I know Andrew Lau’s Wuxia films tend to get a lot of heat for their direction and effects (at least in the west) but I was honestly quite a fan of A MAN CALLED HERO and THE STORMRIDERS, so I figured witnessing another collab between him and Ekin Cheng (plus the ever entertaining Andy Lau) would be right up my alley.

The titular duel of the film centers on two master swordsmen (Andy Lau and Ekin Cheng), one of which becomes a suspect in a murder case within the emperors palace. A large part of the film is focused on Nick Cheung’s character who does detective work to figure out what’s going on, leading up to the big match. The segments with Cheung (usually accompanied by Zhao Wei as the princess) often veer into more comedic territory and honestly this is where I felt the film was at its weakest. A friend of mine described it as Lau trying to do a Stephen Chow style comedy with these portions but honestly while I didn’t think the humor was bad per se I just wasn’t very interested.

When the film is more serious and leaning more into the drama and romance I was enjoying it alot more than when it was being comedic. Thankfully the last half is more of what I enjoy, and the eponymous duel that the film was building up to is definetly worth the weight. The choreography is nice and the energy on display is thrilling, probably visually a step up from Lau’s earlier cgi infused Wuxia battles. 

Overall, I liked this less than Andrew Lau’s other action films of this time but for the most part it was fine. I really wished this movie focused on the characters played by Andy Lau and Ekin Cheng more because they were honestly the most interesting ones in the movie. At its worst the comedy was rather dull and lacked the energy that it really needed, but at its best I was really drawn in by the drama and it ended with a bang.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING is perhaps the biggest, boldest swing the franchise has ever took. Stakes have never been higher, the plan has never been more multifaceted and intricate, and the villain has never been more crafty… They really went the extra mile to make this one truly feel like the *final* mission to end all missions…  and I’m happy to say that they absolutely knocked it out of the park here.

I truly loved how it really felt like the brought the whole franchise together for this one and made it feel like such as a love letter to the franchise and the fans who’ve loyally followed it all these years. I know some have said it as bit too reference heavy, but for a franchise that has rarely if ever delved into the realm of being “self referential” or having fan service I think some leeway is allowed here. I mean come on, it’s the last one of these, let them have their cake and eat it too. There is one callback to the past involving the true identity of a character that, I’ll it, felt like a bit much and I’m not sure if it really stuck the landing there, but it’s a small gripe.

I think among all the great things here such as the stunts and the performances of the cast, I really just loved how big and sprawling the story was. I don’t know if I can even do it justice without spoiling too much, but I simply loved how the story played with your expectations and how it was able to really throw in a few curveballs and play with the odds and how you think the “game” of sorts was meant to be played. You really feel like Ethan and the gang are pushed to the limit to stop the ever growing Entity, moreso than they have in the past with any other threat, and there are times where you wonder “can they truly beat the odds this time?”

Marathoning all the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE movies this past week or so has really been a blast. Not only have I rediscovered my love for the series and how much of a blast they are, but I’ve been constantly finding new things to appreciate in each and every film. Honestly, I’m really going to miss going to see these in the theater every 2-3 years… this is going to the last time I get to see a new adventure with Ethan, Luther and the gang and damn I’m kinda sad to see it end.  But at the same time, I’m happy that the series got to end with such a big, beautiful bang.

Don’t have much to say that I didn’t already cover in my initial reaction. I know many say this was a step down from the last two McQuarrie directed MISSION films but honestly I feel like things just get better and better for him. It’s simultaneously darker more funny than FALLOUT, with Ethan’s final trick against Gabriel being genuinely one of the funniest things I’ve seen in recent years.

Saw someone point out how McQuarrie‘s films seemed very much influenced by the John Glenn era James Bond films and honestly I really see it in this one. You have bits that appear to be direct influences from FOR YOUR EYES ONLY and OCTOPUSSY on full display here, I even get a bit of vibes from THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS with Ethan’s first meeting with Ilsa. As someone who loves that era of Bond, I gotta say the influence is deeply appreciated. 

I think this has two of my favorite set pieces from the series: the opening with the sub and the final part of the train sequence. The former is just full of suspense and does a great job at conveying such a terrifying situation, while the later is equally as suspenseful but has a lot of intricate little moments that really get the heart racing. Extra points to the bits that I feel were a bit of a tip of the  hat to THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK (the best Jurassic Park sequel).

I’m not sure how THE FINAL RECKONING will be able to top this but I have full trust in Chris and Tom to deliver.

Now that’s what I’m talking about.

A part of me laments that they never continued the trend of new directors bringing their own unique vision to the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE franchise, but I can’t deny that Christopher McQuarrie REALLY showed how hard he could cook with his second entry and it resulted in one of the all time greatest action movies ever. It has it all, the memorable locations, the thrilling set pieces, characters really giving it their all and enough twists and turns to make you second guess what’s next. Few movies open up with a fake out as sick as this and man it just never lets up.

I don’t think I have a ton to say about this one that others haven’t already said, but I just think it speaks for itself. ROGUE NATION was a strong start for McQuarrie’s reign in the directors chair for the series and FALLOUT just is an improvement across the board. Curious to see how the next two movies stack up, but for at least the first 6 entires this stands as the peak.

Kinda going back and forth on where I rank this from, and part of me wonders if I’m kinda tainted a bit by loving FALLOUT and DEAD RECKONING so much…

Like damn this is a damn great movie. Great set pieces, a solid villain, brilliant new character in the form of Ilsa Faust, and and this was the first MISSION I got to see in theaters and TWICE at that… I just feel it’s missing a bit of an extra “oomph” to really push it over the edge. Honestly I’m writing this while I was pausing at the halfway point in Christopher McQuarrie‘s next film in the series and then it clicked with me that as great as this film is, FALLOUT shows me that this formula and style could be done even better.

Maybe it’s a bit like SKYFALL where I still enjoy the film but in so familiar with it that it loses a bit of luster… but I have seen FALLOUT as many times yet I’m not getting the same feeling. Maybe it’s on of it spending its big set piece so early that the ending doesn’t have the same rush that GHOST PROTOCOL had. Also, I do think it probably has something to do with a Lack of memorable locations compared to the others, or at least ones that feel different. 

I know I sound down on the film but it couldn’t be further from what I feel, I guess I use view this as sort of the start of its own series within the MI series in the sense that this is McQuarrie’s initial take but he just keeps getting better as the films go on, so ROGUE NATION doesn't seem as impressive. But I assure you, this is still a Fantastic entry in the series. I wonder if I’d feel different if this was McQuarrie’s only mission with morning to compare it to…

Damn, more like Mission Impossible GOAT Protocol…

This is an entry that holds a special place to me, one because it was the first MI film I ever saw way back in the early 2010s and two because I really don’t think it gets the credit it deserves. You always hear people credit MI3 For being the one that “saved the franchise” or “set the formula” when really both of those really should be credited to Brad Bird’s 2011 entry.

In fact, I’ll go as far as to say GHOST PROTOCOL pretty much saved Tom Cruise as a movie star in addition to the franchise itself. Mission Lore enthusiasts will know that part 3 was the lowest grossing entry in the series, but it was no fault of its own, rather I think the general public just kinda sick of Tom at the time. Whether it be due to tabloids, controversy, or simply being around too much, it was a case of too much publicity being bad publicity and as a result Tom wasn’t in a lot of movies like he usually was between Missions 3 and 4. However, it seems that thanks to this (and his more comedic turn in TROPIC THUNDER), Cruise found his footing again as a movie star and really got his groove back.

And honestly GHOST PROTOCOL really feels not only like a come back but a breath of fresh air for the series to take it in a new direction that seems to have guided the series since. Brad Bird brings a more light hearted touch to the film, feeling a bit more comedic at times and has a more adventurous feel to it not too dissimilar to the Roger Moore James Bond films. Ironically, the most light hearted Mission yet probably has the biggest stakes, but it never felt like it lost a beat in either way, you still feel the tension and thrills but it’s just played more for fun this time, less violent as well.

Although the vibe here very much is “Ethan/Tom is Back” this is really where the team dynamic finally clicks and comes into its own. It’s a shame to have less Ving Rhames and I gotta take some points away, but it earns those back with how great the team of Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, and Simon Pegg work together along with Cruise. They have great chemistry and honestly I wish we got to see more of Patton in the sequels since they all work so well together.

While the series had impressive stunts before, this is the one that really felt like they put more of a focus and emphasis on having “a big one.”the two things I think people most about this movie are the “Ethan Running” sequence which is now mot only a staple of the series but has been a Source of parody (I know 3 had one but this feels more iconic) and the big stunt at the Burj Khalifa which still holds up. The big climb is probably, if I were to be so bold, the big stunt of the series (unless FINAL RECKONING manages to top it). Just big bombastic spectacle that gives you chills just thinking how they pulled it off. 

Overall, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL is probably my favorite of the first four Missions. It just has all the right ingredients coupled with the epic feel of Tom’s big comeback. It’s a shame Brad bird hasn’t done more stuff in live action because with good material he really excels, maybe we should’ve given this man Star Wars…

I’m by no means a fan of JJ Abrams, and honestly I’m not that big on Orci and Kurtzman’s writing credits outside a handful of things, but man this one was pretty damn solid.

ittedly the direction is far below that of De Palma and Woo and (like a lot of action films from this time) it suffers from that Bourne influenced “shaky cam” style in the sense that (like a lot of films that were influenced by that movie) it really doesn’t know how to employ it well, but where this film is strong is in its story and the acting from the cast especially Cruise. Ethan Hunt here is a more calmed down version of the more eccentric type we’ve seen in the last film, and it fits considering how the character progression is going. He’s had his fun and adventure but tries to settle down for something more fulfilling, but duty calls. It’s great as always to see Luther and Hunt have their buddy moments and while I don’t think the team here is as strong as it would be in the later installments they all have their moments.

Philip Seymour Hoffman usually gets the most praise here Among the cast and it’s warranted. Though his character isn’t the most deep or complex, his acting and delivery really sells all those tense moments where he’s threatening Ethan. 

I know I just complained about the action not long ago but that’s mostly just with the hand to hand stuff, as when the film goes bigger it really goes all out. Not as spectacular as the first two but it’s entertaining enough. I wish it was shot better though overall, the cinematography and visuals do take a hit this time around, but most of the time what was being shown onscreen is entertaining enough to overcome that. 

Being an Abrams film we have a lot of those tropes and trademarks of his that he would be rather infamous for later, but here thankfully they aren’t really that bothersome. Even though the Rabbit’s Foot is a mystery box that *SPOILER* doesn’t really have any resolution, the film doesn’t make that the big kicker but rather it’s just something to propel the action. Not going to lie though, it is a damn shame that there is no big heist here and the fact that it’s all offscreen is a bit of salt on the wound. 

Overall, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 3 may not be as great as the first two films but it’s still alot of fun in spite of its shortcomings. Really makes you wonder what happened with JJ Abrams’ directorial credits as really this and SUPER 8 are kind of his peaks before getting lost in the franchise mines. Well, even as a man who doesn’t usually like the guy’s work, this is a pretty solid flick.

