OddHat Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Anyone seen Sanctuary? If so is it good? The TV series? If it's that, then yes, saw it via Netflix. Enjoyed it, especially the last few episodes. Very much a gamers TV show, "All myths are rooted in truth, monsters are out there" with a thin sci-fi overlay and a touch of LoEG / Wold Newton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Saw the first episode of the TV Series The Hunger on netflix. soft core porn with a fake veneer of some kind of weak moral lesson about something or other being bad for you. With the single most annoying opening credits and introduction sequence known to man. Bleh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted September 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Watched Royal Tramp I & II. Early (1992) Stephen Chow comedy adapted from a well-known novel. Brothel story-teller rises to great power through a combination of luck, fast-talk, luck, the ability to win friends in high places, and luck. Ends up with multiple wives (some of whom are quite powerful fighters), a fortune in gold and property, and the patronage of the Emperor. And through most of the films he can't fight worth a damn. Oddhat loves these films, I found them somewhat disjointed (and a little hard to follow with who was who). They also didn't make me laugh like Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle did. However, as a farce of period wuxia movies, complete with over-the-top fighting techniques, conspiracies, secret societies, and all that, it's great. I think another viewing will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Watched Royal Tramp I & II. Early (1992) Stephen Chow comedy adapted from a well-known novel. Brothel story-teller rises to great power through a combination of luck, fast-talk, luck, the ability to win friends in high places, and luck. Ends up with multiple wives (some of whom are quite powerful fighters), a fortune in gold and property, and the patronage of the Emperor. And through most of the films he can't fight worth a damn. Oddhat loves this films, I found them somewhat disjointed (and a little hard to follow with who was who). They also didn't make me laugh like Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle did. However, as a farce of period wuxia movies, complete with over-the-top fighting techniques, conspiracies, secret societies, and all that, it's great. I think another viewing will help. Yup, they're not everyone's cup of tea, but they're still favorites of mine. Chow and most of the same cast (and using the same costumes and some of the same sets) did a couple more Wuxia parodies around that time, some before and some after, including King of Beggars, Mad Monk, Flirting Scholar, Forbidden City Cop and Chinese Odyssey 1 & 2. Probably more, but those are all I can remember right now. All have their good moments, with Chinese Odyssey as the stand out (imo) as a genuinely first tier Wuxia comedy. King of Beggars was disturbing in places but a pretty good Wuxia for all that, Mad Monk & Flirting Scholar were weak but still had a bit in each to make you grin, and Forbidden City Cop had a strong first and second act and a weak third. If I ever do a Wuxia campaign, it will mostly be in the Chowverse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted September 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Chinese Odyssey 1 & 2. This I've seen. Chow plays the Monkey King IIRC and it was a fun film(s). It's also the movie our hero has on when he wakes up in The Forbidden Kingdom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? This I've seen. Chow plays the Monkey King IIRC and it was a fun film(s). It's also the movie our hero has on when he wakes up in The Forbidden Kingdom. It's one of his best. He's also working on another Monkey film as producer / director for 2011, "Journey to the West". Don't know if he'll take the lead again. I think his Lawyer films were also made in that 1992-1997 period, with that cast. Justice My Foot, Hail to the Judge, Lawyer Lawyer. Not great stuff, but entertaining period martial arts comedies with an emphasis on the legal system. As I've said, you could do a pretty good Chowverse Wuxia campaign setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? wolerine unleasheas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted September 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Hell in the Pacific. Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune. Two men, on opposite sides of the war, must work together to get off of an deserted isle. The DVD includes the much better, and far more ambiguous alternate ending, which I feel is superior to the studio's crudely spliced in ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? The TV series? If it's that' date=' then yes, saw it via Netflix. Enjoyed it, especially the last few episodes. Very much a gamers TV show, "All myths are rooted in truth, monsters are out there" with a thin sci-fi overlay and a touch of LoEG / Wold Newton.