pleasantly hokey miniature effects.  With a number of individual clashes climaxing in a showdown at Black Demon's tower--where we finally get to see him and Lady Hermit fight to the death--the final twenty minutes or so of the film are non-stop action.


Cheng Pei-Pei (of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON and BROTHERS FIVE) makes a solid heroine as Lady Hermit, lending a strong presence to her character.  Shih Szu and Lo Lieh are appealing as her young cohorts, with Shih Szu giving an especially energetic performance.  Unfortunately, Wang Hsieh's "Black Demon" isn't much of a villain--we don't see a lot of him and when we do, he does little besides bark that standard forced laugh and order his henchmen to kill Lady Hermit.  Only in their final confrontation does he start to become somewhat more interesting.

The DVD from Funimation is in 16:9 widescreen with Dolby Digital Mandarin and English mono soundtracks and English subtitles.  There are no extras besides several trailers for other Funimation releases.  As in a couple of Funimation's other Shaw Brothers DVDs, I noticed some occasional "sputtering" on the soundtrack.  I don't know what causes this and it's not a big problem for me, but I thought I should mention it.

With its lean story, likable characters, and fun action scenes, THE LADY HERMIT should be of interest to more than just wuxia fans.  It's one of the most enjoyable small-scale Shaw Brothers films I've seen.    
 

THE LADY HERMIT -- DVD review by porfle

THE SUPREME SWORDSMAN -- DVD review by porfle

Originally posted on 1/18/11

 

A late-era entry in the Shaw Brothers' celebrated series of swordplay thrillers, THE SUPREME SWORDSMAN (1984) benefits from good production values and plenty of action, the only drawback being that sometimes it can't quite decide what kind of movie it wants to be.

The first two-thirds of the story are pretty straightforward, as we join master swordslinger Qin Wu Xin (Pai Piao) in his quest to defeat 100 of the greatest fighters in China and display their weapons in his "100 Sword House."  The film leaps right into the action with three straight duels, bringing Qin's bloody total to 99.  All that's left is for him to challenge you-know-who and claim trophy number 100.  But in a short-but-sweet exchange, he suffers a humiliating defeat.

Seeking a more substantial weapon in hopes of a rematch, Qin calls upon blacksmith Old Eagle, who is fashioning a special sword out of the best materials.  But he then hears of a legendary blade known as Cold Eagle Sword, whose location is known only to the elders of the disbanded Black Magic Clan.  Discovering Old Eagle to be the keeper of Cold Eagle, Qin kills him in another exciting duel and claims it for himself.  Old Eagle's son Yan Bei (Derek Yee) then swears to get revenge and begins to train under the tutelage of the former Black Magic Clan members, wielding his father's specially-crafted sword.


With this set-up, we're treated to one sharply-choreographed blade brawl after another in a fast-paced story that's briskly directed by Keith Li.  The action is fairly grounded in reality compared to other films of this kind, with wirework and fanciful elements kept to a minimum and the main emphasis on furious bouts of swordplay and hand-to-hand combat.  The actors' movements are speeded-up in some shots, which some may find distracting, but otherwise the choreography is impressive.

Shortly after the halfway mark, the original title character disappears entirely from the film, leaving the way open for either Qin or Yan Bei to assume the mantle of "Supreme Swordsman."  When their initial bout leaves Yan Bei wounded, he awakens in a cabin deep within a dark forest.  Here, the tone of the film changes dramatically.

We're suddenly introduced to three previously unseen elements--raucous comedy, weird magic, and a really cute leading lady--when Yan Bei finds himself in the presence of The Three Grandpas and their granddaughter, Qing Qing (Li Tien-lang).   The freaky old wizards overwhelm Yan Bei with their prankishness and beat him senseless until Qing Qing insists that they help the young warrior by teaching him their kung fu. 

Then things really start to get weird when Yan Bei gets drawn into an altercation in a nearby village and tries to rescue a kidnapped girl, which leads him into a strange hidden valley.  Here, he ends up fighting a trio of skull-faced zombies known as the Flying Corpses, a ghostly man named Living Dead who carries his coffin on his back, and an urbane stranger at a banquet table who attacks him with a large fan.


With this extended through-the-looking-glass detour, steeped in farcical humor and the supernatural, the main story seems to have gone off the rails.  The purpose of it becomes clear eventually but it takes awhile for the movie we were watching before to get into gear again, especially since the character of Qin has been absent for so long.

Finally, however, with his new knowledge of several different styles of kung fu and a powerful sword in his hand, Yan Bei takes on Qin in a rousing showdown that's worth the wait.  This sequence bristles with complex lightning-fast moves and stunts, and builds to a suspenseful surprise finish.

The DVD from Funimation is in 16:9 with Mandarin mono soundtrack and English subtitles.  The sound is a little sputtery in a few spots but not enough to bother me too much.  There are no extras save for some trailers for other releases.

