Welcome to the Reviews section,
where I give my thoughts on anime series and movies that I've
seen. This section started out concentrating entirely on Dragonball Z,
but a while back I expanded it to other anime and recently to foreign films. I hope
to make this section this website's main attraction in the future. I decide which
country the films are from based on imdb.com.
Quick Reviews
Alive (2002): I bought this movie because the previews made it look promising. The
movie starts off well. Two convicts take part in an experiment where we have no idea
what is going to happen. Things keep getting more and more interesting, especially
when the strange girl is introduced. I'm a sucker for movies that mainly take place
in one setting, relying on dialogue, acting, and surprises to draw the viewer in
(Saw, Phone Booth, Reservoir Dogs). I had very high hopes for this movie until the military
bigwig shows up with his own plans for the experiment. After that, things begin getting corny.
As the fight between the soldiers and the main character, Tenshu breaks out, the movie takes
a turn for the worse and the awkward corniness gets out of control. The last five minutes
leaves you saying, "...Huh??" to yourself. If you're going to see this, I'd recommend renting
it or perhaps getting someone you know to rent it for you. If you have a choice between this
movie and any of the other ones on this page that have a good review, then pick one of those.
(Japan)
Attack the Gas Station (1999): I loved this movie! It had a very unique story, good
character development, and some really funny scenes. One of the best foreign films
I've ever seen. I would definitely recommend renting or buying this film. (South Korea)
Battle Royale (2000): This movie is amazing; it is definitely one of my favorite movies.
Some people may be turned off by the fact that junior high school students are killing each
other, but the actors and actresses don't really look like they're in that age range so it
isn't as brutal as it could be. The score is incredible, the acting is good, and the action is
good. There are some very memorable and moving moments in this film. The director's cut isn't
much different from the original, but I feel that the extra scenes added enhance the
experience. (Japan)
Cat and Mouse (2003): I can't say I enjoyed this movie as much as I thought I would. From
the looks of it, Cat and Mouse seems like it's going to be a comedy. However, there are
very few funny scenes in this film. Furthermore, the ones that are there really aren't that funny.
I would describe Cat and Mouse as a light-hearted action film, one that isn't meant to be taken
seriously. The few actions scenes that took place were very well done though. There were some
clever maneuvers and attacks done by the two main characters, played by Andy Lau
and Cecilia Cheung. Lau and Cheung did all they could've with their roles; they are amazing
actors (well, actor and actress). I can't say I know many Chinese comedies so if you're looking
for something in that genre I don't know what else to tell you to rent. If you're looking for
a funny asian film I would recommend Attack the Gas Station instead. (Hong Kong)
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000): This movie was quite enjoyable and has some incredible
fight scenes. The main characters are played by very talented actors, one of whom is
Ziyi Zhang, who is one of my favorite actresses. I do believe however that this movie is a
little overrated. I still recommend seeing it though. (China, Hong Kong)
Deadly Outlaw Rekka (2002): This may be my favorite Takashi Miike movie. While I would
label this as an action film, one of the best aspects of it is the comedy. There are
several hilarious moments in this film. The scenes involving a rocket launcher are so
great because of how ridiculously powerful the rockets are. The music is also very unique
and fits the film perfectly. It's interesting to watch the interview with Miike, one of the
DVD's special features, to learn the backstory behind the music selection. I label this an
action film because there are a couple of rather brutal fight scenes. And who can forget the
guns. I've already mentioned the rocket launcher, but there's one thing I'll never forget:
the biggest gun wieldable by one man that I've ever seen. You'll see what I mean :) While the
ending may feel lacking to you, it is still classic Miike. Buy this DVD. It should be cheap.
I bought it for 10 dollars at Best Buy. (Japan)
Dream of a Warrior (2001): This movie is what I like to call a "WTF movie" because of the
number of times it causes you to say that to yourself. There are a lot of parts that
just make no sense. What was with the helmet that the main character suddenly fought with
near the end? What's with the flashback scenes? There were a couple of times in
the movie moments in the story that happened in the past are put together while music
plays. Being less than an hour and a half long, this movie is too short for that. The
worst one dealt with two characters that were probably introduced 20 minutes beforehand.