[/quote'] Sounds so good, I went and bought it this morning (I read your post at 4am*). I'm been trying to rep your post but it isn't letting me. I read a bit about it on wikipedia yesterday arvo at work and noticed the Wold Newton-esque nature (but didn't think Wold Newton gah). Also been thinking at Sanctuary would make a good crossover with either Buffy or Angel. With Buffy it would be an antagonist situation, Buffy's approach being stake first ask questions later... Sanctuary being to protect the monsters (Spike could give himself up as a refugee). Angel would be more similar in theme, him being a vampire, and I reckon Faith (rogue Slayer), Wesley (rogue Watcher) and Lorne would suit the crossover better. *what I was doing up at that time is a 'nother matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Sounds so good, I went and bought it this morning (I read your post at 4am*). I'm been trying to rep your post but it isn't letting me. I read a bit about it on wikipedia yesterday arvo at work and noticed the Wold Newton-esque nature (but didn't think Wold Newton gah). Also been thinking at Sanctuary would make a good crossover with either Buffy or Angel. With Buffy it would be an antagonist situation, Buffy's approach being stake first ask questions later... Sanctuary being to protect the monsters (Spike could give himself up as a refugee). Angel would be more similar in theme, him being a vampire, and I reckon Faith (rogue Slayer), Wesley (rogue Watcher) and Lorne would suit the crossover better. *what I was doing up at that time is a 'nother matter An Angel crossover might work very well, as the main Big Evil Organization is a sort of cross between The Initiative and Wolfram & Hart. The series could also be merged pretty easily into the world of Kolchak or Dark Shadows. The SciFi view of the Supernatural in this series doesn't quite click with the Whedonverse, but that doesn't much bug me; I'd just go with "they're using different terms to describe the same phenomena" in equal portions with "they're wrong", just like Wold Newton fans have always done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted September 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? The Good, The Bad, and The Weird (Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom) -- Described by the director as a "kimchee" Western, this pure action film takes place in 1930s Manchuria. Woo-sung Jung (Yeo-sol the spearman in Musa) is Park Do-won, a bounty hunter (the "Good"), Byung-hun Lee (Storm Shadow in the recent GI Joe movie) is Park Chang-yi, a vicious killer (the "Bad"), and Kang-ho Song (Park Hang-Du the befuddled father in The Host) is Yoon Tae-goo, a small-time bandit (the "Weird"). The plot, such as it, concerns a treasure map, and the desire for several of the characters (and other factions) to be the first to get to it. Aside from our three main characters, we also have to deal with the Ghost Market Gang, the Japanese Army, Korean freedom fighters, and a Mongolian bandit gang. Paying homage to the films in Sergio Leone any change it can get, The Good, The Bad, and The Weird simply tears along, with gunfights galore, as well as chases, captures, escapes, explosions, and the occasional comedic incident (courtesy of the Weird mostly). It's certainly not a "deep" movie, and people looking for character development and exploration can look elsewhere, The Good, The Bad, and The Weird is an action film, pure and simple, with nothing extraneous -- there are no tacked-on love interests, no discussions of philosophy or morality, and if you get down to it, no real "good guys." Much like a Sergio Leone western, there are just varying shades of gray (although the Bad is definitely "the Bad"). Oh, and if you're looking for ideas for a Pulp Hero game set in 1930s China, go no further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted September 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Shanghai Express -- A 1986 martial arts action/comedy from Sammo Hung. It has just about everyone one in it (Sammo Hung, Richard Norton, Yuen Biao, Eric Tsang, Cynthia Rothrock... the list goes on and on), and includes a lot of HK comedy stars from the period. The plot centers around the desire to rob a train, using said robbery as a cover for stealing a map of the terracotta soldiers from the Japanese. Roughly 3/4 of the film is set up, with the various factions getting in position, as well as development of Sammo and Yuen's characters. There's a lot of corny comedy scenes, with unfaithful husbands, dueling masters (and their kids) and other such nonsense. The last 15-20 minutes, however, make up for it, with a serious blend of kung, sword, club, and Gatling gun fu, as well some stunts that will be sure to leave your jaw hanging. Highlights include Sammo doing a picture perfect Bruce Lee impersonation for a shot sequence, Yuen's fight with one of the bandit leaders, and Yukai Oshima's swordfight with about a dozen bandits at once. While a fun film, and worth the $10.00 I paid, it does have a few flaws. One is a total lack of period in which to set the film. You have what looks like a female cavalry trooper from the 1870s, a Gatling gun, a post WWI motorcycle and sidecar, Winchester rifles, and Japanese in traditional dress with katana. At best guess it's roughly the 1920s (if only to explain the apparent Soviet Russia soldiers) but there's a character who is obviously a pre-teen Wong Fei Hong, which would make it around 1860. While one can argue "it's only a film, relax", having just seen The Good, The Bad, and The Weird, which is set in a specific time and place (early 1930s Manchuria), I think setting in a more specific era would only have improved it. Of course, considering the farcical nature of much of the movie (many of the characters are amazingly inept at, well anything), you can forgive this minor oversight. One think that strikes me as rather odd is how the DVD calls the movie a "fun-filled adventure" yet at the same time, a number of people die in some pretty unpleasant ways. Sammo blows up a cabin full of soldiers, the bandits massacre much of the town, Yukari slaughters a stack of bandits (and dispatches Richard Norton in a most painful manner), and so on. While comedic, yes, it's not a slapstick laugh-riot. Like many HK films it veers from pure farce to deadly serious and back without warning. But... if you want to see some of HK's finest in their prime (I discovered the