The John Woo super-fan in me looks at MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 and thinks “Man, there’s really a lot of him in of his trademark character dynamics and storytelling that isn’t in this…” but the same super-fan also thinking “…but he still directed the hell out of this though…”

The first two MI films definitely feel like a case where there was an idea/script already in place beforehand and certain ideas that Cruise and co. set in place and the directors kinda just had to make due with what they were allowed. I do think De Palma had the benefit of having David Koepp rewrite a lot of Robert Towne’s stuff to allow for more freedom or at the very least give him a leg up, whereas John Woo had to work with a solo Towne effort. I think both resulting films are very stylish and unique films even within the realm of this franchise, even with the limitations in place.

Of the 5 directors who brought their unique visual eye to the franchise, John Woo is my favorite and the one I have the most connection to in of his body of work. I’ve seen Woo get a lot of criticism for some of the flaws of this film that I don’t think are fairly directed at him, as, even though I do rate this highly, I know that a lot of the substance of this film that’s within the story and writing does ultimately come from Towne and likely Tom Cruise himself. I look at this film and some of its moments and can almost see the missing pieces of the puzzle that would’ve made this have more of Woo’s authorial stamp.

I think of John Woo’s trademark usage of the theme of brotherhood and the bond between friends and think “Wow, this is where they could have shown a light on Ethan and Luther’s friendship even more, developing it more and further demonstrating the chemistry that Rhames and Cruise have.” I think of the dastardly villains of John Woo’s classics and think “Wow, Ambrose does kinda feel like a light weight.” Yes, Dougary Scott’s character is no doubt an asshole who’s cruel to his allies and sexist, but he lacks the sheer moral bankruptcy and inclination for betrayal that you see in the characters portrayed by Wasie Lee (A BETTER TOMORROW), Anthony Wong (HARD BOILED) and Shing Fui-on (THE KILLER). If you’re the bad guy in a John Woo film it’s not just because you’re simply a dick or even they you do things like steal and kill, but it’s the fact that you betray any sense or morals or honor that even your own partners in crime or comrades have. Ambrose has a bit of that I suppose, but compared to the ones I mentioned he’s definetly more of a lightweight. Even compared to his other American films like HARD TARGET, BROKEN ARROW, and FACE/OFF, Ambrose stands as one of the weaker Woo villains.

Despite all my critiques as a lover of the works John Woo, I still quite enjoy this film. It is gorgeously shot and directed, even if it’s a totally different vibe to the first film it’s still an impressive visual feast. I know the story gets a lot of flack for it’s pacing and how it can get convoluted, but I did find it pretty easy to follow and I never felt bored or tuned out, even if there is a gap between set pieces. People have noted some of the more misogynist comments in the script (I don’t doubt this is a Towne contribution) but in all fairness we had a bit of that in the first film, though ittedly not as toned down here from the lack of Koepp.

There’s something about how Tom plays Ethan here that is a bit more eccentric than the first but I’m gonna be honest I had fun with his performance here. He definetly comes off a bit more fast and loose than he did in the last film, but I like that he’s a bit different in his body language especially with his eyes and smile. Definitely feels like a vibe that very much of the time, but I was entertained.

I don’t have to say that the action is incredible right? I mean it’s John Woo, not only that, but John Woo with a huge Hollywood budget behind him. If there was one area where Woo was allowed free rein (within the constraints of PG-13) it was the action. Even if it doesn’t have all the payoff that would’ve been given with a script that had a Woo rewrite, it’s still spectacular. Woo does his own version of the heist set piece that was iconic from the 1996 film, which trades tension and suspense for spectacle and upping the ante and it is still enjoyable all the same. I’ll it the motorcycle jousting bit was a tad much, but the action here is a high point as far as American cinema is concerned.

MI2 has its faults and I would have loved a version with more of John Woo’s personal touch on the story side of things, but man is it still such a fun and well crafted adventure either way. It may be a total 180 in of style from the first film, but I think they are equally great in their own ways!

It’s kind of crazy how quant this comes off compared to how big and bombastic every later entry would be, not that that is a bad thing.

You’d probably be surprised to find out that despite being the first in the now iconic cinematic action franchise, the original MISSION IMPOSSIBLE doesn’t have a single shoot out and leaves its one big fiery explosive til the very end, but that doenst make it any less thrilling. I quite enjoy how small scale yet incredibly tense this is. In place of some large scale chase is an edge of your seat suspenseful heist that still gives me goosebumps with how many close calls this has. With De Palma behind the camera the direction is slick and still looks amazing almost 30 years later.

If I could peg one thing against this film is that the characters are a bit… underdeveloped? I’m not sure if that’s the word I’d describe but the film kind of has this strange vibe where they do away with the team aspect early on and it’s mostly Ethan vs the IMF for a big part of the movie til we get the gang together and it just feels kind of off. I know that the franchise really wouldn’t hit the sweet spot for its characterization til the fourth entry GHOST PROTOCOL but here is kind of an interesting situation where Tom Cruise as Hunt is a bit of blank slate, though I do love his interactions with Vanessa Redgrave, Henry Czerny, and especially Ving Rhames’ Luther, 

Oh yeah, and I would’ve loved to have had social media be a thing when this movie came out with how it handled the legacy characters of the show. It gives the film a very mean vibe especially with how it opens up with the team getting all brutally killed, which is something very unique to this one entry. Some call it disrespectful to the original show, it probably is, but I do think it makes for an interesting movie. 

Kinda teetering between an 8 or a 9 on this. I do love the vibes it brings to the table in spite of it being light on character, and even through I imagine De Palma must’ve had his conflicts with Crusie over creative vision it has a visual flare and creative stamp that’s unique. And honestly I do love how talky and intricate the plot is, I’m always surprised to see old reviews call it convoluted while I think that just adds to the experience.

One of my all time favorites. May have the most perfect narration ever committed to film. One of those movies that is so perfectly paced that you hardly notice the time because it’s all just smooth like butter.

An interesting companion to a lot of the triad centric films I’ve been watching lately. Usually, an element that you often see is the concept of loyalty and how even though the underworld of the triads is filled with treachery and double cross there’s usually someone you can count on. Well, Johnnie To decides to take a no frills look with a triad story that shows even the most seemingly loyal and trusted really aren’t all different than the outwardly treacherous ones we often root against in these films.

It starts off a bit slow and I’ll it it was a bit hard to keep track of all the different factions at play, but it’s all part of the intricacy of ELECTION. As I said earlier, a big part of this is trust and betrayal alongside hidden motives. It’s a film that not only demands your attention but also your willingness to be along for a ride that’s filled with many turns and details that come together to form an excellent thriller.

I’m surprised I don’t dive into Shaw Brothers stuff more often because when I do it often ends up becoming a favorite of mine, like this here.

I was surprised at how much comedy was in this movie and how well Lau Kar-Leung managed to integrate it into the action. Kara Wai and Hsiao Ho make for a really fun duo both in the action and comedy and we get a lot of great and creative set pieces. The brawl in the masquerade ball feels like something out of Jackie Chan’s MIRACLES or PROJECT A PART 2, just full of creativity and expertly crafted choreography.  

Definetly going on my all time favorite martial arts movies.

The final “twist” may have hit better had I not seen the poster and trailer for the sequel, but still stands as a fun action thriller.

I cannot speak for whether Ben Affleck’s portrayal of a person with Asperger’s Syndrome is accurate or respectful, but at the least it feels like there was an attempt at such a feat. Doesn’t wander off into the “autism is a super ability, actually” like certain movies do. 

Pretty excited for the sequel.

As soon as I noticed that this opened up with a song by the great Wierd Al Yankovic I knew I was in for a treat.
 
JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY itself like a more restrained kind of spoof compared to films like NAKED GUN but that doesn’t stop the jokes and the energy from hitting just as hard as any Zucker bros movie. Everything from the surprisingly lavish set design to the energy of the cast perfectly fits the type of classic gangster vibe this movie was looking to spoof. Possibly my favorite performance from Michael Keaton in anything ever? The nature of this role (playing a character who’s being totally played seriously in a kookie world) makes for some great comedy and Keaton does it all Effortlessly.

I’m only familiar with Amy Heckerling from FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH and just like that film you have a fun cast of characters ranging from eccentric to played straight, all of them nailing the jokes and vibes needed. Feels like the kind of movie I would’ve loved watching as a kid and though I waited til now to see it it’s still quite a blast.

Color me surprised that the latest marvel movie is actually pretty damn good.

I’m not saying this in a “post endgame” way I mean like genuinely good. I never really used that term since to be honest 1.) I think ENDGAME was at BEST okay 2.) I don’t think the general quality of these movies (at least as far back as avengers go) has ever dropped, they’ve always been consistently inconsistent. For every IRON MAN we had an IRON MAN 2, for every GUARDIANS we had a THOR 2, and sprinkled in those genuinely really good or flat out awful films there have been the okay to able films. I’m pleased to say they THUNDERBOLTS can place itself within the “genuinely good pile.”

In short, this one has solid action, genuinely good performances from the cast (stand outs being Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, Julia Lewis Dreyfus, and Lewis Pullman), and a plot that didn’t feel as same-y as their other team up films. To avoid spoilers as much as I can, this one didn’t end with a big dumb cgi battle but actually had an ending that I think had substance to it that was built up from the some pretty significant story beats. Now your mileage may vary as to how certain themes this movie deals with, pertaining to marvel though (and other comic book films) I at the very least thing the attempt deserves praise and I think it was executed mostly well. Same for the action, by marvel standards definitely a big step up.

Part of me hopes that the positives people had with this movie will be noted by Disney and the next films in this series will pivot that way vs the more cameo/reference driven extravaganza that DOOMSDAY appears to be turning out, but I kinda doubt it. As it stands, THUNDERBOLTS feels like a diamond in the rough, not a good “post endgame” marvel movie but just a generally good one from them overall. It’ll be kinda funny if this ends up being a Better film than the FANTASTIC FOUR film coming out later this year.

One of those movies that starts out more of a slow burn but when the gears start turning boy does it hook you. Kinda surprised by the perspective this took as it feels lot more in line with Toho’s 70s disaster films than say a straight out action movie, the focus is shared between multiple characters and how they deal with the situation. Successfully also managed to get a good dose of sympathy for the bombers as the film peeled back the layers to their story.

I can’t wait for the Shout Factory release of this when they eventually get to it because MAN Andrew Lau’s lush visuals are simply not done justice from the laserdisc I watched this from (and I know for a fact that it’s on the way because Shout copyright claimed the YouTube of this).

I’ve become quite a fan of Andrew Lau over the past year and getting to this really feels like a sort of Nexus Point of his career. Though not his first directorial effort nor even his first crime film, it does feel like his first big and influential hit, launching the careers of several of its leads (this was also the first film Lau would direct his frequent collaborator Ekin Cheng in) and would be (I believe) the first of many of his comic book adaptations.  Though maybe not as visually striking as his earlier crime film AS TEARS GO BY (which he did cinematography for), YOUNG AND DANGEROUS still has that Andrew Lau touch of being a visual feast for the eyes, the vibrancy of Hong Kong night life and underground emanating from the screen.