The editing in this film could've used some work too. The fight scenes would've been a lot
better if they had just edited them better. Instead they were put together real awkwardly
and in slow motion for no reason sometimes. The picture was also a little grainy, which
made the film seem a lot older than it actually was. If there's one good thing this
film has, it's music. I really enjoyed the wide range of music the score covered. I can see
how the idea used behind this film could turn into something really cool, but too many wrong
decisions were made for this one. (South Korea)
Hero (2002): This movie was incredible. I enjoyed it far more than Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. The
story has several twists and turns, several amazing fight scenes, fantasic acting, and very
beautiful, artistic filmography rivaling Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Ziyi Zhang is also
in it, need I say more? (China, Hong Kong)
In the Mood For Love (2000): This movie was good, but isn't one of my favorites. The acting coming from
Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung was amazing, as is to be expected. Loved the camera angles on Maggie Cheung.
The plot was good. However, the types of movies done by Kar Wai Wong aren't really my type, being slow,
artsy, and being more detail-oriented than plot. (Hong Kong)
Fulltime Killer (2001): This was a really good movie. The two main characers, O and
Tok are played by very good actors. There are some really funny scenes in this film
and some pretty good action scenes as well. I would definitely recommend seeing
this film. (Hong Kong)
Oldboy (2003): I wasn't sure what to expect when I started watching this movie. I just heard
that in the beginning there's this guy who's kidnapped for 15 years for no reason. I also
heard it was a good movie. All I can say is, "Wow." One of my favorite aspects of this movie
are the extremely unexpected twists and turns in the plot. The acting is also extraordinary,
particularly on behalf of Min-sik Choi (Dae-su) and Ji-tae Yu (Woo-jin). There are a few moments
that make you cringe, but they're not that bad; I've seen worse. There is also a
fight scene that's all done in one take. A lot of people don't like it, but I thought it was
cool. I wouldn't recommend watching this with anyone (particularly family or
significant other) other than friends or by yourself the first time because some really messed
up stuff happens. After watching it the first time, then you can decide whether or not you can
show it to them. After you watch it
for the first time, you'll understand my suggestion. A lot of people seem to hate this film
because they think it's overrated and unbelievable. But I think they just don't like it because
so many people do. (South Korea)
PTU (2003): There are a lot of scenes in this movie that I didn't understand where
they were going. It seems like they want you to care about and like the "good guys" in this
film but there's just no way to with the way the characters behave. The ending is kinda cool
but that was the only good part of this movie, in my opinion. (Hong Kong)
Rashômon (1950): I love this movie. It is old, so it's in black and white, but
if you can get over that, over-the-top acting, and occasional very long shots, then you'll enjoy
this one. It's based on a story called "In a Bamboo Grove", but Kurosawa adds his own touch,
making it even better. The only thing that I thought was out of place was the ending that felt tacked on.
The movie revolved around how truth is subjective, but then Kurosawa tacked on something extra to show that
there is hope in the human race afterall. Even so, this is probably one of my favorite Japanese movies. (Japan)
Shimotsuma Monogatari (2004): I don't even know how to explain this movie... it's crazy.
It's about this girl who grows up with no friends and is obsessed with the Rococo era in
France. She meets a female biker who's the complete opposite of her and they hit the road and become friends.
This movie is funny and creative. The main character, Momoko, is GORGEOUS and the cinematography
is amazing. This film has sort of a chick-flick feeling to it, but it's still good. (Japan)
Six Strong Guys (2004): This movie was a little different than I thought it would be. The
cover makes it look like it's gonna be super wacky and hilarious. I guess I should've known
by now not to judge a movie by its cover... should've read the back for a description at least.
