Asian Cinema

[Demoncrat]

Magnificent Thunderbolt (1985, Godfrey Ho)

Is it that time again?
Blinding opening opens into a rather more grounded flick.
Deceit, double dealing and damage to the upper body? CHECK! Deftly demeaned womenfolk? CHECK!
Yet again, the sheer joy of watching real humans do these stunts overwhelms such piffling concerns as logic and t'ing. SIGH.

[Demoncrat]

Rock And Roll Cop (1994, Kirk Wong)

Anthony Wong plays it fairly straight in this. When criminals avoid surveillance to pull off a rather violent robbery, AW is sent to the mainland to track 'em down. Nothing is ever as black and white as tis in Hypocritewood capers though.
Decent set pieces. Not one for fans of felines ahem.

[Demoncrat]

Message From Space (1978, Kinji Fukasaku)

SW knock off from a director you should all know.
Rag tag bunch tasked with defeating a mighty foe? Grizzled old salt with kooky companion? Model work a go go??
A slightly sombre hoot this one. Even with the glowing nuts ahem (don't stand so close to the reactor then ... )
It may end with the obligatory "message of hope", but this is easily my favourite line in the whole thing ....
"You want fancy? Get yourself a French robot!!"

[Demoncrat]

Terminal Angels (1987, Godfrey Ho)

Ho does it again.
A journalist comes unstuck when she finds a cache of photos incriminating a local big wig. Shenanigans ensue somewhat

[Demoncrat]

The Heroic Trio (1993, Johnny To)

Fun cape-r with that non euclidean logic that we love.
When several children are kidnapped, an unusual duo arrive to investigate.
JT does it again more like. Whilst not as absolutely cuckoo as the live action Wicked City, this has many highlights including a set piece at a train station that I had to rewind as I started coughing during it
Recommended.


THT.jpg

[Demoncrat]

Thunder Of Gigantic Serpent (1988, Godfrey Ho)

How I love this man. Let me thee the ways ....

Scientists make a big frog. Bad guys try and steal said amphibian. When this escapee crosses paths with a child's pet, all hell breaks etc.
Fun AF this one. The usual tin ear for dialogue and unofficial ST are in place. The villians all wear slacks which makes them look like they're off golfing next
The finale. Wow. Unparalleled HO madness. A hoot. It's on YT. ENJOY!!!

[Demoncrat]

Carter (2022, Jung Byung-Gil)

Probably the best game I've played this year
Part Bourne, Raid, Uncharted amd Hardcore Henry, this I'll recommend for the sheer verve of it. The camerawork. If it didn't go totally hatstand at the end, film of the year. Recommended. Did I say that?



Cold Fish (2010, Sion Sono)

A charming family tale as old as time. Less ... volumptuous than his later work, this one hooks you alrighty ...
Accepting a kind turn leads to all sorts of shenanigans for one chap and his brood. Still hasn't lost any of its power either. Recommended.

[Demoncrat]

Jungle Heat (1985, Jobic Wong)

Vietnam caper.
A platoon is captured and tortured. Some animal cruelty early doors spoils this daft all out actioner, that I would praise more if the horribly cropped print and surrealist subtitles ... " Give him some face!!" ... didn't put this old demon's head in a right old spin I tells ye.
I digress.
Very violent in places. As far as I could see, it could all look fake as anything in pristine condition. It did give me vibes of sticking the tape in the machine and seeing what you actually had hired.
Sigh.