Though not as refined as his later crime masterpiece INFERNAL AFFAIRS (co-directed with Alan Mak), YOUNG AND DANGEROUS makes up for its shortcomings thanks to its likable cast of characters who have great chemistry with one another. This was Ekin Cheng’s first big theatrical and you can see why he’d go on to bigger success, he has the screen presence and charisma (as well as the hair) that any major star would long for. Some of the situations and humor come off a bit juvenile (I imagine that’s just a byproduct of the comic) but like I said, the likable cast make it all work.

Really excited to check out the rest of this series!

My discovery of the 1998 Toei Yu-Gi-Oh anime (commonly referred to as “season 0” by fans) is what I’d credit with my second “renaissance” of sorts when it comes to my love of the franchise (well, that and picking up 5Ds in order to learn the new mechanics I missed out on). Now, in spite of its obvious budget constraints and often really questionable deviations from Kazuki Takahashi’s source material, the Toei anime was a pretty fun and unique watch and I still find a lot of enjoyment out of watching it. I don’t necessarily agree with those who say it’s better than the more famous Gallop anime (they both have their faults and I do sometimes wonder how said deviations would’ve affected the later arcs had Toei stuck with it)  but it has a place in my heart.

The 1999 Toei film came out at an interesting time for the franchise. It was a few months after the end of Toei anime run AND during the theatrical showings Konami (who would be the primary sponsor of the next anime) was apparently selling packs for what would be the current iteration of the real life card game. In a way the 1999 Yu-Gi-Oh film represents a transition between the Toei era and the Studio Gallop era that would go hand in hand with the Konami game. I’m not sure if this was at the point where Toei decided to not continue, there is merchandise released after this film under Toei for the series (not to mention both anime were released under different stations) so maybe there was some desire to see the series through.

Regardless though, long winded intro aside, the movie itself is… okay. When people review movies tied to shows and try to rate it based on “how it stands on its own” I find this take a bit improper. I do not really think any of these can stand on their own and that’s fine, I try to rate things based on the intention of the filmmakers as much as I can. Where it gets tricky with this film is 2 factors: one being that this was a short intended to be a sort of “showcase” for that Yu-Gi-Oh is about and to get people into it, the other being that this does NOT work within the canon of the Toei anime as there’s more than a few contradictions (like how this is before Death T but after Yugi’s friends are aware of his other half).

Most of this movie’s issues are in the first half. The primary focus is a new character named Shogou who always loses at duel monsters but comes across a legendary rare card named Red-Eyes Black Dragon. However, he’s still scared to lose so he just shows off his card to others without actually playing. The message of this movie is Yugi teaching him that to be a proper duelist he needs the courage to fight til the end. Now message aside, most things surrounding Shogou are pretty uninteresting. I get this is the audience surrogate for them to put themselves into, but he isn’t very interesting. I almost feel like this role should’ve somehow gone to Jonouchi Katsuya since we even see Yugi teach him how to play in the film (not to mention he actually gets Red-Eyes in the manga and had it at this point if I correctly).

The second half of this movie is just one duel between Dark Yugi and Kaiba and to be perfectly honest… this is absolutely worth the 30 minutes of runtime. I didn’t mention this til now but this is SUCH a gorgeous looking movie and no where is that more apparently when the monster battles get animated. This is to my knowledge the only Yu-Gi-Oh project to use traditional cel shaded animation and it looks wonderful. It’s like the Toei anime finally got money and they just went all out. There are moments like Gaia charging from his card, Red-Eyes’ summoning, and Yugi’s transformation (a bittersweet moment since it’s the last time we hear his heroic jingle, but they made it a good send off) that really show off how much creativity and vision the animators had when working on this. This was probably the best looking animated Yu-Gi-Oh project until the 2011 SUPER FUSION BONDS film, and I’m pretty sure years ago I’d watch this so much because I loved the look and vibe of how they did the monsters here. Fans will probably notice that this battle is highly influenced by the Duelist Kingdom battle between Yugi and the Kaiba impersonator.

The voice cast I think is just as good as they were in the show. I was surprised how much characters like Jonouchi and Kaiba sound like their Gallop counterparts, and while Shunsuke Kazama will always be the certified GOAT of Yugi’s voice actors I cannot help but LOVE Megumi Ogata as Dark Yugi. Her interpretation has the confidence and authority you’d expect but also an underlying and subtle menace (though it’s played down a bit more compared to the tv show). 

Personal aside, I’ve always been a huge fan of the card Red-Eyes Black Dragon so seeing Yugi summon said card and fuse it with Meteor Dragon to win the duel (gloriously animated I might add) will always bring a smile to my face and bring out the inner child in me… so much I don’t even question HOW Yugi even won (this movie plays really fast and loose with the rules, almost like a fusion of the Konami and Bandai games… don’t think too much about it).

So yeah, it’s at its weakest when it deviates from the late great Kazuki Takahashi’s material (so the first half) and tries to cram in its new audience surrogate, but when the battle gets going it’s a total thrill. So I guess I’d say, yeah the second half is well worth the whole runtime. Yugioh is a bit of a hard property to adapt to a theatrical runtime since the way battles play out in the show takes longer so I imagine if they tried this with a 90 minute or two hour run time they’d really need to speed up the pace. This doesn't shoot for much and while it has problems it works better then say PYRAMID OF LIGHT DID.

This movie has issues but it also holds a special place to me, both for the animation and for its place in Yu-Gi-Oh history. It doesn’t always work but when it does oh boy do I love it. I don’t know why this particular entry in the series holds so much significance to me that I wrote up such a beast (hell I probably could’ve done a whole paragraph about why the rules are so strange), I guess in a way it’s the misfit of the franchise, at least In of animation. Like I said before, it came at a really weird transition point for the series during the end of one era and the beginning of a new, but I do think it has its own unique qualities that make it stand out and make it a worthy entry in the series.

Funny story about this movie, back in 2005 I had an aunt that worked at a theater and she was able to get me to see this movie a full day before they were allowed to release it. So basically I got to see this movie before pretty much everyone who didn’t go to those celebrity premiers. While all my friends were theorizing and speculating at elementary school the day of wide release, for a brief moment in time I had all the secrets and sat back and listened to hear all the ways they were off. Unbeatable childhood experience.

Was teetering between a 7 or 8/10 for the rating, but I think it sticks the landing just enough to warrant that 8.

Undoubtably the weakest part of this movie is most of the scenes having to do with Pe, I just don’t think she’s given a lot to do here in the scenes she has. She’s good at being worried, having her moments with Anakin, but it gets repetitive. There actually a VERY easy fix for these and that lies in the deleted scenes that show her forming the rebellion and basically forms a whole other subplot between her and the other senators. Within those deleted scenes are the key to pushing this movie to a higher level, maybe one day we can convince George to do an extended cut… granted this IS his cut of choice but I don’t know it feels like it could’ve gone even more, there’s even some really interesting stuff with Yoda conversing with Qui Gon’s spirit and itting that the fallen Jedi was right in the end.

Also, not gonna lie, George may have gone a bit too far (in a few places) making Anakin/Darth Vader a bit *too* evil. I know he’s fully possessed by the evil dark side within but killing those kids was a bit much I think, maybe they should’ve just had him killing adult Jedi.

Even with its warts and quirks, I still had such a great time with this. It occasionally can be a bit too fast paced for its own good but man did this hit all the right notes it needed to hit. From the tragic downfall of Anakin to the resolving of the republic, it really feels like the culmination of what this whole part of the saga was leading to, and while it wasn’t always perfect it absolutely stuck the landing. 

I think the actors like Hayden Christensen and Ewan Mcgregor do great work but this is really Ian Mcdirmid’s show. He by far got the most laughs and reactions from the crowd, the man was chewing up that scenery and going all in on just relishing in his villainy. It’s like he was building up to this moment and bottling all that maniacal energy over the last few years since PHANTOM MENACE and he just went all out here.

As someone who grew up with these films, it’s been really a trip seeing the back and forth their reputations have had. I can say this without any revisionist history, as a kid I never really knew much about the hate these got until I looked at Star Wars fanzines or the internet. In public I always just sorta knew Episode I was kinda seen as a misfire (largely because of the humor, Jar Jar, and Kid Anakin, at least that’s what I ), II was seen as a bit of a step up but even when that came out most of the focus on what III would be, while III was the only one that seemed to get some love and even be considered comparable to the original trilogy to some extent.

Then when I got on the web I learned about the history and how mad some people were about these. A lot of it was reasonable, though there was some of that “George Lucas killed my childhood” vibe around that in retrospect is a bit silly. Then I saw the resurgence (which I imagine was those kids who liked them finally having a voice) and the pushback and nostalgia accusations… it’s all kind of a mess.

I can only speak for myself when I say that at the time I did really enjoy this film, and even now warts and all I still have a great time with it and I can say “Yeah, this is a solid one. George stuck the landing.” Not sure if I prefer it to THE PHANTOM MENACE, which has risen in my rankings recently. I think Episode I is a more fundamentally solid film that feels less rush and cut down, but III definetly wins in of its pay off and the emotional weight. While I still prefer each movie of The Original Trilogy overall, I still consider REVENGE OF THE SITH to be solid conclusion to Lucas’ series (or midpoint depending on how you look at it).

This is a sort of sequel to a tv show I’ve never seen and only have slight knowledge on, and I feel like that DEFINITELY affects the viewing experience. I don’t agree with the notion that every movie needs to stands on its own but I do think for the most part it can be enjoyed as a singular experience.

It takes an interesting structure where it’s 3 different vignettes that act as “what if” scenarios for this couple that were together for a whole show. I think for the most part they work, but I feel the structure isn’t the greatest. I try not to “Monday Morning Quarterback” movies, that is, make my own suggestions or say how I think things should’ve been done, but the first of the three “what if” stories really feels like it should’ve been the third one rather than the first. It’s hard to say much without spoiling, but it has such a different feel and vibe to the other stories that it feels like it would’ve been best served as the third and final one.

Maybe I should peep the show at some point, but as it stands it’s fine.

As someone who went to a Catholic high school and Grew up in one of those outskirts type of places in California… I could actually relate to a good deal of this. Even just the general experiences of being in high school (like taking a joke too far to where you get in trouble for it) is something that agreeing just captures perfectly here. The kind of film that makes you feel like you’re living and breathing in that place and moment in time.

I try to make it a birthday tradition to watch a feel good classic on this day, and having recently acquired the gorgeous release from Criterion it seems as good a time as ever to revisit this.

A true crime classic featuring a real who’s-who of Hong Kong cinema in front of the camera. Tony Leung and Andy Lau are impeccable in this, selling some of the most tense moments ever conveyed to cinema. Their match up is only marched by the bitter back and forth rivalry of Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang’s characters. It’s also great to see other stars like Sammi Cheng, Kelly Chen and Dion Lam light up the screen.

Something really special about this film at least for me is how much it really has that “moment in time” quality when it comes to the visuals and editing. It really looks and feels like a piece of the 2000s and when I watch it (conveyed by the gorgeous cinematography from Andrew Lau and Lai Yiu-fai) it just takes me back. I’ve seen some people refer to the editing as “dated” or “cheesy” but as far as I’m concerned they can kick rocks, I love how it looks and feels and it really speaks to me.

