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Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Atragon (1963)
The Mu Empire ruled the Earth twelve centuries ago before sinking below the waves of the Pacific Ocean. Now it is ready to rise again and regain its rightful position, subjugating the nations of the world to slavery, but first...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 03:12 AM
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Monday, September 05, 2005
The Transporter 2 (2005)
France/USA. 92 minutes. Directed by Louis Leterrier Screenplay by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen With Jason Statham, Alessandro Gassman, Amber Valletta, Kate Nauta, Matthew Modine If you don't think THE TRANSPORTER 2 rocks, see A SOUND OF THUNDER just...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 08:50 PM
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Shoujyo: An Adolescent (2001)
Japan. 132 minutes. Screened at Facets, Chicago Directed by Eiji Okuda With Eiji Okuda, Mayu Ozawa, Shoji Akira, Mari Natsuki Shot through with pangs of loneliness and despair, SHOUJYO paints an intricately-detailed portrait of an emotionally hollow police officer and...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 07:56 PM
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Sunday, July 31, 2005
Monrak Transistor (2001)
Thailand. 116 minutes. Megastar DVD. NTSC. Region 3. Directed by Pen-Ek Ratanaraug With Supakorn Kitsuwan, Siriyakorn Pukkavesh, Somlek Sakdikul By a plot description of its first 28 minutes, MONRAK TRANSISTOR (aka TRANSISTOR LOVE STORY) sounds like a thousand other romantic...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 10:37 AM
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Friday, July 01, 2005
Howl's Moving Castle (2005) (Dubbed)
Japan. 119 minutes. Released by Buena Vista International Screened at Landmark Magnolia, Dallas, TX Directed by Hayao Miyazaki With the voices of Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, Lauren Bacall Certain critics have suggested how ironic it is...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 12:15 PM
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Thursday, June 23, 2005
Face (2004)
Korea. 84 minutes. Screened at the Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago, IL. Directed by Yu Sang-gon With Shin Hyeon-jun, Song Yun-ah Life takes some funny turns. On short notice I found myself in Chicago last Saturday afternoon. Taking a walk...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 03:13 PM
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Thursday, April 28, 2005
Zee Oui (2004)
Is it possible to go wrong with a true story about a cannibalistic child killer?
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 08:16 AM
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Thursday, April 14, 2005
Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong (2004)
If you think the term "chop socky" is perjorative, don't let that keep you from picking up this disk. For newcomers, or friends you want to introduce to the cinematic wonders awaiting on your DVD shelf, it's an ideal primer.
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 01:01 AM
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Thursday, April 07, 2005
Koma (2004)
Imagine drunkenly stumbling into someone else's hotel room and discovering a ghastly scene of bloody violence. That's what happens to Ching (Angelica Lee) after a friend's wedding, and soon she is set on a collision course with organ thieves.
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 01:12 AM
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Saturday, April 02, 2005
Steamboy (2005)
What if Germany had won World War II? What if the South had won the Civil War? What if steam power took over the world?
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 12:00 PM
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A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
We know something is not right from the first very scene. A car drives through a beautiful rural countryside and stops outside a peaceful house surrounded by blooming flowers near a lake.
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 11:24 AM
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Friday, April 01, 2005
Bad Guy (2002)
South Korea. 100 minutes Directed by Kim Ki-duk With Jo Jae-hyeon, Seo Won, Kim Yun-tae, Choi Duek-mun, Kim Jung-young It's an incredibly alluring poster. Beware - it may draw you into its web and kill you. Korean director Kim Ki-duk...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 01:10 AM
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Thursday, March 31, 2005
102 Bangkok Robbery (2004)
Thailand; 91 minutes VCD; Region 0; NTSC Directed by Thanit Jitnukul With Ampol Lampoon, Chatchai Plengpanich A bloody gun battle erupts in a jungle. An equally bloody gun battle erupts in a city. What has happened? According to the helpful...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 12:09 AM
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Friday, July 02, 2004
The Big Heat (1988)
Hong Kong. 91 minutes. Mega Star DVD. Region 0. NTSC. Directed by Johnnie To and Andrew Kam Yeung-Wah Written by Gordon Chan With Waise Lee, Philip Kwok, Paul Chu, Joey Wong A drill bit pierces a hand, and we’re off...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 11:04 AM
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Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Full Metal Yakuza (1997)
Japan. 103 minutes. ArtsMagic DVD. Region 1. NTSC. Directed by Takashi Miike. "I am a self-proclaimed mad genuis scientist. But many people call me the Nutty Professor." Let's take the easy route and pretend that the words above are...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 09:03 AM
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Thursday, January 29, 2004
Police Story II (1988)
Hong Kong. 101 minutes. Deltamac DVD. Region 0. NTSC. Directed by Jackie Chan. Written by Jackie Chan and Edward Tang Ging Sang. With Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk A sequel that is a notch below the original, yet still vastly...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 04:22 PM
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Saturday, June 21, 2003
Tattooed Life (1965)
Original Title: IREZUMI ICHIDAI Japan. Screened at the Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood. Directed by Seijun Suzuki. In 1965, we come to a period in which Seijun Suzuki was experiencing frustration with the studio system. In the following two years he would...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 08:30 PM
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Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter (1970)
Original Title: NORA-NEKO ROKKU: SEKKUSA HANTA Japan. Screened at the Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood. Directed by Yasuharu Hasebe. With Meiko Kaji, Tatsuya Fuji Here's a tip for all middle-aged men: if you see an attractive young woman in a schoolgirl outfit,...
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 08:18 PM
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Wednesday, June 11, 2003
Love For All Seasons (2003)
If you want a real Chinese New Year's comedy, look no further. It's a well-made entertainment that falters in spots but remains quite satisfying.
Posted by Peter A. Martin at 08:37 PM
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