rather goofball Japanese samurai us played by the same actor who's the gracious karate master brought in to fight Jet Li in Fist of Legend), as well as one of the best all-out fight-fest climaxes to an HK action film (there are something like 3-4 different fights the film cuts between at the end), give Shanghai Express a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted September 28, 2009 Report Share Posted September 28, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? "Up" - it was really good. I'm not sure it's their best, but it come close to Wall-E Fringe season 2 - first couple of eps. I thought there was a nice offhanded reference to the X-files in it. Big Bang Theory season 3 - looking just as funny this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted September 28, 2009 Report Share Posted September 28, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? The Mutant Chronicles. It was on a list of Steampunk movies my wife wants to watch, and it could be streamed from Netflix, so we watched it. Certainly has some Steampunk elements (coal-fired ships that can reach orbit and apparently travel to mars. . . no really). And the artillery fire from the start of the movie was pretty wicked, definitely SP elements, the whole first 10 minutes was very much a World War I style trench battle. Then it went into the sci-fi elements, and then it clearly appeared to be made from the video game it took its name from. And then it definitely pissed me off when it killed everyone but the jerk anti-hero. Including the hot-asian chick who almost made it all the way in a dumb almost throw away fashion (she fell, off a ledge she'd be fighting on after showing definite martial prowess and mowing down mutants left and right, and was cut in half randomly by a chunk of machinery...) So yeah. Stupid bits intertwined with some really cool imagery. The characters were actually decent, even through mediocre acting. Even Ron Pearlman acted like a piece of wood. Ah well. Some cool eye candy, definitely a video game movie, file under "Almost Steampunk." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted September 28, 2009 Report Share Posted September 28, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Including Sean Pertwee (son of Jon) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSgt Baloo Posted September 28, 2009 Report Share Posted September 28, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Turnabout (1940) What an unusual gender-bending tale from the '40s. Bickering husband and wife Tim and Sally Willows mutter a few angry words to a statue of a djinn and wind up exchanging bodies. How it got past the censors of the day is a complete mystery, as the subject matter would have been considered quite risqué. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted September 30, 2009 Report Share Posted September 30, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? The Mutant Chronicles. I found it dubious that of the special team assembled to infiltrate - the first casualties were the only African Americans present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSgt Baloo Posted September 30, 2009 Report Share Posted September 30, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? The Wrong Door Favorite bit? Probably this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? superman/batman public enemies as good as the justice league Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Band of Brothers -- for the third (or is it fourth?) time. Can't wait to see The Pacific (same thing, but PToO). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? I found it dubious that of the special team assembled to infiltrate - the first casualties were the only African Americans present. It seems to be a rule of scifi movies - the black guy always dies. Usually he goes first. The characters commented on this in Planetary cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? It seems to be a rule of scifi movies - the black guy always dies. Usually he goes first. The characters commented on this in Planetary cheers, Mark He did go last in Alien. But Frost and Apone were some of the first in Aliens. The black guy did survive in The Thing, but considering how that ended, one's not sure if that's a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSgt Baloo Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Monsters vs Aliens As a lonstanding fan of cheesy science fiction movies (I been watching 'em since age 3, in1961), I loved this flick on so many levels I don't know where to begin. ...So I won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Monsters vs Aliens As a lonstanding fan of cheesy science fiction movies (I been watching 'em since age 3, in1961), I loved this flick on so many levels I don't know where to begin. ...So I won't. try the part with REESE WITHERSPOON cast as a monster/super-heroine the last one i saw was superman/batman public enemiesbut one dc reference eludes me while discussing the meteor crisis amanda waller refers to"that boy in japan"who did she mean ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Re: What Have You Watched Recently? He did go last in Alien. But Frost and Apone were some of the first in Aliens. The black guy did survive in The Thing' date=' but considering how that ended, one's not sure if that's a good thing.[/quote'] Well, he (maybe) reached the end of the movie, but it I wouldn't say he "survived". Nobody got out of that movie alive Actually, one of the cool things about that movie was the way the plot twisted away from expectations - I had him pegged for an early and gruesome demise .... cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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