After having seen some of Co-Director Andrew Lau’s earlier films it really has this interesting aspect to it when looking at it in the context of his filmography. He cut his teeth doing cinematography for the likes of Wong Kar-wai and Wong Jing and then ventured out onto his own, honing his directorial craft on comic book adaptations of high concept spectacles like THE STORM RIDERS and A MAN CALLED HERO. I have yet to see any of the YOUNG AND DANGEROUS films but I imagine, given the subject matter, it would probably be revealing in some regards to go back and compare. In fact, I’m now most surprised that Ekin Cheng had no role in this or the sequels.

Just an all around fantastic film and a true masterpiece. If I could have a fifth favorite on letterboxd it would probably go to this one.

(Taiwanese Cut

I think that how you feel about this film largely depends on how you experienced it. If this was a film introduced to you as JACKIE CHAN’S FIRST STRIKE, I think you’ll experience this the way it was probably meant to be: another Jackie Chan romp in the style of a James Bond adventure… and simply that. 

I was saw this as POLICE STORY 4, even though it was the dub I had known what this film was supposed to be beforehand. And with that came walking into the film saddled with the expectations that came from being a sequel to 3 fantastic films, all of which have a place in my top favorites of all time. Maybe that’s not fair to this film, and maybe that’s just a unique experience that’s just for me, but I can’t help but have those expectations really color the way I feel about this... 

I think my thoughts remain relatively the same on POLICE STORY 4: FIRST STRIKE as they did on my last run though. Though I have a much better appreciation for the insane stunts and set pieces like the snow chase and the aquarium fight, this is a movie that is in DESPERATE need of Jackie having some fun side characters to play off of. The first 3 POLICE STORY films had a good mix of solid stories, stunts, and great casts for Jackie to play along with that made them some of the best films of the genre. Even when the 3rd film took things out of Hong Kong, it still felt like the same franchise, Chan Ka-Kui may have softened a bit and become less headstrong/impulsive as he was in he first two but it is in line with how his character ended up by the end of the second movie 

In this fourth entry, Ka-Kui really kinda feels swapped with the more family friendly style Jackie Chan character that he was often playing in this era. The fact that the American cut actually excises the one line where his name is said instead of “Jackie” in some sense kinda helps the film stand on its own, though it makes more questionable edits as the film goes on.

By no means a bad movie, in fact it has some generally stellar stunts that are among Jackie’s most impressive and hair raising. That shark tank stuff must’ve been a royal pain to film and it’s thrilling, the snow chase is stellar and genuinely more impressive than a similar set piece in the actual James Bond film that came out 3 years after this, and I don’t have to mention the ladder scene as it is the stuff of legends.

POLICE STORY 4: FIRST STRIKE is a fun time that I can’t help feel comes off as a let down compared to the heights of its predecessors. In an age of legacy sequels with mixed results, I kinda want Jackie to do one more send off to Chan Ka-Kui, the right way. Maybe the stunts can’t be the same but I’d want a well written swan song that seems him alongside Maggie Cheung just one more time. Maybe I’m too hopeful, but stranger things have happened I suppose..

I saw the last 20 minutes of this like half a year ago and I’m glad to have finally caught the first 100 minutes, definetly helped everything make more sense.   

Pretty charming, often heartfelt and genuinely funny romance movie. I’m always down to see Michelle Yeoh in pretty much anything and she’s great here, and while it’s probably unpopular to say out loud I do enjoy meeting Awkwafina in comedy and she’s pretty funny here. I don’t really log a lot of romantic comedies here but I’m a sucker for a really good one and this one pressed all the right buttons for me for the most part.

Oh, Henry Golding, you’re probably not reading this but I don’t know if you know this but I heard Amazon is looking for the lead in this new franchise they just bought, might wanna look into that…

If the phrase “vindicated by history” could apply to any Bond film it would be LICENCE TO KILL. For years it seems this one was dragged a lot for its more violent style and the fact that it does away with the usual Bond formula in favor of a more personal take of revenge. We still have a great villain with an evil base, a casino scene, and fantastic action and yet it does away with many of the more fantastic tropes compared to the Roger Moore era and even Dalton’s own THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS.

This is also the first Bond film to be truly post-cold war, no mention of the soviets or Russia here, though American politics do play a part in the later half when an added layer connected to Iran-contra is added to the affair.

In the modern time however, LICENCE TO KILL feels like it’s aged extremely well. Not only in the sense that now people seem to be more receptive and appreciative of a more serious Bond film, but the action is still as spectacular as ever and the characters still hold up well, from Robert Davi’s chilling portrayal as Sanchez to Carey Lowell’s more modern Bond girl who proves she’s just as capable as Bond. And Timothy Dalton as Bond… just perfect here. I slightly prefer the way Bond’s shown in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS but here Dalton really pushes the envelop with how dark Bond can go, dare I say it’s probably up there as the best performance an actor has done in the role.

I’ve talked at length about this film many many times with much more insight, but this is a film I’ve seen many times and it never gets old or tired. Just a great time anytime.

First things first, Happy Birthday Jackie!

I’ve always loved this film and held it in very high regard, but this time it really clicked with me. Maybe it was on of the gorgeous transfer from 88Films or maybe it was just me being in the right mood and really having nothing to distract me with. 

Everything here was just so enjoyable, from Jackie Chan’s impeccable directing to the rather intricate story that weaves comedy and satisfying drama. I will never NOT have a big dumb smile on my face seeing the immortal trio of the Three Dragons, Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, and Sammo Hung. These guys are legends, simple as, and here it’s so satisfying to see them start as rivals/on edge with eachother only to grow in their camaraderie. The choreography really does a good job of visual storytelling well, where initially Jackie and Yuen’s characters really don’t get along and their styles are more individualistic but by the end the pair (along with Sammo) have this great rhythm going on.

Such a fun ride, definetly deserves to be up there among the greatest films of the 80s, as well as among Jackie Chan’s greatest films.

On a side note, Jackie did NOT have to do two takes of the clock tower drop but he DID, all for us to enjoy. King Shit.

Watched on Thursday April 3, 2025.

The early to to mid-90s was a very interesting time in Jackie Chan's career. After ARMOR OF GOD 2: OPERATION CONDOR in 1991, Jackie seemed to step away from directing his films (at least in a credited way) and worked with new faces he had previously not been directed by prior. I don't know all the details, but if I had to guess with how long and arduous the production of OPERATION CONDOR was, maybe he was willing to step down on juggling so many roles and letting someone else handle directing duties. Regardless of reason, we had a very interesting time where Jackie Chan was working under an array of directors with their own unique visions, each bringing their own style and flair to Jackie's action and persona, with the cut off being somewhere in 1995 with RUMBLE IN THE BRONX where he seemed to settle more into a more family friendly persona and formulaic approach for international audiences.

CRIME STORY sees Jackie (mostly) under the direction of Kirk Wong, a director I'm not really familiar with outside of his this and his American debut THE BIG HIT but it seems he mostly deals in action and crime films. This is the movie where Jackie puts away his usual goofy and energetic persona for a more serious film, no jokes or gags here with the martial arts action dialed down a bit and coming off much more brutal. The story here is very solid stuff, largely based off a real life kidnapping. Jackie plays an Inspector but gets to flex his range by playing a more serious and intense character. The man has to deal with a lot and Jackie does an excellent job conveying both how frantic and exhausted he is, while also being very calculating. Supposedly, there was going to be even more scenes showing Inspector Chan suffering from trauma and being more self doubting, but some of that was reigned in to not drift *too* far from Jackie's usual persona. Though funnily enough, a lot of those ideas of Jackie Chan playing a trauma afflicted officer with serious self doubt would be explored in the 2004 film NEW POLICE STORY.

There's still great stunts and action, with the finale in Kowloon City being one of Jackie's all time most explosive and impressive finales. The action here is not as colorful as usual Jackie and is more violent and brutal but it is still expertly crafted and thrilling. I think an underrated Jackie set piece is him escaping the boat toward the end, its a really nerve racking scene and its great stuff.

CRIME STORY is probably among the most visually striking films to star Jackie Chan, lots of really good use of moody colors and atmosphere in scenes like the interrogations and the parts in Kowloon. This movie has 5 credited cinematographers including personal favorite of mine Andrew Lau, and I think all of them did a fantastic job under Wong's direction... and I guess Jackie's too?

According to websites, it's said Jackie was an uncredited director on this film and I can definitely see him doing that for the action. This film has a very unique touch and vision that is not present in other Jackie Chan films before, but he would retain final cut. Though Kirk Wong said him and Jackie had no tension during production, he did express disappointment of the scenes that were cut without his approval. You definetly feel the film soften a few of those aspects up, like how the Psychiatrist character (played by Pan Lingling) was originally going to have a bigger role that had her and Chan romantically involved (something that’s generally not considered ethical) but that was nixed from the film so she kind of disappears after the first third of the movie. 

Indeed, it is kind of a trend with this early 90s period where it seemed that Jackie and his directors had disagreements in visions or had one side feeling unfulfilled with the experience. With TWIN DRAGONS Jackie was unhappy for the films visuals based on working with Tsui Hark (Ringo Lam innocent I guess), CITY HUNTER had the infamous back and forth feud with Wong Jing, Lau Kar-Leung disagreed with Chan on DRUNKEN MASTER 2 that he left production leaving Jackie to finish the movie on his own (and Lau making his own DRUNKEN MASTER movie as a retort)... Stanley Tong seemed to have no issues with Jackie on POLICE STORY 3 so they continued their partnership into the later 90s, while the difficulties of THUNDERBOLT's production really could not be blamed on Gordon Chan. Still, all these films in spite of their behind the scenes or post production difficulties were unique takes on the Jackie Chan formula and I enjoy them all, CRIME STORY being one of the best of the bunch.

CRIME STORY maybe could have benefited from going further into a darker crime thriller, but it is an excellent action drama from Kirk Wong. Jackie strikes back at those who'd claim he has no range by putting forth a solid dramatic performance with an intensity that carries over into the impressive action. It’s occasionally runs into pacing issues and some scenes (like Jackie dealing with the protestors) do kind of show the behind the scenes issues with Chan (I assume) trying to soften the film up a bit before going too hard, but those issues for me don’t hinder the experience. Without a doubt one of the super star's more underrated efforts.

7 years old and still really hasn’t aged much. 

This is surprisingly my first Spike Lee t and while I definitely see myself going troughs older work in the future this seems like a setting place to start. I’ve seen people criticize Lee for being a bit on the nose or unsubtle here about his message but I have no complaints, I say let the man do his thing. Balances between being a slick, entertaining crime thriller and Lee’s own look at racism in American institutions, and yet part of me feels like if anything he could’ve gone even further with some of his ideas and concepts here. There’s definetly more than a few moments where I felt like the film wrapped certain things up too nicely or too simply, though I guess it was entertaining and funny enough to make up for those short comings. I wonder how I’ll view this once I get to more of Lee’s earlier work.

Unintentionally made for a John David Washington double feature (Thanks Tubi) with this and THE CREATOR and this was definetly the better of the two.