Although THE SUPREME SWORDSMAN sometimes resembles two entirely different movies that have crashed into each other, they're both pretty good movies.  And the endless succession of fantastic swordfights should keep Shaw Brothers fans supremely satisfied.

 

THE SUPREME SWORDSMAN -- DVD review by porfle

THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN -- DVD review by porfle

Originally posted on 11/20/11

 

Less a factual film biography than a rousingly ripping yarn, THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN (2010) starts out stately and sober and ends with enough insane fists 'n' feet action to satisfy the most rabid chopsocky addicts.

Steeped in lavish early-1900s atmosphere, the film opens with young Ip Man and his brother Tin Chi, a Japanese street urchin adopted by Ip Man's father, being enrolled in the Wing Chun martial arts school run by master Chan Wah-shun (Sammo Hung) and his assistant Ng Chung-sok (Yuen Biao), who carries on after Chan Wah-shun's death.  The boys form a bond with female student Mei Wai that will later become a tragic love triangle as Tin Chi falls for Mai Wei, who pines desperately for Ip Man.  His heart will be stolen by the deputy mayor's daughter Cheung Wing-shing when they meet during a lantern festival and become an item.

Their meet-cute is followed by the film's first really good fight scene when they both leap to the defense of a girl being attacked by bullies.  Here, Ip Man displays the calm, restrained fighting style that defines his character throughout most of the story.  The first half of the film also features several other interesting clashes, as when Ip Man easily defeats a Westerner making anti-Chinese remarks and then becomes his friend.  Typically, Ip Man (as wonderfully played by Dennis To) manages to be humble and unassuming and yet smugly self-confident at the same time while easily besting his opponent.



His fascination with other styles is stoked when he encounters an old man, Leung Bik (Ip Man's real-life son Ip Chun), who teaches him some unheard-of variations of Wing Chun that infuriate the more traditional Ng Chung-sok.  The film's gentle humor surfaces during Ip Man and Leung Bik's first set-to in a store as they go at it while trying not to break any of the merchandise.  Demonstrating his newfound skills to the violently skeptical Ng Chung-sok upon his return from college leads to another raucous fight which, again, serves the story while adding to its excitement. 

Much of the middle part of the film is devoted to the chaste courtship of Ip Man and Wing-shing as the love triangle heats up, with Mei Wai finally giving in and marrying Tin Chi (a soulful and intense Fan Siu-wong).  Villainy enters the picture in the form of some Japanese gangsters led by Kitano, a smuggler with a mysterious scheme that involves infiltrating a martial arts association whose new chairman is Tin Chi.  Exactly what Kitano's smuggling and how much Tin Chi knows about it leads to high drama and tragedy, including a false murder accusation against Ip Man which lands him in prison. 

The mostly realistic fight scenes in the early part of THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN give way in its final third to the iffy wirework, outlandish action, and superhuman feats common to more traditional martial arts flicks.  When the various plotlines converge at their peak and shocking secrets are finally revealed, the film erupts into searing drama and free-for-all battle action.  No longer simple challenges or exhibitions of skill, these are life-or-death clashes which resolve major plot points, thus conveying considerably more excitement and emotional resonance.



As Ng Chung-sok, Yuen Biao gets his chance to go nuts when he takes on an entire gang of Japanese opponents led by Kitano's daughter Yumi, who is played by the beautiful Bernice Liu in grand "Dragon Lady" style.  Their intensely dramatic encounter is then topped by the last-minute arrival of Ip Man, no longer the humble, unassuming person we've seen up till now but a fierce and breathtakingly skilled warrior bringing all of his abilities to bear.  His thrilling final showdown against a surprise opponent resolves the story in grand operatic fashion. 

Director Herman Yau seems to have seen a few Michael Bay movies in his time, although his more restrained style is neither as flamboyant nor as shameless in trying to yank our emotional strings.  I'd like to have seen more long takes and less rapid edits and flashy camerawork in the earlier scenes, which lessen the effectiveness of the fight choreography.  Later, though, as the fantasy level rises, his style becomes more suitable to the increasingly furious and over-the-top action. 

The DVD from Funimation (also available as a Blu-Ray/DVD combo) is in 1.78:1 widescreen with Cantonese and English 5.1 surround sound, and English subtitles.  Extras consist of a making-of featurette, the original trailer, and other Funimation trailers.

I doubt if very much of THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN happened to the real Ip Man (who went on to train Bruce Lee, but that's a story for the inevitable sequel), but this is rousing, true-blue folk hero stuff.  Flawed but ambitious, it's definitely one of the better martial arts flicks I've seen in a long time.

THE LEGEND IS BORN: IP MAN -- DVD review by porfle