But don't get me wrong, this was a good movie. It's about five guys; the other guy
has a very minor role in the film. The story starts off with four friends who are upset with
their lives and are going to jump off a building to end it all. Of course, they survive and we
get to see why they made such a decision. As time goes on, each character tries to improve
their lives in some manner. We also get to meet the sixth guy, who is the boss of one of the
friends. The two make friends and we learn that he too is facing a stressful situation at work.
He was a very interesting character; I liked him. This movie starts off a comedy and almost
turns into a drama, but funny moments occur every now and then to keep you out of the dumps.
This movie was very heartwarming and sad at times. The characters were fairly well-developed
and I found myself feeling for them at times. The acting was very good. I would recommend this
film to anyone who wants to watch a fairly solid drama/comedy but isn't looking for a movie
that'll sweep them off their feet. (Hong Kong)
So Close (2002): Blah, this movie was okay, but nothing great. They try really hard
to make you hate the villains, but it just didn't work. Too many tacky scenes
and some serious over-dramatization. Vicki Zhao was great as always but it just
wasn't enough to make me like this film. (Hong Kong)
Star Runner (2003): A pretty good action film. It's about kickboxing and has some
really good fighting scenes. The relationship between the two main characters is a little
weird sometimes, but I got into this film and enjoyed it. (Hong Kong, South Korea)
Yojinbo (1961): An Akira Kurosawa film about a ronin who comes to a town divided by two gangs of criminals.
Being a Kurosawa film, I expected greatness and was satisfied. This film has a good story, good acting, and
interesting characters. Sanjuro, the badass main character, is a really likeable and memorable character. The
ending was kind of abrupt and I didn't really care for the music, but the film was quite enjoyable and I'd
recommend it to anyone who's willing to watch a movie that's not in color. (Japan)
Zatôichi (2003): I expected this film to be all Blockbustery with too many special
effects and unrealistic fight scenes. It turned out to be quite different, which is
definitely a good thing. I liked this movie because of its good fight scenes and funny moments.
Unfortunately, almost all of the blood is computer animated which at times doesn't look very
realistic. The final duel was also a bit disappointing. Even so, I would still recommend this
film because it was an enjoyable watch. Don't choose this over really good films such as
Hero or Fulltime Killer though, if you have the choice. (Japan)
Extensive Reviews
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Shaolin Soccer
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A Chinese comedy about Shaolin Kung-Fu applied to soccer directed
by Stephen Chow.
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Yakuza Demon (Kikoku)
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No idea why they decided to rename this movie to "Yakuza Demon", but
this movie is a dark Yakuza drama about a group of three underdog
Yakuza who work for a weaker Yakuza family.
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Azumanga Daiô TV Series
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The crazy adventures of a group of high school girls from their
sophomore year all the way up through graduation (26 episodes).
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Rurouni Kenshin TV Series
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Two years in the life of an ex-assassin
samurai. The story takes place ten years after Kenshin has vowed to never
take another human life (95 episodes).
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Lonely Final Battle
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The story of Goku's father's resistance against Freeza
up through the destruction of Planet Vegeta.
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Super Saiyajin Son Goku
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Lord Slug comes to the Earth to steal its resources. In the process
of taking over Earth, he sees a Dragonball and is reminded of the legend. After gathering them
and making a wish, he must be stopped.
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Clash!! 10,000,000,000 Power Warriors
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A massive, living planet called the Big Getti star latches onto New Namek to
devour it. All of the Namekians are captured by powerful robots. Goku and others head there on a spaceship
to investigate.
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Dangerous Partners! Super Warriors Never Rest
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Brolli lands on Earth in a saiyajin spacepod and is awakened by Goten's crying.
Mistaking Goten's crying for Goku's, he gets angry and causes a series of earthquakes. When Videl finds
him she's attacked. Goten, Trunks, Gohan and others join in the fight soon after.
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The Rebirth of Fusion!! Goku and Vegeta!
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Something goes wrong in Hell, causing the dead to
come back to the Earth. Goku and Vegeta go to Hell to fix the problem while
Gohan, Videl, Trunks, and Goten stay behind to fight the undead.
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Section created: 5/29/00 | Section updated: 6/8/07
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