Has all the positives and flaws of Gareth Edwards’ blockbuster level films: absolutely stunning visuals and sound design and some amazing vibes, but held back by writing and pacing. I do think this is a large step up over GODZILLA and ROGUE ONE for the sole fact that John David Washington plays a pretty memorable lead, with the story largely focusing on him and gives him ample time to develop.

I think the story is okay, many have noticed it’s obvious cribbing from other popular stories but I didn’t mind it that much. You’ll be reminded of aspects of BLADE RUNNER, AKIRA and even a bit of Edwards’ (and Tony Gilroy’s) own ROGUE ONE a bit. It has grand moments with genuinely amazing vibes, but also wonky pacing at times.

I think one issue I took with it was how exactly it felt with geopolitics, specifically this concept of “New Asia”. In this film the West (mainly the USA) are heavily against AI and have outlawed it but New Asia (a collaboration of Japan and SEA) has embraced it and has robots living among the people in villages and cities. The way this is presented feels very much of the 1980s “Japanese panic” you’d see in a lot of films that show this anxiety about the nation over taking the west, often presented as this “other” force. Now it doesn’t do anything too dumb like some other works of that era, but it does lean a bit into that trope that gives it a bit of a dated feel. 

The other part of this film I can’t really fault the director for, but the way AI is presented here has certainly dated the film in a weird way. This film was released right in the midst of a writers strike where AI replacing human talent was a big issue, so to see the rather sympathetic portrayal of it here is interesting to say the least. There’s a scene in this film where they talk about people selling their likenesses to AI beings so they could have a human face, and I just thought to myself “man, if only things ended up being THAT simple. If ONLY people could profit off of AI taking their faces WITH actual permission granted.” Had this came out a decade ago I really wouldn’t pay much mine to this, but it is interesting, though not sure if I can really blame the writers here for accidently being in the midst of a huge issue we see today.

Part of me wants to say Edwards is a man who desperately needs new writing partners, but to his credit I think his first film MONSTERS is still his best work and (at least based on my memories from 2014) is a genuinely solid film with a great human element. THE CREATOR is a step up from his earlier Hollywood blockbusters but still has some room to improve. As much of an obvious “director for hire” job his new JURASSIC film is, maybe his visual and flare combined with a script by David Koepp may solve the issues his blockbusters have been having.

Overall, THE CREATOR has its faults with its writing and some of it feels a bit dated, but it is carried to the finish line thanks to its outstanding visual, amazing mood and a solid lead character in Washington.

One of the all timer ending showdowns in all of cinema.

Edit: 

Okay I had more to say. In some ways I’ve always viewed this as a spiritual successor The Man With No Name Trilogy, which I guess (in addition to Eastwood’s other western projects) it kind of is. Probably one of the all timer examples of a star doing a project that feels like a commentary/meditation on their past career or most well known qualities as a star. Very few films can match the feeling you feel when the climax goes and William Munny returns to the persona he’s been hiding underneath the demeanor has had the whole film.

Yeah, I still really like this one. 

If has its flaws for sure. For as fun of a bad guy as Safin is in his mannerisms, menacing nature, and his goal they never really seemed to nail down a good motivation for him here beyond just kind of being evil cuz it’s fun. Nomi isn’t nearly as bad as she’s made out to be, for all the people complaining about “wokeness” she never actually bests Bond who actually manages to constantly one up her. Yet I still find the whole “007” thing kind of a pointless bit since only she seems to care about it. Yss, it DOES run a bit too long and to be perfectly honest even though Madelyn is much better here than in SPECTRE it still really sucks that a lot of this film kinda depends on that one. They do the most with what they have here but it sucks that this film needs to do a lot of work to fix what was established in the last film.

Still though the action is superb here, I actually think it’s much better than even SKYFALL. The film is gorgeous to look at in of its production design and cinematography. I think all the actors do great here, and Daniel Craig just really feels good here as Bond. I know his bond is more known for serious and dramatic stuff but he absolutely nailed the humor and one liners in this one. 

The story I actually think has a good balance of fun and serious, even though at times it felt too long and some aspects like Safin felt like they were underwritten. The positives here I felt more than made up for the short comings. And yeah, I have come to with the ending by this point. It’s not something I wholly condone and I have mixed feelings on the execution, but it didn’t really hurt the way I viewed this film.

It was fun getting to watch these all again. I’m not really sure what the future has in store for James Bond but as a capstone for the Craig Era, NO TIME TO DIE was a solid one to go out on.

Not as outrageous as one would expect from a collaboration between Stephen Chow and Wong Jing, but nonetheless very entertaining. There’s alot of excellent set design on display here along with pretty great choreography, and while there is a good bit of humor from Stephen Chow’s character it really feels a bit more restrained than you’d expect. Maybe Chow reigned Jing in for this one.

As expected, the highlight of the film is seeing the great Ng Man-tat show why he’s Chow’s Greatest onscreen foil. A match made in comedy heaven.

HK Version

Historically one of the most important Jackie Chan films on both sides of the pacific, RUMBLE IN THE BRONX served as both the star’s first successful breakthrough into the U.S. market and was the most successful film in Hong Kong of 1995 and (along with THUNDERBOLT which also starred Chan) would be one of the films that really saved the box office during a financial slump in the industry. 

BRONX isn’t one of Jackie’s better written or more complex movies, hell it honestly pales in comparison to his previous collaboration with director Stanley Tong 2 years prior in POLICE STORY 3: SUPERCOP, but this movie is nothing else if not a proper showcase for the main man and what he is all about. In addition to fantastic action and stunts (which by the way he did indeed do that big jump in all the teasers ONCE, but Stanley Tong did the other needed takes), he also brings along two of his best costars in the illustrious Anita Mui and the comedic legend Bill Tung, making it feel a bit like a greatest hits of Chan’s career to be sampled by the worldwide market.

The film really feels like Chan and Tong’s take on the stereotypical American action film, you got all the tropes you’d see out of something from the 80s/early 90s output of stars: a destructive biker gang, bloody violence, a young kid who’s friends with the lead, a Russian mafia, and a bunch of machine gun fire. It does indeed come off a bit cheesy but I feel like that kinda adds to the whole experience, it is the cliche American action formula done through the lens of Jackie.

I do definetly prefer the Hong Kong cut for a few reasons, though that’s not to say the American cut is outright bad or significantly weakens the film like other American takes on Jackie’s films. There’s more Anita Mui and Bill Tung which is always a plus. Some of the action scenes that were trimmed down in the U.S. cut are brought to their full length here. I do prefer how the dialogue is since it’s a fun mix of both English and Cantonese, though acting from the English speaking cast ranges from able to laughable no matter which version you watch (though its a bit of fun to see this Canadian accents slip into this movie that’s FOR SURE set in the Bronx).

The scores for both films present an interesting contest. Nathan Wang’s score very clearly takes a lot of American influence (with the heavy use of the saxophone to give that New York vibe) while J Peter Robinson was definetly trying to have a more… Asian influence I guess you could say. I do prefer Wang’s score as most of the tunes or more catchy and I feel the vibe it creates just fits the film and Jackie’s style more.

Oh yes, also of note is how the U.S. cut does clean up a plot point that actually makes Jackie’s character really come off as an asshole, maybe. In the Hong Kong version Jackie’s character says that he has a girlfriend in Hong Kong twice in front of Françoise Yip‘a character before they embrace and kiss anyway. They even kiss again later and seem to imply some romance, you know, despite him having a girlfriend and all. HOWEVER, I can’t really tell if he’s being honest or if he said that initially because he doesn’t want Yip’s little brother to set him up with his older sister. I’ll let you decide that, but honestly good on the U.S. cut in that regard.   

Like I said, this isn’t exactly a top tier Jackie Chan film when you consider some of his best work and it does indeed mark a transition to where the films seem to care more about showcasing the legendary star’s talents vs having a strong ing cast of characters to run along side him (POLICE STORY 4 and MR. NICE GUY were the biggest victims of this), but for the most part BRONX doesn’t suffer many of the pitfalls of late career Jackie. It can be cheesy and a bit messy, but it’s a lot of fun and it only gets better when you compare it to his contemporaries in Hollywood.

The first 10 minutes of this already had me messed up, and it only gets darker from there. 

I’ve made the mistake of sleeping on Kim Jee-woon’s work, which is surprising since he directed one of my all time favorite westerns in THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD but after this I definitely won’t make that mistake again. Just all around a shocking and fantastic thriller. Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik are so insanely good here as the leads, one a man so dedicated to revenge that he becomes reckless in his pursuit and the other a horrible monster relentless in his evil desires. 

I’ve been told to check this out for a long time and I’m glad I finally did.

Because SKYFALL was such a huge hit (the most successful James Bond film ever at the time and, adjusted for inflation, the first hit of this caliber since THUNDERBALL), Eon decided that the smart move was to once again go with the team behind it and brought director Sam Mendes and writer John Logan to do a follow up. What’s more, the rights for the character Blofeld and the organization of Spectre were finally outside the grasp of Kevin Mcclory’s estate. Meaning that finally after decades of being legally unable to use the iconic villain and organization in the official series, Blofeld could return to Bond.

I think for the most part the first third of this movie is… fine. I don’t think there’s anything offensive here, it feels like it’s trying to be more in the style of a Roger Moore Bond film, in that we have more gadgets, some more humor (even though Craig had his fair share of good jokes and laughs by this point) and the tone feels a bit more lighter than the other three films in this era. The action is a bit of downgrade compared to the last three (some of that due to Daniel Craig’s broken ankle, so I can’t be too harsh) but here’s some neat stuff.

And yet… for all its efforts to try and be more like a Roger Moore style Bond film it really doesn’t hit the mark like it should. It reminds me a bit like DIE ANOTHER DAY where it’s trying to pay tribute to a different and older style of Bond film but it really doesn’t hit the sweet spot where it works. This film also really starts to lag in that second act. 

The second act is also where this film REALLY gets dumb by trying to tie together all of Craig’s past villains to Spectre and it doesn’t work at all. It’s so clunky and such an obvious retcon, and it’s only made worse by the big Blofeld reveal here. It’s one of those things where casuals who really don’t know about Bond are scratch their heads and wonder “what was the point of they? Why is this important” while more seasoned fans are going to be pulling their hair out from how plain dumb this is. This movie had 4 screenwriters and that’s the best they could come up with?

The third act is… whatever. When I watched this film for the first time since theaters I genuinely forgot what happened here, and I can see why. It’s just so… whatever. Nothing about this really sticks out, and it just feel like it’s rehashing bits from SKYFALL, like how MI6 is under attack and how the Bond side characters like Moneypenny and M actually get involved here. It just feels very tired, and the resolution for Blofeld here is just… lame.

I think most of the cast does a fine job. Daniel Craig does good as Bond and in spite of his injury he has a solid fight with Dave Buatista. Naomie Harris is great as Moneypenny and her and Craig have solid chemistry. I don’t think Lea Seydoux is bad but I just feel there’s nothing really here for Madeline. Had it not been for the next film, she’d probably be among the most forgettable Bond girls. Christoph Waltz… I don’t wanna blame him but his Blofeld is easily one of the weaker iterations of the character. 

