[DeadAlive]

A bit of a catch up from me. Included are comments about films I mentioned earlier in the week.

Sorority Row
Awful remake of the old slasher featuring some rather attracive young ladies all acting like total bitches. After getting through this drivel I found an extra on the DVD that shows all the kills and fast forwards through the rest. I wish I'd just watched that and saved myself 80 minutes.


The Devil's Treasure
This Golden Harvest production from 1973 is more of a chase thriller than a straight action flick but the action there is works pretty well. Sammo Hung (Who was action director on this.) and Whang In-sik appear as Japanese gangsters and both bring a certain presence to their roles. The film is quite dark (I mean that literally at times too.) and does feature some scenes where a child is in peril. O Chun-Hung makes a credible hero while the gorgeous Nora Miao is pretty much relegated to the damsel in distress.


Big Man Japan
Mocumentary Japanese style as we follow Dai Nipponjin during his everyday boring life. It transpires that in actual fact he has an important role to play in society. When called upon he can transform himself into a 30 foot-tall giant and defend Tokyo from the various monsters that try to attack it. There are a few laugh out loud moments along the way as long as you like your humour dry but overall this is more social commentary than anything else. It does outstay its welcome by about 20 minutes and the ending is quite strange too. Approach with caution.


Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein Girl
Comic book style action and gore that really has nothing special to offer. Mindless fun for the most part but you get the feeling early on that you've seen it all before. This is only 85 minutes long but it could have been shorter. I keep adding these Japanese gore films to my rental list only to be disappointed. I guess I'm just not going to find a film of this sub genre that comes anywhere close to "Machine Girl" ?


Ip Man 2
I have to admit that this film has some great action once again provided by Sammo Hung who actually gets to show some stuff (A little bit wire assisted.) this time around. That over and done with I also have to say that this film is a bit of a disappointment after the first film. The racial aspects that have been mentioned more than once in other reviews are justified. It's a little sad really as they do mar an otherwise entertaining piece of fluff.....And fluff is what this second film actually is. The fact that this reminded me more of "Rocky IV" than I really care to admit makes it quite fun to a point, and this is well worth seeing for the action, but don't expect the power in the story that the first film had.


The King Swindler
Sammo Hung is far better than the material he gets to work with in this pretty poor romantic comedy. The few action scenes are about all that's worth seeing with Sammo's version of Drunken Boxing the real highlight. The comedy is the lowest common denominator type where fart jokes are regarded as pretty high brow.


Hatchet For The Honeymoon
Maria Bava film that looks good and manages to stay pretty gore free despite the several murders that occur during the story. It's basiclly an in depth look at a genuine psychotic but sadly the film lacks tension and that is its biggest downfall. I can live without the gore but the film shold at least thrill. Worth a look but not one of Bava's best for me.