SPECTRE isn’t as bad as some of the usual suspects for worst James Bond film like DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER or DIE ANOTHER DAY, but the fact that it is in the company of those doesn’t bode well for it. It has a somewhat okay first act but it just falls apart halfway though, building to a very mediocre finale. When I comes to the pick of “Worst Craig Bond” it’s usually down to this or QUANTUM OF SOLACE, if you recall I was kinder to that film in my last review but compared to this… I’ll say at least QUANTUM had some great ideas it just had faults in its execution, where as SPECTRE just had really dodgey ideas to begin with, and no writers strike here to blame it on.

First things first, Rest in Peace Clarence Fok.

Though I haven’t deep dived into his work, his two directorial efforts I’ve seen prior to this film have left a very big impression on me. NAKED KILLER was my first exposure to the more cult side of Category III Hong Kong films while the Yuen Biao/Maggie Cheung starrer THE ICEMAN COMETH would end up being one of my all time favorite films. Both films show that Fok had a very distinct visual style that was pleasing to the eye and had a nack for integrating fun and interesting action set pieces into his films. 

ON THE WRONG TRACK is a very early directorial effort from Fok but even by his second film you see elements of that distinct style that would mature to full display in those later films. From the very dreamlike visuals in scenes like the club, the car action and the finale to the way violence is used.

This is also a very early role for Andy Lau (his third role and his first as the lead) and even at a young age he shows he always had the makings of a star.  In his first role as a leading man, Lau displays commanding screen presence and a mastery of the “Rebellious young man with ties to the tirade” type role that would bring him acclaim and fame years later. 

Though Lau is a fantastic lead and Fok’s direction is on point, the film does show weakness with its writing and ing characters. Though I wouldn’t call any of the actors bad I do think that the ing cast doesn’t leave much of an impression and the story feels a bit undercooked with some elements leaving much to be desired in of being mode developed. When Lau is on screen though the film just works and the finale of this film displays Fok’s ingenuity for impressive set pieces.

Though not as great as his later and more famous films, ON THE WRONG TRACK is still worth a watch for Fok’s impressive style and Lau’s performance.

Wong Jing will cast the most beautiful women ever to grace the screen only to have them say the most out of pocket shit imaginable.

…or have them all combine like a mech at some point (words cannot do this scene justice).

The severe difference in vibe and energy between the first/last 10 minutes of this and the middle 78 minutes is something that only a master like Wong Jing can really pull off. There is so much crazy, inventive and bloody Wuxia swordplay in the beginning and ending of this film and sandwiched between all that is a story of multiple odd ball characters coming together. You have an eccentric master, and scorned warrior who hunts down cruel men, a man who refuses to marry the bride picked out by his parents, a spoiled princess who hates Korean royalty and her loyal guard, and a slew of other eccentric characters coming together to take part in some pretty wacky hijinks and set pieces. All of them played by a slew of wonderful Hong Kong talent like Michelle Yeoh, Ng Man-tat, Dicky Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Carol Cheng, all coming to face off against a master swordsman played by Simon Yam.

The Wong Jing humor gets pretty outrageous here. I could probably make this whole review just listing off some of the most crass and most immature jokes on display here but I’m not going to lie some of them still got a good laugh out of me. 

This is definetly a movie that deserves the red carpet treatment from the likes of Vinegar Syndrome, Eureka, or 88Films. It’s not Wong Jing’s finest film but it’s definetly one of his more outrageous comedies with an all star cast of Hong Kong’s finest delivering a slew of ridiculous gags and impressive action. What’s not to love?

SKYFALL feels like a bit of a return to form for the franchise after outside forces within the studio (once again), but also feels like the series once again taking a look back on its legacy, albeit in a more restrained manner than the last anniversary film. 

This not only came out to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the series but this was after a four year gap since QUANTUM OF SOLACE and the subsequent bankruptcy of MGM studios. I at the time being a young Bond fans online many people online were genuinely wondering if Craig was going to go the route of Timothy Dalton, being a Bind with two entries under his belt only to be ended by a bad studio situation. SKYFALL also holds a special place to me as it was the film that reignited my interest in the series.

I loved it when it came out but I do it as time goes on some cracks have shown, though it really doesn’t hurt the overall experience. It feels like boring big love letter to the Connery era of Bond while also confronting the criticism of “Bond being a relic” in the modern era. Bond’s attitude feels more surly but feels a bit lightened up since the last film. I never felt like Craig was “un-Bondian” or lacked humor in the last two films, but this seems more catered to the crowd who leans toward the Connery style of Bond. I guess the downside to that is it makes Craig’s Bond feel a bit less unique but it’s fine overall.

My issues, or rather maybe where I start to be concerned with the narrative choices, mainly stem from the third act, not the segment at Skyfall (it’s a good action segment I’ve never really had issue with) but with the inquiry. There’s prevailing theme in this movie about aging and the old ways maintaining relevance in the modern era, exemplified by how Bond becomes injured in the opening and begins to lose a step, but slowly but surely regains his mojo (I swear that’s not an Austin Powers allusion) and proves that he may be old but that sometimes “the old ways are the best” and that he is still a dependable force to be reckon with. That brings us to Judi Dench as M, who turns in another wonderful performance but to some extent has very bad judgment in this film. In the opening she makes the judgment call to pull the trigger that accidently hits Bond, which is forgivable but later on in that inquiry she decides to give a speech to the investigative time and not “give them her back” while she knows that Silva is coming to kill her and possibly others.

I never really noticed that til recently but it does make M seem a bit reckless in this film compared to her composure from the last… but I wonder if that’s part of the theme of the film when it comes to the topic of age and relevance. “Age is no guarantee of efficiency”… and while M does die in this film she live to see Silva brought down… yet we never really talk about that list again.

For its faults I still really enjoy SKYFALL. It’s a solid, gorgeous looking film that feels like a loving tribute to the 50 years of history the franchise has built up while forging a new path that leaves an impression. I love Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, probably my second favorite iteration after Lois Maxwell and her and Craig has dynamite chemistry. I love Ben Whishaw as Q, differentiating himself greatly from the legend that is Desmond Llewelyn and does his own take that shines. It has its faults on the third act (I find most Bond films tend to be weak in at least one act) but I’m mostly capable of looking past them.

John Woo’s Masterpiece

 (not to be confused with John Woo’s other masterpieces)

Without spoiling too much of the plot I have to say it was incredible to see Teruyoshi Nakano pull a “Kubrick and the Moonlanding” bit in this, and if that doesn’t convince you to seek this out I don’t know what will…

CONFLAGRATION is not particularly well known in the west and that’s a damn shame because it’s one of Toho’s best and most interesting of their “disaster film” line up of the 70s and 80s. The premise concerns the crew of an oil tanker returning to Japan who get taken hostage by a group of hijackers (I don’t believe the film specifies what country their allegiance lies but it’s clear they’re from among the many exploited nations used for oil by richer nations). The lead hijacker’s makes with the Japanese government with an ultimatum: either destroy all the oil refineries in a certain spot in Japan or they will explode the tanker in the Bay, unleashing an ecological disaster comparable to Nagasaki (as the film states).

As you might expect, the crew (lead by Tetsuro Tamba and Hiroshi Fujioka) begin to grow sick of their captors and slowly make their way to turn the tide. The hijackers here are actually given quite a bit of depth, their main motivation is to strike back against those rich and selfish nations who exploit the global south for their own gain. A few of them even have experienced traumatic events in their past from the colonization of their lands and they are more than ready to die for their cause if it means striking back and the rich oppressors.

I was only able to watch this dubbed so it’s hard to gauge the performances here but I do genuinely think the actors do a solid job. Those who have a history with the Godzilla franchise will recognize some voices that were in the international dubs of the 1970s. Sadly a few of the hijackers are hit or miss with some particularly bad voices that almost ruin some of the heavier moments of the film.  Never the less, the tension here is superb and there a constant back and forth between the captives and the hijackers that always has you on the edge of your seat.

Effects Master Teruyoshi Nakano’s work is superb here, easily standing as some for the best effects in all of Tokusatsu. One particular sequence will probably be familiar to a few Eagle eyed Godzilla fans, the shot where a refinery with two smokestacks is blown up in a massive inferno. This shot has actually been used in at least 3 other Godzilla films: GODZILLA VS KING GHIDORAH (1991), GODZILLA X MECHAGODZILLA (2002) and GODZILLA FINAL WARS (2004). The fact that it was used so often is a testament to how how well the efforts of Nakano and his team have aged and still hold up to this day, though maybe at least in the last one it may have also served as a tribute to the master (as director Ryuhei Kitamura was a fan of the Godzilla films Nakano worked on).

CONFLAGRATION is a fantastic thriller from the 70s era of Toho effects that has my strong recommendation. I’m not sure what was changed in the international dub, but if I had to guess it may have been violence since we don’t see any impact wounds or squibs from the gunfire, just the aftermath. I hope I get to see the original Japanese language version soon, but as is it’s still worth seeking out.

Still alot of fun but definetly the weakest of the trilogy. This was the point where the franchise stays away from the James Bond/Spy spoof elements and largely leaned into more cultural references/gags and even repeating a few from the last film (a point the film pokes fun at). Nevertheless, GOLDMEMBER still manages to be a fun ride with a lot of quality jokes that still make me laugh.

Mike Myers is still funny as Austin/Dr. Evil but his new character in Goldmember definetly is the weakest link, suffering a bit from that Eddie Murphy syndrome of the lead really being spread thin joke wise for playing multiple characters. Micheal Caine is great here, as is Beyoncé. Funny how both this film and the James Bond film of the same year had popular singers play a part in their film and even sang a song for the movie (Beyoncé comes off better both times).

A bit too familiar and too pop culture heavy but still a good time.

The most fun you’ll have with a film where all the action takes place in a single room outside of 12 ANGRY MEN… and I honestly loved it.

This film was part of a challenge known as The Dual Project issued by producer Shinya Kawai to directors Ryuhei Kitamura and Yukihiko Tsutsumi. The task was for both directors to create a feature length film with two actors battling in one setting and have it filmed entirely within one week. ARAGAMI is Kitamura’s entry in the challenge, and sees a pair of badly wounded samurais wander into home of a mysterious warrior (Masaya Kato, the villain from DRIVE) and a woman (Kanae Uotani). When one samurai (Takao Osawa) awakens he finds himself sitting across from the warrior and they have a long conversation over dinner. Eventually, the warrior reveals he is not who he seems and is actually an immortal warrior who has brought him in for the purpose of combat, in the hopes of finally being defeated and getting to experience the release of death.

I got to say, even though this isn’t a very long movie I was surprised at how invested I was into this film. More then half of it is the two characters just talking in a room but I was glued the screen the whole way through. Kitamura does a fine job crafting an engaging slow burn with the tension building ever so slowly until it explodes with a flurry of well crafted action. Another name that deserves mention is Kitamura’s frequent collaborator Nobuhiko Morino, who provides an excellent score for the film.

As someone who was introduced to Kitamura through GODZILLA FINAL WARS, which came out 1 year after this, I was pleasantly surprised at how many aspects of this film seemed to bleed into that and the DNA certain scenes shared. The interactions between Masaya Kato and Takao Osawa felt very much like those between Kazuki Kitamura and the leads in FINAL WARS, even within structure of the final battle. 

ARAGAMI is a film I expected to enjoy but ended up loving even more than expected. This feels really stripped down compared to the usual I’ve seen from Kitamura, but I think it ends up being an amazing showcase for his talents. Might end up being my favorite from the director.

One of the most fun buddy action films of all time.

I’ve been meaning to check this one out for years after hearing all the praise and boy did this live up to the hype. The story here is a lot of fun with a lot of its greatness being thanks to the electric chemistry between Marc Dacascos and Kadeem Hardison. Their chemistry not only leads to the movie’s funniest moments but also adds an extra layer of fun to the action sequences, where both get a chance to shine. 

And boy are those fights superb. Koichi Sakamoto and his crew handled the choreography and it is superb, Marc gets to demonstrate why he’s such a legend at the peak of his abilities here. Fans of Hong Kong action cinema will see how much of an influence it has on this film and I mean that in the best of ways. Eagle eyed fans will notice several homages in the choreography to classics like WHEELS ON MEALS, PROJECT A PART II, THUNDERBOLT, POLICE STORY and I’m sure a few others I’ve missed. But believe me, the action here is more than just simple tributes, it has this very unique energy to it that is such a blast of creativity, every object and every obstacle comes into play in these fights and it’s such a joy to see. 

If you have the chance to check out DRIVE (and by all means make the time) I urge you to check out Director’s Cut/Original Cut which is longer and contains a far superior soundtrack to the one originally released in the U.S. DRIVE is an absolute gem that deserved to be a big hit, a proper showcase for Marc Dacascos’s amazing acrobatics.

In some ways feels like a precursor to films like Ringo Lam’s CITY ON FIRE and John Woo’s A BETTER TOMORROW, except here our leads are far less morally upstanding for the most part.

LONG ARM OF THE LAW sees a group of mainlanders struggle to make it to Hong Kong to perform a jewelry heist that will set them up for life. After an initial attempt goes awry, the group makes some deals with the locals to get themselves a new gig with the same goal, however the path to the heist is one filled with double crosses, a murder that brings the full force of Hong Kong’s police on them (whom they themselves have their own dubious morals), and situations where many of our team show their true colors.

This is in the running for one of the most bleak films of its era, you start out almost on the team’s side since while the means to their crime isn’t moral you can understand their desire to get themselves out of their situation. However, when money Comes their way many of the team show how ruthless they are. Some still hold true to their morals, but by the end almost all of them show their despicable sides. Even the Hong Kong police show they’re not much better, as they’re very cavalier with the wellbeing of their moles and even civilians.

The action here is high octane and filled with tension. The chases on display here are amazing, right up there with the best of Ringo Lam’s work. Johnny Mak stages multiple set pieces that make great use of their environment, all culminating in a final showdown at the Kowloon Walled City, which is honestly just the perfect setting for an action sequence.

The film’s secret weapon is how much of a role Hong Kong plays beyond just the setting. It becomes a character in and of itself, with those establishing shots and sounds really setting this vibe that makes you feel like you’re there.

Another stellar action thriller from the master Johnnie To, lead by two fantastic leads in the form of Louis Koo and Sam Honglei who exude chemistry as two men on opposite sides of the law forced to work in an alliance of convenience. DRUG WAR is the type of film that keeps you not eh edge rod your seat because it’s twisting and turning in ways you least expect it to, just when you think the leads have it figured out there’s something that throws the whole thing off. The film has some excellent shoot outs but perhaps the most intense scene is one where a man has to take 3 hits of cocaine and has an intense reaction after trying I keep his cool, which results in a race to stabilize him. It’s hard to really do it justice in words, but it really stuck me how visceral and intense this scene was and the actor who plays the man within the moment does an amazing job.

Definetly a strong recommendation.

I’m really sorry Shaw Bros. but Dino De Laurentiis did it better 😭

It’s fun seeing a very young and feathery haired Danny Lee and to be honest the last 30 or so minutes features some very impressive tokusatsu… yes I did say Tokusatsu because even though this is a Hong Kong production they did hire Sadamasa Arikawa (director of the effects for 3 of the later 60s Godzilla films) to direct the effects and even had Keizo Murase in the titular Mighty Peking Man. Also, a very young Koichi Kawakita also worked on this (and you will see some shots that feel like prototypes for his work on the 90s Godzilla films). 

They try to combine the King Kong type story with a gender swapped Tarzan element and while it’s fun for a bit the pacing of this movie is its biggest hurdle. The first part of this feels extremely rushed like it’s trying to speed run the entire Kong formula, then it grinds to a halt with some pretty lengthy romantic montages. Then it kind of just plods aimlessly for a bit til our big guy gets angry enough to break free… and for what it’s worth it does deliver the effects goods, lots of explosions and fire for sure.

For what it’s worth, probably the best Tokusatsu take on King Kong out there and probably the best King Kong rip off out there, but I kinda wish those effects had a better story to go with it.

NE ZHA 2 is one of the most pleasant and beautiful surprises I have seen in the cinema in quite a while. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that a film that’s currently breaking box office records for animation would live up to the word of mouth, but it not only felt like a huge step up from the original (an already great film) but in general feels like a big step for 3D animated films.

We pick up right where the first film left off, with Ne Zha and Ao Bing undergoing a transformation back to their physical forms, but an accident results in the latter being unable to perform the transfer. Thus, Ne Zha allows Ao to inhabit his body as the two must work together and under go trials from the gods to get the potion needed to save Ao Bing within the 7 days his spirit has left to survive. I’m only giving the barebones of this story but it’s a journey filled with betrayal, loss, and ultimately overcoming your past to become the version of yourself you strive to be.

This movie made me feel man. I laughed (even at some of the more juvenile jokes), I teared up and got caught in the emotion, and man was the action here immaculate. Yanting Lü/Jospeh and Mo Han are stellar as Ne Zha and Ao Bing, you really feel all that emotion they bring to the role. Probably my favorite stand out performance of the side cast were the Ao Bing father the Dragon King and the 3 other main dragons, I can’t find their voice actors but they were such a joy.

The action here is genuinely some of the best I’ve seen in any movie recently, animated or other wise. From the choreography to the way powers get integrated, it’s absolutely stellar, all brought to live by the gorgeous animation. And just because this is a 3-D animated film don’t expect this to skimp on the Violence, they show you the impacts from those hits and don’t shy away from blood either. Of course don’t expect like Zemekiis BEOWULF levels of gore but this is definetly more than what we get from Hollywood as far as family films go.

Through out my viewing of NE ZHA 2 I couldn’t help but look at this beautifully done and ambitious film and think “Man, we (America) really don’t do this kinda stuff with our 3-D animated films.”

Of course we have many films that are well worth their place in history, but I seldom see them push the boundaries of what’s deemed “okay” for the medium, and maybe this is largely a cultural thing, because I feel you rarely get to see things like action, war, and violence like this in the Hollywood 3D space for family films for the most part (as in not largely targeted to kids or largely targeted to adults). Of course we had our exceptions like that Robert Zemekiis’ r rated BEOWULF (far from an actual family film but it’s one of the only big Hollywood attempts I could think of) or I suppose the SPIDERVERSE movies, but this felt like something on the scope and level of LORD OF THE RINGS or AVATAR. Actually, I think TRANSFORMERS ONE is another example but even on that case the studio marketed it horribly focused on there humor and family friendly aspects rather than the spectacle of action. Of course, this is nothing strange to 2D films we’ve seen in the past like MULAN or PRINCE OF EGYPT but I feel like especially now in the 3D animated space it feels largely avoided. 

Anyway, I do hope if a lot of people see this, it can change a lot of western perceptions of what can be done with animation as a medium. I feel for a large part, in spite of the best efforts from many artists here (and maybe because of how the industry treats the genre) big budget 3-D animated movies aren’t really seen as something that feature the kind of action or adventure aspects, that’s usually regulated to 2D films (which honestly aren’t really a thing Hollywood pushes anymore) or live action. 

I’m really glad I got to experience NE ZHA 2 in theaters because it is easily one of the greatest emotional roller coasters out right now. Not only is it pushing the medium with its gorgeous animation and intricate spectacle, but the story at its core is something that Really got me invested and the pay off was well worth it. I’ll be there day one for NE ZHA 3.

1. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
2. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
3. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
5. Mission: Impossible II
6. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
7. Mission: Impossible
8. Mission: Impossible III

• Crime Story
• New Police Story
• Shinjuku Incident
• The Karate Kid
• Police Story: Lockdown
• The Foreigner
• Ride On

Many of these are co-directed with Wai Ka-fai

• Running Out of Time
• Running on Karma
• Needing You...
• All About Ah-Long
• The Mission
• Election
• Drug War
• The Heroic Trio
• Love on a Diet
• Fulltime Killer

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Police Story
• Rocky
• The Killer
• Eyes Wide Shut
• Infernal Affairs
• Wheels on Meals
• GoodFellas
• Aliens
• Fallen Angels
• Blade Runner

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Every week I always find myself taking so long to choose a movie to watch, so this is just to make things easier

• Aces Go Places
• Railroad Tigers
• Swallowtail Butterfly
• The Stunt Woman
• The Lovers
• Muscle Heat
• Accident Man
• Journey of Honor
• Stuntman
• 100 Yards

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout
• Mission: Impossible
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
• Mission: Impossible II
• Mission: Impossible III

This is actually really hard to do and I really don’t think I stand by this except for the top and bottom

1. GoodFellas
2. The Last Temptation of Christ
3. Killers of the Flower Moon
4. Taxi Driver
5. The King of Comedy
6. Casino
7. Raging Bull
8. Michael Jackson: Bad
9. The Wolf of Wall Street
10. The Irishman

...plus 5 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Godzilla Minus One

  4

• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

  3

• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
• Godzilla: Final Wars
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
• Godzilla 2000: Millennium

  American version as a kid in 2000
  
  Re release (Japanese cut) in 2023

• Wonder Woman
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
• Godzilla: King of the Monsters

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

I’m just counting the non-effects directors cuz this list would be insane if I put in all the things Nakano and Tsuburaya had a hand in

• Ironfinger
• Always - Sunset on Third Street
• Aragami
• Always: Sunset on Third Street 2
• Golden Eyes
• Versus
• ESPY
• The Midnight Meat Train
• The Secret of the Telegian
• Returner

...plus 20 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Timothy Dalton was the best James Bond.

1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2. Casino Royale
3. The Living Daylights
4. From Russia with Love
5. For Your Eyes Only
6. Licence to Kill
7. The Spy Who Loved Me
8. Thunderball
9. Goldfinger
10. Octopussy

...plus 15 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Ne Zha 2
• Drive
• Aragami
• He's a Woman, She's a Man
• Eastern Condors
• The Adventurers
• Conflagration
• Eye for an Eye 2
• The Bikeriders
• Long Arm of the Law

...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Boys Are Easy
• City Hunter
• High Risk
• Future Cops
• Holy Weapon
• God of Gamblers
• A True Mob Story
• Tricky Brains

The films of Japanese Special Effects Director extraordinaire Teruyoshi Nakano

• Crazy Big Explosion
• All Monsters Attack

  Uncredited 

• The Vampire Doll
• Godzilla vs. Hedorah
• Lake of Dracula
• The Battle of Okinawa
• Godzilla vs. Gigan
• Godzilla vs. Megalon
• Submersion of Japan
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

...plus 16 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Aragami
• Versus
• Godzilla: Final Wars
• The Midnight Meat Train
• Sky High
• No One Lives
• The Spear of Longinus

• Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
• City Hunter
• Yolo
• Juror #2
• The Shadow Strays
• Dune: Part Two
• Trap
• Eye for an Eye 2
• The Bikeriders
• A Different Man

...plus 18 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Police Story
• The Killer
• Wheels on Meals
• Hard Boiled
• Infernal Affairs

Movies that you deem as a bit “out of character” for the director, exhibiting little to none of their trademarks and/or are a notable genre/tone shift from their usual work

• The Three Sisters of Tenmasou Inn
• A True Mob Story

  ZERO aids jokes, ZERO gay jokes, ZERO jokes about SA, in fact like no humor in this what so ever just a straight up violent crime drama with Andy Lau

• Big Eyes
• Holes
• Michael Jackson: Bad
• Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
• Ghost
• Happy Feet

• Prison on Fire
• She Shoots Straight
• Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
• City Hunter
• Running Out of Time
• Our Times
• The Iron Claw
• Train to Busan
• The Enforcer
• Infernal Affairs II

...plus 108 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• A View to a Kill
• Batman Returns

Godzilla mi

• Home Alone
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
• Predator
• A Nightmare on Elm Street
• Saw
• You're Next
• Skyfall
• Shin Godzilla
• Godzilla Minus One
• Halloween

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Killers of the Flower Moon
• Godzilla Minus One
• The Iron Claw
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
• Oppenheimer
• Sakra
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
• Barbie
• The Boy and the Heron
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

...plus 11 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Rurouni Kenshin: The Final
• City Hunter
• Killers of the Flower Moon
• Godzilla Minus One
• Oppenheimer
• The Fabelmans
• Yolo
• Avatar: The Way of Water
• Top Gun: Maverick
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

*Uncut version of SCHOOL ON FIRE
*TWIN DRAGONS is co-directed by Tsui Hark

• Prison on Fire
• City on Fire
• Full
• School on Fire
• Twin Dragons
• Full Alert
• Replicant
• In Hell
• Burning Paradise
• Maximum Risk

I haven’t seen the third anime movie 

Pretty definitive for the moment

1. Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla
2. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
3. Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
4. Godzilla Minus One
5. Godzilla
6. Mothra vs. Godzilla
7. Terror of Mechagodzilla
8. Godzilla: Final Wars
9. Son of Godzilla
10. The Return of Godzilla

...plus 27 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Obviously there are some years like 2020 and 1970 that I have not seen a lot of films from but this is my attempt to do a favorite film from each year from 2023 to 1960

• City Hunter
• Godzilla Minus One
• Top Gun: Maverick
• Rurouni Kenshin: The Final
• Bill & Ted Face the Music
• The Irishman
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout
• Blade Runner 2049
• Train to Busan
• Our Times

...plus 54 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• The Legend of Speed
• 2 Fast 2 Furious
• Initial D
• The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

• Encounters of the Spooky Kind
• Dracula
• The Wolf Man
• The Crucifixion
• The Mummy
• The Sixth Sense
• Magic Cop
• Frankenstein
• The X from Outer Space
• Gamera vs. Gyaos

...plus 21 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

I haven’t seen 3 or the second Rob Zombie one

• Halloween
• Halloween
• Halloween Ends
• Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
• Halloween II
• Halloween Kills
• Halloween: Resurrection
• Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
• Halloween
• Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Due for a rewatch

• Transformers
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon
• Transformers One
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
• Bumblebee
• The Transformers: The Movie
• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
• Transformers: The Last Knight
• Transformers: Age of Extinction

Anyone who watched Animal Planet in the early to mid 2000s surely will the show THE MOST EXTREME, where they would detail the quantifiable traits or descriptions of animals. They'd often supplement the narration with archival footage of films (usually old and/or public domain) to make an interesting point or to entertain. They were often enhanced by new sound effects, music, and often roars to give some clips a more horror-vibe when appropriate.

Often, the "enhanced" scenes of the cheesier films are actually more scary than the actual films themselves (looking right at STING OF DEATH and THE SWARM).

Here are a list of those films used (or at least that I ):

• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
• The Phantom of the Opera
• The Black Pirate
• Frankenstein
• Tiger Shark
• King Kong
• Betty in Blunderland
• Mark of the Vampire
• Neptune Nonsense

...plus 117 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

There was a special moment in 1967 where four of the major Japanese studios (and two Korean studios) decided to all release giant monster movies, all utilizing the man in suit method. Of course, Toho and Daiei (later bought out by Kadokawa) would end up being the only ones to continue doing so on a regular basis, but there’s something to be said and ired about all these companies deciding to take a chance with their own unique spin on the sub-genre.

• Son of Godzilla
• Gamera vs. Gyaos
• Gappa, the Triphibian Monster
• Yongary, Monster from the Deep
• The X from Outer Space
• King Kong Escapes
• Space Monster Wangmagwi

• Santo and Blue Demon vs. Dracula and the Wolf Man
• The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires
• Encounters of the Spooky Kind
• The Dead and the Deadly
• Kung Fu from Beyond the Grave
• Mr. Vampire
• Mr. Vampire II
• Mr. Vampire III
• Witch from Nepal
• A Chinese Ghost Story

...plus 8 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

All of these rankings are based on their uncut, unedited original forms (except for RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, which I still need to see in the original form).

The best version of WHEELS ON MEALS is the Golden Harvest English Dub that was shown in Japan as SPARTAN-X.

Need to rewatch:
WINNERS AND SINNERS

1. Police Story
2. Wheels on Meals
3. Drunken Master II
4. Police Story 3: Super Cop
5. Drunken Master
6. Armour of God
7. Dragons Forever
8. Miracles: The Canton Godfather
9. Police Story 2
10. Rush Hour 2

...plus 47 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Little Big Soldier
• Ride On
• The Foreigner
• Police Story: Lockdown
• The Karate Kid
• Chinese Zodiac
• The Spy Next Door
• Hidden Strike
• Bleeding Steel
• A Legend

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

4 and 3 are interchangeable

1. Aliens
2. Alien
3. Prometheus
4. Alien Resurrection
5. Alien³
6. AVP: Alien vs. Predator
7. Aliens vs Predator: Requiem
8. Alien: Covenant

If it’s not on here, I haven’t seen it yet or need to rewatch it

• City Hunter
• Rurouni Kenshin: The Final

  Peak

• Always - Sunset on Third Street
• City Hunter

  The one time I’m giving the “Japanese anime adaptation starring a white lead” a because
  
  1.) it’s Peak and Tsukasa Hojo stamped his approval on it
  
  2.) the anime got localized as French when it came out and honestly Nicky Larson is like top 10 whitest names out there  
  
  

• Transformers
• Rurouni Kenshin Part III: The Legend Ends
• Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning
• Always: Sunset on Third Street 2
• Rurouni Kenshin Part II: Kyoto Inferno
• Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins

...plus 14 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• In the Mood for Love
• Top Gun: Maverick
• Zero
• The Iceman Cometh
• Manhunter
• Hero
• Miami Vice
• Elvis
• Avatar: The Way of Water
• Hitch

...plus 45 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

*that I've seen

• Come Drink with Me
• Fist of Fury
• The Way of the Dragon
• Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
• Drunken Master
• Last Hurrah for Chivalry
• The Prodigal Son
• Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain
• Project A
• Wheels on Meals

...plus 42 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Kung Fu Hustle
• Shaolin Soccer
• From Beijing with Love
• Tricky Brains
• Fight Back to School
• All for the Winner
• Love on Delivery
• A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box
• A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella
• King of Comedy

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Only including films where he plays a major/lead role

• Wheels on Meals
• The Iceman Cometh
• Dragons Forever
• Righting Wrongs
• Hero
• The Prodigal Son
• Project A
• The Champions
• On the Run
• The Young Master

...plus 7 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Red Cliff 1 and 2 count as one entry

• The Killer
• Bullet in the Head
• Hard Boiled
• A Better Tomorrow
• Last Hurrah for Chivalry
• Red Cliff II
• Red Cliff
• A Better Tomorrow II
• Face/Off
• Mission: Impossible II

...plus 7 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Master Z: Ip Man Legacy
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

• Bad Boys II
• Transformers
• Pain & Gain
• 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon
• Bad Boys
• Armageddon
• 6 Underground
• Pearl Harbor

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Kong: Skull Island
• Godzilla × Kong: The New Empire
• Godzilla vs. Kong
• Godzilla
• Godzilla: King of the Monsters

1. King Kong
2. King Kong
3. King Kong
4. Kong: Skull Island
5. Godzilla × Kong: The New Empire
6. Godzilla vs. Kong
7. The Son of Kong
8. King Kong Lives
9. King Kong vs. Godzilla
10. King Kong Escapes

• Bullet in the Head
• Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
• Shrek
• Shrek Forever After
• House of Gucci

• Police Story 3: Super Cop
• Rocky III
• Aliens
• Avatar: The Way of Water
• Batman Returns
• A Better Tomorrow II
• The Godfather Part II
• Infernal Affairs II
• Once Upon a Time in China II
• Red Cliff II

...plus 8 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Varying degrees of faithfulness

EDGE OF TOMORROW/ALL YOU NEED IS KILL is based of a novel so it doesn’t necessarily count

• Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins
• Rurouni Kenshin Part II: Kyoto Inferno
• Rurouni Kenshin Part III: The Legend Ends
• Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning
• Rurouni Kenshin: The Final
• Saviour of the Soul

  Based on the City Hunter Manga/anime, EXTREMELY LOOSELY based, but still kicks ass 

• City Hunter
• Mr. Mumble

  Unofficial adaptations of the City Hunter Manga/anime

• City Hunter

  French adaptation of the City Hunter Manga/anime

• Future Cops

  Not really an adaptation but has elements from Doremon and Dragonball Z
  

...plus 6 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

This list is something I’d call an “Essential Hits” of Godzilla, meaning a speed run of the franchise with its peaks and wide range of tones and styles.

This is NOT a top ten or necessarily a view of my favorites (though I’m not gonna lie, most of these are my favorites) but it gives a range of taste for the franchise.

• Godzilla
• Mothra vs. Godzilla
• Invasion of Astro-Monster
• Son of Godzilla
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
• Terror of Mechagodzilla
• The Return of Godzilla
• Godzilla vs. Biollante
• Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
• Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Red Cliff Parts 1 and 2 count as one entry

• Red Cliff II
• Red Cliff
• City of Life and Death
• Killers of the Flower Moon
• Once Upon a Time in China II
• 12 Angry Men
• Yes, Madam!
• The Abyss
• Ironfinger
• Godzilla Minus One

...plus 52 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.